"Next stop: Port Alley. Please exit to your left."

Unconsciously Luigi escaped a relieved breath and his mouth corners bent upwards. Finally, he would be able to flee the suffocating narrowness of the bus! No more getting the suitcase on the lap of his seat neighbour rammed into the side every time they took a right turn! And above all: his olfactory nerves would still experience tomorrow after being mercilessly attacked by the penetrating mixture of alcohol, perfume, deodorant, fast food and sweat. After all, the air conditioning worked.

Then Luigi rose, his legs numb due to the hardly existing freedom, held on to the headrest of the man in front and prepared himself for the acrobatic act. In view of the sheer number of passengers, this was no easy task, as they almost stood on each other's feet and used one another as makeshift supports. Wouldn't a taxi have been better? Although, as expensive as they were on days like these ...

He just squeezed his way past the neighbour and his suitcase under a mumbled "sorry". What happened to his free space now was of no importance to him anymore. Should they fall on top of each other, like the first two toads, nagging who, in their opinion, deserved the seat more - which immediately turned into silence when the transport container found its way onto the cushion. And Mario always wondered why Luigi avoided the public transports like a Dry Bones fire.

The other passengers luckily made room for him as far as they could in the confinement and soon the plumber was standing in front of the exit. After the bus stopped a bit abruptly and almost made some passengers to fall, the door opened with a loud squeak and a heatwave hit him. Nothing that was allowed to stop Luigi: his sunglasses put on and a bottle of water in his hand, he stepped outside on the sidewalk.

As soon as he escaped the stuffy atmosphere, he took a deep breath and breathed out slowly. Fresh and unused and with a salty note; it wasn't far to the harbour anymore. Just walk a bit, then turn off and he would see the colour blue laid over the whole horizon like a gigantic carpet. According to his family doctor, it was also healthy for the respiratory tract, so let's go!

The younger brother strolled along the path with a smile on his face, watching persons passing by and the flickering over the asphalt. There could not have been a better day for him: A cloudless sky, the sun turned every unprotected metre into a solarium and, very importantly, he was alone. With all the time it took for him to find, as the saying goes, his own centre. Or was it something else? Zen? Luigi didn't know exactly, but he didn't care. The main thing was peace and relaxation, camouflaged as a tourist thanks to Mario's tropical shirt and sunglasses. No one would disturb him now...

Suddenly it vibrated in his pocket.

The plumber moaned unnerved. It couldn't be his big brother, because he had asked him before he left to call him only in emergencies. Yes, Mario was alone with the Polterpup. But the ghost dog was an incredibly robust animal and had recovered from last week's incident. So it was unlikely it was sick again or had disassembled the whole furnishings out of frustration. Therefore, who, or what, was it?

Luigi didn't need a second to identify the number on the display as his own landline number. At the same time, a watery pearl detached itself from his forehead and ran down his skin. It didn't come from the heat. He gulped.

"H-Hello, Mario?" Luigi replied meekly. What if the dog actually had to go back to the vet?

"Bad news, little brother." His heart was beating against his chest and increased its speed. At that very moment, he took the liberty of asking himself when the next bus was leaving and he would arrive again. If necessary he was able to postpone his planning to a later date. But the physical well-being of the pet had top priority! So he hesitantly inquired, "Is Jeremiah ill again?

"No, fortunately not." It didn't quite manage to take a load off the man in green's mind. Because that would mean that the dog had another problem instead, as Mario explained in the following, "But Jeremiah only lies in front of the door and can't be moved to do anything anymore. No food, no games, nothing at all." Luigi sighed and let his shoulders hang. He had expected that his departure would put a damper on the otherwise excellent mood of the ghost. But that bad?

"Oh, it will be all right," Luigi tried to reassure his brother. "I'll be back this evening."

"Well Luigi, shortly after your departure he was a little down, albeit still lively. But that the postman mopped the floor with him afterwards was the final straw for him, I'm afraid." The flat hand landed uncontrollably on his forehead. Well, that explained a lot. As if a cat would let itself be beaten up by a mouse.

