Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (79 page)

             
Progress
was
steady
as
the
laden
boat
made
its
way
past
the
fledgling
township
which
seemed
to
huddle
above
and
around
the
quaintly
named
'
Rocks
"
,
continuing
across
the
deep
inlet
beyond
the
town
and
several
small
islands
until
it
reached
a
point
at
which
they
again
turned
southward
and
entered
a
wide
bay
at
whose
head
stood
a
ragged
straggle
of
tents
surrounded
by
a
rough
fence.

             
"
Bow.
"
The
coxswain
'
s
growl
drew
Ferghal
'
s
attention.
"
Stand
by
to
fend
off.
"

             
"
Aye,
aye,
'
Swain.
"
Ferghal
responded.
He
couldn
'
t
see
a
jetty,
though
there
appeared
to
be
a
shallow
beach
of
mud
and
rocks.
A
flock
of
cormorant
'
s
moved
reluctantly
aside
as
the
boat
neared
and
then,
with
a
rush,
the
beach,
now
revealed
as
mud
and
shingle,
was
beneath
them.
The
oars
rose
to
the
vertical
and
were
swiftly
stowed
even
as
the
stem
slid
gently
up
the
mud.
Ferghal
leapt
overside
and
held
onto
the
boat,
the
water
reaching
his
knees
even
as
the
oarsmen
now
joined
him
in
the
water
and
began
to
pull
the
boat
further
onto
the
beach.

             
"
Enough
lads,
"
Lieutenant
Rae
called
from
aft,
"
Steady
her
while
our
cargo
disembarks.
"
To
the
convicts
he
said,
"
Pass
the
children
out
first,
then
follow,
over
the
bow,
quickly
now,
we
must
return
for
the
rest
of
your
people.
Rowson,
Matthews,
lend
a
hand
there.
"

             
The
Royals
were
already
out
of
the
boat
and
standing
ready,
their
muskets
checked
and
primed
under
the
snarled
commands
of
their
Corporal
as
the
children
began
to
gather,
a
little
fearfully,
at
the
water
'
s
edge.
The
women
followed;
resignation,
defiance
and
trepidation
showing
in
their
faces
as
they
waded
ashore,
their
ragged
skirts
raised
to
do
so.

             
From
the
rude
camp
a
group
of
untidy
guards
approached,
their
leader,
wearing
a
sergeant
'
s
stripes,
saluted
casually
as
Lieutenant
Rae
stepped
forward
and
said,
"
Brought
us
'
n
'
nother
load
o
'
doxies
then.
A
likely
looking
lot,
"
he
added,
pawing
one
of
the
younger
women.

             
He
froze
as
the
Lieutenant
snapped,
"
Sergeant
is
it?
You
are
a
disgrace
to
any
uniform,
and
certainly
no
credit
to
the
one
you
'
re
wearing.
Who
is
your
commanding
officer?
He
shall
hear
of
this
behaviour,
of
that
you
may
be
sure.
"
He
glared
at
the
rest
of
the
squad,
"
So
you
are
the
Rum
Corps.
"
His
expression
reflected
the
distaste
he
was
obviously
feeling.
"
You
–
fetch
an
officer
immediately
–
and
you,
Sergeant
,
remove
your
hands
from
the
women
or
taste
my
steel.
"
Clearly
angry
the
Lieutenant
snapped
orders
to
the
boat
crew
and
the
Marines
and
the
oarsmen
swiftly
heaved
the
boat
out
into
deeper
water
and,
with
Ferghal
scrambling
aboard,
backed,
then
turned
and
was
swiftly
propelled
down
the
long
reach
toward
the
ship.
Behind
them
the
women
sat
or
stood
huddled
in
a
group
with
the
children
under
the
watchful
gaze
of
the
lieutenant
and
the
Royals.

***

             
The
boat
returned
an
hour
later
to
find
that
Lieutenant
Rae
had
been
joined
by
a
foppish
Captain
of
the
New
South
Wales
Corps.
Clearly
put
out
by
the
Lieutenant
'
s
summons
and
discomforted
by
being
unable
to
dismiss
the
naval
officer
and
his
objections
the
officer
looked
sulky.
The
boatload
of
new
arrivals
was
obviously
a
welcome
distraction,
though
yet
again,
the
lieutenant
made
clear
his
objections
to
the
'
guards
'
attempts
to
take
liberties
with
the
women.
He
knew
he
could
not
prevent
their
being
abused
once
he
had
departed,
but
would
not
countenance
the
blatant
abuse
of
authority
by
these
men
he
regarded
as
little
better
than
their
unfortunate
charges

             
"
Damme,
sir,
"
the
captain
objected
as
the
lieutenant
ordered
one
of
his
'
soldiers
'
to
remove
his
hands
from
an
older
women,
"
The
Governor
shall
hear
of
this
forthwith!
"