Disclaimer: What fortuitous circumstance be this! I hadn't noticed at first but the Cat is parading around right behind the Mouse. I shall have them both in one fell swoop! Charging up on stage and grabbing Mouse and Cat Now I have you!!! Now you will pay!!! Pay? Says the Mouse, Pay? Why sure we can do that! Mouse and Cat standing there smiling. Here is a check for mumblemumblemumble amount and a certificate for mumblemumble percent of the Mouse's stocks. Should I accept or get my vengeance???

Inaccuracies historical or otherwise will throw the Captains hat….and then have to go get it.

Well dear readers and reviewers it saddens my heart to say this is the last chapter. I appreciate everyone's attention to my story. Thanks to PearlSparrow13, Florencia7, GCTIGERFAN1, Ditte3 for your consistent reviews, and special thanks to Manet and the ladies at work, Toni, Jannika, Karen, Caitlin, JJ, Becky, Pam, Lisa, Angie, Mary, Tina and also Ian who is in fact a man. Thank you Grammie, and Jacob and Emily. And now the end. Please ignore any tear stains you may find on the pages to follow.

Chapter 55

They spent a number of years with this arrangement. Jack would be at sea with his Parents for two or three months at a time and then spend a month or so with his Grandparents. He loved the sea, and his Father taught him how to be a fine sailor, his Mother taught him how to be a good man. He had many an adventure sailing alongside his Mother and Father, and loved every minute of it.

He also loved being with his Grandparents. He learned excellent manners, excellent grammar and diction from his Grammie, though he didn't always use them. He also learned from her how to navigate among the "upper crust" of society to his best advantage. When he was with his Grandparents he had the best Tutors and Education money could buy. He learned how to do good business from his Grandfather, and how leverage and influence in the right place could be useful.

When Lawrence Creighton-Smythe was ready to retire from the Diplomatic Corps, and Jack was about 14, he secured for Jack a posting on one of Her Majesty's better ships of the line.

Jack served well on said ship, even though a "few" times over the years, if not for the influence of his Grandfather he might have gotten in some, shall we say, hot water.

As we know he eventually procured a command with the East India Trading Company. And that is where my story ends, and Jack and the Mouse's begins.

As for Teague and Rebecca, they sailed lovingly together for many years. Seeing Jack every once and a while here and there.

Teague and Rebecca were together until that unfortunate incident with the Headhunters and Rebecca literally lost her head. To Teague's credit he did sneak back into the Headhunters village in the dark of night and retrieve his loving wife's head, which he carried proudly on a cord hanging from his belt until giving it to Jack at the Pirates Council.

And there we have it, dear readers. The End.