The ship dropped anchor some fifty or so feet from the shore. I watched as a rowboat was lowered. Watched as the rowboat headed my way, its inhabitant steadily making progress. Watched as the man watched me, his beady black eyes taking in everything from the weathered black boots on my feet to the sun-streaked black hair on my head.

“Hi dad. Fancy you finding me here.” I offered weakly as he moored his boat among the weeds and walked slowly towards me.

“Don’t ‘hi dad’ me just yet, boy. Come on, let’s push off afore anyone sees us.”

“But there’s no one here, just me.”

“Ah, but you’re wrong, Casey. There’s always eyes watching. That’s how I knew you’d be here.”

This was enough to silence me. We clambered into the boat and made our way back to the ship.

Once aboard, the rest of the crew came forward to greet me, even the cook, Bertha, who pinioned me in a vise-like embrace.

“Christ almighty, Casey, I pegged you for a goner! Where you been, lad?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, Bertha.”