15th June: It's gone

"You not look concern." Gunn was quite hating the fact that he could not speak eloquent enough, or in his own tongue, so that the boy would understand him.

"..That's why I thought.." Almost sounded good, this time. "..Can ask your brother? Soon?" This was just getting silly. If Oxley had not mislaid his sticks, and the Shepherd was actually having a valid reason for not being concerned about the whereabouts of his own sticks, who had them? Where were they? Not that it mattered to Gunn. He was no drummer.

Thomas scoffed. "Why should I? Andrew's prolly borrered 'em for some prank or other, that's what he does. Don't tell me nothin' half the time, does he?"

"Borrow Old Tom's too?" Gunn arched a brow. Perhaps this was nothing more than a simple prank of Andrew's making. He would not be surprised if it was. Though it was rather cruel to make their friend near loose his head because of it.

Did he look like he had all the answers? "I dunno." It was something to ask Andrew, if the idiot ever showed up again.

"..Better sort it out, soon." Before they lost the last pair and all three would find themselves in dear trouble because of a silly prank. His work there was done however. The boys who were teaming with the want to know, would have to wait as well.

Unless they were smart enough and went on a hunt for the other Shepherd. "I Give needle back soon." He concluded, raised the said object and turned to move back to his 'seat'.

"Right." Not like it was any of Gunn's business. Did he think he was Corporal Johnson or something? Thomas grimaced and silently admonished himself for such an unkind thought. He didn't know where it had come from and resented that such a thought should have even cropped up.

Embarrassed now, he returned his attention to his polishing.

The boys could not wait any more impatiently than they did for the news the big marine was suppose to bring. Only, he just sat there for a while and did his business. Several were tempted to attempt their second invasion into the marine's messdeck, but after a longer consideration and thoughts of corporal Johnson, they abandoned such brave attempts.

The rumours that all of the sticks were missing along with the drums, why, the whole seachests belonging to drummers, were spreading fast and each story and bit of news was more spectacular than the next. The younger ones made a better, less believable story, but the older group kept it more hushed up.

"..A'right now.. so.. we's sent those to wait on the marine. What did you find so far?.. Any Shepherds?" Given a shake of several small heads, the answer was clear. "...Mmm.. there mus' be another way we know what'all's gone! An' why!"

"I'll say this. If there wos' a thief that took them, we ought ter tell an officer." Brown spoke gazing about at the assembly of boys. " But..if'n they lost them, goin' ter an officer will get them in trouble." Reasoned the 11 year old Green. Sam Tupper should his head at that." Don't make sense they loose them all at the same time." Young nodded and added with confidence: " He'm right. They'm marine drummers, but even them aren't that daft an' forgetful."

"Can be quite messy though. That big 'un, fer example, an' that other one I've seen. Mess you couldn't believe!" Green again this time.

"Tupper arched a brow. "You weren't going about the mess uninvited were you?" Many small heads turned to look at little Green.

"Only once, but that'un was a while ago." The boy admitted and then hastly added." An' they all had their sticks on them a'ready after. They played many time."

There was a short silence and then the boy added just as quickly, for he was innocent of the deed and very convinced to let them not think different. "Didn' go there after. An even then I saw it couse him big one was there lookin' fer somethin' in his chest. The other big one. Aye. Though I bet they're both messy!"

Tupper shook his head. This was taking them nowhere. Running in circles, that's what they were doing. Maybe it was a best bet to go tell an officer but there were very few volunteers for that. If they could manage to atleast locate one of the midshipmen. Fletcher sounded like a good sort and he'd been friends with Button, or so some thought. Maybe they could ask Button to go tell! If there was a thief on board, who knew when they'd steal the next bit. Perhaps it would be a nice chunk of stale, hard tack, perhaps not even their secret little stashes were safe!

It was all that fear and the mere fact it did just sound exciting to go on a such a chase.

"Would someone mind telling me," came a clipped voice from behind the small group. "What on earth is going on here?"

Terry started and spun round. His eyes went wide at the sight of the formidable Second Lieutenant. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, trying to think of something to say. Telling the officer that it looked as though the drummers had mislaid their drumsticks would get them all in awful trouble... Even if Mister Leat wasn't as fierce as Terry had thought he was, he couldn't see any other outcome once the officer knew what had happened.

Leat looked over the gaggle of young faces that had now turned towards him, each wearing the expression, Button included, of a rabbit frozen in surprise by a fox.

"Well?" he asked bluntly. There had to be a reason why practically all the ship's boys were huddled together down here below decks so near to the Marines' mess. It was not anywhere near a mealtime, and they did not seem to be preparing for a skylark.

Thompson had given Gunn and the other Marines enough time to do whatever they needed to do, and he really needed to think about checking the various sentries. He paused as he approached the Marines' mess though.

It seemed as though most of the ship's boys were outside for some reason, although he couldn't think why... unless they had somehow got wind of what had happened.

And they looked as startled as anything when Mister Leat accosted them. He shifted his bundle of sewing to under his left arm, freeing his right hand so he could offer the Naval officer a proper salute.

"We'um...we'um...We'um..." Green said, his voice shaking. Tupper was mulling over what answer to give to the lieutenant. He was older and thus more experienced in not starting to speak, until he had an answer. The younger Green was.. quite green about that sort of thing.

The boy stood there, mouth partly agape his eyes averted to observe Mister Leat's shoes, as if those were the most interesting thing he had ever seen. He regretted speaking, as now he felt, quite like Button, that he was singled out and would have to betray their findings or lie. He could not lie to the lieutenant. He'd get in awful trouble that way! He'd be hanged! Well, that was atleast what he feared, and the longer he thought about hiding the truth, the worse he imagined would happen , if he did.

"We were lookin' for something." Brown interrupted before any of the boys could give a sensible answer. Tupper looked in the direction from which another figure was coming. Corporal Thompson. Oh dear.

Tupper gave Brown a glare. Though really, what could they have said. A lie would be no good. Truth? They did not know it as well as Oxley, and they still had no news from the Shepherds, though they were starting to get suspicious that between the three boys, only one pair of sticks was now shared. Unsupported information though, that. Which only meant they could actually not say it without possibly saying something untrue. Good. Atleast that!

Leat raised a scornful eyebrow, seeing how Brown's unpremeditated squeak had angered and frightened the other boys. It seemed that they were definitely up to no good then.

"Is that so?" he queried dryly. "Well, whatever you are looking for I would have been surprised if any of you boys would have been careless enough to leave it in the Marines' mess."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Thompson returning from the foredeck with a bundle of sewing under one arm. The corporal halted and gave him a salute, which Leat automatically acknowledged with a nod of his head. Doubtless Thompson would not be happy with this lot clogging up the after part of the deck either.

"We'um,.. um.. trying to find not something for ourselves.... but .. but.. "Brown stammered and dropped his gaze nervously. Tupper was no longer trying to save the situation and was looking at the Corporal.

"...Is' jus...summat fer marines that ain't there!" Yes, the youngest can break under pressure and there was one boy who feared to get in trouble more than the others. The poor thing.