Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (35 page)

             
Lieutenant
Rogers
caught
the
gist
of
this
and
came
over.
"
I
'
d
be
obliged
if
you
would
provide
my
men
with
the
powder
and
shot
they
require.
Your
opinion
of
these
corsairs
may
be
accurate,
but
it
will
be
too
late
to
change
our
defences
once
they
lay
alongside
us,
Mister.
"
To
Ferghal
he
said,
"
What
does
Sykes
require?
"

             
"
Two
fresh
cartridges
to
reload
with
full
charges,
sir,
"
replied
Ferghal
touching
his
forelock,
"
An
'
some
shot
to
replace
the
grape,
sir.
"

             
"
Very
well.
"
The
lieutenant
fixed
the
mate
with
a
grim
expression.
"
Well,
sir,
do
you
give
the
order
to
your
men
or
shall
I
have
mine
simply
take
charge
of
your
magazine
and
issue
what
we
need?
We
are
here
to
defend
you
and
your
charges,
and
we
shall
do
so
whether
you
assist
us
or
not.
"

             
"
Damn
you!
"
The
Mate
was
plainly
angry.
"
Very
well.
I
shall
do
as
you
ask.
"
He
called
a
large
man
to
them,
"
Boatswain
take
this
whelp
below
and
give
him
and
his
companions
the
powder
and
shot
they
want.
But
don
'
t
let
them
help
themselves,
make
sure
you
provide
only
what
they
need.
"

             
Ferghal,
now
joined
by
the
other
boys
and
one
of
the
younger
men
from
Harry
'
s
guns
followed
the
surly
boatswain
below
decks
to
the
hold
and
the
small
powder
store.
Here,
almost
in
contempt
of
the
material
he
was
handling,
he
began,
carefully,
and
irritatingly
slowly,
to
measure
out
powder
into
the
bags
which
made
up
the
cartridges.

             
"
Have
you
no
prepared
cartridges?
"
asked
the
young
seaman,
Grant,
irritated
by
the
slowness
of
this
surly
man
whose
very
attitude
reeked
of
insolence
toward
them.

             
"
Watch
yer
mouth,
pup,
"
snarled
the
Boatswain.
"
Or
you
can
go
hang
and
no
powder
from
me.
"

             
"
Well,
at
this
rate
there
'
ll
be
no
need
fer
it,
"
shot
back
Grant.
"
They
pirates
'
ll
be
'
ere
to
'
elp
theirselves!
"

             
The
situation
could
have
degenerated
as
the
Boatswain
began
to
remonstrate
with
the
young
seaman,
but
suddenly
one
of
the
more
senior
hands
from
Spartan
,
a
big
burly
man
Ferghal
recognised
as
a
Gunner
'
s
Mate
arrived,
sized
up
the
situation
and
said
firmly,
"
I
'
ll
take
charge
here
–
O
'
Connor,
Smith
–
you
two
can
fill
cartridges,
quickly
now
–
charges
for
the
twelve
pounders
there
and
for
the
six
pounders
over
here.
The
rest
of
you,
find
me
a
bucket
o
'
water,
and
move
that
light
away
from
here.
"

-

             
"
How
are
you
getting
along
there,
Mister
Heron,
"
called
Lieutenant
Rogers.
"
The
corsairs
have
altered
course
and
are
coming
this
way.
"

             
Harry
glanced
at
the
Master
'
s
Mate
and
caught
his
nod.
"
We
'
m
ready,
sir.
The
guns
'
re
reloaded
and
ready
to
run
out.
"

             
"
Excellent.
Do
not
run
out
yet,
we
'
ll
wait
and
see
what
they
intend
first.
"
He
paused,
adding,
"
They
will
very
likely
attempt
to
board
from
the
bow.
Be
ready
to
discharge
those
guns
as
the
moment
serves.
They
will
no
doubt
try
to
get
below
in
the
hope
of
seizing
prisoners.
You
have
a
pistol?
Good,
make
it
count,
Mister
Heron,
it
and
your
dirk
could
stand
between
you
and
a
life
you
would
not
wish
to
contemplate.
"

             
He
hurried
away
leaving
Harry
nervously
wondering
what
would
happen
next.
Stepping
from
beneath
the
gangway
he
peered
up
at
the
fo
'
c
'
s
'
le
where
several
of
their
men
and
some
of
the
ship
'
s
own
crew
were
busy
around
the
bowchasers.
He
wished
he
could
see
more
and
was
about
to
return
beneath
the
gangway
when
he
heard
his
name
called
from
beneath
his
feet.
Startled,
not
least
because
the
accent
was
unmistakably
Irish,
he
looked
down
and
realised
that
he
was
stood
next
to
the
grating
covering
the
prison
hold.
"
Who
calls
me,
"
he
asked.