Boys at Play, 2nd June

That was something he considered for a moment. "Have you any difficulties eating or drinking?" Farley asked. "No pain on swallowing or the like?"

"No sir. None!" he answered eagerly.

Nat Kelly poked his head into the sick berth. “Thought I might find you here. You’re fallin’ apart, you are,” he grinned at Billy, nodding a greeting to the surgeon and the boy, “Sir, Buckles.”

Belatedly he realized the presence of the young officer and hastily raised a knuckle to his brow. “Sorry, sir.”

“He ain’t gone an’ hurt hisself worse, has he, sir?” he asked Farley, noting the bandages with mild concern. They would, of course, have been there all along, but beneath a shirt they were easy to forget.

Good, good. Farley nodded again. "Half ration will do, my boy. You are healing remarkably well but we should not risk that for a cup or two of rum." The white-haired surgeon smiled cheerfully. "Indeed my lad, he has not. In fact, I am quite finished with him. He may return to his mess, but pray do not let him work."

Billy gave a half-sheepish grin and reached for his shirt. "Aye sir, thankee sir! C'mon, Nat."

Nat’s grin returned. “Do my best, sir,” he said, drawing back across the threshold so that Billy could get past.

"I hope you'll be like new soon" James said to the young sailor as he prepared to leave. He almost forgot about his own problem meanwhile. "I've too experienced before how bad it is when you feel almost healthy and can't back to work yet."

"Thankee sir," Billy said, knuckling his forehead to the young officer whom he had nearly forgotten. Then he grinned and made his escape, eager for that half ration of rum.

"Don't hurt yourself, Barrow." De Guarde called after the man, before resigning himself into a quiet, obedient young body, which awaited the surgeon's next order. He glanced briefly at the gentleman that came to the sickbay with a health issue of his own. He appeared physically unharmed, so he was curious what really ailed him.

But, since the remaining bandages appeared unneeded, he began to stack them up to take them back to the cupboard and place them into one of the drawers, where they were to await further use.