Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure

             
The
pull
to
the
damaged
brig
from
the
anchored
HMS
Bellerophon
was
a
long
and
wet
one.
Regular
bursts
of
spray
sliced
across
the
rowers,
drenching
them,
and
twelve
and
a
half
year
old
Midshipman
Harry
Nelson-Heron
was
glad
of
his
borrowed
oiled
tarpaulin
coat.
Several
of
the
older
hands
among
the
passengers
wore
oiled
canvas
jackets,
or
were
huddled
beneath
pieces
of
sailcloth
and
staying
reasonably
dry.
He
recalled
the
First
'
s
instruction
to
equip
himself
with
an
oiled
coat
or
cloak
for
the
future
from
the
Purser
'
s
store
and
decided
to
do
it
as
soon
as
opportunity
arose.

             
Looking
down
he
saw
there
was
a
lot
of
water
accumulating
in
the
bottom
of
the
boat.
He
glanced
at
the
Boatswain
'
s
Mate
wondering
if
the
man
had
noticed.
This
must
have
happened
during
the
night
while
he
was
in
charge
of
the
quarterboat
and
he
had
then
not
seen
it.
Instinctively
he
knew
it
was
not
a
good
sign,
and
should
be
dealt
with.
A
lesson
he
and
Ferghal
had
learned
to
their
cost
in
the
small
dinghy
they
had
learned
to
sail
on
Strangford
Lough.

             
"
Coxswain,
I
think
we
should
set
some
of
the
men
to
work
to
remove
the
water
we
are
shipping.
"

             
The
burly
warrant
officer
looked
down
at
him
in
surprise
and
approval.
"
Aye,
aye,
sir!
"
He
looked
forward
to
the
huddle
of
spare
hands
between
the
rowers,
"
Blake,
Gunn,
Wright,
Small
.
Break
out
the
balers
and
get
cracking,
I
want
the
boat
kept
dry
you
slackers!
"
He
glowered
at
the
rest
of
the
men.
"
And
the
rest
of
you
can
spell
them
on
the
baling.
"
To
Harry
he
said
,
"
Sorry,
sir,
I
should
have
spotted
it.
"

             
"
No
matter.
"
Harry
grinned.
"
At
least
we
are
dealing
with
it
now.
"
He
nodded
towards
the
brig.
"
She
looks
as
if
she
is
riding
heavily;
she
must
have
shipped
a
lot
of
water.
"

             
The
Boatswain
'
s
Mate
looked
across
at
the
now
nearing
brig
and
nodded.
"
That
she
is,
sir.
Look
at
the
water
they
are
pumping
overside
–
the
pump
we
carry
will
be
needed
I
'
m
thinking!
"
He
gave
Harry
an
appraising
look,
thinking
privately
this
youngster
missed
very
little.
He
pushed
these
thoughts
aside,
his
attention
drawn
to
the
need
to
get
their
launch
alongside
the
brig
and
transfer
their
extra
men
and
the
pump.
In
reality
it
needed
the
brig
to
heave
too
to
achieve
this
properly,
but
he
could
see
this
was
not
going
to
be
the
first
choice
of
the
men
now
working
to
bring
her
to
safety.
He
drew
this
to
Harry
'
s
attention.
"
I
'
ll
come
up
on
her
lee
under
the
main
chains,
sir.
The
men
can
board
her
there
and
we
can
offload
the
pump
when
they
bring
her
to
anchor
if
the
lieutenant
agrees.
"