Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (41 page)

             
"
Don
'
t
fret
for
the
slaves,
sir,
"
the
Master
'
s
Mate
said
softly,
"
At
least
now
they
will
be
free,
not
like
the
poor
sods
on
this
tub.
"

             
"
I
shall
hope
that
at
least
they
die
quickly
then,
"
said
Harry
bitterly,
still
not
aware
of
the
change
in
his
voice.
He
went
to
find
the
lieutenant
wondering
where
Ferghal
was
and
praying
he
would
not
be
among
the
dead
on
the
forecastle.

-

             
"
Master
Harry,
you
'
re
safe
then.
"
Ferghal
'
s
relief
was
evident
in
his
voice.

             
"
Aye,
Ferghal.
"
Harry
managed
a
smile.
"
And
so
I
see
are
you.
It
seems
we
have
both
denied
the
devil
his
prize
for
now.
Where
is
the
lieutenant?
"

             
"
Aft.
The
ship
'
s
Master
is
wounded
I
think.
Certainly
he
ran
below
as
soon
as
the
corsairs
boarded
us,
and
the
rest
of
this
crew
would
have
followed
him
if
our
people
hadn
'
t
made
them
stand.
"
Ferghal
grinned.
"
It
was
hot
work
there
for
a
moment
–
but
then
you
got
that
swivel
working
and
it
gave
some
a
distaste
for
their
position
I
'
m
thinking.
"

             
"
So
it
did,
"
Harry
replied,
conscious
of
tiredness
and
a
desire
to
sit
down
and
cry.
He
looked
at
Ferghal
and
noticed
that
his
friend
seemed
to
be
bleeding
from
a
wound,
"
You
are
wounded.
Have
you
had
it
attended
to?
"

             
"
This?
It
is
no
great
thing.
"
Ferghal
smiled
touching
at
his
broken
scalp.
"
A
scratch,
no
more.
Most
of
this.
"
He
indicated
the
blood
splattering
his
shirt
and
trousers.
"
Is
from
he
who
gave
it
me.
He
was
so
intent
on
taking
me
that
he
saw
not
Ben
Hawking
with
his
boarding
axe.
"

             
"
Well
take
care,
I
must
find
the
lieutenant
and
obtain
his
instructions.
"
Realising
that
his
friend
was
grinning
at
him,
he
asked,
"
What
amuses
you?
"

             
"
Why,
Master
Harry.
"
Ferghal
said
mischievously,
"
You
ask
where
I
got
my
scratch,
yet
you
have
your
coat
torn
half
from
your
back,
blood
on
your
head
and
hands
–
and
by
the
sound
of
it
have
lost
your
choirboy
voice
into
the
bargain.
I
scarce
knew
you
when
you
approached.
"

             
Harry
frowned,
then
laughed.
"
Ferghal
you
rogue.
You
tease
me.
I
should
have
you
flogged
for
it.
Now
delay
me
no
longer
–
I
am
sure
the
Master
'
s
Mate
has
work
for
you
yonder.
"
He
hurried
away
to
the
break
in
the
poop
and
ducked
beneath
it
to
find
the
door
to
the
Captain
'
s
cabin
open.
From
within
came
Lieutenant
Rogers
'
voice
sounding
angry
and
disgusted.
Harry
knocked
and
waited
until
his
senior
snapped,
"
Yes?
Oh,
Mister
Heron,
come
in.
Make
your
report
lad.
"

             
Quickly
Harry
gave
his
report
and
asked
for
instructions,
adding,
"
We
have
lost
a
number
of
our
hands
sir,
four
dead
and
five
wounded
with
one
of
our
boys
missing.
Perhaps
we
could
take
some
volunteers
from
among
the
convicts?
"

             
"
What?
Oh,
yes.
I
will
signal
Captain
Blackwood
to
that
effect.
"
The
lieutenant
gave
Harry
an
appraising
look.
"
Set
the
Master
'
s
Mate
to
assist
the
ship
'
s
own
Mates
to
setting
the
damage
to
rights,
then
signal
Spartan
with
my
request.
"

             
"
You
have
no
authority
to
take
any
hands
from
this
ship,
"
growled
the
Maid
of
Selsey
'
s
master.

             
Ignoring
this
intervention
the
lieutenant
said,
"
Carry
on,
Mister
Heron,
you
have
your
orders.
"

             
As
Harry
left,
closing
the
door
behind
him,
he
heard
the
lieutenant
say,
"
And
you,
sir,
have
no
power
to
prevent
me
or
my
Captain
'
s
calling
for
volunteers
from
among
your
seamen
or
'
passengers
'
.
"
The
door
closed
on
the
rest
of
what
sounded
to
be
the
beginnings
of
an
argument.
Emerging
onto
the
deck
he
quickly
carried
out
his
orders
and
managed
to
get
a
signal
hoisted
with
the
request
that
'
volunteers
'
might
be
found
to
replace
any
losses.
It
was
acknowledged
from
the
Spartan
and
he
set
about
helping
where
he
could
with
the
wounded
and
in
restoring
calm
in
the
prison
holds.