I nodded. A ball of emotion clogged my throat.

“I had eyes for Krinny,” he admitted. A blush dotted his cheeks as he glanced away. “But I guess they weren’t returned.”

I clapped his shoulder. “Maybe they were, but she feared admitting them.”

Bernard laughed, shirking out of my grasp so he could grip both my biceps in the only version of a hug he allowed himself. “Are we talking about Krinny or Captain Lou now?”

I shook my head. “Possibly both?”

Before Bernard could agree, Delmar called down from the crow’s nest. “Captain, we’ve got a problem.”

I cranked my neck to find Delmar with the spyglass to his eye, leaning over the barrier around the nest. When he dropped the instrument to his side, he flashed me a foolish grin, displaying all his yellowed teeth.

“What in the underworld has you smiling like a dopey fop?” Bernard asked, a hand shielding his eyes from the sun.

“I think we are under attack,” Delmar said, rumbling with mirth. He grabbed his belly and wobbled side to side with uncontrollable laughter.

“Has the lad gone mad, Captain?” Bernard asked. His bushy brow rose. “Cabin fever, perhaps? Tis catching, you know.”

“Naven,” I called out. “Climb up the crow’s nest and see what’s gotten into your brother. He’s scaring Bernard.” And me, though I didn’t admit it.

“Ay, ay, Captain.” Naven saluted. He grabbed onto the shroud and started to scramble up to his brother’s station.

“Ready your positions, men. We are about to take a hit,” I shouted. Maybe The Black Hollow had rerouted in our direction, or perhaps another pirate ship that frequented these waters had come to mark their territory. “Or at least I think we are.” I threw up my hands, at a loss for what had gotten into Delmar or what we were up against.

Lanard sprinted toward me from the helm where I had Ketner teaching him navigation. He wore a goofy grin that rivaled Delmar’s.

“Has everyone gone mad? Why are we all smiling?” I shook my head, beginning to worry that Bernard’s remark about cabin fever hadn’t been facetious.

Lanard’s chest heaved. “I think we should let them come aboard. The, um…” He paused.

“Spit it out, lad,” Bernard yelled.

“The pirates.” Lanard’s nose scrunched as he scratched his head. “I think they still are.”

“What pirates?” I hurried across the deck to the starboard side and located the enemy ship. A fool’s dopey smile smeared across my face as I took in the waving flag.

Bernard smacked the back of Lanard’s head. “Next time, instead of acting the daft clodpate, just tell us who’s approaching. All you had to say was The Freedom.”