Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (113 page)

             
Harry
glanced
over
the
veranda
screen
and
saw
the
rickshaw
man,
Guptah,
waiting
patiently.
He
said,
"
Our
rickshaw
wallah
is
waiting
for
us.
Perhaps
he
can
be
persuaded
to
find
another
and
take
us
all.
"

             
"
Sound
idea,
Harry,
"
the
First
said.
"
See
to
it
while
I
settle
our
account.
"

***

             
Their
arrival
at
the
landing
stage
coincided
with
the
arrival
of
a
dishevelled
and
evidently
injured
Midshipman
Barclay
accompanied
by
an
equally
dishevelled
Midshipman
Peterson,
the
pair
escorted
by
soldiers
in
the
uniform
of
the
HEIC
Infantry.

             
"
What
is
the
meaning
of
this?
"
Mister
Bell
demanded,
drawing
the
conclusion
that
his
two
junior
officers
were
under
arrest.

             
The
Sergeant
in
charge
saluted.
"
Beggin
'
yer
pardon,
sir.
But
we
found
these
gentlemen
astray.
They
'
d
been
robbed
an
'
another
murdered.
If
'
n
you
'
ll
take
'
em
back
to
the
ship,
sir,
I
can
take
my
men
to
the
scene
and
retrieve
the
other.
I
left
two
men
to
watch
the
body
and
take
care
it
comes
to
no
further
injury
until
I
get
back,
sir.
"

             
Mister
Bell
looked
at
the
dishevelled
pair
and
nodded.
"
Mister
Rogers,
go
with
the
Sergeant
and
see
to
the
return
of
our
man
–
who
is
it,
Mister
Barclay?
"

             
"
Ware,
sir.
"
Barclay
looked
frightened.
"
We
were
returning
to
the
ship,
sir,
and
were
set
upon
by
footpads.
"

             
"
They
was
in
the
Opium
quarter,
sir.
Full
of
Chinamen
there,
sir.
Not
a
good
place
to
flash
a
full
purse.
"
The
Sergeant
was
obviously
not
impressed
by
his
brief
acquaintance.
He
saluted.
"
If
I
kin
go
now,
sir.
I
'
d
not
wish
to
be
leavin
'
my
lads
there
too
long,
sir.
"

             
Harry
stiffened
at
the
name.
Sebastian
Ware
was
one
of
Eamon
Barclay
'
s
cronies,
though
he
was
more
a
toadie
than
a
henchman.
He
had
been
pleasant
enough
away
from
his
mentor,
though
Harry
had
always
been
wary
of
placing
any
trust
in
his
being
able
to
keep
any
confidence
from
Barclay.
So
their
little
fellowship
of
Midshipmen
was
reduced
still
further.
Of
the
twelve
who
had
started
out
on
this
voyage
there
remained
now
eight,
one
had
fallen
from
the
rigging
and
died
presumably
of
drowning
in
the
Great
Southern
Ocean.
Then
had
come
the
loss
of
Joshua
Pelham
to
the
snake
in
Botany
Bay
and
Richard
Trehearne
to
the
heat
stroke
in
Port
Jackson.
He
was
distracted
by
Dick
Peterson
who
folded
slowly
into
a
faint
to
sprawl
at
the
feet
of
the
lieutenants.
Who,
he
wondered,
would
be
next.
He
realised
suddenly
that
Mister
Bell
was
speaking
to
him.
"
Sir,
I
beg
pardon,
I
was
not
attending
you.
"

             
"
So
I
noted,
"
the
First
said
drily.
"
I
want
you
and
Mister
Tanner
to
accompany
Mister
Barclay
and
Mister
Peterson
to
the
ship.
Get
them
to
the
Surgeon.
Mister
Beasley
and
I
will
await
Mister
Rogers
'
return.
Inform
the
Captain
of
what
has
happened
if
you
please
and
tell
him
I
will
make
a
report
as
soon
as
I
am
aboard.
"

***

             
The
Captain
was
annoyed
when
Harry
reported
the
matter
to
him.
Having
first
seen
Barclay
and
Peterson
below
and
roused
out
the
Surgeon
from
his
game
of
whist
in
the
Wardroom
he
found
Captain
Blackwood
reading
through
his
despatches.

             
"
So
Mister
Peterson
has
a
stab
wound
and
Mister
Barclay
was
beaten
with
a
cudgel
or
some
other
instrument?
Where
were
they
when
this
happened
–
in
some
drinking
den?
"

             
"
I
do
not
know
precisely,
sir.
Mister
Bell
will
no
doubt
have
the
details
on
his
return.
I
heard
only
that
it
was
in
a
quarter
of
the
city
where
there
are
Opium
houses
and
many
Chinese.
"