Edward was simply focused on getting to the beach but then he felt Mable take his hand. He looked down then over confused, but didn't let go, he held it back. It was late at night so no one would see.

"Hey, it happens. And you can't back away from standing up for yourself." He said quickly though he had ran to save himself a few times. "But yeah, I am careful. That's why this is all I got." The beach couldn't come soon enough. "Maybe when we're pirates.. we will see things like sea monsters."

Mable was grateful for the new topic, even if she didn't believe in sea monsters.  Fairies and ghosts and mermaids, yes, but monsters?  In the sea?  Those were just called whales.

"What kind of sea monsters would you like to see?  Maybe we'll see a real mermaid, and she and I will become friends.  And we can swim in the ocean and she'll protect us from the sharks!"

Edward shrugged . "Maybe? I was thinking of those giant monsters the size of islands with huge tentacles or spit out water, enough to sink a boat!" He said excitedly as they walked and his arm swung with hers. "Those would be amazing to see and so scary. We could try to hunt them and become world renowned!"

Mable's hand felt nice in Edward's, even if her knee and face hurt and she was worried about him getting into trouble.  "If the sea monsters are bigger than out ship, how are we gonna hunt it?  It might sink us!  That's when the mermaids would really come in handy."

Edward squeezed her hand as he walked. It was nice not walking alone at night. "We won't do it alone. I'll command smaller ships and lesser pirates! And you'll help!" He grinned as he walked along.

"Oh, well that makes me feel a lot better about it, then!"  So long as they weren't alone, Mable was certain she and Edward could do anything together.  "We'll be like the bosses of the whole ocean, and everyone will listen to us, and we'll be rich and famous!"

The beach was coming upon the two faster and faster the more they walked.  The smell of salty ocean water became stronger and Mable got more and more excited for it.  She squeezed Edward's hand in return and smiled as she watched how high it swung.

"What would you do with all that money?  I'd eat tarts for every meal.  I'd have my own personal tart chef to make them fresh whenever I wanted them."

Edward threw up a fist and nodded with a grin. "We'll be captains of more than our crew, we'll be captains of all the seven seas! We will travel so much we never go to the same port twice in at least four years. And we will be richer than England!"

He nearly skipped he was so happy to walk with her despite how dark and dangerous the streets were. He casually tilted his head at the question before coming up with, what he was certain, was quite a perfect answer. "I'd hire a chef to cook me all the fancy foods I never tried before. And I'll have a golden carriage pulled by the fanciest horses money can buy so I can stick my head out and laugh at the poor people." He said very matter of factly. "And in my giant mansion, I'd have people entertain me during my supper. Like clowns or a band."

Oh, wow.  Edward really had a full plan for his money already!  A golden carriage and fancy horses and a mansion, his own band... Mable was in awe!  Her friends always had the best ideas.

"Would you let me visit your mansion, Edward?  I'd let you visit my house on the farm, so you better!  We can have dinner together and watch your band together and feed your horses!  Pretty please will you let me visit?"

Edward chuckled, barely noticing the sound of the waves as they got closer. "What are you talking about? You're my co-captain! I'll have an entire wing reserved for you to come and visit any time you want. But I want you to name an animal on your farm after me. Maybe something cool like a bull or a mean goat." He laughed to himself at the thought. "Then you can come and listen to my band or watch the clowns. And we will ride the horses all the time on my huge grounds."

"My very own wing!"  Mable was imagining a birds wing.  "How generous of you Edward!  I'll name three animals after you; a bull, a goat, and a duck so you can have your own wing as well.  Two, even!  It'll be wonderful."

The sound of water getting closer and closer promised relief for Mable's still bleeding injuries.  She hurried along, eager to get them cleaned and to continue playing with her friend.

"Watch my shoes while I go into the water, will you?  Leather takes forever to dry properly.  And don't try to hide them or peak, okay?"