Chapter 56. On the Lake Again

Will was glad to see wagons rolling up. The crew had an early night and were up early today. They checked and rechecked their supplies as they stored them away. Menus were planed to use up the freshest ingredients first, but the jarred and canned meats should stay good for a while, but they had been a bit hit or miss. Still an experiment. The jams and jellies of Laketown had been perfected for many many years, the meat processing was a work in progress. Some of the results made Will think fondly of spam, how he had loved it.

Salt beef and salt pork by the 25 pound barrel, that was always good.Dozens of smoked hams to hang in the cool larder, along with bacon slabs and preserved sausage.Always supplemented by the tasty fish of the lake.

If they followed the same course to Newton as before they would stop at the shrimp hole they found last time.Gather a few hundred pounds and steam hard for Newton, to sell the delectable little things.Hoping they kept well of course.This time Will planned to keep them live in barrels for the trip.“Like pets?”, asked Minnie.“Who would keep shrimp as a pet, pretty odd you know.”, replied Will.“You could take it on walks….call it shrimpy.” said Naomi.“What, the whole barrel of shrimp, take it for a walk, I have no words.”, sighed Will, “Sometimes I think you do it just cause you can.”.

And now the trade goods came aboard.Large glass carboys of the finest high temperature cooking oil, nestled in straw lined crates. Boxes of nails of all sizes. Crates of bone sewing needles, sharp skin, rendered soft and malleable but still tough.Brass and copper fittings for gas and water piping.Any type of brass or iron accessories for wood working.Hinges, door handles, window latches, all made by the many busy blacksmiths of Laketown.All of this was stored in the middle cargo hold, hatch sealed and the cargo covered with tarred canvas to make it water proof.Safe as they could make it.Stephen had accompanied the wagons and he handed Will a statement of what had just been loaded.

“A good assortment for you, if Newton didn’t want it, I’m sure the next town will.”, he said with satisfaction.Will tucked the list into his notebook, he would spend some time doing bookkeeping when they made way.“Well last time the council of Newton took everything we had.”, he laughed “With a little luck they will need it all again.”.Looking at the horizon Will shook his head, “looks like a bit of weather is stopping in, time we got steaming.”.Some heavy clouds were gathering, a summer storm was coming in.

He escorted Stephen down the long dock and said his farewells to the crowd that had gathered.It seemed to be part of their life now, saying goodbye to friends and not knowing when they will meet again.The Rose and crew were so important to these people and their community it was hard to imagine how difficult it must have been during the long years before he and Minnie arrived.

But here they were, working away in service, not just to this village, not just Newtons needs, but any they came across .With a firm steady step he headed back to the Rose, eager to start this next adventure.

Arriving back he waved to Minnie who tooted the whistle to show she was ready.Untying the fore and aft lines and tossing in the fenders he climbed aboard.The Rose started moving from the dock, dead slow at first but quickly surging ahead as she cleared.Salt wind picking up, the smell of rain in the air.They were off again.

The rain hit but not very much or very long.Over the water thunderstorms could form at any time of the day, not like on land when it was usually afternoon or earth evening.But this was just a bit of a squall and over.“Looks like we skipped that one huh dad.”, said Minnie when he went in the wheelhouse.“Yup, a good start for us.”, replied Will.A quick look at the big brass compass told him they were on course, Minnie snorted when she saw him look.“I know, I know.”, Will said “But I have one job and this is it, I trust you.”.

Will wrote in his log while Minnie was at the helm. About the plans for this trip, the stop at Newton and what he hoped to do after. Just head north and see. He figured that the climate and land types were comparable to coastal British Columbia in their old world. From the crops that grew and from the weather. He might be wrong but it was a starting idea. From the maps they had there were many islands to the north of Newton, spreading out into the huge lake. The coast was roughly mapped but still no signs of life were marked. “I guess it’s up to us.” he muttered. “What’s up to us?”, asked Min. “Finding and connecting all the people’s here, Laketown and Newton knew of each other but had no contact for years. Stephen heard rumours of somewhere north of here, but again no contact for years.”, explained Will. “We’re gonna be pretty busy yeah.”, laughed Minnie. Naomi entered the wheelhouse… “Busy doing what again?”, she asked. Minnie started explaining “Well we’re gonna sail all over the place and find people that got lost, so we can tell them about other people that they might like, but they can’t see them or ever talk to them, unless they’re littles and come with us to see the new people and catch fish or maybe dig rocks, or they could catch shrimp or sharps…maybe not them.”.

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Naomi blinked “Yes, let’s do it”, she said.“Which part”, asked Will.“The part where we go around and meet people, holy cow dad, try to keep up”, said Minnie, shaking her head.“It might be his age showing Minnie, you have to let old people take their time.”, as Naomi said this she was backing up for the open door.Minnie let out out a bark of laughter as Wills head snapped over to Naomi..””Say what, oh you will so regret that, over the side with you”, he growled, moving slowly toward the laughing girl.“Run Naomi,” shouted Minnie “I’ll try to hold off the monster.”.“That’s it, over the side with you too” Will said, but trying to catch Minnie was never a good idea.She hit the throttle to stop as she leaped over the wheel and ducked under Naomi.“You’re on your own”, she shouted over her shoulder as she escaped.

