Miles took a drink of his tea before continuing. "I had already been considering privateering from the moment I had heard that war could be a possibility. Once Lieutenant Sands told me the war was on and Mr. Cobb was relocating us, I knew the crew was not going to be happy with any of it. I hadn't yet had the opportunity to consider how I could get a ship or a letter of marque after my conversation with Mr. Cobb, but that was when Mr. Finley approached me. Then I remembered Lieutenant Sands's unhappiness and that he had told me they were bound for New York. A ship that was already fit out was ideal, and one imposing enough to improve our chances of taking ships with little fighting. Happily, when we arrived, most of the crew and all the marines had been allowed to go to shore, leaving the ship in the hands of Lieutenant Sands and a small crew. Most of the remaining crew were impressed Americans and happy to become American privateersmen. We did have a harrowing escape when the rest of the crew chose to return to the ship unexpectedly. We made it appear as though we were chasing James and vanished into the night."

"I hope your actions will be enough for those issuing your letter to look past it being quite illegal," his mother commented mildly.

Finley shook his head. "I don't believe it will be an issue. As you said, the action itself will produce more excitement than anger. The bond money as well."

"You're still able to put up half now that I have managed to successfully take such a ship?" Miles questioned, wanting to be certain. Finley had not objected to a frigate originally, but Miles hoped he hadn't been speaking without being certain Miles could take the ship. 

Finley sipped his tea and nodded. "Barely, perhaps, but yes. I'm anticipating a quick first prize to recover some investment. I am, however, concerned by your mention of little fighting."

"Of course," Miles replied. "The first prize is already sitting in the harbor. It will be a few days before we take her, however. I mean to make a statement to Mr. Cobb as he sails for England. I will then gladly take you and the whale oil to Boston, if you don't wish to leave sooner. As for the fighting, I intend to take as many prizes as I have the opportunity to take, but I have a responsibility to the crew to not put them in undue danger. An imposing frigate will, I expect, lead to more speedy surrenders than battles, though I'm certain we will have our share of fighting."

Finley leaned back in his chair. "It sounds like a reasonable theory. You've more privateering experience than I. I'll trust your judgment. I'm certain it would also mean more profit as less fighting will mean less repairs."

"That would be a benefit, certainly."

"And the offer of transport to Boston is appreciated," Finley added. He glanced at Mr. Goodman, who gave him a nod over his own tea. "I will accept it as I can think of no better way to know that I have chosen wisely. It will be worth a few more days of waiting here, if your mother is agreeable."

She smiled at him. "Certainly. You and Mr. Goodman are pleasant guests."

Finley nodded with a smile. "Thank you." He looked back to Miles. "You also have the money for such a ship's bond?"

Miles smiled. "I would not have taken her if I did not. My father taught me to live a simple life, something I believe he learned from his own father. Over the generations we acquired a small fortune and I still spend little. What I do spend is for simple things and to purchase all the land on which Dunnstown has been built."

Finley fiddled with his half-empty teacup. "If you don't mind my asking, what is the story of Dunnstown? I've been curious."

Miles finished his tea and leaned back in his chair. "There isn't much to tell of it. My grandfather was the first to settle here and built this house, which my father expanded. He purchased tracts of land around the house to avoid neighbors moving too close. Some time after that he started allowing associates to set up homes on his land, and sold them parcels. My father continued the process, as have I. Many of my crew or former crew have land in Dunnstown. It is especially useful for those who don't wish to live in the larger towns or cities. There is something secure and familiar about a town of your own understanding people."

"What do you mean?" Finley asked, appearing quite interested.

"Perhaps you should take a walk through town while you're here," Miles's mother answered. "There are some who do not live happy lives in larger towns. Society often has a cruel word or gaze for them. In Dunnstown we have a few good old men who were once wanted for piracy, a number of seamen of all types with injuries that draw stares even in Sherburne, many who won't marry or have their expected families for numerous and varied reasons, black families who are treated with little kindness elsewhere, Indian families whose ancestors once freely lived on this land –"

"They paid me nothing for their parcels when they chose to come to Dunnstown," Miles added. "They usually do not come to live here, but two families have for reasons that are their own. I ask no questions of the residents here. Dunnstown is a home for all those who wish for it.

