Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (114 page)

             
"
Very
well.
Tell
the
Surgeon
I
wish
to
see
him
as
soon
as
he
is
free
and
send
Mister
Rae
to
me
now.
"
The
Captain
'
s
frown
promised
stormy
weather
for
someone
in
the
near
future.

             
"
Aye,
aye,
sir.
"
Harry
touched
his
forehead
in
salute
and
retired.
The
captain
was
clearly
angered
by
this
turn
of
events.
He
was
glad
that
he
could
hand
the
matter
on
to
the
Second
who
would,
no
doubt,
bear
the
brunt
of
the
Captain
'
s
displeasure
until
Mister
Bell
returned.
He
did
not
have
to
look
far
to
find
the
lieutenant.
He
had
been
one
of
the
whist
players
and
was
now
taking
the
air
on
deck.

             
"
Mister
Heron.
"
The
lieutenant
called
to
him
as
he
emerged
from
behind
the
great
double
wheel.
"
Over
here,
sir.
"

             
"
Captain
'
s
compliments,
sir,
would
you
attend
him.
"

             
"
Aha,
so
it
isn
'
t
just
a
case
of
brawling.
"
The
lieutenant
straightened,
"
Very
well,
better
tell
me
quickly
what
you
know.
"

             
Harry
repeated
the
little
he
knew
quickly
and
finished,
"
The
First
and
the
others
will
be
coming
off
soon
I
expect
with
Mister
Ware
'
s
corpse,
sir.
Mister
Rogers
went
with
the
soldiers
to
retrieve
him
and
the
First
and
Mister
Beasley
await
his
return.
"

             
"
Very
well.
"
The
lieutenant
frowned
and
said
softly,
"
What
the
devil
was
Barclay
doing
taking
any
of
you
to
that
area?
Never
mind,
I
expect,
no,
I
know,
it
will
soon
be
known.
Off
you
go,
Harry,
tell
the
surgeon
to
come
to
the
Captain
as
soon
as
he
can.
"

***

             
It
was
stifling
below
decks
and
the
Gunroom,
being
below
the
waterline
and
having
no
direct
ventilation,
was
especially
so.
So,
having
delivered
his
message
to
the
Surgeon
and
seen
for
himself
the
wounds
inflicted
on
Dick
Peterson
and
the
smouldering
anger
of
Eamon
Barclay,
he
took
himself
back
on
deck.
He
was
dozing
in
his
favourite
perch
in
the
foretop
when
the
boat
returned
late
in
the
First
Watch.
The
blaze
of
stars
across
the
sky
seemed
to
add
poignancy
to
the
rather
sombre
party
who
clambered
aboard
without
the
body.
He
made
his
way
to
the
deck
and
asked
the
Master
'
s
Mate,
"
Did
they
not
bring
off
Mister
Ware
'
s
body,
Smales?
"

             
"
No,
sir,
"
the
big
Master
'
s
Mate
replied.
"
There
'
s
talk
o
'
holding
an
inquest
.
'
Sides,
sir,
no
point
really,
we
'
d
on
'
y
'
ave
to
take
'
im
ashore
ag
'
in
fer
buryin
'
.
"

             
"
Of
course,
I
had
not
thought
of
that,
"
Harry
acknowledged.
The
fo
'
c
'
s
'
le
belfry
rang
out
the
eight
bells
for
the
start
of
the
Middle
Watch
and
around
them
figures
began
to
move,
some
going
below,
others
to
their
stations.
He
stepped
away
and
said,
"
I
'
d
best
get
some
sleep,
I
have
the
Morning
Watch.
Carry
on
Smales.
"

             
It
transpired
that
Harry
and
Kit
had
been
fortunate
in
their
Rickshaw
man.
Barclay
and
his
party
had
selected
badly.
Then
they
had
argued
over
the
price
and
–
several
of
the
officers
suspected
–
evidently
refused
to
pay
at
their
destination.
Tempers
had
flared
and
that
led
to
the
party
trying
to
make
their
own
way
back
to
the
harbour.
They
had
got
lost
and
stumbled
into
a
thoroughly
disreputable
part
of
the
town
at
an
unfortunate
hour.

             
Sebastian
Ware
'
s
mortal
remains
were
buried
in
the
churchyard
of
the
newly
constructed
church
and
the
matter
closed
with
a
severe
warning
to
Barclay
and
his
companion.
Harry
and
the
other
Midshipmen
received
an
equally
severe
caution
from
the
First
Lieutenant
who
made
it
plain
that
any
future
visits
ashore
would
be
very
strictly
monitored
and
subject
to
restriction.
In
fact,
the
ship
did
not
long
remain
in
Colombo
after
this.
New
orders
saw
her
sailing
for
the
west
coast
of
the
continent
and
the
city
of
Bombay
two
days
after
the
funeral.
A
sombre
mood
had
descended
on
the
Gunroom
and
even
Eamon
Barclay
seemed
withdrawn
and
subdued.