“I will, Danny,” I replied. “I’ll watch out. Now,” I said, changing the subject. “I have a man doing some work on my boat and I was hoping you could come over and give a hand. Should be about a week to ten days’ paying gig. Also, I’m thinking of moving Miss Rosalie to another spot, for just a little while. Bob Martin’s letting me use his place out on Dutch Island, and he said you might be able to pilot me there. Could you do that? Could you come give me a hand?”

Danny nodded his head and said, “T-t-tomorrow. I-I can come—tomorrow. ’Z-’zat okay?”

“Yes, Danny, that will be fine. And I’m much obliged—for your help, and also your advice.”

Danny ducked his head at the compliment but then lifted his brow and gave me that shy grin again. He didn’t speak but nodded his head in response. I knew the sign; it meant thanks.

“Okay, my friend,” I said as I prepared to depart. “Come on by tomorrow whenever you can. I’ll see you then.”

Danny Ray nodded again. “’Kay,” he replied.

I skipped across a large puddle and got in the car. As I pulled away, Danny Ray lifted a hand in departing salute, which I returned with a wave of my own. As I turned the corner just a short way down the block, I looked back toward the shop and saw Danny still watching. He waved again, and then scampered around the corner of the building toward his trailer.

I had a few errands to run before I went back to the boat. First stop was the supermarket. I needed to lay in a good stock of food as there was going to be three of us at the boat for the next couple of weeks. I wanted Parker and Danny Ray to be well fed, because as we all know, happy workers are good workers. My next stop was at a nearby sporting goods store, and my intention there was not what you would call a friendly one—it was more in the line of sober preparedness.

I already have one shotgun aboard Miss Rosalie, but I wanted a second one so I could stow them in two different places. When cruising, I keep a shotgun in the pilothouse, where it is ready and at hand, since that is where I am almost always to be found. When in port I keep it under my bunk, so that if I hear a suspicious sound at night I have it nearby and ready for action. But lately I had felt it would be a good idea to have one in the pilothouse and another in the cabin—just in case I was in one place or the other and something untoward should arise.