A sudden cloudbust up in the hills during the night […] swelled the creek

The ship was pitching with an unsteadiness which meant they were now well astream; their charges could not get away.

I was about to spew some abuse over my shoulder when I noticed Captain James standing by the door to the smoker’s balcony, admiring our apparent camaraderie with a moustachey smile.

She broke off, staring. Pudgefickle! Why are you carrying an umbrella indoors? Um, er, I felt a slight twinge of Ombrophobia coming on. That is, a fear of rain.