Note from Keith:  This is the second in a series of books.  One of the main cover elements in this series had been to show all the characters on the cover.  In the first cover illustration, I had painted the characters coming down steps so I could fit them all in the painting.  In this one, I had to figure out a new way to include them all.  The boats were an important element in the story, so they seemed a natural to use for this purpose. And it worked!