"The Isle..."

"The Isle..." Part XVIII...

Hinkle eyeing Steve...

"I think I need to stop here..." Ginger noted, as she came up to the two seated men...Lovely eyeing her, a bit grimly.

"I'm not suited for this sort of thing. Professor? If you could stay with me...?"

"Hey, that's a good idea." Gilligan noted cheerily. "If you two stay you can set up a camp for us here when we come back down."

"I should...See the village...See what's...There..." the Professor noted.

"Sure, maybe later...Tomorrow." Gilligan, quickly. "But we'll just scout it out today. It'll be getting late by the time we get there and we shouldn't stay too long or overnight till we know it's safe."

"That sounds wise, son." Steve nodded. "Professor, I think the boy has the right idea."

"I see what you all are up to..." the Professor frowned. "But you're right. I'll just slow you down and endanger you. But Ginger doesn't have to stay with me, I'll be fine alone."

"No, I don't think so." Gilligan shook head firmly. A surprisingly hard...For these people who knew him so little...Stare in his eyes. "We don't want to risk you alone. Sides, we should have a camp set up here for when we get back. I think Miss Grant should stay with you."

Lovely, slight frown.

Still, perhaps...Girl seems more capable as to moving things and all...All those Hollywood stunts and all.

And while I am tougher than look, I have been living soft life a while...

Soft if hellish life...

"It's settled then." Ginger, quickly. "You guys go have a gander, the Professor and I will get things squared away here."

Fine...Lovely, reluctant sigh.

Not as if he could do very much just now at least...

And I am...Married. Sigh.

Made boat, lie. She rose, reluctantly.

"Ok...We go, right guys? Ginger? You take good care of Professor Hinkle." She eyed the girl who nodded. "We'll...Be...Back." A bit solemnly.

"The best..." Ginger agreed.

"All right, then, we'd best head out, guys!" Gilligan called.

"Yeah, to it. Take care, chaps. We'll be back soon." Steve smiled at the two.

Nice couple. Hope nothing eats them or Balinkoff doesn't go seeking two more staffers...

...

Crumpt apparently out for a while, the Skipper had offered to teach the two women a bit of surf casting. Fishing rods at least being in good supply aboard his charter.

"I've done a bit but mainly just with a pole and rope...We didn't have anything so..." Karen noted as she pulled back on the line now out to sea... "OH! I caught one! I got a fish! I got a fish!"

"How wonderful...We are Blessed." Mary beamed from her spot.

"Careful there..." the Skipper had hurried over. "She looks a good size...Give her some line, let her run...Ease up a bit..."

"I got her! The damned fing muddafucker!" Karen cried.

Mary cringing...

"Mrs. Cushman..."

"Sorry...But the damned muddafucker isn't gettin' away from me...!" Karen, vigorously reeling at the Skipper's call, then releasing a bit...

"You've hooked a nice one, Miss!" the Skipper beamed, peering out... "Here, I've got the harpoon from the boat..." He peered again and hurled the harpoon. "Got him! Or Her!"

Karen and Mary staring...

Karen too startled by the accuracy and length of the older man's throw to insist she had indeed "gotten" the fish.

"A nice swordfish, excellent job, ma'am." The Skipper had pulled in the line with rather equally startling speed.

Damn...That old fellow's no slacker...And in a lot better shape than he looks...Karen noted, eyeing Grumbie a bit closely.

Not too hard on the eyes if a bit puffy...

"That was amazing, Skipper!" Mary shook head, forgetting to add a praise of Jesus in her astonishment. "You pulled that huge fish in like it was nothing...Jesus be thanked."

"Oh, yes...Well, it was Mrs. Cushman who landed this beauty." The Skipper smiled to Karen who beamed.

Kinda nice with all that weather-beatin' stuff going for him...

"Well, I might have helped pull her in but I think I'll need you ladies to get her up on the beach to gut and cut her up. A real beauty, this'll make a couple of fine suppers, ladies."

"Oh, I hope to the Lord He'll bless me with one nearly so good!" Mary, moving to help drag the large swordfish up onto the beach with Karen and the Skipper.

One that'll drag you off closer to Him, lets hope, Karen thought.

Still the simp means well...

Should Balinkoff come looking for help, she'd be perfect...Hell, almost no change in her personality required. Always nice to have a trading chip handy...

...

009 deftly making his way along the bare track of trail to the volcano's summit...An increasingly nervous Nauri following, increasingly reluctant.

"We should go...To England. Now." She insisted as they paused, 009 looking at the summit through binoculars a moment.

Hmmn...Steam rising now but...

Well, know more when we get there...

"Come dear, you won't have to come all the way...Just show me the trail up to the climb to the top...To the Fire God...And then you can wait below for me. All right?" he smiled at her face.

The innocent face of a child...Yes, she'll make a fine maid or whatever in Wellington.

"You brave but...Not wise..." she insisted. "Look...Fire God is getting angrier." She pointed to what were now rather billowing clouds of steam...

"Yes, she does seem so. But perhaps I can charm her..." beaming smile.

Uh-huh...Maybe, cutie-pie...

But I would doubt it...The girl eyed him.

"Come, we should hurry..." he urged.

"Ok...I take you. But..." she sighed, looking up. "Is very dangerous...Her name mean Danger...We wait, better."

"My dear girl...Danger...Is my business...And my Duty." He replied. "And I must meet Her...Danger, the Fire God...Today. Then we can shove off for ole England..." fond smile. "That sound good? Lets hurry now! This way, yes?" he indicated the miserable faint track ahead.

"Ok...Yes." sigh.

Hey, Nauri try...She shrugged, rolling eyes, pushing on after him.

...