Naomi turned to run but too late, Will stood before her…”Tag, you’re it.”, he yelled, tapping her on the shoulder and ran out too.“Well that went well.”, she sighed.There was no sign of either of them on the deck, and there were many hiding spots below decks.It was going to be a long game.

Hours later the crew sat at the bow, tired but each sure they had won the game.Minnie, being small, had the best hiding places but had still been caught a few times.Supper had been started in the bbq, roast potatoes with other veggies, rare beef ribs and pie for dessert.They would be out of fresh meat in a day so they might as well splurge on a big meal for first day on the water.Eating herself into a food coma Minnie snoozed away beside Will.They always slept better at sea, the wind and the waves lulling them to sleep.

They were just drifting along, not within sight of any land.Safe on the water.Will was going to start going after dinner for a few hours, but there was no hurry to get anywhere.The site where they had had their first shrimp feast was a couple of days ahead but again no hurry to get there.All the crew was looking forward to the little delights.Then a fast steam to Newton to hopefully sell some too.

As Will and Naomi tidied after dinner Minnie woke with a long stretch. “Hey there sleepy, good dinner?”, asked Will. “Oh yeah, the best kind is when you can sleep after.”, she said. Well that’s sounds good to Will, he had passed out a few times himself after a big meal. The boiler was still good to go, and Will turned the throttle to full ahead and the Rose surged ahead. Back on course for the next few hours.

After shutting down for the night they anchored with sight of the shore. Making sure they had a good bite the boat was secured for the night. Heading below for a late cuppa and some biscuits they played a few hands of a new game Will had remembered. Crib..a good three player game. It was a good couple hours until it was decided to hit the hay..still made Minnie laugh. It would be a sea day tomorrow, no stops to make. It was a quick drift off, no dreams to remember, just a good deep sleep. Only waking once as a larger than usual wave moved the boat, but nothing else.

They woke as they usually did, Will first.He headed to the galley to start the stove for tea, and eventually breakfast.As he left their cabin Minnie was still snoring gently, he would let her sleep a while longer.He had taken his notebook so he could occupy himself while waiting.He logged everything they had done in the last couple of days.Loading supplies, the latest time stop, and how that had affected them all.Most of the details he could remember.Conversations with Stephen, Owen and Rose, the councillors. He put them all down to his best memory.All the plans for the next few days.He was pretty sure that the council from Newton was going to ask for an ore run, but that was what they did.

He heard Naomi’s door creak open and she started when she saw him sitting in the mess.“Ah, I’m probably never going to be up before you.”, she said.“I just like the early mornings, a good time to gather your thoughts and plan the day”, replied Will.He gestured to his log “Always lots to write down.”.As they talked Minnie joined them, the sun in the porthole finally woke her.Breakfast was started and enjoyed.The boiler started, coal shovelled into the feeders, steam was starting to pressure up.It was Wills turn to steer for next while so he headed up to the wheelhouse.After lifting the anchors of course.Not that he would forget to do that twice, once was embarrassing enough.The course was set and full steam ahead.

Below Minnie felt the deep hum of the engine as it came to power.She loved that sound, made her feel both happy and sad.Then came the screech of the whistle as Will tried her trick of playing a tune.She laughed to herself, he was still no good, well not as good as she was.“Maybe he needs lessons.Yeah I’ll ask him today…maybe “., she said to Naomi.“You do that, just let me know when and I will be , somewhere else, ok.”, replied Naomi.They were in the mess, taking a break after getting barrels ready for the live shrimp idea.It sounded good but they would have to be fast to Newton after the catch.

“Do you think we will stay long..in Newton I mean.”, asked Naomi. Minnie shook her head “Nope, dad really wants to go north.He said we will be there for a couple of days or a couple of weeks.”.She shrugged “I like helping people, we’re nice like that, as long as I get to drive it don’t matter to me.”.Naomi fiddled with her tea cup “ Do you think Edmund will remember me?”, she asked Minnie, “We met for a short time , but he’s a really nice guy.”.

Minnie turned to look at her, huge smile breaking out “Ooooh, someone’s got a sweety?, I gotta tell dad.”.Naomi poked her, “I never said that..just if he remembers me.”.“Yeah, he probably does, there’s just the three of us to remember, we have to remember hundreds.”, Minnie replied, “That's why dad writes everything down, who’s who, where they are, what they do, that kind of stuff.”.

At that moment the voice tube whistled and Minnie picked it up, “yeah dad?”, listening for a moment, “He says come up to see something.”.