Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (59 page)

             
"
Yon
Ferghal
has
the
music
in
his
soul,
sir,
"
commented
a
topman
Harry
knew
as
Giles.

             
"
He
has
that,
"
said
Harry.
"
It
seems
to
flow
from
his
fingers.
"

             
"
Aye,
sir,
"
responded
Giles.
He
studied
Harry
carefully,
trying
not
to
make
his
scrutiny
obvious.
Ferghal
'
s
loyalty
to
Harry
was
well
known
and
the
men
in
Harry
'
s
Division
had
begun
to
understand
why.
It
went
beyond
his
care
of
'
his
people
'
,
unusual
in
a
boy
of
just
thirteen.
He
was
scrupulously
fair
but
his
innate
courtesy
masked
an
explosive
temper
with
an
iron
will
and
his
resistance
to
the
constant
bullying
was
known
throughout
the
ship.
Mister
Midshipman
Heron
was
not
a
man
to
take
liberties
with
–
not
if
you
wished
to
remain
in
his
trust.
He
would
stand
up
for
his
men
even
if
it
meant
taking
a
punishment
upon
himself
where
he
felt
it
necessary
to
protect
them
from
injustice.
Changing
the
subject
he
said,
"
He
'
s
a
fair
hand
at
the
scrimshaw
too.
The
Boatswain
seeks
him
out
for
delicate
work
–
lucky
devil.
"

             
Harry
laughed,
"
Aye,
and
a
handy
man
with
his
fists
as
I
recall.
"
He
grinned
at
the
seaman,
"
The
red
in
his
hair
speaks
of
the
fire
in
his
heart
–
as
some
have
already
discovered
I
believe?
"
He
chuckled
at
the
surprise
in
the
man
'
s
face,
"
I
know
the
signs
and
the
broken
knuckles
he
sometimes
displays
were
never
broken
in
scrimshaw
or
the
playing
of
his
fiddle.
"

             
Giles
laughed,
"
He
'
ll
be
mortified
that
you
'
ve
guessed
his
secret,
sir.
"
He
cocked
his
head
to
listen
as
the
fiddle
took
up
another
more
haunting
strain.

             
"
Tell
him
then
to
have
a
care.
I
would
not
wish
to
see
him
flogged
for
fighting
–
and
you
may
tell
him
that
Mister
Bell
is
suspicious
already,
"
Harry
said,
his
voice
serious.

             
His
head
swung
sharply
and
he
said,
"
What
is
that?
There,
a
light,
low
down
to
larboard.
"

             
Giles
drew
his
breath
sharply.
"
I
see
it,
sir,
it
is
not
one
of
our
'
n.
"
He
drew
in
his
breath
and
bellowed,
"
Deck
thar!
Sail
to
Larboard.
"
He
changed
his
stance
and
then
called
a
moment
later,
"
Broad
on
the
Larboard
bow.
"

             
Harry
jumped
to
his
feet
and
swung
himself
onto
one
of
the
great
shrouds,
rapidly
sliding
to
the
gangway
and
then
hurried
aft
to
the
Quarterdeck.

             
"
Steady,
Mister
Heron,
"
the
first
lieutenant
called,
"
What
have
you
seen?
"

             
"
A
light,
sir,
low
down.
Possibly
a
ship.
It
moves
oddly,
as
if
to
catch
the
eye,
sir.
"

             
"
Very
good,
Mister
Heron,
"
Captain
Blackwood
interjected,
"
Mister
Bell,
have
the
Master
alter
course
to
close
with
this
mystery
ship.
We
shall
see
who
or
what
ventures
this
far
south
besides
ourselves.
"
To
Harry
he
said,
"
Mister
Heron,
take
a
night
glass
to
the
main
crosstrees
and
see
what
you
can
of
it.
"

             
The
climb
to
the
crosstrees
was
a
long
one
with
the
telescope
slung
on
his
back.
He
was,
despite
his
youth,
a
little
breathless
and
took
a
minute
to
steady
his
pulse
as
he
joined
the
lookout.

             
"
I
sees
it,
sir,
"
the
man
said.
"
Now
fine
on
our
bow.
I
thinks
they
'
s
in
distress
–
see;
the
light
moves
strangely.
"

             
Harry
put
the
glass
to
his
eye
and
focussed
it
carefully.
The
night
glass
inverted
the
image
turning
sea
into
sky,
something
he
had
to
mentally
correct.
He
found
the
target
and
held
it,
a
merchantman
lying
low
in
the
water,
the
stumps
of
masts
carrying
scraps
of
sail.
Someone
in
her
remaining
rigging
was
swinging
a
light.
He
said
to
the
lookout,
"
You
'
re
right,
she
'
s
been
dismasted.
"
He
shouted
to
the
quarterdeck,
"
Ship,
sir,
merchantman.
Low
in
the
water
and
jury
rigged.
"