Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (115 page)

***

             
Seated
in
his
favourite
perch
during
the
First
Watch
as
they
ship
ploughed
steadily
up
the
west
coast
of
the
sub-continent
with
the
last
of
the
monsoon,
Harry
reflected
on
the
different
experiences
between
the
members
of
the
Gunroom.
Some
of
them
having
had
a
very
pleasant
time
ashore
while
others
had
found
nothing
but
trouble.
He
lay
back
and
stared
at
the
stars
wheeling
above
him.
How
bright
they
seemed
and
how
near,
yet
so
cold
and
distant
they
appeared.

             
He
glanced
across
to
where
Ferghal,
who
had
recently
taken
to
joining
him
here,
sat
on
the
leeward
side
of
the
top,
peering
toward
the
invisible
coast.
"
So
what
think
you
of
the
East
my
friend?
"
he
asked.

             
A
chuckle
accompanied
the
reply.
"
Hot,
fly
blown,
filled
with
heathen
gods
and
poor
such
as
I
had
not
thought
could
exist
and
as
full
of
rogues
as
anywhere
at
home.
"
There
was
a
pause
and
then
he
continued,
"
Mind,
not
all
of
us
have
the
chance
to
see
it
as
you
have,
Master
Harry.
"

             
Harry
smiled
as
he
replied,
"
True,
my
friend,
I
forget
sometimes
that
you
do
not
have
the
opportunity
that
I
have.
I
wish
it
were
otherwise.
"
He
hesitated.
"
If
chance
serves,
I
will
see
if
I
can
arrange
for
you
to
accompany
me
ashore
in
Bombay.
After
the
unfortunate
business
with
Mister
Ware
the
Captain
means
to
keep
us
under
tight
rein
I
'
m
thinking.
We
may
have
little
chance
to
go
ashore
at
all.
"

-

             
Their
arrival
in
Bombay,
as
it
turned
out,
was
to
be
somewhat
delayed.
The
reason
was
piracy,
or
what
the
HEIC
considered
piracy.
A
messenger
schooner
fell
in
with
the
Spartan
a
week
out
of
Bombay.

             
"
Schooner
'
s
signalling,
sir,
"
Tom
Bowles
called.
"
Our
number
and
'
Have
despatches
and
orders
for
you.
' "

             
"
Very
good,
"
the
Third
Lieutenant
replied.
"
Hands
to
braces.
Prepare
to
heave
too!
Mister
Tanner,
my
compliments
to
the
Captain,
we
are
heaving
too
to
receive
despatches
and
orders.
"

***

             
The
schooner
'
s
mailbags
were
soon
on
board
and
the
little
messenger
wasted
no
time
in
resuming
her
voyage.
The
orders
she
carried
brought
news
of
developments
in
Europe
and
warned
of
the
possibility
that
the
Peace
of
Amiens,
scarcely
two
years
old,
was
about
to
be
broken.

             
"
The
Fleet
is
being
prepared
at
home
for
a
resumption
of
hostilities,
Thomas,
"
said
Captain
Blackwood,
laying
aside
the
despatch
he
had
been
reading.
"
But
there
is
a
more
immediate
task
for
us.
We
are
ordered
to
proceed
with
all
dispatch
to
seek
out
a
brig
carrying
an
envoy
to
Muscat
on
the
Arabian
shore.
It
seems
the
local
ruler
–
a
Sultan
he
styles
himself
–
has
a
number
of
large
armed
dhows
at
his
disposal.
These
are
being
used
to
raid
some
of
the
Company
'
s
smaller
trading
craft.
Their
cargoes
are
looted
and
the
crews
are
sold
into
slavery
there.
We
are
to
make
a
show
of
strength
against
them
if
we
can.
"
He
grimaced,
continuing,
"
At
the
very
least
I
would
hope
to
at
least
smoke
out
their
nest
and
persuade
them
as
to
the
error
of
their
ways
in
these
waters.
"

             
"
Shall
I
see
if
Mister
Wentworth
has
any
sailing
directions
for
that
port,
sir?
"

             
"
If
you
please,
Thomas,
"
the
Captain
nodded.
"
Our
orders
are
to
avoid
a
direct
conflict.
Damned
politicians.
They
demand
you
do
a
task
then
try
to
dictate
how
it
shall
be
done
without
any
understanding
of
the
exigencies
we
may
encounter.
"

             
The
Master
did
have
charts
of
the
general
area
of
the
Gulf
of
Oman,
"
I
was
fortunate
to
be
able
to
acquire
the
charts
of
an
uncle
now
retired
from
the
Company
'
s
service.
He
was
Master
of
the
Indiaman
Earl
of
Sarum
until
shortly
before
our
departure
on
this
commission,
sir,
"
he
told
the
Captain
and
the
other
officers
as
they
assembled
round
the
Captain
'
s
dining
table.
"
I
took
the
opportunity
to
obtain
some
further
charts
of
the
trade
routes
and
ports
on
that
shore
while
we
were
in
Colombo.
Among
them
is
a
detailed
chart
for
the
harbour
of
Muscat.
"