Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (32 page)

             
As
the
officers
concerned
hurried
to
carry
out
his
orders,
he
turned
to
the
others,
"
Mister
Beasley,
Mister
Foster,
have
the
cutters
cleared
away
and
swung
out.
A
boat
gun
in
each
if
you
please
and
have
them
take
us
under
tow.
We
must
close
up
to
the
convict
ships
–
these
fellows
are
slavers
and
will
see
the
smaller
ships
as
easy
targets.
"
He
turned
to
the
fifth
Lieutenant
and
added,
"
Take
the
quarter
boat
Mister
Rogers,
and
a
detachment
of
the
Bullocks
to
the
Lady
Jane
,
she
was
short
handed
and
may
find
herself
unable
to
resist
if
attacked.
"
He
paused,
then
added,
"
Return
when
you
have
done
it,
and
convey
Mister
Bowles,
Mister
Barclay
and
some
of
our
other
Midshipmen
with
detachments
to
some
of
the
other
ships
as
well.
See
to
it
please.
"

***

             
Ferghal
secured
the
Boatswain
'
s
Store
and
returned
the
key
to
its
keeper
as
the
urgent
tattoo
of
the
Marine
drummers
began
to
sound
through
the
ship.

             
"
Clear
the
ship
for
action!
"
roared
the
Master
'
s
Mates.

             
Ferghal
and
the
other
'
boys
'
ran
to
their
tasks
amidst
the
chaos
of
clearing
away
the
bulkheads,
the
furnishings
and
preparing
the
guns,
finally
collecting
their
cartridge
cases
and
standing
ready
to
run
with
these
to
their
guns.
Ferghal
found
time
to
reassure
the
little
Danny
Gunn,
"
Just
stay
close
Danny;
we
don
'
t
have
much
to
do
now
but
run
with
our
cartridges.
Just
be
quick
and
careful
is
all
–
and
make
sure
your
cartridge
cases
are
closed
properly.
"

             
The
words
were
barely
out
of
his
mouth
when
a
Master
'
s
Mate
was
shouting
down
the
hatchway,
"
O
'
Connor,
Smith,
Bellew
!
Get
yourselves
on
deck
and
into
Mister
Rogers
'
launch.
You
'
re
to
go
with
him
and
help
serve
the
guns
on
one
of
the
prison
ships.
"

***

             
Aloft
in
the
cross
trees,
Harry
watched
the
Xebecs
as
they
crept
abeam,
and
then
began
to
draw
ahead,
the
rhythm
of
the
oars
almost
hypnotic.
The
Spartan
inched
a
little
closer
to
the
still
scattered
convict
ships
while
Virago
seemed
to
have
managed
to
draw
the
two
HEIC
ships
closer
to
herself.
Below
him
he
was
aware
of
the
boats
trying
to
drag
the
bulk
of
their
own
ship
to
a
position
from
which
she
could
defend
the
others
and
of
the
First
Lieutenant
'
s
efforts
to
move
some
of
the
ship
'
s
long
nines
to
where
they
could
be
brought
to
bear
ahead
or
astern.

             
His
thoughts
on
this
were
broken
by
the
lookout
'
s
sudden
observation,
"
Them
poor
devils
'
ll
be
dying
if
those
bastards
keep
them
at
that
pace
for
much
longer.
Them
'
ll
be
needin
'
a
few
replacements
at
the
oars
soon!
Look
sir,
they
'
s
chucking
some
poor
sod
overside.
"

             
Harry
swung
the
telescope
and
watched
in
horror
as
what
appeared
to
be
an
emaciated
corpse
dressed
in
rags
was
hurled
from
the
forepeak
of
one
of
the
xebecs
to
be
overrun
by
the
surging
hull.
He
was
about
to
express
his
disgust
when
there
was
a
cry
from
the
deck.

             
"
Mister
Heron!
Come
down
sir;
report
to
Mister
Rogers,
"
boomed
the
voice
of
the
Captain
through
his
speaking
trumpet.

             
Quickly
housing
the
telescope,
Harry
nodded
to
the
lookout,
"
It
seems
I
am
required
for
some
effort
below,
"
he
said
with
a
grin.

             
"
Aye
sir,
"
the
man
returned
his
grin,
"
Looks
as
if
all
ye
young
gentlemen
is
being
sent
to
play
nurse
to
them
hell
ships.
Watch
them
Musselmen
if
they
gets
aboard
ye
sir,
they
fight
like
demons
and
there
'
s
no
quarter
asked
or
given
wi
' '
em
either.
"