The young man had charmed the toughest sailor and succeeded in scaring Gert half to death. Climbing masts in bare feet and charging about the ship as if he was on a grand adventure. Of course the small amount of things he had packed, were ruined the first week. A cabin boy near his age gave him ragged shirts and tight pants. He wore them with pride. His skin had gone from sun red to golden brown. He answered only to Will. The captain of the ship had been quite unhappy to discover the stowaway. William, Will now, had handed over a diamond stickpin and the man’s mouth dropped. Typical male, Gert thought, one change of underclothes in his leather bag and a piece of jewelry that Gert was sure would pay his passage three times. She complained to him handing a piece of his inheritance away on a whim. “Got it for my last birthday, Miss Finch. I didn’t mean to bring it. Must have been stuck in my bag.” Will grinned. “But I am most happy it was there.” “Is there another cabin William can stay in, Captain?”
