"South? Oh, south will not do, no," says the gnome, shaking his head and showing concern for the giant. "Sorry for the misunderstanding friend, but I'm afraid I just came from there, and it would be a dire inconvenience for me to upset my travel plans."
As the gnome hears the young girl's exclamation a warm smile spreads across his face. As a contrast to the smile before, this one is soft and puts color in his cheeks. "Oh dear, now you're makin an old raft trader's heart mealt. My boy I'll tell you what," turning his head back to the giant, "For a small showing of your generosity on top of my normally very small fee I can take you and the girl back south, but only as far as Hillbird's docks. That should get..."
As one of the travellers approaches the pier and throws back his hood, the gnome's face clearly shows his amazement at seeing such a daring move for what could only be an elf, deep in the Erenland. "Oh what've I gotten myself into this time?" he mutters to himself.
"Hey listen, I don't want no trouble, I'm just an honest trader I am!" His protest and shock is suddenly interrupted as his dimeanor changes, "Oh, but I think we could work out something - yes, I think I could be inclined to help a group of stout explorers! Only a small extra fee of course, but I'm sure a band such as yourselves has means, eh?"
The gnome quickly looks around his skiff at the other rafts tied to the piers and appears to see what he'd been looking for. All smiles, he turns his attention back to the giant and says, "Gentle friend, if you don't mind, this raft just to the side here is also mine, and it should hold you all much more safely than my small skiff alone. Just tie its line to this cleat here as I help your young friend aboard my boat - she does seem to be quite fond of it."
OOC: Yup, "it's also mine" is a Bluff check, +11.
The gnome begins again to move furiously, securing portions of the boat as he looks up and downstream to see if he can spy the danger allerted to by the elf. After only a moment he smiles and gestures to the young girl to come aboard.