Wait! snapped Sharpe.
They almost ran along the pier to where the glimmer of a lamp revealed the gangway; the two hands of the anchor watch stood at attention in the darkness as they hastened on board.
Mr. Harcourt! shouted Hornblower as soon as his foot touched the deck; this was no time to stand on ceremony. There was a light in the companion and Harcourt was there.
Here, My Lord.
Hornblower pushed his way into the after cabin; a lighted lantern dangled from the deck beam, and Gerard brought in another one.
Whats your report, Mr. Harcourt?
The Daring sailed at five bells in the first watch, My Lord, said Harcourt. She had two tugs with her.
I know. What else?
The lighter with the freight came alongside her early in the second dog-watch. Just after dark, My Lord.
A short, dark man came unobtrusively into the cabin as he spoke, and remained in the background.
Well?
This gentleman whom Mr. Sharpe sent kept watch as well as me on what they took on board, My Lord.
What was it?
I kept count as they swayed it up, My Lord. They had lights in the mizzen stay.
Well?
Harcourt had a piece of paper in his hand, and he proceeded to read from it.
There were twenty-five wooden cases, My Lord. Harcourt went on just in time to forestall an exasperated exclamation from Hornblower. I recognised those cases, My Lord. They are the usual ones in which muskets are shipped, twenty-four stand of arms in each case.
Six hundred muskets and bayonets, put in Gerard, calculating rapidly.
I guessed as much, said Sharpe.
What else? demanded Hornblower.
There were twelve large bales, My Lord. Oblong ones, and twenty other bales, long, narrow ones.
Couldnt you guess
Would you hear the report of the hand I sent, My Lord?
Very well.
Come down here, Jones, yelled Harcourt up the companion, and then turned back to Hornblower. Jones is a good swimmer, My Lord. I sent him and another hand off in the quarterboat, and Jones swam to the lighter. Tell His Lordship what you found, Jones.
Jones was a skinny, stunted young man, who came in blinking at the lights, ill at ease in this distinguished company. When he opened his mouth he spoke with the accent of Seven Dials.
Uniforms, they was, in them big bales, sir.
How do you know?
I swum to the side of the lighter, sir. I could reach over an feel em, sir.
Did anyone see you? This was from Sharpe.
No, sir. No one didnt see me at all, sir. They was all busy swayin up the cases. Uniforms, they was, in the bales, like I said, sir. What I could feel through the sacking was buttons, sir. Not flat buttons, sir, like yours, sir. Round buttons, like bullets, sir, rows of em, on each Coat. An I thought I could feel hembroidery, too, gold lace, praps, sir. Uniforms, they was, sir, Im sure of it.
The dark man came forward at this moment; in his hands was a limp something that looked like a drowned black cat. Jones pointed to the object before he went on.
I couldnt guess for the life of me what was in the other bales, sir, the long ones. So I outs with my knife
Youre sure no one saw
you?
Certain sure, sir. I outs with my knife an cuts the stitching at the end. Theyll think it come apart in the handlin, sir. An I takes the end one out an I swims with it back to the quarterboat, sir.
The dark man held it forward for inspection, and Hornblower took it gingerly, a black, soggy, wet mass of hair, but his fingers encountered metal as he turned it in his hands.
Heagles, sir, said Jones.
There was a brass chain and a big brass badgethe same displayed eagle as he had seen that evening on Cambronnes chest. What he held in his hands was a bearskin uniform cap, soaked with its recent immersion, and adorned with the brass finery.
Is that what the Imperial Guard wore, My Lord? suggested Gerard.
Yes, said Hornblower.
He had seen prints for sale often enough purporting to illustrate the last stand of the Guard at Waterloo. In London now the Guards sported bearskin caps not unlike this that he held in his hand; they had been awarded to the Guards in recognition of their overthrow of the Imperial Guard at the crisis of the battle.
Then we know all we need to know, said Sharpe.
I must try and catch him, said Hornblower. Call all hands, Mr. Harcourt.
Aye aye, My Lord.
After the automatic reply Harcourt opened his mouth again to speak, but he could make no sound come from it.
I remember, said Hornblower, his cup of unhappiness filling to the brim. I said I would not need the hands before morning.
Yes, My Lord. But theyll not be far. Ill send along the waterfront and find em. Ill have em back here in an hour.
Thank you, Mr. Harcourt. Do your best. Mr. Sharpe, we shall need to be towed as far as the Pass. Will you send and order a steam tug for us?
Sharpe looked over at the dark man who had brought in the bearskin cap.
Doubt if therell be one before noon, said the dark man. Daring took twoand I know now why she did. The President Madison s laid up. Toueur s gone up to Baton Rouge with flat boats. Ecrevisse the one that brought this ship upwent down again in the afternoon. I think Temeraire s on her way up. We might be able to get her to turn round as soon as she arrives. And thats all there are.