The midshipman eyes him, shoulders back, and chin up stubbornly.

"See that you do not, Commodore."

Then maybe he fades away, maybe he does not. Norrington has no time to notice as the waves crash in-

crash through

the walls of the office. He remembers this, does not he? The freezing cold water, the storm tossing one about until you did not know which was was up, naught but a plaything for the elements-

Did he survive the hurricane? Or had everything after it been just an instant twist of a dream as the water sucked him under-

I was much too far out all my life
And not waving but drowning.