A Fine Retribution by Dewey Lambdin

Author:Dewey Lambdin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

“Boat, ahoy!” came a shout from HMS Boston as Lewrie’s hired boat neared its starboard side, steering for the main channels under her entry-port.

“Aye aye!” a boatman shouted back, showing four fingers aloft to warn Boston that a Post-Captain was arriving, and creating a dash to form a side-party, and hunt up the Bosun and Bosun’s Mate to pipe him aboard.

The newcomer went up the battens and man-ropes, gaining the deck inboard of the entry-port with a last tug on the cap-rails, and a skip-step as the silver calls tweeted the greeting.

“Captain Sir Alan Lewrie, Baronet,” the newcomer announced himself, doffing his new-styled bicorne hat to the flag and the waiting officers.

“Ehm, Lieutenant Fletcher, sir, First Officer,” the senior-most officer replied, doffing his own. “I say … we’ve met before, sir … I was Agent Afloat for the cavalry transports you escorted to Cape Town five years ago.”

“Ah, Mister Fletcher, aye,” Lewrie said, smiling and offering his hand. “You were partially lamed, then, as I recall. It is good to see that you’ve recovered, and gained a proper sea berth.”

“Thank you, sir,” Fletcher said, grateful to be remembered. “I must ask, sir … you are come aboard to command? We all thought the ship is to be stricken.” His junior officers looked anxious that the frigate would get a last-second reprieve, too.

“I fear she will be, Mister Fletcher,” Lewrie told him, “But I am come to ah, commandeer, as it were. I have need of your services, and those of your officers and Mids, as well as Boston’s people. Has your Captain departed yet?”

“He has, sir,” Fletcher said, “and left the duty of dis-arming her and landing all stores ashore to me. Us, rather.”

“So, his great-cabins are vacant? Good,” Lewrie said. “Please summon your officers, Mids, Sailing Master, and Mates there and join me, so I can explain things to them.”

“Aye aye, sir,” Fletcher said, utterly mystified.

Boston’s age was not noticeable on deck, but once aft in the empty great-cabins, the years of hand usage were evident from the wear of the painted canvas deck chequer, and dents in the hull timbers where the guns had been served. It was chilly, too, and depressing.

Fletcher did the introductions to Lieutenants Hoar and Creswell, and Midshipmen Kirby, Thornton, Peagram, Jolliffe, Cotter, and Mabry, Sailing Master Trotter, and his Master’s Mates.

“Gentlemen, you have a chance to keep your crew somewhat together, continue in active commission, and take part in an experiment that, if successful, will make you pioneers,” Lewrie began, “and if successful, will prove to be a grand adventure.”

He explained that three troop transports of the proper size were to be bought in and manned by Royal Navy crews, not merchant seamen, each rated as His Majesty’s Ship, equipped with six eight-oared twenty-nine-foot barges to carry soldiers ashore, altogether at the same time, then retrieve them when their shore raids were done, and gave them a thumb-nail sketch of how that would be accomplished.

“Each of you gentlemen will command a King’s

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