48 Hours on Blue Bayou Pt. 16: Albert

The Captain was again in shorts, handcuffs and leg shackles. He had made his case as best he could, he knew, and he had no alternative but to trust his current Owner to make a good deal for him.

When the troopship arrived, the pace, relaxed during the daytime preparations and training, picked up. The coffle of merchandise was paraded before the leader of the buying group and cursory questions were asked and answered. None of Albert's crew interfered; it was important for this buyer to satisfy himself that the merchandise was worth the price.

Evidently, it was. The buyer came to Albert's position and offered his hand. The two men shook hands and the deal was done. Then, Albert made the case for the Captain.

At first, the buyer was uninterested. An older man wasn't going to last long where this merchandise was heading. But, Albert showed him the smuggler's storeroom, with the drugs and the counterfeit medications still boxed and tagged. When the buyer's avarice angel made him smile just a bit, Albert knew this deal was also done. He passed the Captain's and the ship's papers over and there was another handshake.

With the merchandise transferred, the buyer's crew set about making Blue Bayou ready for tow. Two crewmen were assigned to stay with her to help with steering and control. A towed ship builds up considerable momentum and doesn't slow down quickly. A towline about one hundred feet long was passed over the troopship transom and guided through the Blue Bayou's bow fairlead and attached to a strongpoint with a couple of turns and a half hitch. It would be easy to disengage in an emergency. Personal flotation devices and radios were passed to the pair. With a final wave, the troopship slowly moved ahead, paying out the towline carefully. At last, the yacht swung around and started its journey.

Aboard Albert's ship, there were smiles all around. Their prey had been taken, the units of merchandise had all been sold, and the ship itself was, in effect, gone. The team could relax until the next operation, probably in two months, and definitely in another of the world's oceans.