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' others now. "
     
                  " I thought so, " Harry cupped his hands to his mouth again and sang out, " Deck there, Duchess has tacked. She ' s standing across the convoy. "
     
                  " Very good, " the Fourth Lieutenant ' s voice sounded faintly from below. Minutes later the pipes were once more twittering and the rigging swarmed with men racing to obey the shouted orders. The lightening skies allowed Harry to see sharper outlines and to note two more ships had tacked. He reported this even as a string of flags soared aloft to be followed seconds later by the bang of a gun. This was followed several minutes later by the eerie light of a port fire, its bright, but menacing, light casting the sails into coloured relief.
     
                  " T ' brigs ' ave seen it, sor. " Kennard reported. " An ' Virago . Swift ' as tacked an ' is closing Duchess , sor. "
     
                  The sun turned the eastern horizon gold as it began to rise, bathing the sea in its light and illuminating the undersides of the scattered clouds. As it crept higher it caught the upper masts and yards of the ships at last responding to the Spartan ' s signal. The brigs on the far side of the convoy acting like sheep dogs, snapping at the heels of the sluggards until finally, with the sun now fully above the horizon, all were once more standing on the same course.
     
                  A new lookout clambered into the crosstrees and grinned. " Mornin ' , sir, Tom. Mister Beasley ' s compliments, sir, ' e says you can go to breakfast now. "
     
                  " Thank you. " Harry grinned. " Something warm will be welcome, sleep would be better, but I can forget that now. Are you coming, Kennard? Thank you for your assistance. " He swung himself onto the ratlines and began the descent.
     
                  " I ' ll see ' e below, sor. " The seaman Kennard replied as he swung himself onto the long backstay and began to slide hand over hand to the deck.
     
                  Harry raced down the rigging and reached his position at Mister Beasley ' s side just as the helm went over and the ship began to swing ponderously through the eye of the wind, the sails slating and banging as she did so. Around him men swirled in the chaotic seeming dance as they hauled on the braces and sheets to trim the yards and sails once more to the best setting to take the wind. The tack now placed Spartan to windward and astern of her brood of reluctant charges, but at least, Harry noted as they settled on the new course and he supervised the men stowing the many lines neatly, all of their rag-tag ' fleet ' were once more in a group with the brigs harrying the laggards into closing up on the others.
     
                  " Mister Bell, " Captain Blackwood called, " We will exercise the upper battery after breakfast. The Frogs may be talking of peace, but I do not intend to allow our people to forget their drills. I do not expect this peace too last much longer than it takes Bonaparte to replace his losses and recruit new blood to his service. He is an ambitious man. "
     
                  " Aye, aye, sir, " Thomas Bell touched his hat, " Our landsmen will need to learn their new trade I expect. I shall speak to the gunner and ensure they have the opportunity. "
     
    -
     

Chapter 5 — Accusations
     
                  Major James Heron strode into the house on the shoulder of Scrabo, a bundle of letter packets in his hand and sought his wife. " My dear, we have letters from Harry. " He handed over the largest package, adding, " By the size of the packet more than one and perhaps even some of his sketches of shipboard life. "
     
                  Mary, the Housemaid, sister to Ferghal, slipped into the sitting room and set down a tray, " Your tea, Ma ' am, and a coffee for the Major. "
     
                  Mrs Heron