The sun had risen and was low on the horizon as the Lily reached the outer edges of the bay. Wilbur, Winky, Groggs, and Zian busied themselves with lowering the sail and raising the centerboard so they could safely traverse the rim. Winky used his oar to determine the depth of the shallows. He estimated it to be eight feet at the edge and announced proudly that even at its shallowest point it would be about four feet, making it crossable, though barely, by the shallow running Lily.

Egbert lay sleeping in the bow while this flurry of activity was going on. He snored gently and a happy smile creased his homely face. He was dreaming of his home in Wiccinas, his library, and most of all, his beloved Phoebe.

Phoebe was his adopted daughter, a little duckling who loved Egbert and wanted nothing more in life than to grow up to be a mole like him. In fact, Eggy's brother, Yogi, who was the leader of the moles at Gleneden had conferred the title of 'True Mole' upon her and accepted her into his tribe.  She was staying at Gleneden while Egbert took this hiatus from his duties as the Chief Librarian of the Realm. His peaceful stupor was abruptly ended by an insistent shaking by his nephew.

"Go away Wilbur," he objected groggily.

"Sorry Unc, but we've got to start rowing to get across da rim," he said meekly.

Egbert sat up and rubbed his eyes, yawning. He looked at Wilbur and ruffled his fur affectionately.
"Oi guess it's toime for me to earn moi ration."

He smiled and carefully walked to an empty oarlock. There were six oars on the boat. Zian and Winky pulled oars on the right side, Groggs and Wilbur on the left, and the giant mole sat on a center capstan and pulled an oar on each side. The Lily glided out of the bay and onto the shallows of the outer rim like a strider across a pond, six legs sliding over the water.

The oarsmen were happily cruising across the shallows when Groggs held up his paw to stop everyone rowing. He cocked his head slightly and listened carefully.

"Dere's somebody shoutin', callin' for help I thinks." He informed his shipmates.

Everyone scanned the water. It was Wilbur who spotted the source of the shouts of distress.

About two hundred yards ahead of them, arms were waving and a boat appeared to be capsized in the shallows. Zian carefully guided them in the direction of the wreck. When they were within fifty yards, Zian recognized the source of the pleas.
"It's those pirates from the Crab last night." He informed his friends.

"We ain't pickin' up no bloodthirsty buccaneers!" Groggs stated forcefully.

Egbert laughed as he looked at the floundering wreck. Four sets of soggy arms attached to soggy bodies clung frantically to the cracked and overturned remnants of their boat.

"Not very good poirates though." He chuckled.

As they got closer, Wilbur laughed as well.
"Not poirates at all, Oi think. Look at dere tattoos, dey are coming off in the water."

He was right, small pools of ink surrounded the water-logged rats and the elaborate tattoos of the previous night were now running down their limbs and into the water. The rats spotted the Lily and waved frantically. A large brown rat with a broad smile called to them.

"Over here guys! Give us a hand!"

"We don help out pirates, youse'll slit our troats when youse get da chance!" Groggs called back.

"We ain't pirates, honest, we wouldn't hurts nobody." The brown rat pleaded.

Egbert looked at his mates and addressed them softly.
"Oi believe him, anyway, we can't leave them out here to drown."

"They're probably pretty tired," Zian added.

"Yeah, wese can have dem toss dere weapons aboard before we pulls dem out. What do you say Groggy?" Winky asked.

Groggs smiled, "Well, I can't abide no pirates, but I ain't gonna have dere ghosts hauntin' me neither...sure lets get dem up here."

Egbert called out to the rats.
"We're coming over, toss your weapons on board and we'll save you."

"You got it cap'n, danks a million!" the brown rat said enthusiastically.

It didn't take long for the rats to be pulled from the drink. They sat huddled and shivering in the bow. Zian gave them some cloth to dry off with and fresh water to get the taste of salt out of their mouths. There was an uneasy silence till the brown rat spoke again.

"Danks so much, my name is Salto Scratchback and dese guys.." he pointed to the two male rats, "is me brothers, twins ya know, Trey and Cat, dey don't talk much..." the two rodents nodded their heads in acknowledgement, "an' dis gal..." he draped his arm over the female rats shoulders, "is me sis, Gella." The female rat looked angry and pushed Salto's arm from her.

"I told you to raise the keel, didn't I, but no, big brother knows better!" Gella snapped, then turned to her saviors, "Thank you for saving us. We're only playing pirate so folks we don't know'll leave us be. We don't know no one in these parts, we're from Minga, down south."

