Caleb Brewster's eyes twinkled as he inspected Christy's bosom. "Ah! Very nice but don't let them squeeze it too hard or the gelatin will break apart."
Chris smacked Caleb's hand away. "If you like them so much why don't you play the woman?"
"I wouldn't be nearly so pretty." Caleb smiled while covering his beard.
"Caleb, this is the most foolish plan I've ever heard," muttered Nathan who was also dressed as a woman.
"Look Nate, you really don't have to do this for me, and that includes any of you," Caleb said addressing his shipmates in the room. "You are all doing me a great favor that I can only hope to repay you all someday."
"We're with you Caleb, all the way." Captain Worth looked at Caleb reassuringly.
"Hear, Hear!" Caleb ducked his head and turned around. He fought back tears from hearing the overwhelming support.
"Aye, I'm with you," Nathan said looking a little guilty. "It's just I wish we could have come up with a better idea. Hell, Caleb! Most of us would follow you to hell and back." Indeed, that was exactly what they would be doing. "Hell," was the HMS Jersey's nickname.
Caleb grabbed Nathan's shoulders. "You know, I think I've taken a fancy to you."
The men laughed. Caleb looked at his shipmates, his family. During the past few years he had come to know these men better than his own family and his friends back in Setauket. In reality, he would probably do the same for the men standing amongst him. He wanted to save and protect them all: the whalers, his family, and his hometown friends: Samuel, Benjamin, Abraham, Anna.
Caleb watched young Chris and Nathan being lowered into the sea. They began to row into position in their frilly little dresses. God save them.
"Right mates! Let's all fall into position!" Captain Worth got up to the helm and looked up at the black sail and murmured a prayer for success.
Caleb worried about putting all of them in danger. "I wouldn't be able to look at Benny-boy in the eyes if I didn't at least try," Caleb thought as he rowed in his own boat into the thick of the veiled night.