Part nineteen: The ship

Watching and Waiting

Kelly, the Irish colleen, stood watch as she hummed the melody to “Danny Boy”, very softly. Ambrose, their pup was asleep on the hearth. 

Timothy O’Leary, the good leprechaun-cobbler, was busy inside the tent, hammering something metal.

The floodwater continued to drop.

Prince climbed down the ladder to the base of the fireplace where he found three, cast-iron doors. Inside the first, there was a shovel. He began to clean out the ashes from behind the second door.

“The fire on the shore just went out,” Kelly called to Prince. “Either they just left, or they’re heading back out here.”

“Maybe their fire simply went out?” said Prince, smiling at Kelly’s conclusion. 

“I am building a rudder,” hollered Timothy, from inside the tent. “But, I will need your help to attach it. Then, we should be able to steer the raft properly.”

“That’s great!” replied Prince, pleasantly surprised at Timothy’s ingenuity. “A sail would be a good idea, too.”

“I can make one out of the canvas on the raft,” offered Kelly.

“You are a sweetheart,” said Prince softly.

“There’s a ship on the river!” said Kelly, excitedly.

Prince and Kelly soon realized it was too far away and heading downstream. It was not going to turn around either, as whoever was on the ship gave no indication of having seen their smoke. The captain had spotted it but decided not to leave the river, as the water would be too shallow.

What Kelly did not know was that her father was on board the ship.

Suddenly, she saw the small rowboat, coming towards them along the shore.

Tauren had decided to row his boat upstream clinging close to the shoreline, rather than risk the strong current. It would be a long way to go, but with young children asleep on board he was not about to take any chances.

There was a lot of debris floating in the water, some of which, he was able to retrieve.

"You folks may need this stuff,” he promised. “We are coming, but it may take a while yet.”