Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (97 page)

             
"
He
did
not
bully
or
abuse
his
position,
"
Harry
reminded
Kit
as
they
discussed
the
sad
event.
"
Unlike
some
we
know.
Why
is
it
always
the
better
among
us
who
are
struck
down?
"

             
"
Part
of
the
Divine
ineffability
my
friend,
"
retorted
Kit,
though
he
also
sometimes
wondered
at
this
apparent
selectivity.
In
Harry
'
s
absence
the
Gunroom
had
seen
another
death.
Midshipman
Trehearne
had
died
after
spending
a
full
day
hatless
and
jacketless
in
the
rigging
supervising
the
rerigging
of
the
topsail
halyards.
He
had
seemed
healthy
on
his
descent,
though
badly
sunburned
and
slightly
fevered.
He
had
begun
complaining
of
a
great
thirst
and
a
headache
and
was
sent
below
by
the
surgeon
after
a
great
telling
off.

             
"
We
found
him
in
his
hammock
later.
Unconscious
and
in
a
great
fever,
"
Kit
told
Harry.
"
Neither
the
usual
tender
ministrations
of
our
Senior
nor
the
Surgeon
'
s
more
careful
attention
could
rouse
him.
He
was
not
perspiring
and
to
the
touch
felt
hot
and
dry.
He
died
a
little
later.
"

             
"
Was
it
a
fever?
"
asked
Harry.
"
A
plague
perhaps?
"

             
"
According
to
the
Sawbones
it
was
the
result
of
working
without
protection
in
the
sun
and
the
heat.
He
had
taken
no
drink
during
the
day
and
when
he
did
come
down
for
our
dinner
he
was
sent
aloft
again
by
Eamon
for
some
omission.
He
'
d
no
chance
to
even
taste
his
food
or
relieve
his
thirst.
"
Kit
glanced
around
carefully
to
see
who
might
be
in
earshot.
"
The
Captain
was
in
a
fury
and
I
think
if
the
opportunity
serves
will
take
some
action
over
it.
"

             
"
A
pity
it
has
to
come
to
a
death,
"
Harry
observed.
Adding,
"
Though
I
hear
that
the
surgeon
has
persuaded
our
Captain
to
cease
all
work
aloft
in
the
heat
of
the
day.
"

             
"
True,
"
Kit
replied
with
a
grin,
"
And
forbidden
our
senior
from
awarding
any
punishment
on
pain
of
immediate
dismissal
to
await
court
martial.
"
He
nudged
Harry
in
the
ribs.
"
So
we
may
be
safe
from
his
attentions
for
a
while
at
least.
"

             
"
Aye,
"
said
Harry,
frowning.
"
But
best
not
to
put
it
to
any
great
test.
"

***

             
Midshipman
Joseph
Pelham
was
laid
to
rest
in
the
cemetery
on
the
outskirts
of
the
town
next
to
Richard
Trehearne
and
the
burial
party
was
in
sober
mood
when
they
returned
to
the
ship.
That
it
coincided
with
Harry
'
s
fourteenth
birthday
was
most
unfortunate,
as
it
quite
suppressed
any
desire,
even
on
his
part,
to
celebrate
this
milestone.

             
Ferghal
did
remember
it
and
presented
Harry
with
a
small
gift,
a
beautifully
carved
box
in
which
to
store
his
instruments,
saying,
"
This
for
you,
Master
Harry.
"
He
had
been
likewise
touched
when
Harry
had
quietly
marked
his
own
sixteenth
birthday
earlier
in
the
year
with
a
small
gift
of
his
own
making
and
now
repaid
it
with
this
and
a
plate
of
the
choicest
pieces
of
the
freshly
caught
fish
that
was
their
dinner
this
night.

***

             
Barely
two
days
later
a
party
recovering
boat
anchors
and
buoys
from
a
small
cove
and
shallow
beach
they
had
used
for
the
purpose
of
landing
and
refilling
water
casks
and
other
stores
were
at
work
in
the
water
when
a
shark
attacked.
It
swam
between
two
men,
brushing
them
violently
aside
and
seized
a
third
man
standing
closer
to
the
shore.

             
"
Summat
'
s
taken
Tom,
"
shouted
one
of
the
shocked
pair.
He
stared
in
horror
at
the
frothing
water
that
indicated
a
struggle.

             
The
victim
'
s
head
appeared
briefly,
his
mouth
open
in
a
strangled
scream
as
the
water
turned
bloody.
A
man
closer
to
the
victim
seized
a
flailing
arm
shouting,
"
Gi
'
es
a
hand
mates.
Hit
t
'
brute
wi
'
summat!
"