Reporting Suspicious Bumps in the Night

Terry had been thinking things over, and the earlier conversation with de Guarde had helped him make his mind up. He still wasn't sure whether it had anything to do with the later events of that night, but it wasn't right.

Part of his indecision was due to the fact that he wasn't entirely sure any of the officers would even listen to him, never mind actually believe him. And although he was in Mister Bush's division, there was no way the First Lieutenant was going to listen to anything a mere ship's boy had to say.

Even though he wasn't on duty this watch, Tide was on deck and enjoying the sunshine. It was a relief to have a little free time to himself. He tucked a pinch of snuff into his bottom lip and sighed contentedly, leaning with careless ease against the rail. Fortunately he was up on the foc's'le, out of easy reach of the officer of the watch.

He didn't want to go straight to Mister Bush. He was more than a little scared of the First Lieutenant, no matter that he was in Mister Bush's division.

What if this was a mistake? What if he hadn't seen anything worth reporting, and Mister Bush thought he was just wasting his time?

He sent a nervous glance aft, before wandering up to to foc'sle to find a quiet corner to think things over properly.

He started when he realised he'd nearly walked right into Mister Evans, who was leaning on the rail, contentedly chewing baccy.

There was a boy on the foc's'le now. Tide nodded companionably at the lad. "Aft'noon," he greeted.

"Art'noon, Mister Evans," Terry said. He debated for a moment and made his mind up. If anyone would know what he ought to do, Mister Evans would - and he was one of the more approachable petty officers anyway.

"Um... Mister Evans? Can I ask you summat? Please?"

Tide glanced curiously at the boy. "Sure thing."

"Um..." He twisted his fingers, not sure how to put this now that it had come down to it. "You 'member the night Buckles... de Guarde... come aboard, an' there was a dinner in the Cabin, an' later someone went overboard?"

He thought a moment, then nodded. "Aye, I 'member. What 'bout it?"

"Well... I seen a couple of sailors that night, jus' a bit before they yelled man overboard. They was carryin' summat between 'em, looked kinda heavy. And..." He trailed off.

Well. Tide considered this. If that was so... "You seen it all?" The quartermaster asked.

"I seen... Well, I was in me 'ammick - watch below, an' someone bumps me, see. So I wakes up, thinkin' I was bein' called on deck for change of watch, only 'course it wasn't that. An' a bit later, a couple of 'em come back past, carryin' summat between 'em. And, well, I was 'alf asleep and didn't know what it was - don't know what I though it was, even." He bit his lip. "Seen a bit of 'em, too. Though... I dunno that I seen enough to... to tell a officer."

Tide's brow furrowed. 'You seen a bit of 'em? Enough mebbe to know 'em by sight?"

This was bad. Very bad.

Terry thought. "Think so, pretty much. The taller cove had a striped waistcoat on and the other guy had a queue that he tucked into his belt, an' 'e was wearin' his knife on the left."

Hmm. Tide thought about that a minute. He thought he might know who Button meant, but he couldn't be sure.

"Did you hear them say anything?"

He shook his head. "They didn't say anythin' that I 'eared, no, sir."

Hmm. Well, that mostly made sense, Tide supposed. "Prolly not. D'you s'pose you could spot 'em if you was to see 'em again?"

"Think so," Terry replied doubtfully. "Though, it was dark." He really didn't want to be responsible for getting anyone hanged, but if it came down to it, he wasn't going to hide what he'd seen.

True enough. Tide turned outward toward the rail and spat out some tobacco juice into the sea.

"Best to 'port that to an officer," he said as he faced the boy again. The sooner, the better.

Terry's heart sank. Somehow, he'd expected Mister Evans to listen to what he had to say and tell an officer for him. He poked at the wooden planking of the deck with a bare toe.

"They ain't likely to lissen to me, Mister Evans," he said. Even if he did get the courage up to try to tell an officer, he was likely to be told in no uncertain terms to be about his duties.

"They ain't gonna heed me t'all," Tide replied. "It weren't me what saw anythin'."

"So?" The gulf between Terry Button - boy, third class - and the officers was as wide as the ocean. Mister Evans was much more likely to at least be listened to than Terry was.

He scuffed at the deck planking with his bare foot. "Won't lissen to me, sir. More likely to send me off with a flea in me ear." And if there was one thing he didn't want, it was to come to the attention of the officers. That was generally bad, very bad - look at what had happened to de Guarde only yesterday!

Tide shook his head, smirking slightly. "Well, d'you reckon they'll jus' take my report on it as God's truth, considerin' I weren't nowhere near what happened?" He spat another stream of tobacco slime over the side. "Knowin' this lot, they'll be wantin' to hear it from whoever did see."

Terry gaped at the quartermaster. "I ain't sayin' as you oughta tell 'em what I jus' telled you, Mister Evans," he said, though he rather wished the older seaman would do precisely that. "On'y... Well. I can't 'zackly go up to 'em and say as I've got summat to tell 'em. Not... not..." Not being only a ship's boy and thus the lowest of the low, he meant.

What he needed, really, was someone to tell the officer that he, Terry Button, had something they needed to hear.

But there wasn't anyone who came to mind who he could ask to do that. And it wasn't like he really wanted to talk to the officers anyway. He kept away from them - a long way away - as much as possible, after all.

Silly beggar, Tide thought. He shook his head again and dipped his thumb and forefinger into his mouth, fishing out what left of the snuff. "No, that's sure, you can't," the quartermaster agreed. "But I can."

He flicked the tobacco over the side and wiped his fingers dry on his trouser leg.

Finally. He still didn't particularly want to have to face the officer of the watch, but at least he had a better chance of being listened to if Mister Evans were there to tell the officer it was important.

He just hoped they would think it was important... Well, he half-hoped they'd think that. And he half-hoped that he'd get sent away and nothing would come of it.

He looked up at the quartermaster. "Thanks for... for lissenin', Mister Evans. And 'elpin'."