The hammer spectacularly missed the nail. It wasn't completely off the mark, though. It hit dead center on the thumb holding the nail.

Yells and gnomish curses filled the air. Albie rolled around, howling miserably, waving his hand to ease the pain.

The gnomette gave him a worried look, then chuckled: "Ha! Wouldn't have thought it possible, but you're an even bigger klutz as a carpenter than as a rogue, Albs. That takes some skill".

Albie muttered something about mean-spirited unsympathetic cretins, before brushing dust from his hat and standing up. Pandy shuffled over and pressed his cold nose against the sore thumb. That seemed to help. Albie gently scratched the little cub behind his ears, then turned around to inspect his work.

It was a small tub-looking vessel, bobbing happily beside the docks. Some might call it a boat. A rickety-looking one. Hardly an angle seemed right, nary a line was straight, but the sum seemed to work anyway. A real cozy little tub-looking sailboat.

Albie patted the hull, smiled and sighed. Cruising about in this one would be lovely - far away from damp, dangerous caves and their inhabitants. Instead, he would seek out warm sandy beaches, or just drift around on the south seas, fishing, snoozing and sipping coffee. Oh, that reminded him. He began to hoist several sacks of coffee aboard. A few boxes of muffins, the odd plate of chocolate, lots of banana bread and milk for Pandy. Yep, this would be heaven-like.

"So let me get this straight - you're just going to pack up and sail around? The quintessential city gnome heads off to sea?" The gnomette eyed Albie with a look bordering on disbelief. "Mark my words", she said, "you'll be back on top of that dusty box of yours before the weekend. And then you'll come clawing at my door for a bed to sleep in, too. Unless you crash somewhere and end up on a desert island again. Remember how much fun that was?"

Her heart wasn't really into the teasing, though. She observed the limping gnome as he finished loading his boat with goodies. He had looked so frail during the latest months. Sleeping a lot, or just popping pills and complaining about his aching old wounds. Now, she thought he seemed determined. With a purpose again. Drifting about in hot climates would surely be good for his sore limbs. These thoughts made her happy... and then just a little bit sad.

She looked at the setting sun and said: "It's getting late. About time to head home". She helped Albie hoist the final sacks aboard, then smiled sadly as they hugged and said their goodbyes. She carefully tipped Albie's hat and and looked into his eyes: "Promise you will look me up when you're in town, sailor?"

Albie smiled: "Of courses. Before you be knowings it, Albie be droppings anchor around these partses agains. But in the meantimes - take cares!"

He removed the mooring, lifted Pandy up and climbed aboard. The sails caught the evening breeze and slowly pulled the ship out to sea. The last thing the gnomette saw was two small figures on deck looking back at her, one of them saluting her with his mug.