The Search For Mystery: Part II: Danger on the High Seas!

Shiver me timbers, Fudgington-ites! On this fine day, I report to you from the lido deck of the RMS Lusitania where I can feel the rumble of her twenty-five Scotch boilers in the engine room below. Her quadruple blade propellers are propelling us ever closer to the fjords of Norway and I can hardly contain my own excitable self.

But firstly, let me tell the tale of a happenstance that fate felt necessary to befall upon us just several hours prior. Marv L., Sir Poppycock & Yours Truly were engaged in a rousing match of Ms. Lizzie Magie's The Landlord Game (your faithful narrator is proud to say that he owned Lake Shore Drive, Easy Street & the Gee-Whiz Railroad, which was putting him on the fast track to victory), when a loud smattering of clatters arose from the stern of our fine vessel.

With much haste, our triad of board gamers moved to the ship's rear decks to investigate. What we saw turned my skin cold while simultaneously making my blood boil (a most unpleasant sensation); We were being pirated by pirates! And they were Danish pirates, no less. Those ne'er-do-wells of the North Sea. They attempted to board the Lusitania with cutlasses between their teeth and Tommy guns in their strong seamans' grips.

But, good old Seamus McBootstraps was taking on all a comers with fury of lefts and rights that would make Jack Johnson jealous. And oh, dear readers, if you could have only been there to see the grace with which the Contessa was deftly employing her Mauser C96 to ensure that not one Dane set foot aboard our steamer! With "Scooter" Steele and myself on the Maxim guns, the pirates were deftly trounced in a matter of minutes.

An eerie silence echoed over the emerald waves of the foggy sea. After what seemed to be a month of Sundays, the pirate captain finally called out to us and admitted his defeat, replacing his Jolly Roger with a white flag of surrender. Summoning all my courage, I invited this salty seadog aboard the Lusitania to parley.

This crimson haired stranger came aboard and introduced himself as Jesper the Gentleman Pirate, Terror of the Germanic Sea. After much discussion, I was astonished to learn that not only had Gentleman Jesper heard of the Norwegian Man-Beast, but claimed that this same creature was responsible for pilfering his hidden pirate booty. What a marvelous turn of events! In exchange for not sinking his ship (and crew) to the bottom of German Ocean, Jesper agreed to lead us to his treasure trove... in Norway's Phantom Fjords!

One can only imagine what beasties and ghosties we might encounter in place characterized by such a moniker! Stay tuned!

This adventure of Professor Cornelius Von Fudgington is brought to you by Forge Brand Ventura County Lemons. Forge Brand Ventura County Lemons: the citrus fruit of choice for all manner of smithies. When you you need to refresh after a long day of shoeing derby-winning thoroughbreds, reach for a Forge Brand Ventura County Lemon. Kissed by the sun!