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CHAPTER 7

"You have no idea how to start it, do you?" It was not a question.

"Shut up, Louie! I know it's this wire and maybe this wire…" Dewey squinted up at his handy work presented to him. "I know this one starts it, and I think… Yeah, this one is the ignition. I guess I might fry something if the cooling system doesn't work unless rot got to it first, but…" He did a bit of tweaking, tongue sticking out of his mouth. As he currently laid underneath a brown dash that used to be solid white, the boat began to emit a horrible cranking sound on and off like grinding gears. "This isn't at all like the house boat." He finally admitted openly.

Louie snorts. "Really? Did the fish smell inside the engine give you that hint or the molding of literally everything?"

The blue duck glared up at him from where he was laying on his wet back, feeling moisture soak up into his royal blue t-shirt. At least the darn thing was free just sitting here collecting bird poop, and so what if the oak floor boards felt really soft like a giant bowl of oatmeal.

He questioned mentally why he was here again. "Someone's being a sass today." He commented, taking another test run at getting the engine to sputter and away from the idea he might collapse through the floors.

"I wouldn't be if you just admitted you don't know how to start it."

Huey stood there the entire time like an idiot, leaning against the badly painted booger green walls and not saying a word but to make sure the youngest siblings didn't start fighting. At least physically anyway.

"Are you gonna tell him stop making fun of me, Huey?" Dewey pointed out loud, yanking himself out from under the jungle of wires and plastic.

"Nope."

The duck curled his break up at him and didn't say anything else. Standing on his own two feet and dusting the webs off his blue shirt, Dewey picked off a long black gooey string from where it hung on his sleeve and made a face of disgust, flicking it away off his fingers frantically.

In panic, Louie jumped, hollering at Dewey for his stupidity and hid his feathery body half behind Huey who was now being tossed in between the two.

"Will you guys quit? Dewey, just start the boat already and let's go." Huey ordered, pushing the brother behind him away.

The said duck rolled his eyes and kicked away an empty blue beer can to cross a fading carpet and sit on the captain's fake black leather armchair. "Fine. I think I figured it out anyways." Dewey was one of the three brothers who took up basic knowledge on mechanics especially because of their plan last year to steal the houseboat and ride it to that boring old city. Motivation for the duck to learn only involved a guarantee of adventure. Figures.

The boat was a surprise to even be floating with it's conditions. The wood that stopped you from falling through the floor was broken in some spots and really soft in others. It had spores growing in corners and a nice colony of black mold at the point of the boat where a broken red light was. The cabin only consisted of three and a half walls with a screen door out to the stern and cut out rectangles on either side. The front used to be a full wall but cut in half with a saw and not even smoothed down where the edges stuck up, making a forest of possible splinters. The thick plastic that covered the parts that went down to the engine underneath was bolted to the wall and a perfectly circle steering wheel presented itself on the left. The only good part of the whole boat.

As Dewey situated himself, he entwined his fingers and cracked his knuckles, wrenching an abandoned screwdriver from a box of junk under his hanging feet. The screwdriver was shoved into the key socket, and Dewey twisted the silver metal until the engine gurgled and eventually hummed to life.

He smirked at his brothers. "Told you I could do it."

Louie rolled his eyes and came over to lean on the back of the driver's chair. "So then where are we going, hmm?"

Huey noticed Dewey paused for a second then all at once the middle child grabbed for the gear, ramming it backwards.

The older duck jumped. "Wait, Dewey! The ropes are still attached to the cleats!"

The boat lurched backwards a foot out of its space near the dock and jolted hard. The brothers stumbled as the front end reeled right, smashing back into the docks, and the reer demolished itself with a big bang into another boat that was much more expensive than this one.

Everything became eerie quiet when it all settled. Dewey had the decency to look innocently at his brother, Huey. "Oops?"

In retrospect, the eldest brother should have known this was going to happen. It did not make him feel any better about himself for not being able to avoid the incident. "Dewey…" He started before a shout resounded outside the diy cabin.

