"Sparrow, sir?"

Bolitho saw the sealed envelope in the man's hands and took a deep breath?

He nodded." Yes."

The lieutenant bobbed his head and smiled." Your orders, sir. The boat has been sighted approaching the jetty. I will arrange for your gear to be collected from Trojan when she reaches here." He shrugged." I am not so sure it will ever catch up with you, however?

Bolitho grinned, unable to maintain his outward calm?

"Have it sold for me, eh? Put it towards helping some of those wounded seamen awaiting passage to England."

As he strode towards the sunlight the lieutenant took out a pair of steel-rimmed glasses and peered after him. Then he shook his head very slowly. x remarkable young man, he thought. It was to be hoped he would remain so?

After the shadowy cool of the building Bolitho found the sun's glare harsher than before. As he strode down the coast road, his mind half dwelling on the interview with Colquhoun, he was already wondering what his new command would offer. With, but not of the fleet, there should at least be room to move, freedom from the daily flow of signals and requirements which had been his lot in the powerful Trojan?

He paused at a curve in the road and shaded his eyes to watch the boat which was already drawing near to the jetty. He shivered in spite of the heat and started to walk more quickly towards the sea. To anybody else it was just one more boat going about its ship's affairs, but to him it represented far more. x first contact. Some of his men. His men?

He saw the familiar shape of Stockdale standing beside some of his newly bought belongings and felt a sudden touch of warmth. Even if Colquhoun had said that not one single man of Bolitho's prize-crew could be spared for his first command he felt sure Stockdale would have arrived aboard in his own way. Thickset and muscular, in his broad white trousers and blue jacket, he reminded him of some indestructible oak? He, too, was watching the approaching boat, his eyes slitted against the light with critical interest?