Here are some fun facts for you yung writers out there.
During the age of sail, many a Sailor could not read or write. They could however drink. When in a bar. They would order a pint or a quart. The bar keeper would place a P or a Q by thier name. When it came time to pay up thesailor would usually have spent all his money. That is why they say for you "watch your Ps and Qs."
In the days of Lord Nelson, desertion was a problem. To end this the Royal Navy anchored it's ship in the harbor. Wifes and girl friends were allowed to come aboard and spend some "time." The next morning the Bosun had to wake the Sailors but did not want to offend the ladies who might be napping in the hammocks. So what the Bosun would do is grab the leg of some one in the hammock. If it was a lady, she was left alone. This is where we get the term "Shake a leg."
As mentioned above women were allowed on the ships. Well as you might imagine what would happen. Space and privacy were not always avalible. So the act happened over the warships many cannons. Now you know what is meant by "Son of a gun."
The FBI Inspector (380 pages) is a collection of 25 short fiction crime novellas involving the law enforcement services of FBI Inspector Joe Giralo along with his three government agents, Sal Velardi, Arthur Orsi and Dan Blachford.
