Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (42 page)

             
It
was
here
that
another
idea
struck
him
forcefully
and
he
again
sought
out
the
lieutenant.
"
Sir,
we
have
a
number
of
women
below
decks,
many
of
them
are
skilled
in
tending
the
wounded.
May
I
have
your
permission
to
employ
some
to
assist
with
the
wounded
and
release
the
men
to
more
pressing
matters?
There
is
also
the
matter
of
damage
to
the
main
bilge
pump,
sir,
and
we
have
four
feet
of
water
in
the
hold.
"

             
"
Have
we
by
God,
"
exclaimed
the
lieutenant.
"
Very
well,
Mister
Heron,
get
some
women
to
deal
with
the
wounded,
no
murderers
mind.
And
then
get
some
men
to
assist
with
the
pumps
–
have
we
a
carpenter
aboard?
"
He
demanded
from
the
ship
'
s
master.
Receiving
an
affirmative
reply
he
said,
"
Come,
Mister
Heron,
and
let
us
attend
to
this
immediately.
Find
me
this
carpenter
and
bring
him
to
the
hold.
Get
some
volunteers
from
among
the
women
for
the
wounded.
I
will
deal
with
the
men.
"

             
"
We
may
have
need
of
some
boys
as
well,
sir,
"
Harry
dared
to
venture.
"
There
is
one
here
I
know.
Taken
for
a
poacher,
sir,
but
I
think
I
can
vouch
for
him.
"

             
"
Eh?
"
The
lieutenant
frowned.
"
Yes,
by
God,
you
'
re
right.
"
He
laughed,
"
Cheeky
devil
you
are,
Mister
Heron.
Very
well,
fetch
your
young
poacher
friend.
"

***

             
The
signal
to
Spartan
received
a
direct
reply
in
the
form
of
the
First
Lieutenant,
Mister
Bell
himself,
arriving
in
one
of
the
launches.
He
confronted
the
Master,
saying,
"
I
have
here
a
requisition
from
Captain
Blackwood
for
volunteers
to
fill
our
vacancies.
You
will
find
it
in
order,
sir.
"
Mister
Bell
cast
an
eye
around
the
deck.
"
And
it
will
no
doubt
relieve
you
of
the
burden
of
provisioning
them
for
the
remainder
of
this
voyage.
I
will
speak
to
Lieutenant
Rogers
and
a
boat
will
be
sent
to
collect
the
volunteers
on
my
signal.
I
trust
I
have
your
co-operation
in
this?
"

             
"
It
seems
I
have
little
choice,
"
the
Master
replied
angrily.
"
By
all
means
relieve
me
of
some
of
these
scum
–
gallows
bait
all
of
them.
"
He
turned
and
stomped
away
to
confer
with
his
surviving
Mates.

***

             
Several
hours
later
Harry
and
the
remaining
Spartan
'
s
returned
to
their
own
ship,
Harry
seated
tiredly
and
proudly
in
the
sternsheets,
his
torn
and
dirty
uniform
a
testament
to
their
achievement.
Forward
Ferghal
huddled
in
the
bows
with
several
other
men
and
boys,
among
them
Cormac
Murphy,
still
in
his
prison
rags,
but
already
looking
eagerly
and
hopefully
about
him
as
he
tasted
the
clean
fresh
air
of
the
sea
around
them.
Between
the
rowers,
and
watched
by
the
red
coated
Marines,
sat
or
crouched
another
twenty
men
and
boys
also
dressed
in
rags,
but,
like
Cormac,
their
eyes
showing
hope
for
the
first
time
in
many
months
as
they
peered
at
the
towering
bulk
of
the
Spartan
.
 

             
In
his
hammock
later,
Harry
drifted
into
sleep,
the
image
of
the
shattered
corsair
dragging
her
human
cargo
to
their
deaths
as
she
sank,
born
down
by
the
weight
of
her
guns
and
ballast,
vivid
in
his
mind.
He
sent
a
prayer
for
their
souls
heavenwards
as
he
sank
into
an
exhausted
slumber.
At
least
he
had
been
instrumental
in
the
release
a
few
unfortunates
from
the
misery
of
the
convict
ship.
Perhaps
it
balanced
the
account.

***

             
"
Land
ho!
"
The
cry
from
the
lookout
brought
a
pause
to
the
ship
'
s
activities.
The
word
spread
rapidly,
carried
downwards
to
the
carpenter
and
his
mates
as
they
checked
the
frames
and
timbers
deep
within
the
hull,
to
the
sail
makers
as
they
worked
on
the
repairs
to
heavy
weather
canvas,
the
Gunner
as
he
and
his
mates
checked
their
stock
of
cartridges
and
to
the
midshipmen
in
their
improvised
classroom
near
the
gratings
beneath
the
boat
tiers.