HI, it's me!!!!
I'm still alive!!!
Thanks be to all who reviewed the previous chapter and my spellchecker.
~~~
Archie walked along the harbour, looking for a ship. He had to be careful because he didn't want any of the sailors to stand on his beautiful tail or put his delicate paws in, horror of horrors, and (evil) water.
Finally, after a close encounter with a puddle, he found what he was looking for: the Retribution.
He then proceeded to get on to the ship without being seen. This was easier than it perhaps should have been.
A few hours passed.
The ship set sail.
Horatio Hornblower, who was the captain of the Retribution, was walking up and down his deck in the sun. It was a fairly normal deck and a fairly normal, sunny day.
Horatio paused under the mast to breathe in the fresh sea air. A small bundle of strawberry-blond fur (and claws) hit him on the head. Again.
Horatio let out an exclamation of surprise and, mainly, pain, due to the kitten-claws currently buried in his scalp.
"Get off!!!!" he yelled.
"Mia – ow!!!!" Archie screamed as he fell off Horatio's head, onto the deck.
"A ship's cat, sir! Great idea!" Matthews said, petting Archie.
The rest of the crew abandoned their various jobs and started cooing at the kitten and discussing names for it.
A random sailor, called Stan checked a very indignant Archie, proving that, yes, this was a tom cat (or kitten).
"How about calling him Melvin?" one of them suggested.
"No, he's not a Melvin! How about Bob?" anther replied.
"Bob? No way! I think Fred!" a third cried.
"John would be nice!" yet another commented.
And so they decided that Archie wasn't a Melvin, Bo, Fred, John, Jim, Jesus, Frank, Bill, Frankincense, Myrrh, Orange, Merry, William, Pegasus, Brandy, Vodka or Pippin.
"How 'bout Archie?" asked a slightly weary Matthews.
"Yeah!" agreed another unnamed sailor.
"Good one!" said a second.
"I like it!" proclaimed Stan.
Then, with the entire crew being satisfied that the ship's cat had a name, Archie, they all dashed off to save the boat from crashing due to no-one steering/etc-ing it.
Horatio was left with Archie in his arms.
"I could have sworn I've seen you before........." he muttered.
Archie smirked and went to sleep.
Horatio frowned – he wasn't sure if cats could smirk...........................
~~~
Now review. Please.
I'm still alive!!!
Thanks be to all who reviewed the previous chapter and my spellchecker.
~~~
Archie walked along the harbour, looking for a ship. He had to be careful because he didn't want any of the sailors to stand on his beautiful tail or put his delicate paws in, horror of horrors, and (evil) water.
Finally, after a close encounter with a puddle, he found what he was looking for: the Retribution.
He then proceeded to get on to the ship without being seen. This was easier than it perhaps should have been.
A few hours passed.
The ship set sail.
Horatio Hornblower, who was the captain of the Retribution, was walking up and down his deck in the sun. It was a fairly normal deck and a fairly normal, sunny day.
Horatio paused under the mast to breathe in the fresh sea air. A small bundle of strawberry-blond fur (and claws) hit him on the head. Again.
Horatio let out an exclamation of surprise and, mainly, pain, due to the kitten-claws currently buried in his scalp.
"Get off!!!!" he yelled.
"Mia – ow!!!!" Archie screamed as he fell off Horatio's head, onto the deck.
"A ship's cat, sir! Great idea!" Matthews said, petting Archie.
The rest of the crew abandoned their various jobs and started cooing at the kitten and discussing names for it.
A random sailor, called Stan checked a very indignant Archie, proving that, yes, this was a tom cat (or kitten).
"How about calling him Melvin?" one of them suggested.
"No, he's not a Melvin! How about Bob?" anther replied.
"Bob? No way! I think Fred!" a third cried.
"John would be nice!" yet another commented.
And so they decided that Archie wasn't a Melvin, Bo, Fred, John, Jim, Jesus, Frank, Bill, Frankincense, Myrrh, Orange, Merry, William, Pegasus, Brandy, Vodka or Pippin.
"How 'bout Archie?" asked a slightly weary Matthews.
"Yeah!" agreed another unnamed sailor.
"Good one!" said a second.
"I like it!" proclaimed Stan.
Then, with the entire crew being satisfied that the ship's cat had a name, Archie, they all dashed off to save the boat from crashing due to no-one steering/etc-ing it.
Horatio was left with Archie in his arms.
"I could have sworn I've seen you before........." he muttered.
Archie smirked and went to sleep.
Horatio frowned – he wasn't sure if cats could smirk...........................
~~~
Now review. Please.
