The two boys woke up early to go to target practice, while they left their cabins, they looked enviously at the rest of the sailors who were still sleeping on their nets.

On the way they met the boys who were keeping night watch on the deck.

At least seeing these poor devils, who stayed up all night, gave them some peace of mind.

When they went up to the top of the ship, where the rudder was, they saw Paulo smoking a long pipe and looking at the stars in the sky.

"Everything okay, cabin boys?" The helmsman greeted while he formed a small ring with the smoke of his pipe, "They seem somewhat tired"

Lucas and Ricardo did not speak, they waited for the old man to continue his talk.

"It's been a long time since I showed someone something" Paulo said taking out a gun that he had on his waist, "It brings me quite a few memories to the truth...."

"Although many bad guys unfortunately" Said the helmsman shooting the gun in his hand to the already small hole of smoke in the sky, the bullet flew through the middle of the smoke hole deforming it and creating a cone in the sky.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Seeing the cone, Paulo smiled proudly and looked at the two boys in search of approval.

But unfortunately for him, the two scarecrows in front of him luckily managed to keep both their eyes open at the same time, due to their sleep.

"Looks like it's going to be more complicated than I remember...." Paulo said slowly as he smoked, "Since they don't know how to shoot, I'll assume they don't have any weapons, right?"

*.....*

*.....*

Only silence responded, noticing that the schedule was not helping Paulo with a patience rarely seen on this ship, he continued "Well I'll take it as a no"

Then Paulo looked for two wooden boxes that were near the helmsman and left them on the ground next to the two boys.

Ricardo was quite surprised to see the boxes, they were not like the ship's supply boxes, these boxes were much smaller and very finely decorated.

On the cover of each box was a gold plate engraved with the names Fatima and Maria.

"Each one took a box" said old Paulo who had turned to smoke looking at the ocean.

"But choose carefully..." The helmsman muttered.

They both looked at the helmsman as if trying to understand why they should choose a pistol carefully.

Since the old man was not willing to answer, each one took a box.

Ricardo was the first to go forward and with his astute noble eyes he took the box engraved with the name Fatima, which seemed to be the most expensive, it was decorated with a beautiful set of precious stones forming a sun and a moon at both ends.

Lucas without much choice took the box engraved with the name Maria, which was finely decorated with a pattern of roses made with gold and rubies.

When Paulo turned around and saw which box each of the boys took, he smiled bitterly, while he smoked heavily through his pipe.