That called for his "secret weapon".

"Hm, fine. Be so kind and give him the can at the top of the cupboard, please. That should get him going again." His conversational partner paused for a moment until he thoughtfully replied, "Eh, I'm not that sure. It would really be better if you came back and took him with you."

Luigi was still pushed energetically from behind towards the exit. Who would have thought that a toad could develop such power when it was angry? Not that the plumber condemned him for it after what Jeremiah had done. But throwing him out outright? Did the captain also dispose of every guest who had one too many?

Shortly before the ramp to the pier, it stopped and Luigi regained his balance. Even before he could turn around to quickly apologize, he heard those words that continued to echo in his head as if it had been yesterday, "Get this transparent spawn out of here."

The owner stared mercilessly at the two under his glasses, his finger accusingly pointing at the green dog in Luigi's arms. Behind them, several passengers sparkled angrily at them as cleaners prepared to mop up a puddle. The glowing eyes opened weakly until it rumbled audibly in his stomach and he had to retch. Disgusted, the captain took two steps back, but his grim face didn't lighten even when it stayed inside this time.

"I-I'm sorry, I-I didn't want to..."

"Get. It. Out."

It didn't help. So Luigi finally left the ship with his head bowed in silence, so that they would never board a ship together again.

Always these flashbacks in the worst moments.

"But then he gets seasick again and then we have this fuss again," Luigi contradicted. "No, that won't work, unfortunately." At the other end, he heard incomprehensible murmurs for an answer until it became clearer.

"Very well, then I won't stop you any longer. But please hurry, okay? It really hurts to see the little man like that".

"You can wait for me at the pier if you want, or I'll take a taxi. Until then, send Jeremiah kind regards from me!"

"Will do, have fun and a beautiful evening!

"Thanks, you too!

That would be finally resolved. And where had he stopped? In the truest sense of the word: wasn't there a turn to the facilities? Or, wait, where did the sea suddenly come from? And the ships? And the two seagulls, where one distracted an angler while the other stole a fish? He pulled up a brow and scratched his head. Could he reach the Beanbean Kingdom on foot with his mobile phone on his ear as if controlled by another person? He had to try it out at some point.

But now on to what he had actually come for: a day trip on the high seas! Feeling the wind on the skin, tasting the salt on the tongue and the chilly water on the face. Maybe even swim one or two rounds and test his stamina in front of hungry sharks? At this thought, however, Luigi promptly flinched. That probably not, but the rest. The only thing missing was the right boat for his ambitions.

This weekend it was remarkably quiet at the harbour. Normally the passers-by drowned out the omnipresent noise of the water. Today, however, they were to be found only sporadically. Was it the transition to autumn? After a brief look around, tourist groups from the Beanbean Kingdom seemed to be in the majority. Even the otherwise so popular tavern "Wet Bandit Inn" was, if his eyes did not deceive him, surprisingly empty. He wondered what Toad Town had to offer in terms of sights. Apart from the castle, of course, but was the place really that attractive? Not that he knew anything about the industry. But he really wouldn't mind a private audience with Prince Peasley - why was he suddenly so warm? Even more than usual? A quick sip from the bottle had to help - unfortunately without the hoped-for effect.

And lo and behold, a compact double-decker was already waiting for customers at the pier on the left with the ramp down. In addition quite classically with a paddlewheel at the rear. That should be a very relaxed day ... His legs froze and his face distorted with pain. Were those crowds at the railing of this modernized paddle steamer? How they almost threatened to crush each other and the barge probably sank with man and mouse as soon as only one kilogram more was added? Had he missed a certain trend, a hype? With the exception of the paddlewheel, it didn't differ at all from the other passenger ships in terms of appearance and equipment! Basically a floating, painted brick! Where was the courage for something new?

Disappointed, Luigi turned away. At neighbouring piers, more ships wanted to court for his attention and money. Could the next one to the right reach him?