Egbert chuckled, "We'll get you back to your ship. Oi can't fault you for playing poirate, moi nephew, Wilbur here, dreams about being a poirate too. Oi'm Eggy, that's Winky and Groggs, and that's Zian."

The mood lightened greatly and the rat siblings insisted on doing the rowing in exchange for their rescue. Salto was fascinated by Zian's artificial paw and examined it very carefully. Gella, for her part, was intrigued by Wilbur and Egbert, having never seen a mole in person before.

Wilbur took a liking to the female rat. "Who did dose tattoos, dey were great." He told her.

Gella blushed slightly, "I did 'em. In tar water... they were supposed to be waterproof, but I guess not... thanks for liking them, I like to draw."

"Dey were great...," Wilbur hemmed and hawed a bit, then asked, "You think you could draw some on me?

"Sure. Your uncle's right, you do want to be a pirate," She smiled.

"Just da sailing and treasure part, not the fighting and killing part."

Egbert, who had been listening, slapped his nephew on the back laughing, "Oi feel very reassured that you want to be a good poirate."

"Da best poirate!" Wilbur corrected.

The Scratchback siblings, had an interesting and somewhat bizarre tale. Salto happily told his story as he pulled heartily on his oar.

"Yeah, like Sissy said, we're Mingans, which is fine, ya know, if'n you're a mink or such, which obviously we ain't. Da Mingans, da real ones, I mean, is a pretty high-handed bunch, don't care for rats, ya know. So anyways, we lost mom and da in the wars, when Khalis overran Minga, about a dozen years ago.

"We didn't have nuthin', no home, no relatives, nuthin'. I was barely more'n a tyke meself, but I hadda figure out how to keep us fed. We moved to da shore, by da Cold Narrows and lived in a tent. Fished a liddle, collected crabs and mussels, that kinda stuff. Lotsa flotsam and jetsam finds that beach where we was livin', so we could make a liddle extra scratch sellin' da stuff we could find.

"It was sad life, kinda miserable, really, but it was all we had. Gella kinda became a mom and I guess I was sorta the da. Trey and Cat, well, dey ain't dat much younger'n us, but dey was too young to know dere real ones, so I guess we was it. We ain't real good at parentin' but we does our best. Still can't get 'em to talk much though," he looked over at his younger brothers, who smiled at him,

"Anyways, it was about two months ago, a big, nasty storm comes through and we're all huddled in da dunes, our tents been blown to heaven. We makes it to da next dawn, and there, pretty as you please, sittin' about thirty yards off shore, wedged into da sand bank is this great big ship. Three masts, ripped sails flappin in da wind, but solid lookin'.

"We all scamper on board and what do wese find? Skeletons, dats what! Twenty seven skeletons, still dressed in fancy pirate clothes. We figure dat dey was dead from a sickness or somethin', but real long dead, not yesterday dead, and we figured the sickness died with 'em. We buries dose poor souls, but we keeps all da clothes, we been wearin' rags all our lives and dis was nice stuff.

"Da ship is in great shape, it's got fancy sleepin' rooms for the officers and such and we figure we'll live on board insteada the beach. Dere's casks of salted fish, fresh water, hard tack, Lotsa food dat keeps forever. Dis boat's like a gift from heaven to us. All's fine for a while.

"Den, one night, whiles was sleepin', another storm attacks us. Da water rises and da ship lifts off da bank. We was terrified 'cause we don't know nuthin' about sailin' and da such. We got food and all, but we don't know swimmin' real well or navigatin', or steerin', or pretty much everything, so we just waits and prays.

"Next thing we know, we get stuck again, right next to dis bay, 'bout a week ago. We likes it here and we figured if'n we pretended to be pirates, folks'd leave us alone, so dats why we do dis. We likes it here, it's real nice, so we lives on our ship and rows to town for stuff we might need." Salto concluded.

"How do you pay for supplies?" Zian asked.

Salto chuckled, "I heard youse say we wasn't good pirates and dat's true, but da guys who owned da ship afore us weren't that much better. Still, dere was some coin onboard and we trade the sailcloth, da torn stuff, not da good spares below deck and some of da weapons and such. It's enough to feed us and let us enjoy ourselves a bit."

Wilbur tried to imagine the hardships these four poor souls had faced and shook his head in sympathy. As he considered their adventure, a question occurred to him.
"Weren't you worried that you might drift to Xenoth, across da narrows?" he asked.

Gella answered. "Not really, matey, we thought about it, sure, but we figured it couldn't be much worse than how we were livin' anyway, might be right nice for all we know."

Groggs shuddered. "Might be right miseriable too. Xenoth's bad news."

