The Sea is a Thief by David Parmelee Page A

lad!”  
    Ethan smiled.  “I understand, sir!  Yes, I suppose we would all qualify for that honor by now, except perhaps for Dreher here.  He’s been most fortunate so far.”   
    Bagwell smiled, stroking his mustache.  “Your good fortune won’t last forever, sailor.”
    The Captain was delighted to see how well Bagwell was getting along with his two crewman.  Platt was charming the man, though he was puzzled by Dreher’s unusual quietness.   He was typically the more talkative of the two; not today.  They reached Lovey Copes’ home, and he spotted her pigs, content in their new split-rail pen.   He felt a twinge of pride as they rode by.  
    â€œI am eager to show you a cabin that lies not far from here, after the road forks,” continued Ethan.  “I must admit that it posed a challenge to us.  The foundation had collapsed in one corner.”  
    Suddenly Sam saw where they were.   After the road forks!  The opposite fork led to Anna’s home.  He recalled hearing the sledgehammer blows when the crew was breaking rocks to repair that foundation.  
    This was his chance to end Ethan’s game.  
    â€œIf I may suggest it, an even better choice might be Mrs. Mary Daisey’s home.  Another widow, she is, Captain.  No doubt you know her, Mr. Bagwell.”  
    â€œI do.”
    â€œShe and her family share a fine little home just on the other fork of that road. 'Twas in some disrepair when we arrived, but it’s as pretty a thing as you’ll see now that we’ve finished with it.”
    He had piqued the Captain’s interest. “Lead on, Dreher.”
    Sam breathed a sigh of relief.  He could handle this one.
    When he stepped outside his house, Beau Daisey had not expected to encounter three Union sailors and Chincoteague’s most prominent citizen.  Sam Dreher had not expected to encounter Beau, either.  His face went cold when he saw him. Why hadn’t he thought of that possibility?   During the many days he spent with Anna Daisey, he had exchanged few words with her older brother.  Sam was grateful that Beau was almost always sleeping or out fishing when he was there. Their first meeting had left him with low expectations. Beau spoke little when their paths happened to cross. Thanks to Mary’s good words on Sam’s behalf he held his strongest feelings in check.  Now they were face to face, and the wrong word from Beau could prove disastrous.  
    Sam dismounted.  “Mr. Daisey,” he began, with obvious deference.  “The Captain of the USS Louisiana wishes to visit a few moments with you and your family.”  The young man stood ramrod-straight, his face showing no emotion.  Sam’s heart stood still.  One of the horses whinnied, pawing the ground.  Beau’s gaze shot from one man to the other.  
    Bagwell knew Beau quite well. William Daisey had been the Bagwell Waterfowl and Provision Company’s best supplier.  Since his death, Beau had worked many a day on the fishing boats and oyster tongers that traded at Bagwell’s wharf.  He had never worked an entire week end to end.  Two or three days appeared to be his limit, and then he wouldn’t be heard from for a while.  The boat captains complained about him, but Bagwell knew his family’s situation, and encouraged them to hire him on when he appeared.  
    Nancy Bagwell wanted to know Beau much better, though both her parents disapproved.  Arinthia could understand her daughter’s interest.  He was a roughly handsome young man, well-built, with curly hair and strong features.  There was no half-way with Beau; he did everything with the sort of intensity he was showing at this moment, or he didn’t do it at all.  A girl of sixteen could find him intoxicating.  Still, both Bagwell parents felt that he was likely to