They weren't that far from the shore , reefed for a moment in the safe harbour on the north coast of Tortuga for repairs and proper careening of the hull . The ship was pulled close to a shore, and a system of weights , ropes , and pulleys held it slanted so that most of the port side was above water , that way, sailors could get to work with their scrapers on the barnacle encrusting the hull, as well as check for possible weak spot in the seasoned wood .
Just above the waterline were several gaping holes that could only have been made by cannon fire. A couple of the men were repairing them with obvious skill and experience .
As she dove , Lynnette thought she heard someone snickering behind her on deck , but then she hit the water with a shock and , for a moment could hear nothing as the water rushed past her. Surfacing With a gasp , she flung her long hair back impatiently out of her eyes . One of this days she swore she was going to cut it all off. but the thought of shears and curls faded as she spotted Davie by the great splashes of water he was sending up . She made her way to the boy on short seconds , and had her arm beneath his shoulders before he could do more than blink.
"Easy ,kid "Lynnette said calmly in his ear, "I've got you . No need to clutch me so tight ; We've been through this before " She looked up the rail of the ship , where her first mate ( crew member) stood with a rope and a grin , "Harry! she called and he tossed the line down before she could complete the order . " All right , Davie boy , up you go " The boy a cheeky lad (kid) of thirteen , gave a grateful , almost worshipful look and caught the end of the rope . with her support , he got a good grip and began ascending , hir wiry arms more than equal to the task . When he was halfway up, Lynnette started up herself . and was soon aboard the sloping deck , dripping wet and ready to deliver a tongue lashing to the youthful cabin boy he was unlikely to forget .
Before she even began , she noticed that the boy was directing his gaze somewhere below somewhere her own , and not toward the floor , either . Specifically , to her soaked withe silk shirt . and what lay beneath was not at all hidden by the wet fabric .
Lynnette's eyes narrowed . The coincidence was too much to be ignored , One could simply do not fall over board three times in a month, even in the worst weather , and the weather today was fine , sunny and hot . A perfect day , in fact , for a short dunk and a long look at the attributes of one's rescuer especially if one was a young man just beginning to notice the opposite sex .
She understood the meaning of that Snickers now. Some members of her crew had figured Davie's little scheme she caught on to it herself . Lynnette did not find the situation amusing .