Claire had the grace not to say a word in regards to Quentin hiring the vile man. It was his business who he hired, after all. Then again, she had a sneaking suspicion that Mister Longbottom would get them lost because he was so sotted. Claire bit her tongue like a good girl and continued to study the map with open curiosity.

"Well then Mister Longbottom let us see if you are worth your salt." Quentin says eyeing the man as he gestures at the map. "The first riddle is thus, Our lad Farris needed coin so I left one for him under the Western Bank. What do you think it is speaking about?"

"There's a bank on Grape Lane." Harry blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "They have a lot of coins, and its on the West cli.... oh no, it's on the East side..." he ended a little disappointed.

She looked up at his answer and frowned. What bank would a pirate be talking about? She doubted it was an actual bank and said, "Are you sure it's not buried beneath the sand at a western point of a beach?" Her query sounded genuinely curious. She wasn't laughing about it, either, merely trying to put herself into the shoes of the one who wrote the riddle. The young woman returned to studying the map, a furrow or concentration in her brow.

"The bank of a river seems more likely I do agree, Miss ought to introduce herself at some point." Quentins says mildly his attention returning to Harry. "As for the riddle, does the name Farris ring any bells? I assume it is relevant."

Harry looked at 'Miss', squinted his eyes, and bit the inside of his lip. Who had asked her anyway? His suggestion made perfect sense! But when Quentin addressed him, he stopped glaring and turned back to the man. He shrugged. "Sounds like that's the lad who needed the money. Don't see why the bloke who wrote the riddle didn't just give it to him..."

She noticed the squint and gave the merest smile of triumph in his general direction. Hmph, serves him right, she thought and lifted her chin ever so slightly, almost daring him to speak his thoughts out loud and share with the rest of the class. The look on her face was brief, however, for her expression neutralized as she forced herself to concentrate on reading the map. She was genuinely interested in wherever it would take them and she had some vague hope that Mr. Longbottom would pull his head out of his... well... long bottom... and do what he was hired to do.

"You do understand that riddles are not meant to be taken at face value." Quentin says dryly, he had considered using the word metaphorical but wasn't sure the other man would be up to it. "I already know the answer to this riddle thanks to some local research. If I am to take you on in this endeavour Mister Longbottom than you will need to answer it to prove your worth as a local guide. So I recomend taking a moment and thinking hard before speaking again if you wish to get the job." Under normal circumstances he might have indulged the man, as he was Claire, but Harry had proven himself to be disagreeable company thus far

Harry wrinkled his nose. Ugh. So this man was just testing him? Bastard. If he wasn't going to hire him, he should at least pay him for the time he wasted. And for his drink.

"Well..." he thought long and hard, which was difficult enough for him under normal circumstances. His inebriated state made it nearly impossible. "Oh! I think I know a bloke called Farris!" he suddenly shouted. A few heads turned. "Ha!" Or was it Fergus? Close enough. "I can take ye to him!"

Claire couldn't help but palm her cheek, looking to Quentin and not the lout. Her brows lifted toward her hair line as worry lines briefly appeared. She was not going to back away now, but good lord. She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it when she realized that she literally had nothing to say. For the first time in her damned life, she was cowed enough to be speechless, having witnessed the drunkard in his natural state and having felt that dim little bit of hope ease out of her like a sad little fart. He was going to lead them in some merry chase. If he ruined her adventure, why... she would ease the tip of her boot firmly up his bottom.