Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (20 page)

             
Reluctantly
Barclay
replied,
"
It
is
leather,
sir,
with
a
silver
fastening
and
my
initials
embossed
upon
it.
There
were
ten
guineas
and
forty
shillings
with
some
small
coin
as
well
within
it.
"
He
moved
to
his
chest
and
fished
for
his
keys,
bending
to
unlock
it.

             
"
I
thought
it
might
be.
"
Lieutenant
Rae
nodded,
his
expression
stern.
He
held
out
a
hand
to
Midshipman
Peterson
and
said,
"
You
may
now
hand
me
the
purse
Mister
Barclay
gave
you
this
morning
when
the
ship
was
cleared
for
action.
"
He
frowned
as
Peterson
looked
frightened
and
confused,
"
I
am
neither
blind
nor
stupid,
sir.
You
know
very
well
the
purse
I
mean.
Now
hand
it
to
me.
"

             
Pale
and
clearly
shaken,
Peterson
dived
to
his
own
chest,
unlocked
it
and
threw
up
the
lid.
He
dipped
his
hand
into
it
and
held
out
the
purse.
"
Here
it
is,
sir.
"

             
Accepting
it,
Lieutenant
Rae
weighed
it
in
his
hand
as
he
looked
at
Barclay,
his
expression
unreadable.
"
Leather,
with
a
silver
fastening
and
your
initials
embossed
I
think
you
said?
Stolen
by
Boy
O
'
Connor
I
think
you
declared?
Mister
Barclay,
you
have
broken
the
Captain
'
s
express
instruction
there
was
to
be
no
disciplining
of
any
fellow
midshipmen
without
the
confirmation
of
a
lieutenant.
You
have
brought
a
false
charge
of
theft
against
a
seaman
and
now,
no
doubt,
you
expect
me
to
support
and
uphold
your
authority?
I
will
do
no
such
thing,
sir.
"

             
"
I
must
protest,
sir,
"
Barclay
began.

             
The
lieutenant
held
up
his
hand.
"
You
will
report
to
me
at
eight
bells
in
the
afternoon
watch.
You
will
be
fully
and
correctly
turned
out,
and
you
will
then
explain
yourself
to
the
First
Lieutenant
who
will,
no
doubt,
be
able
to
think
of
a
suitable
punishment.
You,
Mister
Peterson,
will
make
your
way
to
the
mizzen
crosstrees,
and
remain
there
until
eight
bells
in
the
second
dog
watch
and
you,
Mister
Heron,
will
report
to
the
Sailing
Master
immediately.
The
Master
has
a
number
of
charts
needing
correction
and
you
will
assist
him
in
his
work
until
it
is
completed.
"
He
glared
at
the
three
and
then
asked,
"
Well?
Mister
Peterson?
Mister
Heron?
Must
I
add
refusal
to
obey
an
order
to
my
list
of
charges?
"

             
Harry
was
the
first
to
move,
exiting
the
opening
in
the
screen
just
as
the
Boatswain
returned
with
Ferghal.
"
Nothing
found,
sir,
"
he
said,
his
eyes
fixed
on
the
purse
the
lieutenant
still
held.

             
Harry
made
his
way
stiffly
to
the
Master
'
s
tiny
cabin
and
knocked.
"
Mister
Rae
sent
me.
"

             
"
Come
in
lad,
"
the
Master
was
a
big
and
rather
bluff
man
who
seemed
to
fill
most
of
the
small
space,
"
We
'
ll
go
to
the
Chart
Room
and
set
to
work.
"

***

             
Harry
was
not
privy
to
the
outcome
of
Eamon
Barclay
'
s
interview
with
Mister
Bell,
nor
to
a
subsequent
interview
with
the
same
officer
and
Midshipman
Peterson.
He
did
learn
that
both
the
accusation
and
Barclay
'
s
subsequent
assault
on
his
person
was
conveyed
to
the
Boatswain
by
the
boy
Danny
Gunn
and
thence
to
the
Second
by
Mister
Billing
himself.
The
Second
had,
in
fact,
been
at
the
fore
end
of
the
Lower
Gundeck
at
the
time
and
so
arrived
swiftly
and
timeously.
That
Barclay
had
been
punished
and
given
the
severest
warning
as
to
his
future
conduct
did
permeate
through
the
ship,
reaching
Ferghal
long
before
it
reached
Harry.
And
when
it
was
repeated
to
him,
he
had
the
wisdom
to
snap
at
the
bearer
of
the
news
and
warn
him
to
hold
his
tongue
and
cease
spreading
gossip
concerning
an
officer.
But
it
was
hard
to
hide
the
little
glow
of
satisfaction
he
felt
at
the
news.