The moment he had his sights set on it, something unusual came into view. So secretly hidden and yet conspicuous, like a sporty speedster in the parking lot of a poor settlement. Round and narrow it towered above all the other barges and the national flag of the Mushroom Kingdom adorned the top. The plumber closed his eyes and put his full concentration into it: Wasn't that one of those round poles used to hold the sails below the flag? A real mast?! His lips formed a grin. Finally something original for a change! He absolutely had to look at it.

The closer he came, the more he could see from this mast. A real mast basket! And these tensioned ropes towards the ground, shrouds to be climbed? Now Luigi couldn't stop his anticipation any longer, as much as his mouth was bent upwards, new strength flowed into his legs and he jumped like a child before the presents. Set sails, climb the rigging, cast off, fire! That such ships still existed today! As a rule, they were leanings that had nothing in common with their role models except for the approximate silhouette. Basically, it was a great pity to simply let the witnesses of long past craftsmanship fall into the ravages of time. In his opinion, these awful copies simply didn't do them justice.

But his euphoria came to an abrupt end when his chest collided with something hard, his body was pushed back and Luigi immediately landed on his buttocks with an "Ouch! The image before his eyes lost its sharpness for a few seconds, as long as the blood needed to return to its regular pathways. What had he hit there? Accidentally run into a lantern? But as soon as he could see clearly again, he looked up; there! This green-headed man with a crutch there, who walked the ghost hunter's route in the opposite direction and paid no attention to him. Did he think he alone owned the road? Threateningly, Luigi raised his fist and opened his mouth to give this unfriendly gentleman his opinion. In the end, however, reason prevailed. It would have been counterproductive to start a quarrel now. Nevertheless, he could not let go of him. Why did he wear these strange clothes, especially in the heat? His head was covered by a tricorn with a feather and most of his back disappeared behind a long green coat. Only the soles of his shoes, or boots, peered out from underneath. According to Luigi's knowledge, the costume festival was at least half a year ago and he could not imagine how the poor Beanish had to sweat under it. In the end, he just shrugged his shoulders. If this gentleman enjoyed it, who was he to stop him?

Soon the electrifying joy of thinking about the ship returned catapulted him to his feet and drove him on.

Finally, behind a rusty trawler, the sloping, windowless stern displayed itself. After initial superficial inspection, it was about eight metres wide and made entirely of wood; somewhat greenish, rotten and partly covered with algae, but wood and not cheap plastic. Below it, as it should have been, the narrow rudder blade. Just like the other vessels, it was attached to the pier by ropes to bollards, two in this case.

That had to be his lucky day today. Not only going to sea for once but also on a historical relic. Here he could emulate the adventure stories of his former heroes, especially Captain Goombeard. Did they also have cannons on board? Rather unlikely, but for him, the guns belonged to the vessels of past epochs.

Examining the rudder blade again, he noticed several cables and hoses to his displeasure. At the upper end of the blade, there was a small opening on the hull, which was completely occupied by said pipes and which ran into the water. Apparently, an engine had been installed under the surface. A small sin for him, but nothing dramatic as long as it could travel on its own with the help of the sails. Everyone probably had to move with the time if they didn't want to end on the scrap heap.

Next, he worked his way to the starboard side. It was here that he saw the bulbous hull, in stark contrast to the slender constructions of the modern age, and noticed how tiny the ship looked compared to the others. Twenty-five meters, he estimated, sounded like an impressive length - when the vehicle stood for itself. Luigi was firmly convinced that without the main mast it would be almost invisible between the larger models. Then an idea shot through his mind: Wouldn't that be worth a petition? Special moorings for "oldtimers"?

The side of the ship was too high to detect any movements on deck, so Luigi relied on his hearing and listened: Apart from the creaking of the hull, he didn't hear any other noises suggesting the presence of other passengers. The ship didn't seem to have a ramp, instead the deck had to be reached via a rope ladder. Was Luigi really the first customer? Impossible, he couldn't be the only one who had a place in his heart for veteran boats!

