So much fuss and to-do and coming in a week before Christmas with the house going through its transformation for the up coming holiday parties. Mum was set somehow she would make this visit pleasant, but he would have to excuse the mess!

 

His arrival was as the others, with his servant in tow. This time however he was much more pleasant in his greetings, and even offered a ham to add for their dinner. The servant passed the wrapped ham over to Ainsley's father, as Great-Grandfather passed a hug and a kiss to his grand-daughter. "Now where is that Great-Grandchild of mine?" He ask in a gruff voice, I have little time and must be on my way soon or there will be younger pups snapping at my heels!"

 

Once in the music room again, and settled down with their greetings to one another Great-Grandfather ask little Ainsley for her story. He listened intensely as Ainsley told her addition to the story, let out a very large belly laugh at her ending. "Cannon fire to blow a hole in the Jail house wall you say, and not a scratch on either of them in the process! Well done, very well done! Well, well," he said then leaned in a bit closer. "We will just have to see if I too can bring a story from this point." Then gave a wink and began...

 

---

 

The cannon fire had been so loud it woke the rest of the guards not on watch and had them scurrying to the cell to see what was going on. Our three, Dandee, Montier and Ombre were making their way down the hill side as fast as they could, and now with the commotion, following close on there trail was the entire British Royal Marines.

 

Down the trail and up the beach side to where a smaller port lay, and within it one of the British ships anchored off in its bay. Dandee was a smart one, crafty to be sure. He had his trusty parrot on look-out to secure a means of transport. The parrot was perched on the edge of what would have been the admiral's dingy, whistling and clicking as it danced there. Dandee understood parrot quite well and followed the feathered friends' advice. The three of them punched holes in all but one boat, the one the parrot was resting on; then jumped into to make their escape. By the time the British made it down to the pier those three had rowed almost out of the bay, with the parrot pointing the direction.

 

---

 

Great-Grandfather paused now. Ainsley's eyes had grown quite wide, she would not take her eyes off of her Great-Grandfather until he motioned with his hands to pull her attention back down to the tins which he had opened while story was being told. "As you see," He said; "you have a British Officer, a General and a parrot in which to further the story. Do you feel you can finish this story with these?" He chuckled a bit watching her head bobble up and down as if she herself had been a toy with only a hinge for the neck. "It is done then" he continued. "You'll not have much time to finish this one as the holiday season is only days away."