Dirk was now eager to show that he had more to contribute to the partnership other than funding. "Cloud I've had a brainwave" he exclaimed  "did you know that I am a member of the Square dealers?"

"Well I didn't but what are they?" replied Lil Cloud.

Dirks chest filled with pride and importance. " It's a very exclusive organisation for professional people at the very pinnacle of success." he said

"Yes of course, isn't that the organisation whose national president is Fred Elliot the butcher off Coronation Street, I say Coronation Street!" said Lil Cloud.
 
"That's  right" said Dirk "and being a member of the Inner Rectangle of the Scarlington Square dealers gives me access to a lot of contacts who will be useful to us. Only the other day I was playing a round of golf with Pat Burton, a fellow member who is also one of the top officers at the House of Secrets in St Knickerless Street, in fact he is responsible for the running of Scarlington harbour. I mentioned that we were looking for a boat and he told me if I needed any strings pulling to just ask and it will be as good as done!"

"But I thought that there was an elected committee to run the harbour, and what about the Harbourmaster Cpt. Windy?" said Lil Cloud looking puzzled.

"Yes but most of them are farmers or live miles away from Scarlington and aren't interested in the harbour, only the expense account they receive for attending the meetings, most of them are happy to accept the directions of the officers. The Square dealers have already infiltrated  most of the committees at the House of Secrets including this one. Its just a matter of our                    Square dealers influencing the rest of the committee into falling in line and Bobs your uncle.  As for Cpt Windy, he is marking time for his pension and anyway his dislike of fishermen,            who are likely to be the only objectors, is legendary."

"Wow! I'll tell you what Dirk, it would be good if we could get the use of the slipway solely to ourselves, why don't you have a word with your golfing pal and see what he can do" said              Lil Cloud.

"Leave it with me Cloud, its as good as done" said Dirk "What I don't achieve on the greens I'll do in the 19^th hole!"

As pleased as I was with what I had heard I knew that there was another huge problem that could well scupper my dreams of getting back to work again, my condition. I really was in a bad way and I knew that someone as shrewd as these two would find out about this when they dropped aboard. To my amazement this did not happen and once again my luck was in and I had a new set of owners.


                                                                  Billy Inkwell Ashtray