She had brought the bloody Articles up, had she not?  She groaned as she pulled out a ledger and read from it.<br/><br/>”One.  Every soul shall have a vote if affairs of the moment.  The Captain is to have two full shares; the Quartermaster is to have one Share and one Half; The Doctor, Mate, Gunner and Boatswain, one share and one auarter.<br/><br/>Two.  If any soul shall offer to run away, or keep any Secret from the Company, shall suffer what punishment the Captain and Majority of the Comapany think fit.<br/><br/>Three.  If any soul shall steal any thing in the Company, or game, to the value of a Piece of Eight, shall be hung until the body ceases to move.<br/><br/>Four.  Any who strikes or abuses another in any regard shall the Captain and majority of the Company see fit.<br/><br/>Five.  All shall keep their blades sharp and arms clean and ready for engagement.<br/><br/>Six.  If any soul shall loose a digit during engagement, shall have 400 Pieces of Eight, if a limb, 800.<br/><br/>Seven.  Whoever sees a sail first, shall have the best pistol small arm aboard her.<br/><br/>Eight.  If any time you meet a prudent woman, that man that offers to meddle with her, without her consent, shall suffer present death.<br/><br/>Nine.  That soul who snaps arms, or smoke tobacco in the hold, without a cap to his pipe, or carry a lighted candle without a lanthron, shall receive Moses’ Law (40 lashes) on the bare back.<br/><br/>Ten.  No talk of breaking the Company till that share has earned a thousand Pieces of Eight.”<br/><br/>The ledger slid back into her jacket’s breast pocket and she glanced at Mr. Smith.<br/><br/>”Do any of these Articles give you pause, Mr. Smith?  Would you be willing to sign them, on your honor, as a Man of Fortune, and follow the code until you earned your thousand Pieces or God took you from us?”<br/>