Cecil S. Forester Hornblower and the Crisis
Chapter One
Waterhoy coming alongside, sir, reported Bush, hat in hand.
Very well, Mr. Bush. Hornblower was disturbed in spirit and, irritated, had no intention of smoothing Bushs path for him.
The new captains on board, sir. Bush was perfectly well aware of Hornblowers mood yet was not ingenious enough to cope with it.
Very well, Mr. Bush.
But that was simple cruelty, the deliberate teasing of a nearly dumb animal; Hornblower realized that such behaviour really gave him no pleasure and only occasioned embarrassment to Bush. He relented to the extent of introducing a lighter touch into the conversation.
So now you have a few minutes to spare for me, Mr. Bush? he said. Its a change after your preoccupation of the last two days.
That was neither fair nor kind, and Bush showed his feelings in his face.
Ive had my duties to do, sir, he mumbled.
Getting Hotspur into apple pie order ready for her new captain.
Yyes, sir.
Doesnt matter about me, of course. Im only a back number now.
Sir
Even though he was not in a smiling mood Hornblower could not help smiling at the misery of Bushs expression.
Im glad to see youre only human, Mr. Bush, after all. Sometimes Ive doubted it. There couldnt be a more perfect First Lieutenant.
Bush needed two or three seconds in which to digest this unexpected compliment.
Thats very good of you, sir. Very kind indeed. But its been all your doing.
In a moment they would slide down the slippery slopes of sentiment, which would be unbearable.
Time for me to appear on deck, said Hornblower. Wed better say goodbye, Mr. Bush. The best of luck under your new captain.
He went so far towards yielding to the mood of the moment as to hold out his hand, which Bush took. Luckily Bushs emotions prevented him from saying more than just Goodbye, sir, and Hornblower hurried out through the cabin door with Bush at his heels.
There was instantly plenty of distraction as the waterhoy was laid alongside the Hotspur ; the side of the hoy was covered from end to end with old sails in rolls and with substantial fendoffs of sandbags, yet it was a ticklish business, even in the sheltered waters of this little bay, to pass lines between the two ships and draw them together. A gangplank came clattering out from the hoy to bridge the gap between the two decks, and a burly man in full unicorn made the precarious crossing. He was very talltwo or three inches over six feet and heavily built; a man of middle age or more, to judge by the shock of grey hair revealed when he raised his hat. The boatswains mates pealed loudly on their calls; the two ships drummers beat a ragged ruffle.
Welcome aboard, sir, said Hornblower.
The new captain pulled a paper from his breast pocket, opened it, and began to read. A shout from Bush bared every head so that the function would take place with due solemnity.
Orders given by us, William Cornwallis, ViceAdmiral of the Red, Knight of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Commanding His Majestys Ships and Vessels of the Channel Fleet, to James Percival Meadows, Esquire
Dye think we have all day? This was a new stentorian voice from the deck of the hoy. Stand by to take the hoses, there! Mr. Lieutenant, lets have some hands for the pumps.
The voice came, appropriately enough, from the barrel-shaped captain of the hoy. Bush signalled frantically for him to stay quiet until this vital ceremonial was completed.
Time enough for that tomfoolery when the waters all aboard. The windll shift within the hour, roared the barrelshaped captain quite unabashed. Captain Meadows scowled and hesitated, but for all his vast stature he could do nothing to silence the captain of the hoy. He roared through the rest of his orders at a pace nearer a gallop than a canter, and folded them up with evident relief now that he was legally captain of HMS Hotspur .
On hats, bellowed Bush.
Sir, I relieve you, said Meadows to Hornblower.
I much regret the bad manners displayed in the hoy, sir, said Hornblower to Meadows.
Now lets have some sturdy hands,
and Hornblower knew his surprise was apparent in his expression, but he would not allow it to be apparent in his words. He would not even condescend to ask the questions that were on the tip of his tongue. He could be quite sure that Baddlestone had legality on his side. The Navy Office charter of the hoy presumably compelled Baddlestone to give passages to transient officers, but omitted all reference to subsistence. He thought quickly.
Three guineas, then, he said as loftily as he could, with all the manner of a man to whom the difference between one guinea and three was of no concern. It was not until after he had said the words that he worked out in his mind the deduction that the wind was likely to back round easterly and make a long return passage probable.
During this conversation one pump had been working most irregularly, and now the other one came to a stop; the cessation of the monotonous noise was quite striking. Here was Bush hailing from the Hotspur .