'GANS AT SEA

by Ms Lucille D'ecoupage

They watched, for a while, as the mysterious fleet set course to parallel them. The weather was steadily improving, but it was still unwise to renezvous so close. Why would they interupt their voyage to lose ground abeam? They returned no signal. They flew only a Dutch flag.

Lt Caudal stood beside Dickinson and quietly interrupted his gaze. "Doctor. You are a Phrenologist are you not?"

The Doctor looked away from the horizon and squinted at the Liuetenant, "Yes. Indeed I am."

"It's just that," continued Caudal, "and I do feel a bit silly in saying... I seem to have bumped my head but I cannot for the life of me remember when. At any rate I was concerned that - and I know that it's probably nothing to worry about, but can a sort of unrealized bumping have a profound effect upon one's..."

The Doctor completed his sentence, "Health?"

"Health. Yes Sir."

"Come over here. Let's have a look at you."

Dickinson grasped Caudal's cranium in his hands and felt around for any oddities. He pressed his finger tips against a ridge on the dermal extrusion and then tapped lightly on the procenium archway. "Is this normal?" asked the Doctor, referring to a tender tuber-thrombus in the lateral fourth quarter.

"That's where I thought I whacked it Sir."

"I see..." Doctor Dickinson bade the Lieutenant to stand and then took a deep breath and tried to muster as satisfactory an answer as he could. "Lieutenant, it would appear to me that you are in no immediate danger of dying. Any significant dizzyness?"

"No."

"Shortness of breath?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

"Good. As I said, you're as healthy as a mule Lieutenant... There is a great deal of uncertainty in any journey and the level of excitement prior to embarkation is difficult to sustain over a long period. Your body may need to rest, young man. Get plenty of sleep and if any symptoms are recurring or so on..." the Doctor paused for a moment. "They've dispatched a boat..."

Indeed, there was a dinghy with a half-dozen men on board rowing fiercely in their direction. Caudal called down the hatch without hesitation, "Sergeant, issue sidearms to the watch. All others are to remain below." He turned and took the telescope from the Doctor. They watched as the small craft made it's way toward them. For what purpose, was yet to be known.