Hornblower clenched his fists again, boiling with exasperation at the thought. It was he who would be held responsible for any disaster, who would have to sustain the contempt or the pityeither alternative horrible to contemplateof his brother captains. He yearned and hungered for men, more passionately than ever a miser desired gold, or a lover his mistress. And now he had no more chance of finding any. Gerards raid upon St. Ives and Redruth had been his last effort; he knew that he had been fortunate to get as many as fifty men from there. There would be no chance of obtaining any from the convoy. Government transports to Lisbon, government Storeships to Port Mahon, East India Companys shipshe could not take a man from any of those. He felt like a man in a cage.
He went across to his desk again and took out his private duplicate of the ships watch bill, which he and Bush had sat up through most of the night to draw up. It was largely upon that watch bill that the efficiency of the ship would depend in her short-handed condition; the trained men had to be distributed evenly over every strategic point, with just the right proportion of landsmen to facilitate training, and yet not to impede the working of the ship. Foretop, maintop, and mizzen top; forecastle and afterguard; every man had to be assigned a duty, so that whatever evolution out of the thousand possible was being carried out, in fair weather or foul, in daylight or darkness, he would go to his position without confusion or waste of time knowing exactly what he had to do. He had to have his place at the guns allotted him under the command of the officer of his division.
Hornblower looked through the watch bill again. It was satisfactory as far as it went. It had a kind of cardcastle stabilityadequate enough at first sight, but incapable of standing any strain or alteration. Casualties or disease would bring the whole thing down in ruins. He flung the watch bill down as he remembered that, if the cruise were a healthy one, he might expect one death every ten days from accident or natural causes without regard to hostile action. Fortunately it was the unseasoned men who were the more likely to die.
Hornblower cocked his ear at the din on the main deck. The hoarse orders, the pipes of the boatswains mates, and the stamp-and-go of many feet told him that they were heaving up the longboat from overside. A strange squeaking, unlike that of the sheaves in the blocks, which had reached him for some time and which he had been unable to identify so far, he suddenly realised was the noise of the various families of pigscaptains stores and wardroom storesat last come on board. He heard a sheep bleating and then a cock crowing to the accompaniment of a roar of laughter. He had brought no cock along with his hens; it must belong to someone in the wardroom or the midshipmens
berth.
Someone thumped on the cabin door, and Hornblower snatched up his papers and dropped into his chair. Not for worlds would he be seen standing up and obviously awaiting the hour of departure with discomposure.
Come in! he roared.
A scared young midshipman put his head round the doorit was Longley, Gerards nephew, newly come to sea.
Mr. Bush says the last of the stores are just coming on board, sir, he piped.
Hornblower eyed him with a stony indifference which was the only alternative to grinning at the frightened little imp.
Very good, he growled, and busied himself with his papers.
Yes, sir, said the boy, after a moments hesitation, withdrawing.
Mr. Longley! roared Hornblower.
The childs face, more terrified than ever, reappeared round the door.
Come inside, boy, said Hornblower, testily. Come in and stand still. What was it you said last?
ErsirI saidMr. Bush
No, nothing of the sort. What was it you said last ?
The childs face wrinkled into the extreme of puzzlement, and then cleared as he realised the point of the question.
I said Yes, sir, he piped.
And what ought you to have said?
Aye aye, sir.
Right. Very good.
Aye aye, sir.
That boy had a certain amount of quickness of wit, and did not allow fright to bereave him entirely of his senses. If he learned quickly how to handle the men he would make a useful warrant officer. Hornblower put away his papers and locked his desk; he took a few more turns up and down his cabin, and then, a sufficient interval having elapsed to conserve his dignity, he went up to the quarterdeck.
Make sail when youre ready, Mr. Bush, he said.
Aye aye, sir. Easy with those falls there, youyou
Even Bush had reached the condition when there was no more savour in oaths. The ship was in a horrible state of muddle, the decks were filthy, the crew exhausted. Hornblower stood with his hands behind him in a careful attitude of Olympian detachment as the order was given for all hands to make sail, and the petty officers drove the crew, stupid with weariness, to their stations. Savage, the senior midshipman, whom Hornblower had seen grow from boyhood to manhood under his eye, came shouting for the afterguard to man the main topsail halliards. Savage was wan and his eyes were bloodshot; a night of debauchery in some foul haunt in Plymouth had not left him in the best of conditions. As he shouted he put his hand to his temple, where clearly the din he was making was causing him agony. Hornblower smiled to himself at the sightthe next few days would sweat him clean again.