He grasped his chin with one hand, frowned and took a closer look at the planking. Surely the multitude of holes nailed up with wooden boards in a rough-and-ready way could not be the reason for this - as the originator he suspected cannonballs because of their size. Didn't it explicitly prove the reliability of the vehicle to remain functional even under the most severe damage? What could be the reason for the lack of popularity then? The beak-shaped bow? The figurehead whose humanoid torso did not really want to harmonize with the head of a chicken? Or the name "Soup hen" in white directly next to it on a planed spot? Well, with a name like that, the plumber had to admit to himself that as an average consumer he would also have little desire to set sail. Who seriously wanted to go down in history with the famous "Soup hen"? That sounded so out of place for him, he was ninety-nine per cent sure that it had to be a mistake. If he were back in the house later, he'd have to do some research.

After all the information about this barge he had gotten thanks to his professional powers of observation, he stuck out his chest swelling with pride, adjusted his cap and was finally ready to tell the world what piece of history they had here. No doubt about it.

Luigi had no idea what it was.

"Excuse me, may I disturb you for a moment?"

"Hm? Oh-oh, I'm sorry!" He hadn't registered at first that he had just been addressed. He was too attached to the name, staring at the damaged spot underneath, trying to force the wood to make a statement.

So he spun around and tore his sunglasses off his face.

"Am I correct in assuming that you want to sail with this carrack?" A young, grown-up bean woman presented herself to him with a tender smile, wearing a straw hat, a handbag and brightly coloured clothes. A scratched camera with a long lens hung around her neck. Luigi was by no means an expert at it, but he believed that the appliance had to be worth a lot when undamaged. And who spent so much money on cameras if not photographers?

Nevertheless, the plumber dutifully started to answer, "So I...".

"Wait, I haven't introduced myself yet!" she suddenly hastily cut him off and stretched out her right hand to him, embarrassed. "Beanelda Hornblower, at your service!" Luigi however, was not unsettled by this reaction, accepted the handshake and reacted friendly, "Just call me Luigi. Very pleased to make your acquaintance." He had deliberately withheld his surname. Otherwise, he would have run the risk of either being confused with his famous brother or he was immediately recognized as the "legendary stay-at-home". A title he wanted to sink to the bottom of the sea.

"So you want to sail, huh?" Luigi nodded.

"At least I intend to, but every trace of the captain seems to be missing. Why do you ask?"

"Just because, I'm happy about anyone who shares the same passion as me." Then, before the plumber could answer, the woman turned to the ship, threw her arms wide up and raised her voice theatrically. "Historical ships like this still wonderfully preserved carrack here! Although with an admittedly embarrassing name, but nevertheless a piece of culture of our two kingdoms to preserve!" If Luigi learned one thing about Beanelda from this conversation, then that she could not be accused of lacking enthusiasm. Moreover, she seemed to be very well versed in the area, as quickly as she recognized the type of ship. For the common layman, every wooden ship might look identical, except in size. For this, she deserved his admiration without ifs and buts.

"Well, I don't know if you can call it passion," Luigi laughed. "But let's say that I find these old cockleshells fascinating. What brings you to the Mushroom Kingdom, if one may ask?"

She happily showed him her camera and opened her handbag, in which additional lenses and spare rolls were stored. What Luigi could buy from all the invested money... What would have become of the accumulated riches of his ghost excursions if the professor hadn't put them into the new mansion himself beforehand?

"For my blog 'Seafaring through the ages' I travel around the world to immortalize remaining exemplars in pictures. My film may be destroyed one day, but thanks to the internet my media will last forever." A crooked smile scurried across the guardian's face and the blue sky filled his view. If she really wanted to believe that someone would still care about any blog in a hundred years...

"Well, shall we, then?", Beanelda replied no less enthusiastically and pointed to the rope ladder. "Come on, let's board the Soup hen!" She had to giggle involuntarily while pronouncing the name and promptly infected Luigi with it but recovered herself to move again. The plumber stopped uncertainly though. Were they allowed to enter a strange ship without paying? Didn't that fall under trespass?