"Ya got dat right," Winky agreed, "youse guys are lucky you ended up here."

The Lily made good time across the rim and soon reached the Northern sea. As soon as they hit the ocean, the water became choppy and the winds a little stiffer. Egbert cranked the center board into place and Wilbur hoisted the tall triangular sail with Salto's help. Zian offered the tiller to Wilbur who had proven that his claim to nautical expertise was well founded.

Salto explained that their boat had run aground to the north, around the Cape that separated the Northern Sea from the Cold Narrows. It was only about three leagues off and Wilbur gracefully turned the Lily onto the right heading, wearing a broad grin and enjoying the sensation of flight as the little craft glided speedily across the bumpy seas and the wind whipped through his fur.

The closer they came to the Cape, the more swirling the winds became. Salto suggested they re-man the oars as he and his siblings always did when they needed to cross this portion of the sea. Wilbur laughed loudly and headed toward the Cape refusing to become windbound and tacking furiously, as the boom holding the sail swung franticly from side to side around the mast, causing all the passengers to throw themselves flat on the deck to avoid getting slammed by the boom as it strained against the gooseneck and the mast.

Every once in a while, Gella would raise her head and look ahead over the prow as the ship bounced up and down on the choppy swells and spray was thrown back onto her face by the wind. When the Lily finally past the Cape and found herself in the Cold Narrows, the wind had thankfully died down to a light breeze and the water smooth and calm. An exhausted Wilbur slumped over the tiller, laughing lightly with exhilaration, soon everyone else joined in happily.

"Dat was amazing!" Egbert shouted enthusiastically.

"You're a great sailor, Wilbur." Zian said with admiration.

"That was so exciting! Can you teach us, please?" Gella  asked smiling broadly.

Wilbur became slightly embarrassed at all the attention and tugged his snout, a mole gesture of thanks. He explained to Gella that he and Eggy were only at World's End for a couple of weeks, but assured her he would try to bring her and her brothers up to speed on the necessary information they would need to sail their ship.

It was another half an hour before they finally spotted the Scratchback's vessel. It was indeed a handsome ship. A Xebec style craft, with three masts and a narrow hull. The foremast was raked forward, while the main and mizzenmasts were raked back. The yardarms were enormous.

Though the masts lacked sails, this ship normally used lateen rigs, huge triangles of canvass which caught the wind like no square-rigged boat could and allowed it to pinch the wind and run close to the wind in ways that larger ships found impossible. It was a pirate vessel through and through, the kind the corsairs down south in The Lands of Man would use to catch and hijack merchant ships.

She was fitted with oar ports for use when seas were calm or when precise maneuvering was needed. As they approached, her name could be seen, painted in a bright red arc along her stern. She was the Crimson Rose.

As they got closer, they could see that the Rose listed slightly from being wedged between two rocks where she had run aground. The Lily pulled along side and everyone boarded the larger ship.

The decks were well cleaned and in some ways looked more like a small city dwelling than a sea-faring vessel. Lacking the tattered sails which the Scratchbacks had sold, the only lines that led to the masts were clotheslines filled with freshly washed pirate garb.

Wilbur was fascinated with a flag which hung from the clothesline, drying. It was the epitome of a buccaneer flag showing the skeleton of what looked like a weasel holding a cutlass, standing above crossed bones on a field of black. Egbert had been right, of course, Wilbur, like many young animals, dreamed occasionally of life on the high seas as a corsair or buccaneer, and this ship was like a dream come true.

"Let us makes ya some chow," Salto said loudly, "as kinds of a thank you. We got good stuff, fish, tack, and some casks of really good wine."

Groggs was enthusiastic, "I likes dat idea, we ain't in particular hurry no ways, chowin' down wit some wine sounds great."

"Foine boi me," Egbert chuckled, "Oi'm on vacation and food sounds loike a good way to spend some toime.

Winky nodded in affirmation and Zian made it unanimous after scanning the skies. "The fish'll keep. Anyway it looks like we may have some weather blowing in," he pointed to the darkening sky to the east, "it may get a little too rough, even for our master sailor Wilbur."

"Never!" Wilbur laughed, "but dis boy never turned down a meal, plus Oi really want to explore dis ship."

"I'll show you around while Trey and Cat rustle up some grub," Gella offered sweetly.

Winky and Groggs sniggered and Wilbur shot them a stern glance. Undeterred, Groggs made little kissing sounds with his lips. Wilbur's snout blushed bright red.
"Don't moind dem, Gella, dey got no class. Oi'd love to see the rest of da ship." The young mole and rat walked toward the aft cabin chattering away.

