Rushing to the Pearl, Gibbs watched as the rum was loaded and put away. He marched proudly to the helm, "Captain, the rum is loaded and ready to go." Gibbs announced.

Glancing at the sky, Jack nodded. "Good timing. See the sun?" He pointed. "It's in the proper spot to leave."

Gibbs looked at Jack strangely. "Uh, whatever you say Jack."

"Look lively you bilge rats! We're going to a party!" Jack's shout caused every crewmember to jump, beginning the task of getting the ship under way. Within the hour, they were beginning to clear the harbor area. Grinning, Jack looked ahead. "Now, bring me that rum!"

Gibbs ran down and pried open a crate. He looked in the crate and the bottles looked odd. "Hmm new rum bottles? Interesting." Gibbs selected one and uncorked it. "Must test the rum for Jack." he said as he took a swallow and spit it out. "This is the foulest rum I've ever had." Gibbs said as he put the bottle down and tried another. It tasted the same. He then opened another crate and tried a bottle out of it. No difference. He shrugged, "Maybe Jack won't notice." He said as he took a corked bottle up to the deck and handed it to him. "Here ye go Captain."

Jack grabbed bottle from Gibbs. "Took you bloody long enough, we're almost to Port
Royal already."

Gibbs looked back at the receding coastline of Tortuga. "I see," He nodded agreeably then as inconspicuously as possible, began to inch away from Jack.

Adjusting their course after ascertaining from his oh-so-accurate compass that they were indeed heading for Port Royal, Jack finally had a chance to have a drink of rum. Not bothering with a mug, he drank straight from the bottle.

Spluttering as the first wave of nasty liquid hit his taste buds, he threw the bottle down. "GIBBS! What in bloody hell is this?"

Gibbs had gone to help some of the other crew hoping beyond hope that Jack
wouldn't notice when he heard his name screamed across the deck. He rushed
over. "That?" Gibbs inquired pointing at the bottle. "That would be rum, Captain.
It's the rum the tavern in Tortuga delivered to us." Gibbs assured him although knowing he wasn't quite sure what it was himself. But he knew he could not let Jack know this. He stood there innocently waiting for Jack to explain further.

Picking up the bottle, he held it up for inspection, right under Gibbs' nose. "Last time I checked, rum didn't have a 'V' in it," He tapped his finger against the label. "Vinegar and rum are two entirely different things," Jack hissed. "Are you certain you ordered rum? What ever are we going to do with vinegar? I do NOT like salads. Allergic to them you know."

Gibbs took the bottle from Jack, "I ordered rum. I am certain of it. They must have delivered the wrong crates." Gibbs frowned in consternation as he inspected the bottle.

"Wonderful, and what exactly are we to do with several crates of vinegar?" Jack's eyebrows crept up as he stared at his first mate. "This stuff is vile."

A gleam appeared in Gibbs' eyes a possible idea began to form. "I know! We could steal some cucumbers along with the rum in Port Royal and make pickles."

"Pickles?" Jack reared back, his kohl-rimmed eyes wide in alarm. "I do not like pickles, I prefer to be pickled."

"Or..." Gibbs said as he raised a finger with yet another idea. "We can replace the rum for the ball with our supply of vinegar. They won't have no idea that their rum be gone, at least until they drink it," Gibbs said as he smiled at Jack hoping the idea would cut him some slack.

Then he heard the idea about exchanging the rum and grinned. "Aye, exchange the rum. Well that solves one problem. Now, the most important one, how are we to conduct this trip, short though it may be, without rum?" He sighed. "I suppose we shall have to just make do. Here, you take over. I am going to go take a nap, or perhaps count floorboards in my cabin. Alert me when we arrive."

Gibbs nodded, "Aye Captain." he said as he took over the helm to guide the ship to Port Royal. Gibbs had been steering for what he felt was weeks but he was certain
it was just because of the lack of rum on board. He finally spotted land, "Ah must be Port Royal."

Gibbs looked around the deck for the closest crewmember, "Cotton. Go alert Jack that we have Port Royal in sight."

Cotton nodded and ventured to Jack's Cabin. He rapped lightly on the door and stepped back waiting for an answer.

Muffled sounds could be heard in the cabin, "Ninety nine bottles of rum on the wall, ninety nine bottles of rum, take one down, drink it down," CRASH! "Ninety eight bottles of rum on the wall!" CRASH!

Then silence...

Cotton knocked again.

"What do you want? It had best be important as I am rather busy."

Cotton knocked on the door louder. "Wind in me sails! Wind in me sails!" the macaw screeched hoping to get Jack's attention.

"I don't need no bloody wind, Cotton," Jack's voice wafted out of the room. "I need rum!" CRASH! The sounds of breaking glass could once more be heard.

Gibbs stood at the wheel, "Cotton speed it up over there. We need Jack on deck. We are quickly approaching Port Royal and I need to know where he would like to make anchor." Gibbs screamed.

Then, suddenly the door burst open. "We're here?" Dashing past Cotton, "Thanks!" Tossed over his shoulder as he danced up the narrow steps to the helm. "About bloody time. Was getting tired of…" Pausing as he realized he'd been holed up with rum and Gibbs hadn't. "Nothing. Tired of nothing."

Gibbs looked at Jack and gave him an odd look. "Well it is quite an arduous task when all one has to keep them company is the deep blue ocean before them. No rum does not make time pass by at all. At least ye were relaxing." Gibbs shot at Jack knowing he smelled a definite hint of rum. He gave Jack a look that told him he was onto him.

"Where shall we make anchor?" Gibbs inquired as he surveyed the harbor before them for a spot to suggest but nothing struck him.

Jack cocked his head to the right and put a thoughtful frown upon his visage. Finally, waving a finger off the starboard side, "Over there. Let's anchor over there. Out of sight of the town for the most part, yet still close enough we shall not have to carry our 'gift' very far. Put her as close to shore as we dare. Don't want to have to row much. How many crates of vinegar did you say we have?"

Gibbs gulped and then looked at Jack, "We have five huge crates of Vinegar and they are all in the store room off the galley."