Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (45 page)

             
His
return
a
few
minutes
later,
stowing
a
fatter
purse
into
his
pocket,
coincided
with
the
arrival
on
deck
of
Midshipman
Bowles,
also
armed
with
a
purse
and
a
list
of
items
the
Gunroom
wanted
to
acquire
to
bolster
their
rations.

             
Harry
stopped
Ferghal
as
that
worthy
made
his
way
to
the
side.
"
Going
ashore,
Ferghal?
"

             
"
Aye,
Master
Harry.
"
Ferghal
grinned
and
touched
his
forelock.
"
I
am
accompanying
the
Cooper,
though
he
says
I
may
only
carry
his
tools
and
scrub
the
casks.
"

             
"
You
have
all
the
luck,
"
Harry
responded.
"
My
seniors
have
decided
that
they
have
the
right
to
a
shore
visit
and
not
those
of
us
still
'
under
instruction
'
as
Mister
Barclay
puts
it
so
politely.
Mister
Bowles
is
to
buy
us
some
fresh
eggs
and
perhaps
a
chicken
or
two
for
our
table,
assist
him
if
you
can,
"
he
finished
with
a
wink.

             
"
O
'
Connor.
"
The
Second
'
s
voice
cut
across
their
conversation.
"
Into
the
barge
with
you
now,
or
the
Gunner
'
s
daughter
will
be
seeking
your
kisses.
"

             
Though
the
threat
was
more
for
effect
than
real,
Ferghal
saluted
Harry
and
ran
to
obey
the
lieutenant,
scrambling
down
the
long
tumblehome
and
then
into
the
barge,
already
waiting
to
slip
its
painter.

***

             
The
day
passed
in
a
frenzy
of
hard
labour.
Even
those
who
remained
aboard
had
much
to
do.
The
entire
content
of
the
hold
seemed
in
need
of
moving
and
restowing.
Harry
watched,
and
sometimes
leant
his
own
slender
weight
to
the
work,
as
the
casks
of
salt
beef
and
pork
were
moved
and
resecured
to
make
room
for
the
new
stores
to
be
brought
off
from
the
shore.
Then
the
water
casks
required
similar
attention,
with
the
Purser,
the
Boatswain
and
the
fourth
Lieutenant
checking
each
cask
and
its
contents
carefully.
Among
the
water
casks
two
were
found
to
be
leaking
and
only
part
filled.
These
were
swung
out
and
then
manhandled
to
where
they
could
be
hauled
up
on
deck
and
first
repaired,
then
carefully
cleaned
and
sent
ashore
for
refilling.

             
On
deck,
the
sun
blazed
down
on
the
toiling
men,
only
the
steady
breeze
off
the
land
easing
the
heat
even
with
the
awning
spread
over
the
quarterdeck
and
poop.
The
stores
began
arriving
just
before
dinnertime,
eight
bells
in
the
forenoon
watch.
There
were
fresh
vegetables
in
crates,
live
chickens
and
even
several
pigs
among
the
various
containers.
Then
came
casks
of
preserved
salt
pork
and
a
quantity
of
pickled
vegetables
as
well,
much
to
the
seamen
'
s
disgust.
In
between
these,
the
ship
'
s
barge
travelled
back
and
forth
with
the
water
casks
to
be
laboriously
refilled.

             
Similar
scenes
were
evident
around
each
of
the
ships
at
anchor,
though
the
prison
ships
seemed
to
take
on
somewhat
less
than
the
men
o
'
war
or
the
Indiamen.
By
dusk
Harry
and
the
other
midshipmen
were
exhausted
and
had
barely
the
energy
to
eat
their
supper
before
tumbling
into
their
hammocks.

             
"
What
a
place,
"
Ferghal
told
Harry
as
he
cleared
the
remains
of
the
midshipmen
'
s
meal.
The
sun
had
reddened
his
face
painfully
and
he
had
already
endured
a
scolding
from
the
Surgeon
who
happened
to
encounter
him.
"
The
whole
seems
made
of
some
black
grit
and
the
grass
grows
but
sparsely.
Even
the
trees
struggle
to
survive.
They
say
it
is
a
volcano,
though
I
cannot
see
it.
"

             
"
Well
I
shall
have
the
chance
to
see
it
for
myself
tomorrow,
"
Harry
told
him.
"
I
am
to
accompany
Mister
Rogers
and
the
Reverend
Bentley
to
Fort
Hayes
to
collect
mail
for
onward
passage
and
deliver
our
own
for
transport
homeward
when
a
ship
serves.
"