John Hilton, 14 years old and already being groomed to take over from his father in running their business, was therefore unusually well educated compared to most boys his age.
This was aided and abetted by his natural abilities, being sharp sighted, inquisitive and having excellent drawing skills, which he put to the service of the family business in helping to refine and make models of their ships to aid the boat builder that made the vessels.
The Hilton family's wealth had arisen from the use of said sailboats which, whilst ostensibly no more than coastal fishing boats, used a form of construction and rigging which made them faster than anything else afloat.
Quite a few of their improvements were Johns own suggestions and he had the liberty to visit the port whenever he saw something interesting to sketch and possibly be of use to the family.
So the boy was a familiar sight at the harbours many slips, wharves and landings where he would ask questions and sketch various components at his leisure. Sometimes it was a block and tackle arrangement that caught his eye, or a new way of rigging, for sailors were forever making changes to their craft in the hope of improving their capabilities.
It was thanks to Johns habit of making unannounced excursions that when the bailiffs guards, had descended upon the Hiltons home and summarily arrested the father and mother to be taken to the Citadel to face an inquiry, or so it was said though neither parent had any illusions about the probable outcome.
No one noticed the boys absence because his name wasn't on the warrant. By the time that error was noticed, John had already been tipped off by a neighbour, which allowed him to escape from being captured by unwittingly returning home
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