"Many turn to the sea when they have little else," Miles continued, returning to the explanation his mother had begun. "They all have a reason, and it seems that for most it isn't that it is what Nantucket most has to offer. There is plenty of work on shore that supports the whaling and fishing businesses. I've seen with my crews that those with similar reasons build friendships and communities I do my best to support. It is my duty as their captain while they are aboard my ship. I also feel my duty extends beyond the ship, to those who do their duty and are good to each other. At times there are troublemakers who are better left to their own devices once they leave the crew. I have learned to choose well who comes aboard and I will continue to do so. Privateering will draw more potentially troublesome men than whaling has."

Finley nodded, clearly thoughtful and even more interested, then he smiled. "I'm thankful for that. It means I have less to be concerned with as your backer. There's paperwork to get sorted, so I propose we do so."

Miles also nodded. "I agree. I'm somewhat familiar with the letter of marque, but please reacquaint me of the details. It was my father who was captain in my previous privateering days."

"Certainly," Finley replied. "You are, of course, expected only to take British ships for prizes. Do try to avoid neutral ships, though you may stop them to ensure they are truly neutral and not enemy ships under false flags. Once confirmed, they must be released. That especially means French and Spanish, as I've been told they could be looked to as future allies, if the politicking goes to plan. As the situation changes I will do my best to send word to you. In any difficult situations your judgement is expected to be wise."

Miles nodded again. It would be quite different from his previous experience to be allied with the French instead of attacking their shipping, were such an alliance to happen.

"Military supplies are expected to be in great demand and already are," Finley continued. "If you can capture a military supply ship it would be truly helpful. Any military prisoners, too, would be used to exchange for Americans."

Miles was surprised by the implication that Finley expected the war to last for some time. Prisoners would not need to be exchanged if the war ended in mere months.

"That may prove a challenge as I will be attempting to keep the smallest possible crew that may still command prizes and sail our ship," Miles replied, "but in such an event I will be certain to make such a military ship a priority to any other prizes."

Finley pushed a book across the table. "I find that agreeable. Here is a list of contacts who will purchase from you if, at any time, you can't make it into Boston where I hope to remain, or any other American port. It would certainly be counter to the letter of marque to sell your cargoes and not return them to an American port and admiralty court, but it matters little to me when there is profit to be had and the American ports unreachable. You will still be doing harm to British trade. If you were to seize a cargo from time to time without bringing the entire prize to court, breaking bulk as it were, I expect it won't be a concern, so long as you bring the majority to court the proper way, and you can explain it away."

Miles would have expected no less from a man with such a deep family history of smuggling and dealing with pirates. If it meant earning money for his crew, Miles had no scruples against the occasional breaking of bulk. He opened the book and casually leafed through it, noting the names and locations of contacts he could sell to, along with names of others who could contact those merchants for him. "You have quite the number of contacts for someone so young," he commented. "The entire coast from Nova Scotia to Florida. Nearly all the West Indies. Some East Indies. France and Spain. Africa. Brazil. I will admit I've never sailed to many of these places. Some I'm familiar with using to resupply on long whale hunts, however."

Finley nodded. "There are two Dutch contacts as well as one in a cove in Ireland if you feel the need to take that risk. It is a sheltered cove, but of course still a danger to make land so close to England itself. I've outlined how difficult I believe it will be for you to access other British-held ports, but I can't promise there will be no risk, of course. Bribery has worked well for our network in the past, and the influx of both essential and luxury goods that war or import prices have otherwise choked nearly to nonexistence will help ease the concerns of others. I've met most of these contacts at various times in my life. This is the large collective my great-grandfather created, and it seems to have continued with most families through the generations, as it has with mine, though of course some have come and others gone from it. Do you have men on your crew whom you trust and who speak Spanish or French?"

