Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (37 page)

             
"
Mister
Heron,
"
called
the
lieutenant.
"
Run
out
and
be
ready
to
fire
as
soon
as
you
bear.
"

             
Harry
turned
to
give
the
order
and
found
the
men
already
busy.
He
threw
his
own
weight
against
the
nearest
gun
as
it
ran
up
and
then
moved
to
peer
through
the
open
port.
At
first
he
could
see
nothing.
Leaning
out
a
little,
he
saw
the
approaching
xebec.
She
was
much
closer
than
he
thought.
He
darted
back
inboard,
forcing
himself
to
control
his
fear,
his
voice
cracking
in
excitement
as
he
ordered,
"
We
shall
have
to
train
the
guns
as
far
forward
as
we
can,
else
he
will
be
too
close
before
we
can
bear
or
fire.
"

             
"
Tail
on
there,
"
the
Master
'
s
Mate
took
charge.
"
Get
them
spikes
to
work,
lever
her
round
as
far
she
will
go.
"

             
Harry
jumped
out
of
the
way
as
the
men
rushed
to
obey,
his
heart
hammering.
This
promised
to
be
very
close
fighting
he
reckoned.
All
his
encounters
with
the
French
thus
far
had
been
exchanges
of
gunfire
at
a
distance
or
accompanying
an
officer
with
a
boarding
party
to
take
possession
of
a
prize
which
had
surrendered
under
the
threat
of
his
previous
ship
'
s
guns.
He
checked
his
dirk,
then
checked
again
the
heavy
pistol
he
carried
was
primed
and
ready
for
use.

             
"
Sir.
"
The
Master
'
s
Mate
broke
into
his
thoughts.
"
Our
number
one
gun
will
bear
on
the
bastards
in
a
minute.
Do
you
want
me
to
fire
when
it
does?
"

             
Harry
hesitated,
thinking
desperately
and
trying
to
show
that
he
was
calm.
Then
he
said
carefully,
"
No.
Wait
until
the
second
one
also
bears.
That
way
we
can
be
sure
of
hitting
him.
"

             
The
Master
'
s
Mate
smiled
slowly.
"
You
'
re
a
cool
one,
sir.
Right,
lads,
let
'
s
make
this
count.
You
heard
Mister
Heron.
"

             
Taking
station
at
a
gunport,
Harry
forced
himself
to
breathe
deeply
and
slowly
and
tried
to
gauge
the
approaching
ship
'
s
angle
and
when
his
four
guns
might
be
able
to
bear.
The
bowchasers
were
now
firing
at
regular
intervals
and
he
found
time
to
wonder
how
Ferghal
was
faring.
The
xebecs
bow
guns
were
also
busy
and
more
debris
falling
from
above
told
of
effective
shooting
–
or
lucky
strikes
on
the
rigging
and
sails
aloft.

             
The
Master
'
s
Mate
broke
into
his
thoughts,
"
Sir,
I
'
m
thinking
we
can
hit
him
at
this
angle,
'
specially
if
we
fire
on
the
roll
sir.
"

             
Harry
considered,
taking
time
to
compose
himself,
and
agreed.
"
Very
well,
Mister
Bates,
fire
when
we
bear.
"

             
"
Aye,
aye,
sir!
"
The
Master
'
s
Mate
crouched
behind
the
second
gun
and
sighted
carefully
along
the
barrel.
The
ship
rolled
heavily.
Aloft,
another
loud
crack
was
accompanied
by
the
sound
of
splintering
of
timbers
and
cries
of
alarm
from
the
gangways
and
quarterdeck.
The
lieutenant
'
s
orders
were
lost
as
the
first
of
the
broadside
guns
roared
its
spite,
followed
almost
instantly
by
the
second.

             
"
Sponge
out,
you
buggers!
Load
wi
'
round
shot
only.
Save
the
grape
for
when
they
close
to
board.
"
The
Master
'
s
Mate
seemed
to
be
everywhere
as
the
men
worked
frantically
to
reload
the
guns
and
run
them
up
ready
to
fire
a
second
time.
Again
the
sharp
reports
as
the
guns
belched
their
flame
and
smoke,
but
now
the
Master
'
s
Mate
was
ordering
the
guns
trained
to
a
more
normal
bearing
and
Harry
leapt
forward,
realising
the
enemy
must
be
drawing
abeam,
a
chance
for
the
after
pair
of
guns
to
fire
as
well.
The
hull
lurched
even
as
the
forward
guns
roared
again,
and
now
there
was
a
new
sound,
an
unearthly
howling
and
ululating
noise
which
Harry
realised
was
the
boarders
trying
to
frighten
their
crew.