Egbert and Zian decided to transfer their gear from the Lily in the event of rough seas during the approaching storm and with that chore complete found themselves a couple of hammocks strung between the masts and some belaying pins stuck in the top of the bulwark. It had been an early morning with a lot of rowing and a nap was called for.

Trey and Cat went happily about their business, humming and whistling as they transported foodstuff up to the galley and lit up the stove. Salto escorted Winky and Groggs to the quarterdeck where he shared some mint tobacco and listened to war stories and bawdy tales from the two good-hearted, but slightly crude stoats.

The meal was a great success, smoked fish with hardtack soaked in a wine sauce, fresh crab soup and sweetcakes. They had started the meal on the main deck, but when the rain from the approaching front began falling and the wind picked up, they moved their celebration to the main cabin at the rear of the Rose.

Winky and Groggs had given Salto a short version of their experiences during the Khalisian Wars as well as a slightly mythologized version of Egberts exploits. The rat family looked at Egbert with a combination of awe and respect, not having realized until that moment that this Egbert the mole, was the Egbert the Mole, who had become a famous figure after the war in spite of his best efforts at being humble.

Salto needed constant chiding from Egbert before he would stop addressing him as 'Lord' or 'Your Lordship', but after some laughter and several goblets of wine, he addressed him as 'Eggy' like everyone else.

Comfortable now in the company of friends, Salto asked Egbert if he had ever met Chumley Bilgespike, Lord high Governor of Morgaard.

Eggy laughed loudly. "Chumley is a dear friend, he is quoite a character. Oi didn't meet him till after the war, but Oi visit him often in Thoth."

Trey and Cat, who, as usual, had been almost silent, were visibly excited.
"He's our hero," Cat blurted out with Trey nodding vigorously at his side.

Eggy chuckled, "Chumley is a brave little goi, Oi loike him a lot."

"He's really special to us rats," Gella added, "folks have always looked down on us till he came around. He fought the Asherouboros, ya know."

"Oi do, Oi do," Egbert got up and dug through his gear bag, he pulled out a silk rope with an enormous tooth, almost six inches long and wide, attached to it. The giant mole handed it to Gella, "He gave me this, it's one of the Asherouboros' teeth. The monster lost a bunch of them when he slammed into the Thoth Bridge whoile eating Khalis."

Gella turned the tooth over in her paw and then passed it to her brothers, who stroked it like a religious relic. Egbert pointed out the rope.
"The rope is made from Arisha's web." He said proudly.

Salto's jaw dropped and his eyes went wide.
"Da Golden Spider? You met her too?" he asked stunned.

"Oi have never had the pleasure, but moi friends have."

"Dere ain't no doubt," Salto said happily, "dat youse are da most important person I ever met in me life."

Wilbur laughed, "Dat's my unc, Mr. Important."

Egbert nudged his nephew good-naturedly, "Oi still prefer Eggy." He laughed.

The storm increased in intensity, but it was not enough to dampen the good spirits in the cabin. Wilbur insisted they all sing some pirate songs in honor of the Crimson Rose. Everyone joined in, a little light-headed from the wine and terribly off-key.

'....up in the crows-nest Bloody Bob said
"My friend are in prison and enemies dead,
Jack Tar wants me, my booty is  lost
And the northern gales  have covered me in frost."

A pirates life is hard and cruel,
Fighting the sea and eating foul gruel.
Hated by all and hunted by some,
Living on hardtack, gristle and rum.

"Still and all," Bloody Bob said,
"it's the pirate's life to which I'm wed,
The sea's me mother and the winds me dad
And I work real hard at being real bad"

A pirates life is hard and free
Dreaming of treasure and living at sea,
It starts with dreams and kegs of hope
And finishes dangling high from a rope.

"I've seen it all," Bloody Bob summed up,
As he took a swig of grog from his cup,
" and there's nothing I would rather be,
Than a pirate sailing fast and free." '

Everyone laughed loudly and knocked their goblets together in salute, draining the last of their wine. The storm outside was raging by this time, but it was dry, warm and friendly in the cabin. They were all tired now and a bit tipsy. One by one the contented crew found a comfortable place to spread out and soon snores filled the air.

As everyone slept soundly, the storm whipped up to a raging fury. Sea swells surged at the Cape, lifting and rocking the Crimson Rose. A single large swell embraced the stranded ship and lifted her gently out of the entrapping submerged rocks which had held her. Once free, the westerly gale pushed her slowly out to the Cold Narrows where she drifted, uncontrolled into the dark cold waters, as her passengers slumbered peacefully.