Miles nodded. "I know only of one who speaks Spanish but I have a small number of Frenchmen on my crew at this time."

"Very good. The one Spaniard in Florida may be challenging to deal with, as I do not know him well. It's best to have someone with you who knows the language if you must deal with him. The rest are satisfied with my family name and have no desire to disrupt the business of a younger son they know little of. They understand my father will step in if I am being toyed with. Please do keep a log of what you sell to whom and at what price, if you must deal with them. I will trust you to return my share to me in due time. The log will ensure the prices paid are fair."

"Of course," Miles assured him. He met Finley's gaze. "I consider myself an honest man and do well by my backers or owners, so long as they treat me the same."

Finley held his gaze and his lips quirked into a small smile. "I would hate to be crossed like Mr. Cobb."

Miles simply grinned.

"Now," Finley continued, "I must add one thing. I, unlike my father, have no desire at all to deal in slaves. If you're planning to take any you find, do not bring them to me in Boston. I've marked which of my contacts will purchase them with an 's' in that book. Do not include those prices in your logs for me or give me any of that money. I want nothing to do with the god-awful business, but I recognize that I can't prevent you from involving yourself in it."

Miles glanced at the man who had been by Finley's side since Miles had first met him. He had, naturally, assumed he was an enslaved manservant. Wealthy merchants often had them and he had assumed Levi Finley was no different.

The man chuckled. "I'm no slave."

Finley smiled slightly. "Mr. Goodman is my business partner. He was raised with me, my father's intention being that it would make him a better manservant to know me from a young age. He therefore acquired quite a mind for business, as well. As soon as my father transferred ownership to me I freed him. Using the ruse that he is my manservant means he can go with me nearly anywhere without the issue that would be raised by others not wanting to interact with a freeman, especially in business dealings. I wouldn't be offering to support you in this if he hadn't agreed that it was a sound business opportunity."

Goodman nodded. "It's not as simple for someone who was once a slave to make himself a place in the merchant class, even those of us fortunate in our educations. Mr. Finley is the face and voice of our partnership among the wealthy merchants, but our decisions are jointly made and we share in the profits."

Miles silently closed the book of contacts and rested his hand on it. "I also refuse to deal in the business. People are not cargo or property. Not only do I find the business appalling, but my crew would have my head in moments. A good number of them were once slaves themselves, or their parents. No, if I take any slaves it will be to buy their freedom, especially if they wish to join the crew."

Finley nodded and gave Miles another faint smile. "It seems you and I can agree on much in this business. It was fortunate for me that I learned there was still a Captain Dunn in Nantucket." 

"I know little of what my family name will result in when it comes to your contacts," Miles admitted. "I was not deeply involved in my father's smuggling arrangements."

Finley set his empty teacup aside and seemed thoughtful again. "It will be interesting to know how your name is received. Your grandfather, certainly, was known to some of my contacts' fathers or grandfathers, if not themselves. Though, mind, it will always be a risk to sell our prizes anywhere outside of America, as it is against the letter of marque."

By the tone of his voice as he reiterated the point, Miles felt as though Finley was not attempting to instruct him to sell his prizes illegally, but that he was suggesting he was not in any way opposed to the risk associated with it, as Miles had perceived earlier in their conversation.

"I understand," Miles assured him. "I would prefer to meet all expectations of a privateer. My first actions notwithstanding."

Finley chuckled. "Indeed. Now, I'm also certain if you take what your crew may need, it will be overlooked. If you need stores, powder, or clothing, I encourage you to take it. Make note of what you took for the crew, in the event it is questioned."

"I will do so. I prefer it all be simple for all of us."

Finley spread out several documents on the table. "Then let us complete this, and you may carry on with your plans to secure your first prize."