A Lovely Day
The mist had cleared, it was a lovely day.
Not a cloud in the sky, the Salt Marsh's full beauty was on display.
The purple and yellow irises are in bloom, along its reaches,
it is one of nature's breathtaking sights.
But beneath its rippling waters, and as yet undetected, the next problem lay in wait.
The pumps had been running since dawn, it remained difficult to maintain an even keel.
Everyone gathered on the quarter-deck, the team needed a plan.
The eyes of the crew turned to the Chief Engineer; it was his responsibility to care for the ship's wellbeing.
He turned to look at Jhonny and spoke, "The bilges are still flooded,
the hull's structure has to be examined."
The expression on Jhonny's face said it all, it would require his unparalleled experience,
not to mention his size.
It would be fraught with danger, the decision to go or stay was down to Jhonny.
The nod of acceptance didn't come easy, it wrenched at his stomach.
This would be his first visit to the bilges, since the ship's rescue, the thought made him tremble.
The space was too small for a full diving suit, it would require improvisation.
So, it was back to the Chief. "The boy is not a human sacrifice, your suggestions had better be sound," said Denver
"The idea is sound but requires high engineering standards, as is a skilled pair of hands. We need to fashion a purpose-built helmet, with a mask, the thing needs to be near watertight from the neck up."
"The size is critical, it has to fit like a glove. It will need to be flexible, in order to maneuver through tight spaces, but like the standard helmet, the internal pressure must remain positive."
The Chief frowned. "But the only craftsmen available are in Carson City.
It is going to take a lot of time to get it designed and manufactured."
"That's not true," said Bart, "the most skilled person on the planet is right here in Busted Gulch."
The Chief replied, "You've got to be joking. It requires someone with a degree in engineering."
"No, you can do the design, the craftsmanship will be put in the hands of an artist."
"The hands of an artist? It is a skilled craftsman we require, not a painter."
"Hold on Bart," said Denver, "the person you're talking about, is it Petra?"
"The Blacksmith!" exclaimed the Chief. "It is a ridiculous idea."
"She may be good at forging a shoe or fashioning jewelry,
the engineering to be fabricated is much more complex."
"The hell she is," said Denver, "it is not common knowledge,
but she's secretly working on a more complex task for me."
All the family's heads turned toward Denver, the declaration was a surprise,
it was most certainly, a well-kept secret.
The thought of some Denver Barton secret,
set the quarter-deck alight, it was more intriguing than a hole in the ship.
All those who heard were whispering, it only took a few moments, the air filled with speculation. The conspiracy theories were running wild, it caused a loss of concentration.
"That's enough cackling, the reason why is none of your business. The task in hand should be your focus, it is your priority, to get your minds back on the job."
Instructions came thick and fast; the Chief was to draft his designs without delay.
The responsibility for the plan's delivery fell on Bart,
it was imperative he got them to Petra for an initial assessment.
Bret had the ship, the Liberty Belle had to be kept afloat.
The rules of engagement had been set, it was up to him and the crew to see them through.
Denver and Missy would visit Petra post haste, the way ahead had to be cleared with her first, she had a busy business to run.
The horses were soon saddled, it was important that no time was lost.
With orders placed, the two messengers and Missy's bodyguard were soon chasing each other, as if in a race,
the Denver's were soon outrunning the muscular Conan,
the first to arrive at Petra's Forge was the prize