Salome tiptoed up to the large barrel lying on its side that sported a broken stave or two and a curious rag covering the opening.

Extending an arm, she rapped softly one of the staves still held in place by the metal bands. "Kasim," she whispered, bending her head close to the rag, "are you in there?"

Hearing nothing, she gingerly lifted a corner of the filth-encrusted cloth and squinted to better see inside the dark interior. Finally deciding that the darker shadow was indeed the person she sought, she boldly reached in and shook what she hoped was a shoulder.

"Kasim, wake up!"

The shadow coalesced quickly into the form of a small boy who sleepily brandished a knife against the enemy who intruded on his home.

"Who's there?" he croaked, his voice spanning octaves in that peculiar way of pubescent lads.

"It's me, you ninny!" hissed Salome. "Now put that pig sticker away and show me your take for the night."

"Aw, it's you, is it," he grumbled. "Can't ya let a poor lad sleep, for a change?"

"Don't play with me lad, I need to know whether you've got anything worth selling!" Salome tapped her foot impatiently. It had been a long night, and Mam would be waiting at the place they laughingly called home.

"Got me a fine prize tonight, I did," the young boy said proudly, "a pair of men's boots!" He pushed the pair of boots onto the wharf for his visitor to examine.

"Not bad," Salome said at last, her quick hands testing the soles and the soft leather of the uppers. "Off that drunken old sea dog Jimi and Cyrus rolled?"

"That's the very one!" laughed the boy. "They took his purse, but I warrant the boots is worth more than he had on him in coin!"

"Good lad, Kasim," Salome ruffled his hair and tucked the boots into a rucksack filled with the night's haul. She flipped a copper coin to the boy. "Here's a token, lad. I'll be back with the rest when Mam sells 'em on the wharf."

"Good enough, Sal. I'll be here." The boy scampered backwards into the deep shadow of the barrel again.

"Could ya drop the curtain for me?" Salome could hear the yawn in his voice. "That's a good lass."