Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (8 page)

             
Harry
'
s
first
encounter
with
Midshipman
Barclay
was
somewhat
tempered
by
Tom
Bowles,
the
second
senior
making
very
plain
that
he
would
not
be
party
to
any
bullying.
Even
so,
Eamon
Barclay
made
it
obvious
Harry
would
have
to
watch
his
step
very
carefully.

             
"
Heron
is
it?
Still
defending
rebels
in
your
house,
"
sneered
Barclay.

             
"
Only
those
we
consider
wrongly
accused,
"
replied
Harry
coolly.
"
Though
not,
to
my
knowledge
since
we
gave
up
Raholp.
"

             
"
Gave
up?
You
mean
since
you
were
sent
packing,
"
snarled
Barclay.

             
"
A
matter
of
interpretation
I
suppose,
"
replied
Harry
standing
his
ground,
his
nails
digging
into
his
palms
as
he
tried
to
contain
his
anger
at
this
unprovoked
enmity.
"
Since
the
land
was
seized
–
and
the
goods
and
animals
which
did
not
form
part
of
the
grant
as
I
recall.
But
the
High
Court
settled
it
some
years
before
ever
you
or
I
were
born.
"

             
"
A
false
judgement,
"
snarled
the
other.
"
We
have
never
recognised
it,
nor
ever
will.
"

             
"
As
you
wish,
Mister
Barclay.
I
have
no
desire
to
pursue
any
claim
while
we
serve
together
on
this
ship.
Our
duty
is
surely
to
the
ship
and
her
Captain
in
this
instance
and
not
to
a
dispute
between
our
families
that
has
its
roots
in
falsehood.
"

             
"
Easy,
Eamon,
"
interjected
Tom
Bowles
quickly
as
the
other
'
s
face
flushed
dangerously.
"
This
is
not
the
Glatton
and
Captain
Blackwood
will
not
tolerate
the
actions
permitted
under
our
last
Captain
as
you
well
know.
You
would
not
wish
to
have
our
new
Captain
endorse
your
certificates
before
we
even
weigh
would
you?
"
To
Harry
and
Kit
he
smiled
and
extended
a
greeting.
"
Welcome
to
Spartan
,
don
'
t
mind
Eamon,
he
had
hoped
to
be
promoted
but
has
been
set
back
by
the
peace
and
must
needs
now
wait
until
the
French
break
it.
"
He
grinned.
"
And
so
must
several
more
of
us.
This
voyage
may
well
be
our
best
hope
of
preferment
if
all
goes
well.
"

             
Harry
was
pleased
to
find
Ferghal
was
already
settled;
grinning
as
he
informed
him
he
was
now
the
junior
Messman
to
the
Gunroom
and
posted
to
the
Number
Eight
mess
on
the
lower
battery.

             
"
My
hammock
is
to
be
with
the
other
boys,
I
am
charged
with
their
care,
"
he
told
Harry.
"
And
I
am
told
I
must
keep
you
young
gentlemen
in
this
space
in
order,
"
he
added
with
a
laugh.

             
"
Grand
news,
"
said
Harry.
"
I
must
warn
you
however,
our
Gunroom
Senior
is
a
Barclay
of
Raholp.
Be
cautious
around
him,
he
will
be
the
kind
who
seeks
to
injure
me
through
you
if
opportunity
arises.
Take
care
how
you
deal
with
him;
I
may
not
be
able
to
prevent
his
having
you
flogged
on
some
pretext
if
you
offer
him
the
chance.
"

             
"
Fear
not,
Master
Harry,
I
shall
be
careful
about
him,
but
you
had
best
take
care
as
well.
Some
may
find
other
opportunities
to
cause
you
harm,
I
shall
warn
our
division.
Small
and
several
others
have
transferred
with
us.
"

             
"
Take
care
you
warn
them
they
may
be
his
targets
as
well
and
to
be
scrupulous
in
all
their
dealings
with
him.
"
A
sudden
thought
struck
him.
"
Has
Small
been
assigned
a
post
where
his
arm
will
not
be
his
downfall?
If
not
I
shall
see
what
I
can
arrange
with
the
Lieutenants.
"
The
seaman
mentioned
had
joined
the
Bellerophon
from
a
prison
hulk,
misfortune
and
a
badly
weakened
arm,
the
result
of
a
serious
wound,
having
led
him
there.

             
"
Small
is
here
as
assistant
to
the
Sailmaker.
Fear
not,
he
has
his
friends
aboard
this
ship
as
well.
The
Boatswain
served
with
him
when
he
got
the
wound
and
has
taken
care
to
place
him
where
he
is
out
of
harm
'
s
way.
"
Ferghal
looked
about
him
at
the
cramped
space.
"
Strange
how
the
ship
is
already
gathering
her
own
smell
is
it
not?
Different
from
that
of
the
Billy
,
yet
familiar.
I
wonder
what
the
Great
South
Sea
will
be
like
and
whether
the
women
there
are
as
beautiful
as
they
say?
"