Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (75 page)

             
Ferghal
laughed.
"
To
be
sure
you
'
ll
have
to
be
discussing
that
with
the
Captain,
"
he
said
kindly.
It
was
very
evident
to
everyone
that
encountered
him
that
this
Dutch
boy
was
as
determined
and
as
quick
witted
as
his
apparent
hero.
He
had
taken
to
copying
Harry
'
s
mannerisms
and
even
his
way
of
dealing
with
the
men
in
his
charge.
It
had
become
something
of
a
joke
in
the
Wardroom
and
on
the
lower
deck.

             
Midshipman
Barclay
and
his
cronies
had
rapidly
discovered
that
the
child
was
also
very
quick
to
spot
any
underhanded
action.
He
had
several
times
saved
Harry
from
their
machinations
and,
once,
Ferghal
from
yet
another
attempt
by
Barclay.
It
was
strange,
Ferghal
reflected,
that
they
knew
very
little
about
him.
He
seemed
to
have
some
authority
over
the
other
Dutch
children
and
yet
there
was
no
suggestion
that
he
was
accompanied
by
a
parent.
In
fact
the
only
adult
he
seemed
to
answer
too
was
Captain
Te
Water,
yet
he
was
not
the
Captain
'
s
son.
The
only
person
he
seemed
to
hold
in
high
regard,
beside
the
Dutch
Captain,
was
Harry
and
would
have
followed
him
everywhere
had
he
not
been
forbidden
to
do
so
or
to
interfere
when
Harry
was
on
watch.

             
Ferghal
would
have
been
surprised
to
learn
that
Pieterzoon
was
in
fact
the
son
of
an
officer
of
the
Dutch
East
India
Company,
or
VOC
as
it
was
better
known
in
Holland,
a
frigate
Captain
currently
based
in
Batavia.
So
would
Harry,
though
Captain
Blackwood
knew
this
well
enough
and
the
reason
for
the
boy
'
s
apparent
lack
of
adult
companionship.
His
mother
having
died
shortly
after
their
arrival
at
the
Cape,
he
had
been
entrusted
to
Captain
Te
Water
to
be
delivered
to
his
father.

             
"
Mister
Wentworth
'
s
compliments,
sir,
"
Harry
stood
just
inside
the
Captain
'
s
temporary
quarters.
"
The
entrance
to
Botany
Bay
is
in
sight,
but
he
recommends
that
we
stand
on
to
Port
Jackson,
about
another
hours
sailing
with
this
wind.
"

             
"
My
compliments
to
the
Master,
I
shall
come
on
deck,
"
the
Captain
acknowledged.
"
Notify
Mister
Bell
if
you
please.
"

             
By
the
time
Harry
returned
to
the
Quarterdeck
the
Captain
was
already
in
conference
with
the
Master.
Harry
resumed
his
previous
task
overseeing
the
preparation
of
the
launches
for
hoisting
out
even
as
Mister
Bell
joined
the
Captain.

             
"
Here,
Heron,
what
'
s
afoot,
"
Eamon
Barclay
demanded.
"
Botany
Bay
is
abeam,
what
is
the
Captain
intending?
You
'
re
always
in
his
confidence,
"
he
sneered.

             
"
Sadly
you
are
mistaken
this
time,
Mister
Barclay,
"
Harry
replied
quietly,
annoyed
at
the
insinuation,
but
wary
of
some
trap.
"
All
I
know
is
that
the
Master
has
suggested
we
continue
to
Port
Jackson.
It
is
but
an
hour
'
s
sail
further.
"

             
"
What?
Are
you
not
privy
then
to
the
Captain
'
s
thoughts?
"
Barclay
laughed
and
Midshipman
Peterson,
as
ever
in
attendance,
sniggered.
"
Well,
well,
we
shall
soon
be
rid
of
these
convict
scum
–
should
have
let
them
sink
with
that
rat
infested
transport,
"
he
snarled
turning
away.
"
What
are
you
staring
at
scum?
"
He
demanded
of
one
of
the
seamen
who
had
turned
to
watch
the
exchange.

             
"
Nought
–
sir,
"
the
man
averted
his
eyes
and
shrank
back
into
his
companions
around
the
launch.

             
"
Then
get
on
with
your
work
Hughes,
"
Harry
snapped.
"
And
the
rest
of
you
–
Master
'
s
Mate,
no
slacking
there.
"
To
Barclay
he
said,
"
Then
we
should
be
even
more
short-handed.
Surely
you
know
the
Captain
has
pressed
a
number
of
those
convicted
of
minor
offences?
"

             
"
Gaol
bait
the
lot
of
them.
Scum,
"
spat
Barclay
stalking
back
to
his
own
group.