Assignats
by Henry Leverage
Author of “The Iron Dollar.”
When Ivan with the long surname walked down the beach at Novgorod he found three men. These men were sitting on their haunches staring out over the Japan Sea. Ivan spoke to them in English.
“I have a ship,” he said.
The first man glanced at the second; the second stared at the third. They rose from their haunches and wrapped their rags around gaunt limbs.
“A ship in this accursed port?” asked one.
“A bloody lie!” exclaimed a second castaway.
“Ah hae me doots,” rasped a third derelict.