he found no difficulty in solving the problem: the drunkard must be cured. It had been a terrible time for Bowen, the surgeon, for Southwick, and for Mr Ramage, but they had cured Bowen. And once the drink no longer clouded his brain, left his eyes bloodshot slits and his face a sweat-stained mat of unshaven whiskers, they found the surgeon was a highly intelligent and amusing man. But part of the convalescence had involved preventing Bowen returning to the drink, and once Ramage found that he was a skilful chess player, Southwick had been made to play seemingly endless games of chess.
Actually Southwick himself, now considerably more skilful, enjoyed an occasional couple of games with Bowen, but four or five games a week were enough for him, whereas Bowen was good for four or five games a day. A parson had to be able to play, he told himself as he left the cabin. If he could not, then he could damâ well learn.
Although the seven newcomers had come by different coaches, starting off from London Bridge or the Bricklayers Arms, all had of course followed the Dover Road, stopping for fresh horses at Blackheath, the Golden Lion on Bexley Heath, again at Dartford, at the Chalk Street Turnpike beyond Gravesend, and finally at Rochester before getting out at the Star Inn to spend the night ready to join the
Calypso
early on Thursday.
Aitken had left written orders at the Star for them to come on board at ten in the forenoon. At nine oâclock he reported to Ramage.
âThe foreman carpenter and his men have just left the ship, sir. I inspected the new cabins. The smell of paint is a bit strong, but theyâve swept up all the shavings and scraps of canvas. They even polished the glass windows in the doors. The hinges are greased and all the bulkheads swing up nicely and the doors have drop-on hinges. The doors arenât marked, sir: I can have one of the men whoâs a passing good signwriter paint on âchaplainâ and so on, if you like.â
âWe wonât bother yet. Let them decide. Theyâre going to be spending a lot of time together, and letting them choose their own cabins should sort them out!â
Aitken paused as if he had bad news he was reluctant to report. âItâs about the last lot of men returning from leave, sir.â
Ramage felt a sudden depression. He had trusted the first half of the shipâs company and all but one had returned on time, and the man had come back a day late with a story probably true, of being waylaid and robbed. Why was there trouble with the second half of the shipâs company?
âHow many?â
âThree, sir.â
Ramage sighed with relief. âI thought you were going to say 33. The Dockyard Commissioner wrote to the Navy Board, telling them that I was giving everyone leave and forecasting that Iâd be lucky to get fifty men back.â
âHe must have been basing the estimate on his own men.â
âOr himself. Now, everything is ready for the chaplain and his party? If we can drop down to Sheerness on this afternoonâs ebb we can be alongside a powder barge at Black Stakes soon after daylight tomorrow and be off through the Four Fathom Channel by early afternoon.â
âEverything is ready for them and weâre ready to sail. Iâve hoisted in all our boatsâthey can hire a local sloop, or use a dockyard boat. Young Martin has said goodbye to his father and the letter bag has gone on shore. The tradesmen have been on board to get their bills settled, and Iâve ordered all the women to be off the ship by noon.â
âWouldnât ten oâclock have been betterâbefore the chaplain, ah â¦â
âNo, sir,â Aitken said emphatically. âUnless you give orders to the contrary, Iâd like to watch the parsonâs face as the women go down into the boat. Weâll learn more about him in two minutes than we would otherwise in two months.â
Aitken was
Maggie Brendan
Barbara O'Connor
Jan Washburn
Terri Blackstock
Norah Simone
Barry Kemp
G.P. Taylor
Alan Cumyn
Linda Barnes
Lisa Jackson