Oct 2018
Glancing out the rear port Perry could see the rainforest smouldering under the violent rainstorm. “We just missed that storm,” he said.
“Is that all we missed? Medusa, Dawn how are you two doing?”
“Why, Mister ******, I didn’t know you cared about my well being.” said Medusa most cattily.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Taking the airship farther downriver ****** scanned the horizon for an outlet to the wide stretch of rapid water along its winding tributary branches. “Perry, in that ticker tell ‘em there’s no way out this end. They’d best stay heading south along the Main.”
“Alright,” said Periwinkle again squeezing past Lizzie who didn’t budge as he wedged beside her.
“We’re getting a ticker tape from the Leaping Lizzie” shouted the professor. “It’s Perry,” he said reading it aloud. “No outlet at Amazon’s end..keep heading due south..along the Spanish Main…”
“Why if we stay due south we’ve go over the edge of the world. The south pole is entirely unexplored.”
Fritz was made excited by the prospect of sailing off the world. Bob not so much.
“You gentlemen can certainly sail into the wide unknown but I have no intention of doing so. Ting A Ling is homesick and I for one would like to get off the water. It’s all I can do to keep my catch down.
Tennessee chimed in, “I’m with Mister Bobcat. I sure would like to sink my teeth into something ‘sides week old mermaid.”
“Here, here, my boy,” rooted Bob. “Why don’t you gather your chattel and come along. We’ll disembark in Tierra Firme.”
“Gather my what?”
“Your woman, boy, get your woman.”
“Oh, you mean Mabel! Sure ‘nuf.”
Clearing a space in the rear of the Leaping Lizzie, ****** and Perry went over the map. Medusa piloting the ship and showing Dawn how to manage to controls in her absence.
Philo at the ticking machine kept abreast of Perry’s ongoing reports.
“It seems we’ve avoided a great deal of trouble. Man-eating monsters and cannibals, and he says the forest is on fire.”
The settlements along the coast of Terra Firma were a mixture of Spanish provincial and the remnants of older palaces and fortresses built long ago by the ancestors of the native people, the Green Belle steering into the outlying coastal town of Portobelo. The Kid and Mabel having no baggage, Bob hired a carriage to bring them to a fancy hotel. The sour-faced woman running the establishment looked at the couples suspiciously. She didn’t trust cats although these two were dripping with jewelry and stinking of big money. The lanky gunslinger and former hostess just stank. But Mabel, brassy and outgoing, soon had the gal charmed with her idle nattering.
The Kid wanted to pay for his and Mabel’s rooms but Bob giving his imprimatur covered all their expenses.
“Why, thank you, Mr. Bobcat.”
“Don’t sweat it, boy. Those six-guns of your have been a blessing so far. We’ve been through some scrapes haven’t we?”
“That’s for **** sure."
“Let’s go get a drink and toast our good fortune. Come, ladies,” said Bob, ushering the party along.
“Is that all we missed? Medusa, Dawn how are you two doing?”
“Why, Mister ******, I didn’t know you cared about my well being.” said Medusa most cattily.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Taking the airship farther downriver ****** scanned the horizon for an outlet to the wide stretch of rapid water along its winding tributary branches. “Perry, in that ticker tell ‘em there’s no way out this end. They’d best stay heading south along the Main.”
“Alright,” said Periwinkle again squeezing past Lizzie who didn’t budge as he wedged beside her.
“We’re getting a ticker tape from the Leaping Lizzie” shouted the professor. “It’s Perry,” he said reading it aloud. “No outlet at Amazon’s end..keep heading due south..along the Spanish Main…”
“Why if we stay due south we’ve go over the edge of the world. The south pole is entirely unexplored.”
Fritz was made excited by the prospect of sailing off the world. Bob not so much.
“You gentlemen can certainly sail into the wide unknown but I have no intention of doing so. Ting A Ling is homesick and I for one would like to get off the water. It’s all I can do to keep my catch down.
Tennessee chimed in, “I’m with Mister Bobcat. I sure would like to sink my teeth into something ‘sides week old mermaid.”
“Here, here, my boy,” rooted Bob. “Why don’t you gather your chattel and come along. We’ll disembark in Tierra Firme.”
“Gather my what?”
“Your woman, boy, get your woman.”
“Oh, you mean Mabel! Sure ‘nuf.”
Clearing a space in the rear of the Leaping Lizzie, ****** and Perry went over the map. Medusa piloting the ship and showing Dawn how to manage to controls in her absence.
Philo at the ticking machine kept abreast of Perry’s ongoing reports.
“It seems we’ve avoided a great deal of trouble. Man-eating monsters and cannibals, and he says the forest is on fire.”
The settlements along the coast of Terra Firma were a mixture of Spanish provincial and the remnants of older palaces and fortresses built long ago by the ancestors of the native people, the Green Belle steering into the outlying coastal town of Portobelo. The Kid and Mabel having no baggage, Bob hired a carriage to bring them to a fancy hotel. The sour-faced woman running the establishment looked at the couples suspiciously. She didn’t trust cats although these two were dripping with jewelry and stinking of big money. The lanky gunslinger and former hostess just stank. But Mabel, brassy and outgoing, soon had the gal charmed with her idle nattering.
The Kid wanted to pay for his and Mabel’s rooms but Bob giving his imprimatur covered all their expenses.
“Why, thank you, Mr. Bobcat.”
“Don’t sweat it, boy. Those six-guns of your have been a blessing so far. We’ve been through some scrapes haven’t we?”
“That’s for **** sure."
“Let’s go get a drink and toast our good fortune. Come, ladies,” said Bob, ushering the party along.
