Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (82 page)

             
"
You
have
the
right
of
it,
"
the
Governor
rejoined
with
a
grimace.
"
And
the
scurvy
crew
have
not
forgot
it
either.
"
He
frowned,
"
Worse
than
the
wreckers
from
round
Penzance.
Far
worse
than
the
Brotherhood
too.
Tell
your
people
to
have
a
care
with
their
dealings
with
them,
they
think
nothing
of
stirring
up
mutiny
where
they
can
and
where
it
will
profit
them.
"

             
"
So
I
have
discovered,
"
Captain
Blackwood
agreed.
"
With
your
permission
I
intend
that
any
of
my
parties
sent
ashore
from
now
on
will
be
accompanied
by
a
detail
of
my
Bullocks
and
some
of
my
more
senior
Master
'
s
Mates.
"
He
smiled
suddenly.
"
And
perhaps
you
could
spread
the
word
that
my
ship
is
short
handed
and
that
I
have
an
active
Press?
The
Master
of
the
Maid
of
Selsey
will
certainly
confirm
my
penchant
for
taking
seamen
where
I
may
find
them
–
several
of
his
crew
are
now
on
my
book.
"

             
The
Governor
laughed,
"
I
shall
do
so
–
and
with
pleasure.
It
will
be
interesting
to
see
how
many
of
their
thugs
remain
within
your
reach
once
the
word
spreads.
Mind,
you
may
find
many
of
the
convicts
'
volunteering
'
and
that
I
may
have
difficulty
explaining.
"

             
"
The
'
rum
'
they
ply
in
this
place
seems
unlike
our
normal
issue
though
it
is
imported,
they
tell
me,
for
the
settlers
and
convicts
but
requisitioned
almost
entirely
for
the
troops
–
who
then
sell
it
to
the
convicts
and
settlers
at
exorbitant
prices.
My
Purser
has
recently
acquired
some
and
it
was
at
a
premium
price
yet
the
Purser
thinks
it
has
been
watered.
Where
do
they
acquire
it?
"

             
"
Officially?
From
the
Indies
of
course.
In
fact,
much
is
locally
brewed,
the
best
quality
is
certainly
comparable
with
that
from
Jamaica,
but
the
worst?
Well,
it
will
send
a
man
mad
at
best
and
kill
him
at
worst.
"
The
Governor
paused
for
a
moment
and
then
continued
thoughtfully,
"
Robert,
I
tell
you
there
are
many
here
and
in
London
that
profit
hugely
from
this
unhappy
traffic
in
convicts,
but
it
will
sow
the
seeds
of
rebellion
unless
London
curtails
the
worst
excesses
of
the
Corps.
I
do
my
best,
I
have
sent
their
leader
to
London
for
Court
Martial
–
but
there
he
is
lionised
and
feted.
I
am
presented
as
an
ogre,
a
friend
of
criminals
and
the
enemy
of
order.
The
Court
Martial
has
not
been
held
–
for
want
of
evidence
it
is
said.
"
He
snorted
in
anger.
"
My
despatches
and
all
the
evidence
accompanying
them
having
mysteriously
vanished
from
the
Captain
'
s
strongbox.
And
the
scoundrel
is
being
permitted
to
return.
"

             
"
It
was
ever
thus,
"
Captain
Blackwood
sympathised.
"
A
man
with
a
powerful
patron
can
escape
any
charge,
no
matter
how
serious.
Is
not
Lord
Camden
the
patron
of
this
MacArthur?
"

             
"
So
he
is,
so
he
is,
"
nodded
the
Governor.
"
Mark
my
words,
the
scoundrel
will
arrive
here
with
some
new
grant
in
his
hands
giving
him
half
the
colony.
As
well
make
him
Governor!
"

             
"
So
it
seems.
Now,
you
asked
my
assistance
on
a
matter
of
surveying.
What
do
you
require?
It
will
be
good
to
have
my
people
engaged
in
some
real
tasks
in
this
place
and
away
from
the
provocations
this
Corps
of
adventurers
and
cut
throats
seem
to
be
so
eager
to
engage
in.
"

***

             
In
the
great
cabin
aboard
the
Spartan
Captain
Blackwood
surveyed
his
officers
as
they
studied
the
papers
he
had
brought
back
from
the
Governor
'
s
Residence.
"
As
you
can
see,
gentlemen,
the
task
is
a
large
one,
but
we
may
play
a
small
part.
This
harbour
has
been
surveyed
in
its
entirety
but
a
possibly
greater
one
lies
to
the
north
and
that
we
are
asked
to
examine
and
map
as
soon
as
an
expedition
may
be
sent
there.
It
will
require
a
passage
in
the
boats
to
the
entrance
and
then
much
work
within
to
produce
a
suitable
map
from
which
further
work
may
be
carried
out.
I
propose
to
send
you,
Mister
Rae,
with
three
boats
and
Midshipmen
to
assist
you.
"