"Now don't be a pedant, the adventure does not wait for changelings!"

A lid twitched. Pedant?! This word alone was enough to unravel Luigi's entangled rigging in his brain and blow wind into his sails with a colossal gas burner. He would give Beanelda "pedant"! Even more, he would show her how ready he was! So ready, he could jump into the water and push the carrack while strangling a kraken and playing the accordion! Whether all this could be accomplished as a two-armed being was another matter, but it was the thought that counted.
Meanwhile, the woman quickly pulled herself up the ladder like a monkey, which was acknowledged by Luigi with a slightly open mouth. Wouldn't Mario and Beanelda make the perfect couple? Amused, Luigi imagined how both climbed the skyscrapers of the city by wall jumps, observed the stars on the roofs at night and afterwards, if only silence reigned around them...

He grabbed his nose in a baffled manner. The plumber urgently had to write letters to Daisy again and ask if she could spare time at some point. Thanks to the creator, Jeremiah couldn't read, as he had already found some of the poems in the cupboards and had only tried to eat them so far. Or it was his personal kind of protest. Hopefully, the princess wouldn't cut and run when she found out that he had a ghost.

"Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!", he shouted with enthusiasm, only to rush up to the ladder and climb it afterwards. However, he was denied the same speed, as he was constantly slipping. The gentle rocking of the ship didn't help. How did the woman manage to do that? His breath accelerated considerably, it gradually became damp in his back and aching pains spread in his arms. Slowly he suspected that she was not a photographer, but a pirate in the wrong century.

One last move, the other fingers were already clinging to the edge, and...

A glistening light turned everything into a bright white, accompanied by moving dots and Luigi screamed. Did it feel like that being stunned with the strobulb?

"Oops, sorry!" A colourful shadow, which shortly afterwards turned out to be Beanelda, ran around the deck, cheering and taking pictures of every imaginable corner of the ship. Their curiosity was so inspiring that the ghost hunter had to tear his attention away from the anchor, resist the seductive voice that ordered it to be dropped immediately. He could do so later once they had located the captain. How convenient that the Soup hen was so small.

First of all, however, he took a breather.

In the meantime, while his travel companion was constantly running from corner to corner and the frenzy of flashes would not stop, Luigi turned his focus aft. Especially because the shape of the carrack reminded him of Bowser's airships and their cabins were housed in the stern. He didn't question the "why"; wasn't it basically the same question as left or right-hand traffic? In the end, one had to decide on one of both.

On his level, hidden in the shade, he first discovered a kind of large, curved wooden block on which a wooden rod sat on rollers which then led further outside. This had to be the rudder post how it was used on average sailing boats. Conversely, did this mean that the Soup hen had a tiller instead of a steering wheel? How much strength would it take? He definitely believed Mario to be capable of giving the ship the agility of a motorboat. Relatively speaking.

On the right a steep staircase led up to the, if his knowledge didn't let him down now, aft deck of the hull tapered upwards. Since Luigi doubted that a captain would make himself comfortable deep inside the ship, except to have an excuse to drink the rum, he decided to continue his search up there.

After the first steps already another rod built itself up over the planks, together with an engine order telegraph. Most probably the tiller. Behind it followed the actual goal of his search - the door on the right to the captain's quarters. And if that wasn't the cabin, Luigi didn't know what else to do.

The plumber thought about calling Beanelda, but immediately changed his mind when he found her hanging upside down on one of the shrouds. Wasn't she at the end of her rope yet? Why did he get the impression that he was doing something fundamentally wrong with his fitness? How could he run and jump without any problems, but be ready for the chair after a rope ladder? Anyway, why didn't he burn in a volcano or freeze in icy climes? Shaking his head, he resigned himself to live in a world full of unsolved questions. In a world where he felt like he was attracting every ghost, like princesses all sorts of villains.

