"Ah darlins', up with the birds, are y'?" Captain R.F. Clancey strode onto the deck of his ship to discover Candy, Biddie and Kate waiting for him. Each of the girls brightened his morning with their joyful smiles and the adventurous gleam in their eyes.

      "What brings y' on board so early?"

      "We heard you were heading for Tacoma, Captain." Candy answered.

      "That I am. Can I bring y' back something?"

      "No, Captain, you can take us with you. There's a printing press waiting for us there." Katie informed him.

      "A printing press, is it? One of those large, monstrous contraptions I've heard tell about?"

      "It is."

      "And you three dainty things are going to bring it home?"

      Candy explained, "We three dainty things and a few of your muscular crew members, perhaps?"

      "Ahhhh, I see. I suppose me men could be persuaded to do a favor for such lovely ladies as yerselves."

      "Why, Captain, we don't intend it to be a favor." Biddie corrected him.

      "You don't?"

      "Oh, certainly not! We're prepared to offer your men something in exchange!" she replied as if suppressing a great secret.

      Candy and Kate shared a look of astonishment.

      "And what might that be, Miss Cloom?" Clancey asked in a low voice.

      "One blueberry cobbler for each man. It will be ever-so-fresh."

      Biddie leaned in to the Captain to clinch the bargain.

      "Is it a deal?"

      "Ah, Biddie, luv, for blueberry cobbler me men would sail to China and back," he squinted, fixing her in his sight. "But what might y' have for their captain?"

      Candy patted his shoulder. "Our undying gratitude."

      "Your gratitude?"

      "And a bottle of your favorite whiskey to keep off the chill at night." Katie added.

      "Darlin, it's a deal." Clancey shook Kate's hand. "Be ready to shove off in an hour and we'll be back in three days with that press."

      Jeremy had promised Candy that work for the Army would slack off within the next month and they'd be able to see each other more often, but until that time Candy was anxious for a little diversion from her day-to-day routine. When Kate asked her if she would join her on this short trip to Tacoma, she jumped at the chance. The children were out of school for the summer and it would be a fine trip for them all. Biddie came along because she was the first official reporter on Kate's as yet unformed staff and the new editor wanted her involved in every aspect of the paper.

      The little group from Seattle had a marvelous time in Tacoma. They saw the sights and visited with Will and Rachel Sullivan who had moved to the larger city the previous spring. Biddie kept everyone in stitches with her attempts to gather interviews for future issues of the paper from the couple and every person they happened to meet.

      Those three days in Tacoma provided Kate with a special treasure: two very good lady friends. The girls she had known in her school days were put off by her ability to roll logs, climb trees and whittle. In return, Katie was mystified by her classmates' knowledge of fashion, decor and men.

       Jean Bolt had tried her very best to teach Katie needlework and other domestic skills, but the kind woman gave up the lessons when she saw how frustrating it was for the child to stay with quieter projects. When it came to house cleaning though, Katie Macready could wield a mop and broom with the best of them. As for cooking, after the Macready's had moved to Chicago, Andrew pestered his teenage daughter to learn some of the recipes he'd enjoyed in Kilmaran. Because she loved her father dearly, Katie learned how to make Cock-a-leekie soup, Forfar Bridies and Rumbledethumps from her Scots neighbors. Katie gladly shared these recipes with Candy who wanted to make them for Jeremy when they returned.

      In the evenings, when the children were in bed and Biddie was busily writing up her interviews, Kate and Candy would sit on the deck of the Seamus and share the stories of their lives. As they talked, the two young women realized that they had many things in common. They deeply loved adventure, children, Seattle and most of all, the Bolts. Kate grew to admire Candy's humor, grace and wisdom while Candy found herself appreciating Katie's knowledge of people and places she'd only read about and her penchant for taking risks.

      The three-day journey also had a positive effect on the men in their lives. Jeremy had been reluctant to see Candy and the children go to Tacoma without him. The morning they returned with the old rattle-trap of a printing press, Jeremy was at the dock waiting with a bouquet of wild flowers for his fiancée, some toys for the children and six loggers to help the girls move the press to Aaron's shed. Candy was properly flattered by his attention and secretly planned to accompany Kate again whenever she felt neglected.

       As they followed the men with the press, Jeremy let Kate know that she hadn't been forgotten either.

      "Cricket, Jason's sending Josh down with a crew on Friday to start building that office for you. They'll only be able to give it a few days every week but we'll get it built before the rains get here."

      "Biddie, did you hear that?"

      "Maybe I'd better gather some more interviews."Biddie answered suddenly very nervous.

      Katie laughed, "I think the twenty-five you have from Tacoma will do. Besides, you're going to be busy making blueberry cobbler for all these helpful men."

      Biddie's eyes widened as she realized a total of twelve men had gotten the press on and off the ship for the women. "I'd better get started right away!"