"I've heard stories," By muses in return. He's curious, to be sure, but he's not entirely certain how much truth he'll get out of Silver if he invites him to share tales of shipborne miseries. So that's the question - is this conversation one for idle chatter? The sort of friendly jawing that builds an intimacy between two fellows? Or is this a conversation to pull some truths out of the man, a strategic conversation in which they endeavor to unravel the other? Pity the spy; he's long since lost the ability to really tell the two types of encounters apart.

"We had sailors who'd come into town, a-times. Not too often - it wasn't a major port - but we'd sell them some barrels of water." He gives a little grin. "I nearly joined a crew a few separate times. Did learn the knack of rigging and knots and the like from them. Learned a few other things, too." A lascivious wink. "Helped a deserter, once. Someone who couldn't take the miseries anymore."