Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (62 page)

             
"
If
you
please
Ferghal,
"
said
Harry.
"
Some
biscuit
and
some
lime
juice
perhaps?
And
something
warm
–
I
expect
they
have
had
a
cold
time
of
it.
"

             
Ferghal
was
not
long
away,
returning
with
a
large
steaming
pannikin
and
several
bowls.
Placing
these
on
the
table
he
said,
"
I
'
ll
fetch
some
biscuit,
Master
Harry,
but
Cook
said
to
let
them
have
this
bread
porridge
to
begin.
"

             
"
Thank
you,
"
Harry
smiled
and
accepted
the
bowls.
"
Please
thank
the
cook
for
me.
"
He
turned
to
the
Dutch
boys
and
said,
"
Here,
Pieterzoon.
Let
your
fellows
try
some
of
this
–
it
is
made
from
ship
'
s
biscuit
and
is
quite
acceptable.
"
He
ladled
a
helping
into
a
bowl
and
offered
it
to
the
boy
as
he
spoke.

             
The
other
studied
it
with
a
mixture
of
interest
and
distaste
on
his
face.
Carefully
accepting
the
offering
just
as
Ferghal
returned
with
a
pitcher
and
a
box
of
biscuit.
Harry
had
a
hard
task
to
refrain
from
laughing
as
Pieterzoon
tasted
the
porridge,
but
hunger
overcame
his
reluctance
and
he
nodded,
"
Dank
Uwe
wel
.
"
He
said
something
to
the
others
and
they
accepted
bowls
from
Ferghal
and
beakers
of
juice.

             
Harry
noted
with
interest
that
they
seemed
to
know
how
to
deal
with
weevilled
biscuits.
Then
it
was
time
to
find
them
a
corner
of
the
space
he
and
the
younger
Midshipmen
occupied
on
the
Gundeck
in
which
to
make
their
beds.
Reluctantly
he
gave
up
his
own
tiny
cubbyhole
and
showed
Pieterzoon
and
two
of
the
smallest
boys
how
to
make
themselves
comfortable
in
it.

             
"
I
'
ll
make
up
a
hammock
for
you
shall
I?
"
asked
Ferghal
when
he
saw
this.
"
And
perhaps
for
these
others
next
your
cuddy?
"

             
Pieterzoon,
watching
this
exchange
as
Harry
stripped
his
few
small
mementos
from
the
cubby,
suddenly
said,
"
Ik
slaap
hier
met
Uwe
–
die
klienes
slaap
binne.
"
He
moved
his
own
bundle
to
Harry
'
s
chest
and
spoke
to
the
rest
of
the
boys
in
their
own
language.

             
Ferghal
caught
his
meaning
first
and
said,
"
Aye,
Master
Harry,
it
makes
sense.
If
I
rig
two
hammocks
in
the
cuddy
for
them,
the
smallest
can
share
them
and
the
others
on
the
deck.
I
'
ll
attend
to
it.
"

             
Harry
was
in
the
middle
of
explaining
this
to
Pieterzoon
with
gestures
and
carefully
chosen
words
when
Midshipman
Barclay
arrived
loudly
demanded
that
Ferghal
"
Stop
wasting
time
on
these
brats
and
get
me
some
food.
"
He
glared
at
Harry.
"
Another
favoured
task!
I
'
ll
change
that
quick
enough.
Peterson
can
deal
with
it
and
you
can
take
his
duties
while
he
does.
Go
and
fetch
him.
"

             
Harry
was
about
to
protest
when
another
voice
cut
in,
"
Stay
where
you
are,
Harry.
Eamon,
I
told
Harry
to
deal
with
this
and
I
see
he
'
s
given
up
his
berth
to
them.
More
than
you
or
Peterson
would
do.
"
Tom
Bowles
voice
was
cold
as
ice
and
Barclay
flushed
dangerously.
"
Perhaps
you
'
d
care
to
discuss
it
with
Mister
Bell?
"

             
"
That
'
s
right,
always
stand
up
for
your
favourite,
"
snarled
Barclay.
"
You
can
'
t
protect
him
forever.
"

             
"
If
you
have
an
accusation
to
make,
take
it
to
Mister
Beasley
or
Mister
Rogers.
I
'
m
sick
of
your
insinuations
and
your
constant
bullying
of
our
juniors.
"
He
turned
to
Harry,
"
Now
then,
what
have
you
done?
"

             
Harry
told
him.

             
"
Good,
report
to
Mister
Bell
your
arrangements.
O
'
Connor,
rig
a
small
screen
for
Mister
Heron
and,
"
he
indicated
the
Dutch
boy
hovering
at
Harry
'
s
chest,
"
a
hammock
for
this
young
gentleman.
"
He
seated
himself
and
drew
out
his
journal,
"
If
you
need
anything
see
the
Boatswain.
"