"My boat! That's my boat! What do you think you're doing!?" The voice sounded like it belonged to a big animal, and Dewey quickly decided he was not going to be the first one to confront him.

The look on Louie's face said the same thing. That only left Huey to clean up the mess like he usually does. The red duck sighed, rubbing the palms of his hands roughly down his face. "Why…" He groaned.

The moment the brothers stepped out of the cabin and their eyes fell upon the damage, they realized it wasn't gonna be so easy to get out of this one. The damage was probably fixable, mostly. They stood on the bow as the rear continued to move calmly with the waves, directionless. The boat next to them was not as calmly riding the waves as them. Dewey hid behind his brothers to avoid the furious look from the owner. No doubt would make him feel more guilty than just dragging his brothers into trouble while being grounded simultaneously.

It's vessel sat a good foot under the tide where it was supposed to be, and the crimson glistening strip that ran down the sides horizontally was more vertical in one spot. A large crack the size of Beakley could fit in it. It looked like thick white fabric torn at the seams and a bumpy tan surface underneath. Strings of white hung out and tapped the water with each rock of the boat. Money certainly needs to be on the owner's side. The boat itself was made of fiberglass and aesthetically pleasing to look at besides the sad booboo in it. Quality polished white body and cabin, black glass surrounding three sides, and thin metal railings. A nice cabin cruiser, indeed.

Louie bumped Huey's shoulder harshly, receiving a scowl in return. 'Listen sir, we apologize for the damage. Somebody," He smacked the duck behind him, "didn't take check the ropes. Again, we are very sorry and will pay for the repair." Huey pressed his fingers together and gave a kind smile to the figure standing on the dock.

The angry owner of the boat hadn't moved since they left the cabin and was staring at them in a way neither of them could decipher. His ears were propped close to his large rectangular head and black eyes wide. Most likely a mixed breed with a beagle. He was a large dog, bulky shoulders, beer belly, stubby legs that were as round the brother's heads. The dog could do more damage to them than they did to his boat.

"I have something else in mind." He spoke in a hard voice, growling at each end of the word.

Dewey jolted with alertness. He stepped back from his brothers and peaked over from behind Huey's back. Adrenaline pumped in his blood, muscles tensed, and feathers went frigid. The tone was too similar, and this was all too confidential. What stood in front of himself and his brothers was the greasy beagle who had freaked him out at the cafe weeks earlier.

"What the duck?"

Huey took his turn to elbow him next. "We are really really sorry. If you want-"

The dog cut him off, a ghost of a smile on his face. "I have a better idea." He waved at them to get off the junky boat they were gonna hitch a ride on and they did so without question.

Huey, Dewey, and Louie stood in their order side by side on the dock. The beagle raised an eyebrow at the army like style. Donald was a sailor after all. It was only natural he'd raise his children with at least some sort of similar way.

"To teach you boys to take care of other people's stuff, I'm gonna make you clean up your own mess." He folded his arms like he was trying to make himself look bigger for his prey. "Follow me, kids."

No one moved from their spot, turning their heads to glance at each other before Huey decided to follow more than a few steps behind. Following a big beagle who hallucinates a murderous Scrooge? What could go wrong.

They made it up onto the boat and the beagle stopped at the cabin door, almost like he was hesitating. "Heh." He patted his pocket lightly. "Looks like I forgot my keys oh well."

He raised his arm and all the ducks flinched not knowing what was to come next. The dog rammed his elbow into the small glass panel in the door, smashing it to sharp pieces. He grunted at the force rubbing his slightly bleeding elbow. His hand reached inside the darkness and rattled the door handle and popped it open.

"Well, I guess you three can fix that too while you're at it." He remarked allowing the ducks to enter the cabin.

Huey jumped over first, helping each brother cross safely and then started to pick up the giant shards and toss them into a black bin sitting next to the door. It was brightly lit inside once the beagle switched the solar powered lights on and fell into one front leather seat for the driver.