Immediately the famous keeper of home and court knocked on the door seven times. The first six in quick succession, the seventh with an interval of one second. Pure habit, rooted in the subconscious. Then he coughed once, cleared his throat and stood straight as a die with crossed hands in front of his stomach. This should allow everyone to see how important he took the matter. Or whether he was the equivalent of a tuxedo on the construction site, depending on who one asked.
So he waited. Stared at the door. Blinked only when it burned. Counted loose splinters and seconds. One, two, three, four... Where would he look when someone opened? Up, down, in the middle, with his back? Was the captain alive or, oh horror, a ghost? Did an owner exist at all? Did the bottle in his pocket reduce his chances of a successful conversation? Did the rumbling noises originate from Beanelda or inside?

Suddenly the door swung open with a forced squeak - at the threshold, the ghost hunter was greeted by a fast breathing toad, in addition to a smell that seemed to testify to an aversion to water in combination with shower gel. The sudden urge to apologize and go to the nearest perfumery, optionally to the laundromat and burn his clothes was strong, but he got too far to give up now. Nevertheless, he subjected the mushroom creature to an imaginary drug test after his shiny forehead caught his eye. Test result: Temporarily passed, pupils not dilated and no bleeding area on the body. But his pea coat and cap were amazingly clean. Except for the dark stains under the armpits, of course. Not that Luigi's own looked better.

The owner started immediately and his lips, surrounded by a light beard shadow, eloquently formed one word, "Yeah?"

Oh, someone who wanted to get straight to the point! That simplified the communication immensely. And his hanging upper eyelids and rigid expression made sure that the stay-at-home clearly preferred a short conversation. A little courtesy was still necessary though.

"Hello, we..."

"Bla bla bla."

"Well, I was going to ask..."

"I'm busy."

"Is your ship..."

"Mine."

"Are you going out to sea?"

"Yes."

"Can we go with you?"

"Help us untie and we can set sail." He pointed past Luigi to a rope that was attached to the starboard side by a hook. The other one was hidden by the deck.

"What about the money?"

"Later."

"Thank you."

Excellent!

Because Luigi didn't have the impression to be wanted any longer, he ended the very constructive conversation with a quiet nod. So it didn't surprise him that the captain withdrew silently behind the door and was about to slam it in his face. But not without first catching a glimpse, as long as the toad was distracted: the dark cabin appeared empty even in relation to its small size, arousing the aesthetics of a prison cell, although from his position he could only see the footboard of a messy bed. However, even before the door finally slammed shut loudly, he outlined the contours of a large rectangular container on the blanket - was that a suitcase? What did the owner want with it on the high seas, if there was nothing except the endless vastness of the sea? Isla Delfino was best reached by plane anyway.

But that shouldn't be his concern. A grin spread across his face as he looked over his shoulder to the hook on the main deck and the longer he let it soak in, the wider his grin got. He was a sailor! Part of a team! Entrusted with ensuring that the carrack worked at maximum efficiency. Whether it was just to undo the ship from its shackles. The grin turned into childish laughter in a fraction of a second and the plumber, sailor, tourist, who or whatever he thought he was, sprinted off, slipped down the ladder and got to work on the first knot.

In his zeal, he pulled and shook wildly at the ropes, more caring to get it over with as fast as possible. How hard could that be? At least nothing compared to tangled rubber bands that required the precision of a machine. To his confusion, however, he found that his efforts had unintentionally provided a bombproof grip. Groaning, he dropped his head. He would have to cut that. But with what? Hectically he searched the shrouds where he had last seen Beanelda. He wouldn't have been surprised if she had other equipment in her handbag next to her lenses.

"Up here!"

He couldn't believe it, rubbed his eyes. There he found her waving in the mast basket. To get in at all she would have had to stand on the dangerously narrow rope, bend backwards and pull up in one move. This woman had to be a pirate. "Feel free to come up, the view is..."

"No thanks", Luigi replied with raised hands like a ball out of a cannon. "I'd rather stay down here. Listen, can you help me untie, please? I'm afraid I screwed up..."

