Watery Grave by Bruce Alexander Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Bruce Alexander
boats, large and small, plying its streams in both directions.
The man who stood in the midst of this vast picture was of course the same who had addressed the seamen on Tower Wharf. Yet he did not stand long, but rather shuffled quickly around his wide desk and came out to greet Sir John. They managed to shake hands, embrace, and pound one another on the back all at once —no easy feat, as it seemed to me then. And all the while, they kept up a steady chaunt of friendship, braying enthusiastically at one another of the great length of time it had been since they had last been together; delighting in this opportunity to renew their relation; in short, saying all those things that grown men will when reunited aher a long separation.
“Yet Jack, who is this lad?” asked Sir Robert.” Is he your son?”
“No, but he will do until such time as nature provides one. His name is Jeremy Proctor, and he aids me in every way possible.”
I was so overcome at Sir John’s eulogistic presentation of my humble self that I scarce knew what to say— nor do. I stared so long at him that I near missed Sir Robert’s outstretched hand as it was offered. Yet not completely, for at last I grasped and shook it enthusiastically, if perhaps a bit tardily.
“I noticed, ‘ said Sir Robert, “that you were quite taken with our view of the Thames, Master Jeremy.’
“Yes sir, indeed.”
“Well, just to the right there, the largest ship in sight, is the H.M.S. Adventure, just returned from duty in India. Do you see it?”
“I do, sir,” said I.” Yes, I do.”
“Well, that, Jeremy, and that, my dear friend, Jack, is the cause of my problems. But here, sit down, both of you. and I shall make all this plain.”
He gestured in a rather lordly manner toward a couch which stood against one wall. With a touch at Sir John’s elbow, I assisted him back toward it. We took our places just as Sir Robert began. He proved in the minutes that followed a talker much given to perambulation, pleased to move around and about the grand space provided him as he told his tale. It struck me later that this habit of restless pacing must have been developed on shipboard; this office seemed to serve him as his quarterdeck.
“1 was much dismayed, ” said he, “when I discovered that my promotion to admiral meant the end of my career on the sea. What I liked most about the Navy was life on shipboard, and now that was all over. I was put in charge of Naval Stores at Portsmouth, made certain changes in accounting and inventory that were helpful, all of which led to my nomination to the Navy Board and my arrival here in London. Now, I am greatly in favor of a strong representation of Navy men on the Navy Board. Matters of acquisitions, supplies, and stores are far too important to be left in the hands of politicians and clerks. Don’t you agree. Jack?”
“What? Oh? Oh, yes, of course I do.”
Which was said by Sir John in such a way that I half suspected he had not been paying close attention. That, of course, surprised me no little.
“Yet when I arrived to begin my duties less than a month ago I was asked —nay, ordered, for I could not refuse —to serve as chief judge on what I was assured would be those rare courts-martial that come to be held in London, rather than Portsmouth, since they deal with capital offenses — piracy, mutiny, and of course, murder.
“Well, indeed it turns out that such courts-martial may not be all that rare, for what do I find waiting for me but a letter that has been passed from hand to hand and office to office for a year or more. When I read it, I quite understood why none had wished to take responsibility in the matter.”
At this point the admiral paused, halting his restless feet at one and the same moment. From the way he peered at Sir John he seemed to be soliciting a comment or a question. Yet the magistrate would grant him only a nod.
“May I read it to you. Jack?”
“By all means, Bobbie. Is it so
The man who stood in the midst of this vast picture was of course the same who had addressed the seamen on Tower Wharf. Yet he did not stand long, but rather shuffled quickly around his wide desk and came out to greet Sir John. They managed to shake hands, embrace, and pound one another on the back all at once —no easy feat, as it seemed to me then. And all the while, they kept up a steady chaunt of friendship, braying enthusiastically at one another of the great length of time it had been since they had last been together; delighting in this opportunity to renew their relation; in short, saying all those things that grown men will when reunited aher a long separation.
“Yet Jack, who is this lad?” asked Sir Robert.” Is he your son?”
“No, but he will do until such time as nature provides one. His name is Jeremy Proctor, and he aids me in every way possible.”
I was so overcome at Sir John’s eulogistic presentation of my humble self that I scarce knew what to say— nor do. I stared so long at him that I near missed Sir Robert’s outstretched hand as it was offered. Yet not completely, for at last I grasped and shook it enthusiastically, if perhaps a bit tardily.
“I noticed, ‘ said Sir Robert, “that you were quite taken with our view of the Thames, Master Jeremy.’
“Yes sir, indeed.”
“Well, just to the right there, the largest ship in sight, is the H.M.S. Adventure, just returned from duty in India. Do you see it?”
“I do, sir,” said I.” Yes, I do.”
“Well, that, Jeremy, and that, my dear friend, Jack, is the cause of my problems. But here, sit down, both of you. and I shall make all this plain.”
He gestured in a rather lordly manner toward a couch which stood against one wall. With a touch at Sir John’s elbow, I assisted him back toward it. We took our places just as Sir Robert began. He proved in the minutes that followed a talker much given to perambulation, pleased to move around and about the grand space provided him as he told his tale. It struck me later that this habit of restless pacing must have been developed on shipboard; this office seemed to serve him as his quarterdeck.
“1 was much dismayed, ” said he, “when I discovered that my promotion to admiral meant the end of my career on the sea. What I liked most about the Navy was life on shipboard, and now that was all over. I was put in charge of Naval Stores at Portsmouth, made certain changes in accounting and inventory that were helpful, all of which led to my nomination to the Navy Board and my arrival here in London. Now, I am greatly in favor of a strong representation of Navy men on the Navy Board. Matters of acquisitions, supplies, and stores are far too important to be left in the hands of politicians and clerks. Don’t you agree. Jack?”
“What? Oh? Oh, yes, of course I do.”
Which was said by Sir John in such a way that I half suspected he had not been paying close attention. That, of course, surprised me no little.
“Yet when I arrived to begin my duties less than a month ago I was asked —nay, ordered, for I could not refuse —to serve as chief judge on what I was assured would be those rare courts-martial that come to be held in London, rather than Portsmouth, since they deal with capital offenses — piracy, mutiny, and of course, murder.
“Well, indeed it turns out that such courts-martial may not be all that rare, for what do I find waiting for me but a letter that has been passed from hand to hand and office to office for a year or more. When I read it, I quite understood why none had wished to take responsibility in the matter.”
At this point the admiral paused, halting his restless feet at one and the same moment. From the way he peered at Sir John he seemed to be soliciting a comment or a question. Yet the magistrate would grant him only a nod.
“May I read it to you. Jack?”
“By all means, Bobbie. Is it so