Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (13 page)

***

             
"
Make
the
signal
if
you
please,
Mister
Heron.
Lively
now,
don
'
t
give
these
Transports
and
the
John
Company
layabouts
an
excuse
to
be
tardy.
"
The
First
Lieutenant
seemed
to
have
eyes
everywhere
as
his
attention
focussed
on
the
men
swarming
aloft
to
make
sail.
On
the
fo
'
c
'
s
'
le
the
Second
Lieutenant
and
his
men
manned
the
halliards
and
the
braces,
while
below,
the
Third
Lieutenant
urged
the
men
at
the
capstan
to
greater
efforts
as
the
anchor
was
drawn
free
of
the
mud
and
sand.
An
apparently
incomprehensible
clamour
arose
as
the
cries
of
command
and
response,
the
occasional
yelp
as
a
man
felt
the
bite
of
a
Boatswain
'
s
Mate
'
s
starter
and
the
sudden
banging
and
rustling
as
the
great
fore
topsail
and
its
companion
on
the
main
mast
were
loosed
and
sheeted
home
as
the
ship
slowly
gathered
way.

             
Harry
'
s
party
hauled
the
coloured
flags
aloft,
the
signal
to
all
the
ships
of
the
convoy
to
assemble
between
the
great
seventy-four
and
the
pair
of
frigates
already
cramming
on
more
sail
to
take
their
stations
ahead
and
to
windward
of
the
reluctant
convoy.
The
signal
was
acknowledged
by
the
frigates
and
two
brigs
added
to
the
convoy
for
the
voyage
to
Gibraltar
swiftly
and
efficiently,
by
the
Indiamen
condescendingly
and
by
the
three
prison
ships
tardily.
The
last,
Maid
of
Selsey
,
had
to
be
prompted
by
hauling
aloft
a
second
signal
with
her
name
spelled
out
for
all
to
read
and
a
demand
she
acknowledge
the
signal.

             
"
All
ships
acknowledged,
sir,
"
Harry
called
to
the
First
Lieutenant.

             
"
Very
good,
Mister
Heron,
"
Captain
Blackwood
replied,
"
Now
make
another,
"
Course
South
by
West
'
Sou
'
West
keep
close
company.
"

             
Harry
and
his
team
obeyed,
quickly
bending
on
the
required
flags
and
sending
these
soaring
aloft
on
the
halyard
so
they
streamed
away
from
the
yardarm
clearly
visible
to
all
the
ships.
Again
the
acknowledgements
were
slow
and
most
of
the
scattering
flock
adjusted
their
courses
to
suit.
Again
the
Maid
of
Selsey
seemingly
ignored
the
signal
and
Captain
Blackwood
snapped,
"
Signal
her
to
make
more
sail
and
to
conform.
"

             
"
Aye,
aye,
sir.
"
Harry
'
s
team
obeyed
quickly,
but
the
signal
remained
unacknowledged
and
the
ship
in
question
continued
under
easy
canvas,
slowly
being
overhauled
by
the
Spartan
.

             
Captain
Blackwood
said
angrily,
"
That
fellow
is
determined
to
annoy
me.
Very
well,
Mister
Rae,
clear
away
the
bow
chaser
and
get
his
attention
please.
"

             
Harry
jumped
as
he
watched
the
Maid
of
Selsey
through
the
big
signal
telescope
when
the
flat
bang
of
the
forward
long
nine
sounded.
The
ball
sent
up
a
spout
of
water
close
astern
of
the
errant
ship
and
he
watched
as
a
number
of
figures
suddenly
appeared
at
the
rail
gesticulating.
He
focused
the
glass
on
the
face
of
the
man
he
recognised
as
the
Master,
seeing
the
angry
scowl
and
the
exchange
of
words
with
someone
out
of
sight.
Men
began
to
straggle
aloft
and
the
acknowledgement
jerked
up
the
rigging.

             
"
Maid
of
Selsey
acknowledges,
sir,
"
he
said.

             
"
And
not
before
time.
"
Captain
Blackwood
had
his
own
glass
trained
on
the
recalcitrant
prison
ship.
"
I
shall
not
brook
insolence
from
her
Master.
He
may
be
a
part
owner
of
that
ship,
but
he
is
under
orders
to
sail
in
this
convoy
whether
he
likes
it
or
no.
"

             
"
I
think
he
will
do
all
in
his
power
to
be
laggardly,
"
remarked
the
First
Lieutenant.
"
I
believe
his
reputation
for
cruelty
to
those
entrusted
to
his
care
is
well
known,
as
is
his
parsimonious
attitude
to
any
expense
for
repairs
to
his
ship.
"