'Yes, Mr Q?' The gunroom officers of H.M. Brig Hellebore had long since ceased to wrap their tongues round Quilhampton. It was far too grand a name for an animal as insignificant as a volunteer. Once again Drinkwater experienced that curious reminder of Elizabeth that the boy engendered, for Drinkwater had obtained a place for him on the supplication of his wife. Mrs Quilhampton was a pretty widow who occasionally assisted Elizabeth with her school, and Drinkwater had been both flattered and amused that anyone should consider him a person of sufficient influence from whom to solicit 'interest'. And there was sufficient resemblance to his own introduction to naval life to arouse his natural sympathy. He had acquiesced with only a show of misgivings and been rewarded by a quite shameless embrace from the boy's mother. Now the son's eager-to-please expression irritated him with its power to awaken memories.

'Well,' he snapped, 'come, come, what the devil d'you want?'

'Begging your pardon, sir, but Mr Appleby's compliments and where are we bound, sir?'

'Don't you know, Mr Q?' said Drinkwater mellowing.

'N… no, sir.'

'Come now, what d'you see to starboard?'

'To starboard, sir? Why that's land, sir.'

'And to larboard?'

'That's land too, sir.'

'Aye, Mr Q. To starboard is Africa, to larboard is Europe. Now what d'you suppose lies between eh? What did Mrs Drinkwater instruct you in the matter, eh?'

'Be it the M… Mediterranean, sir?'

'It be indeed, Mr Q,' replied Drinkwater with a smile, 'and d'you know who commands in the Mediterranean?'

'Why sir, I know that. Sir Horatio Nelson, K.B., sir,' said the boy eagerly.

'Very well, Mr Q. Now do you repair directly to the surgeon and acquaint him with those facts and tell him that we are directed by Earl St Vincent to deliver the contents of those two hoys astern to Rear Admiral Nelson off Toulon.'