"And how you have, you moron." The plumber buckled with clenched teeth. He turned cautiously, trying to escape the captain's wrath as long as possible. With his arms crossed, the toad stood in front of him and tapped impatiently on the floor with a shoe until he whispered, "I have to do everything myself, one absolutely can't rely on you landlubbers at all." His hand quickly dipped under the fabric and produced a knife with a saw blade. "Get away, you'd only amputate your fingers." Luigi made room for the man and he looked after him as he climbed on a crate as he could not reach the hook otherwise, then put on the knife and started to cut the rope, grumbling.

"Uh, Luigi? The..." Screeching he jumped up, spun around in the air and caught his cap thanks to his trained reflexes. Beanelda had appeared in front of him, her forehead frowned. How did the photographer back here so fast?

Trembling, he scolded her, "Heavens, don't scare me like that! My dog does that often enough already!" But she just smiled.

"Here, you should have a look", she whispered and pointed her thumb backwards. Both passengers waited until the toad had loosened the second rope and thrown it into the water.

"Okay," the captain reported emotionlessly and wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Ready or not, we're going." So he stomped back up the stairs, stretched his head over the outer skin - and suddenly ran up the remaining steps to the aft deck. As soon as he had escaped their eyes, Beanelda rubbed her hands.

"Come on now, before he looks for us!" With these words, she grabbed a stunned Luigi and dragged him to port. But the plumber couldn't make out anything unusual: On the right, the quay continued to the marina, onwards the wooded cliffs rose, while on the left just more sea was waiting. Until he felt a hand on his neck and his head was pushed down. His annoyance about it, however, subsided on the spot after he had seen what was tied next to the hull.

A water scooter?

"Luigi, I don't like this." Not seeing a smile on Beanelda's face for once made him suspect that she was serious. But he didn't want to think of any reason why a personal watercraft should be a bad sign. It could have been a replacement for a lifeboat, as small as the Soup hen was. At least Luigi couldn't find a place for one right away. Therefore he gave his opinion soberly, "Well, I do not see the problem. If he saves people in distress, he can do it with a water scooter if he likes." Right in the middle of it, the Soup hen started to move sluggishly, the sails still lowered.

"But isn't that weird? Why not moor up a lifeboat? Next to the driver, just one person fits on it anyway." Smiling Luigi looked aside. This woman was obviously eager to prove that the captain was involved in sinister machinations. He better didn't tell her about the suitcase, otherwise the chaos would be perfect and the tabloid would be richer with a piece of news, "Crazy tourist attacks captain on his own ship. Discussions about refusals of entry."

Here he saw himself forced to intervene decisively.

"Mrs Hornblower," he said with an unusual severity in tone, "now let's not get carried away. So far there are no signs that the man is doing any crooked things. So as long as we don't have any concrete evidence, I can only advise you to keep the waves down. Alright?" At first, she just stared at him silently. Then she looked suspiciously up to the aft deck and put her hands in her trouser pockets.

"Alright." It might have sounded understanding, but in combination with her behaviour, it was not very convincing for Luigi. Before he could do anything, however, she had already turned away from him and clung to the rigging again. Now, as long as she camped in the crow's nest and didn't sabotage their trip, all was fine.

Supporting himself with his arms at the edge of starboard, he followed their departure. Some passers-by did the same, but most of them pursued their daily work without any interest. What did they all miss! Well, their loss, his profit. He would boast about it in front of everyone. Could he have copies of Beanelda's photos? Jeremiah and Mario would certainly be curious to know with what kind of ship he set out on his adventure on. The former probably less so long as his master came home in good shape.

Last but not least, the sails were set. The plumber was astonished, as the cloth went down like a garage door. What he had initially thought to be parts of the rigging turned out to be flexible guide rails afterwards. Personally, he considered these attachments to be similar to the engine, an impairment of the "natural beauty". But it appeased him to see the sails turning, catching the wind, and generally doing their job despite patched holes, thus giving the carrack a slight speed boost. The only question that remained was whether they could be operated manually if necessary.

In the end, to celebrate their successful departure, he drank the rest of his bottle in one go.

And sang.

"Yo ho yo ho, a pirate's life for me!"