18. A Warning

"Well--what do YOU want?" I asked the seal--though it was only too obvious what he wanted--he and his gang wanted to intimidate me.

"We want YOU to stop nosing around where it ain't none o' your business!" he said in a hoarse whisper.

"That's it, crab!" another of the gang whispered behind me. "Lay off helping that lousy crawdad--NOW!"

"Yer just lookin' fer TROUBLE, SEE!" the third coughed.

"You are undoubtedly misinformed, gentlemen," I replied, "I am acting for a client of mine who has asked me for help. I am the Constable of this part of the beach acting in my jurisdiction..."

"Oh yeah!" said the first seal--we are quite aware of who you are and what you're doing and we want to inform YOU to DROP IT!"

"Drop it RIGHT NOW!" "Yeah--DROP IT!" the other two gangsters managed to bark/whisper.

"I have no intention of dropping anything!" I said. "As for the three of you--you can get yourselves back to the docks where you belong."

"Is that SO?" the first seal coughed. "Then WATCH YOURSELF, CRAB! Cause we mean business and THIS is NO JOKE!"

But I merely walked right through them and they made no move to stop me.

I didn't think they would attack me right here in a public place in broad daylight. It is more their cowardly style to jump their victim from behind and in the dark.

Still, I took their crude warning seriously. I would have to be very careful until I could find out what was going on with Mr. CC Crayfish!

...