A Secret Mission

   The Captain directed me to go theftily aboard Silver Rose for the end of spriting away her Log book, in aid of which, Lady Inae and I spake into the night of what Blessings and helps might she give me. One of which she feigned shouldst require that we twain be Intimate in body, and when, out of a perhaps misplaced gallantry, I demurred, she did laugh and admit that she but jested, which is a Thing she had scarce done before. Perhaps there is a lively person there within her? albeit verily hidden under layers of rules and proprieties.
   On the morrow I arose and made such preparations aboard ship as may be, viz, to gather certain tools and materials, chief among them being simple wedges and hand drills. Having done what I could, and being under Orders to take a liberty party of ten ashore, I took the men to the Sign of the Feckless Firbolg, where I left them, having first charged them most Straitly to remain therein, and to be ready at an appointed hour to return to the Ship, and set certain of them in Authority over the rest to ensure that they did. Then I hied me to the shipping office, passing in the street many bullyboys of the Silver Rose, whose swaggering made the townfolk timorous, although in truth I know of no scandal or riotousness the bravos made, despite the townfolk's many nervous expectations. At the shipping office my letter of Credit proved to be without worth, for there was no coin or specie was to be had, for many days yet to come. I was sore amazed that neither merchant nor moneylender had sufficient wit or Enterprize as to buy said letters at a discount and them redeem at full value, profiting thereby when the shipping offices coffers were replenished--but so it was, and nought to be done about it.
   Thence to the Smials. I found a goodly suit of clothing, jacket and trews of of sober brown and chestnut, which colors be difficult for the eye to see at night; and a second set, Red and gold, not of the Waterdeep fashion, but gaudy enough to play Cock o' the Walk in the port of Llewellyn; and indeed I soon profited thereby, catching the Fancy of two comely lasses, Peony the fair and doe eyed Violet, and spending some hours in pleasant dalliance with them. I left them most regretfully.
   I had yet some need to prepare for the adventure of the evening, and thus I spake again with Davon, the fisherman whose boat I had bought, and made certain arrangements; and spake also with a Dwarf of the Great Mole, which the folk of Llewellyn call the Quay, and has smithies and workshops in the depths thereof. This dwarf, named Harda, bought from me a little device which I had taken from Moffrey, and I warned them that Moffrey might come to them, or others of Sanremi might come, and that they had certain tokens of the Drow and were not to be trusted, and I had never thought it wise to sign aboard a Sanremi vessel, for some ships be more easily joined than left. At this news Harda and the other dwarves were very grave, and said that one of their number had that same day signed aboard Silver Rose, and they sent messengers after him.
   As dusk fell, I and my band of Men, and Davon who met us at the Mole by arrangement, went back aboard Prosperity. And captain Govan of Silver Rose and the woman Jess his lieutenant were already aboard and in the Great Cabin, dining with Captain Garrity who had acceded  to my suggestion and  invited them, publicly to return the compliment from our Dinner the night before, but privately to get them off Silver Rose and give me the opportunity to go aboard her.
   And so I did. We hoisted out the jolly boat, Davon took the oars and rowed us near the Sanremi vessel, and, with Inae's blessings, I swam from boat to ship. I clambered right readily up the Side to the gallery, found the stern lights latched but not locked, and swiftly invaded the Great Cabin. Being forethoughtful, I set wooden Wedges to block both doors, and screwed them to the deck boards with hand drills, so that I need not fear violent Interruption whilst I plundered. After that, twas a simple matter of searching the cabin, quickly and quietly, and indeed the log book was in the drawer of the captain's Desk, so easily found. Easily found, not easily obtained--for I had picked other locks here but this one Lock defeated me, and the joinery was too fine to obtain purchase, so I perforce must turn the desk on edge and verily hacksaw the latch to open it. But Perseverance was at last rewarded, and I gathered the Spoils and departed.
   And in the very nick of time, for as I reached the water I heard shouting and pounding on the door I had wedged, my burglary having been by some means Discovered. So I swam as hastily as I might, which was not very, for the boat where Inae and Davon were casting for squid--that being our pretext for the boat being on the water at night. The deck archers quickly espied me, and shot their Bolts at me as I struggled in the water, but the Luck of Longstaff held, for of a dozen or more arrows, only one struck me, the which did me but little hurt, and twice I heard my foes swearing most vilely as their bowstrings broke, which amused me greatly. Inae, seeing me close at hand, conjured a Fog for to hide us, and then it was a little matter of climbing over the gunwhales and into the boat, and rowing straight away, until we were out of range, and safe.
   So here I am once again, as I was scant days ago, in an open boat on the water at night, with Inae and a poisoned man--for remember as Captain Greyson and the men had been struck by vipers, so Davon's hand had been struck by some spiny fish, and not yet healed. Our profit for this adventure is certain papers from Govan's desk, and the log book of the Silver Rose, and a curious box or casket, made with gold and ivory inlay, which I shall examine more closely when we are back aboard Prosperity.
   Davon is casting his net, thereby to lend verisimilitude to our tale of innocent night fishing, and we have lit the lantern to lure the squid. It is by this light I write.