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Mister Goffrey's servants, particularly Edmun and the guards, would need to be dealt with. Picaro spent the next day by the dock brooding over how. That's where Jack found him again.

Jack jeered him while Russell came up behind him and pulled his pants down. Wheeling, Picaro tried to hit him, but Jack drew a plank from behind his back and struck him hard. They always seemed to have a weapon, Picaro thought. Embarrassed, Picaro nearly tripped and tried to pull his pants back up. Jack & Russell pointed and laughed at him before being chased off by one of the fisherman. Yet a part of Picaro was glad that it happened because it had given him an idea.

"Don’t retaliate, it’ll only get worse. I know it’s hard, but ye gotta ignore ‘em," said Oyster as he pulled the boat ashore. Picaro came over to help him. "They're jealous of you."

“I don’t know why they would be,” said Picaro.

Oyster shrugged. “Could be anything. Maybe just the way you see life. Say, haven’t seen you lately. All well?”

“Yeah, I’m just busy with things,” said Picaro

Oyster didn’t smile. “Lad, I know you’re off galavanting and making mischief as ye want. But that’s trouble. Reason I offered ye work was to keep ye out of trouble, so you could feed your belly. At the end of the day, those kids wish they could say the same. I’d offer ‘em work, too, if I could trust ‘em not to capsize this little skipper. Alas, they’d send me down to the bottom of the bay one way or another. You, Picaro, have some salt for the sea. I think you’ll sail it one day, so until then why not earn some salt on the briny bay.”

Picaro looked up at Oyster’s old, kindly face. It made the boy feel safe. Picaro chewed on it for a long moment, then nodded. “Yeah, that would be good,” he said, “But first, there’s something I gotta do.”

Tonight was as good a night as any, he thought. As afternoon stretched into evening over Squal Parlor, Picaro decided to go through with his plan. He found several stones along the road, turning them over in his hands as he walked. He watched Edmun roll out the green wooden cart and put out a table for Mister Goffrey with his money purse and bottle atop it. As if summoned, a line of people began to accrue.

Picaro found Jack & Russell in town trying to catch an alley cat. Shrieking, the cat darted under the porch of a nearby building. "Hey, fartface. Catch," said Picaro as he slung a rock at Jack's head. It hit the boy in the shoulder, and he spun around, fuming. Jack picked up the rock and tried to throw it back, but Picaro was already gone, running back along the main road. Picaro made sure to stay within eyesight of his adversaries, and slung more rocks at them as they turned the corner. One hit Russell in the arm, making him curse, spurning him onward.

The trio flew down the street. Picaro had a determined grin on his face. They turned the corner of the inn where the crowd had gathered next to Mister Goffrey's table. Picaro heard a rock strike the ground near his feet. He darted between the crowd and scrambled in front of Mister Goffrey’s table, in open view of Jack.

"Oi. What do you think you're doing, boy. Scram," said Mister Goffrey, attempting to shoo Picaro away. Picaro glanced back to see Jack take aim, and dodged aside in time as another stone whizzed past his shoulder, striking the bottle of alcohol on the table just as Mister Goffrey made to reach for it.

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The merchant let out a startled scream and nearly fell from his chair. Picaro vanished back into the crowd. Jack and Russell tore after him. Men and women gasped. Edmun's shrill, irate voice rose above the chaos. "Get those back alley rats. Get them and bring them here," he said, motioning for the two guards to spring into action.

Anticipating this, Picaro slipped out of the back of the crowd just as Jack & Russell were yolked up roughly by the shoulder. Picaro heard the other boys cry out in rage, their revenge foiled. Smirking, Picaro doubled back around the crowd.

Mister Goffrey was on his feet, shouting to Edmun. "Get rid of those runts and get me another bottle.”

"Of course sir, right away," said Edmun. Jack and Russell were being hauled off by the guards. Mister Goffrey stood, teetering, his face red from anger and strong mead. Their attention elsewhere, Picaro snuck to the edge of the table and swiped the money from the counter. He was nearly two blocks away when he heard the drunk, outraged cry of Mister Goffrey upon discovering his money was now gone, too.

Picaro counted the coins on the edge of the forest. He had never seen so much money in his life, and he was sure he never would again. There were twenty five copper pieces in the pouch, twelve silver pieces, and one gold piece. He turned the gold piece over in his hands, gazing at it in awe. He traced the impression in it with his fingers. There was the mark of a sailing ship in its face. How it glowed, how it shone, even in the purple-blue of twilight. It truly was an emblem of wealth.

It took him some time to fall asleep that night. He lit no fires and sat up in wonder, gazing at the stars. He also found himself jumping at every unexpected sound, every snapping twig, waiting for Mister Goffrey's men to burst from the underbrush and seize him. But no one came.

The next day, he spent the first of it. A few copper pieces for some food, some choice treats from the bakery he used to steal from in his poorer days. The purveyor gave him a wry smile as she collected his money. “Hope you enjoy, sweetheart,” she said.

He ate well. When the sun was high and his belly full, he became bolder with his coin. He bought new clothes with some silver. The textile merchant eyed him warily, but took the money. That afternoon, Picaro passed the blacksmith's residence. There was a small shortsword hanging on the rack.

It was quite beautiful, the boy thought. He had never owned a proper blade, and with it Jack & Russell would never bother him again. He thought hard about it for a long moment, biting his lip. Then he sighed, walked up and offered a gold piece to the blacksmith.

The blacksmith looked him up and down, surprised, testing the money in his hand. "Where did you get this?"

"Found it," Picaro lied. The blacksmith growled, bemused. He glanced round, then pocketed the coin.

"Know how to use it?"

Picaro shook his head. "I'll learn."

"Well, if you're going to cut your hand off, don't do it here," said the blacksmith, and bade him begone with a flick of his chin.

As the sun set, Picaro retreated to the docks with his new blade. He made sure to check if Oyster or any of the other fisherman who knew him were about. When he was sure no one was around, he turned the blade over in his hands, feeling its weight. He practiced a thrust, and then a short cut. The weight of the blade made him spin on his heels, and he nearly lost his balance.

When he looked up, he saw the towering form of one of Mister Goffrey's guards standing over him. Behind him, Jack & Russell stood huddled together, covered in bruises. "Told you he'd be here," said Jack, trembling.

"Come with me," said the guard, grabbing Picaro roughly. Picaro didn’t cry out. He was already ready with his sword, for he had expected his rivals, but not this. He tried to swing at the man, who laughed and swatted away the blow, ripping the sword from his grip. “You won’t need this little stick anymore.”

Picaro thought that Jack & Russell even looked a little sorry as he was dragged away.