Treasure Hunt

By Mary

After Carolyn's failed attempt to appeal Claymore Gregg's vanity to get needed repairs made at Gull Cottage, the Captain sends him on a treasure hunt in the very areas that require fixing.

GAMMGAMMGAMMGAMM

"Well, that's a woman for you," Carolyn grinned. "Guess you can't change us!"

"Don't know that I want to…" he answered, returning her smile. "After all, you're still the best opposite sex available."

Carolyn shook her head, and smiled back at him again. "Thank you… I think!"

"You're welcome, I'm sure," he nodded.

"I've been meaning to give you this…" she reached into her pocket and pulled out a five-dollar bill and held it out to him. "I lost the bet, so here is your money. I would have paid it this afternoon, but I couldn't find you. Then I got busy with the children, and…"

"My dear, put your money away… in spite of my comment a moment ago, I will not take your money. You need it for more important things; bills, food for the children…"

"But I did lose the bet!"

"I know, but your acknowledgement that you did is quite enough for me. Besides, I got five dollars of fun, just watching that addle-pated, sea-squid nephew of mine make a fool of himself. Put that money back in your pocket. I won't take it."

"Thank you, Captain," Carolyn said, giving him a sunny smile. "You are sw…"

"Madam, we talked about using THAT word and me in the same sentence…"

"So we did," she grinned, her green eyes clearly contradicting him.

There was a pause, and the ghost glanced at Carolyn's… and his former, desk. "You have a great number of books here. Stocking up for the duration?"

"In a way, yes; I thought maybe, if I can learn enough sea-lingo, I might try writing a few adventure stories… or maybe a romance, or something, but not for a while. I have a lot of ground to cover first."

The ghost smiled indulgently. "Indeed."

"You needn't look so condescending; yesterday you said yourself that you didn't know why a ship was called a "she"."

"And you do?"

"I do now… sort of," she frowned.

"Sort of?"

Carolyn reached for one of several books on the desk, and turned to a page she had marked. "It says here that one reason boats…"

"Ships, Madam."

"This book says boats. …Boats are called "she," is because they are often named after important women in the life of the boat's… uhm ship's… whatever… ship's owner, such as his mother, wife, or…" Stopping, she looked up at him. "Did you ever command a ship named after a… woman?"

"One. A schooner, The Mary Anne."

"Who is… was, Mary Anne?" Carolyn asked, not entirely sure she wanted the answer.

"I haven't an idea in the world. I merely commanded the vessel; I didn't name her." He gazed at the lady opposite him, and his blue eyes twinkled. "What else does your book say?"

"Hmm. It says here that at one time, all ships were dedicated to goddesses and then later to important mortal women, when people stopped believing in them." She shrugged. "Sounds strange to me."

"How so, dear lady?"

"Because it sounds like you sailors…"

"Seamen, Madam."

"…Seamen, think of women as benevolent – I mean, even your mastheads are carved to look like women – that I have also read that it was bad luck to take a woman on board a ship. Isn't that true?"

"Yes…" he nodded. "Because since the ship was considered a "she," that the ship itself would be jealous of another woman on board. Merely superstition, though a great many seamen I have known were quite superstitious. I must point out, however, that there were some sea captains that traveled with their wife and children." He paused. "I, however, having no wife, commanded and/or traveled alone. What else does your book say?"

"Only that the "she" when referring to a ship might also have to do simply because that is the gender for the word "ship" (Navis) in Latin. So the pronoun is always "she." Carolyn yawned. "I am going to skip this! I hated learning male and female genders for inanimate objects when I took Latin in high school, and I don't like it any better now!"

"Latin? Not French?"

"Latin. Better training, if you want to be a writer."

"Interesting. Any other thoughts?"

"Just this one quote from the New York Times, written in 1903 by someone with the initials HLS." She read. "No wonder a ship is called "she." She has shifts, stays, an apron, hooks and eyes, pins, caps and ribbons, hoods, poppets…You must explain that word to me, Captain…and a husband. Then, too, the rigging costs more than the hull, (whole).Now that is a chauvinistic attitude if I ever heard one! Really!"

"Hmm…"

"Hmm, what?"

"Just, hmm. You know, Mrs. Muir… after we talked yesterday, I started thinking all over again about why ships could be called "she." Would you care to hear my answer?"

"I'd be delighted."

"A ship is a she…" he began, in a soft, velvet voice that commanded her full attention, "…because, you care for her, love her, sleep in her embrace, and when everything goes wrong, if you've done everything you can to keep her happy, she'll stand with you through anything."

Carolyn felt her voice catch as she answered.

"I… I like that answer a great deal, Captain."

"I thought you might," he smiled. "Goodnight, Mrs. Muir," he added, and slowly, he disappeared.

Ship quote by Jeramy McKay