Chapter 40

The Rest of the Passengers on the 36 foot Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat:

• Jeannie: Girl Scout; because she caused the fuss and didn't want to be left out.

• Georgeanne: Jeannie's Troop Leader.

• Arthur: Michigan Department of Natural Resources; Animal Control Officer.

• Mitch: MDNR Weapons Officer; just in case.

• Candy Hjálmtýsdóttir: Lucy Lou's theft.

Mitch was highly disappointed. He came to shoot fur bearing mammals, or maybe just people animals if they got uppity. For at least half an hour, he kept pulling on Arthur's sleeve, saying, "Now?" and fingering his 1948.22 cal Winchester 52 Target Rifle with the 15 power Lyman Targetspot with Scopelevel and Lyman rails that would guarantee a clean kill at five hundred yards ... the perfect rifle for eliminating rabid squirrels and their ilk. He had that killer look.

Arthur would jerk Mitch's hand loose from his sleeve saying, "Not now, I'll tell you when, Mitch," and go back to admiring the huge pedestal mounted pre-war chrome and brass Zeiss Battleship Spotting Binoculars with the filters and who knows what all mounted to the heavy housing. He gave me that 'Pretty Please, with Sugar on it' look that just begs for a look.

So, with my bobcat kit balanced on my fourteen year old shoulder, and half an eye watching Mitch and his itchy trigger finger, half an eye watching Jeannie running her jaws, half an eye paying close attention to the interesting movement of the inside of Troop Leader Georgeanne's two sizes too small grey/green button straining Girl-scout blouse and half an eye twinkling at my darling Hjálmtýsdóttir; she of the bright blue eyes and Icelandic blonde hair; my former candy-striper from Ludington so rudely kidnapped into durance vile working for my wicked stepmother, Lucile Louise, I acquiesced, and proceeded to point out the assorted elevation, train, and sweep crank wheels mounted to the highly polished mounting pedestal bolted to the expensively reinforced base on the aluminum deck of the hand built forty-four foot aluminum hulled sailboat from Sturgeon Bay Wisconsin.

"This is positively marvelous," he exclaimed, distracting everyone from their appointed or voluntary tasks. "All that's missing is a comfy chair mounted to a kick ring on the pedestal so one could follow a moving target," suggested Animal Control Officer Arthur from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

"I have one more crate, I wonder if that's whats in it?" I said.

"Could we look?" he asked, "Not now, Mitch."

"I suppose," I said, "But we need to solidify our agreements because the other crate is in the boathouse back at the dock."

"The dock that Ensign Olsen plowed into rescuing yon fair maiden?" He pointed at Carole Ann who was hanging on Mr. Olsen's every word.

"That would be an affirmative, I believe that Cousin Carole Ann Fromm will be Mrs. Carole Ann Olsen before too many weeks pass." I said.

"Would Cousin Carole Ann Fromm be the offspring of Jean Fromm, Registered Nurse, and Alred Fromm, Chief Operating Engineer of the Lakers?"

"Yes," I said.

"She is sibling of one William Fromm, also known as Wild Bill?" His voice had an edge to it that predicted coming terror in Bill's life.