Going to Weather

Panel 1 [Hanshaw looking satisfied with the deal as he marks down Samuel’s information in his record. Ezra and Josué are walking down the line of recruits, eavesdropping on the exchange]

HANSHAW:
200th lay it is.

EZRA:
Green as grass, that one.

JOSUÉ:
Guess the sharks won’t have to work as hard getting them drunk and telling them about the ‘glories of whaling.’

Panel 2 [Ezra glances back with a slight frown. Josué puffs on his pipe, glancing back too with a more indifferent expression]

EZRA:
Lad’s gonna hurt from that mistake if he lives to see the voyage end.

JOSUÉ:
I’m still hurting from the last voyage.

Panel 3 [Ezra looks over at Josué with an amused expression, Josué still puffing and looking pissy]

EZRA:
Was the work too hard for those tender hands?

JOSUÉ:
Pay was too low. They said it would make me rich and look where I am. Holes in my pants.

Panel 4 [Closer shot of Josué exhaling smoke]

JOSUÉ:
You ever hear of anything else like that? Work for years and then you turn around and they say you owe them money?

Panel 5 [Ezra looks over at Josué]

EZRA:
It’s the slop chest that gets ya. All that tobacco you take. They charge interest.

JOSUÉ:
Pfff...