10 June; Mess Duties

Sense?

Terry had to pinch himself surreptitiously when Mister Evans said that. The quartermaster thought he, Terry Button, had sense?

Nobody had ever said anything like that to him before.

Wait, that wasn't quite true... Mister Leat had said something like it, last week.

It still wasn't the sort of thing that Terry was used to hearing though.

"I 'ope it will," he said, renewing his mental vow to not get further than a yard away from Mister Leat if he possibly help it, in case it didn't sort Seward out.

Tide nodded. "It will."

He would see to that!

"You... You's awful nice," he ventured, looking up. "Never had nobody be nice t'me afore you an'... an' Mister Leat."

A grin brightened Tide's face. "Ain't no use bein' cross, most times, is there? 'Sides. Learnin's easier when the fella doin' the teachin's a decent sort, usually."

That, he thought, and the ships' boys got enough chasing about from other men aboard. It was no great sacrifice to him to look after them a little.

"Mind," he added, lowering his voice conspiratorially, "don't go spreadin' it around, like. Lads might think I'm goin' soft."

De Guarde observed as messes settled back down. The actual mess on the floor was cleared up, plates snatched of the floor. Their kid remained standing untouched, awaiting its mess cook of the week, which however would not be coming.

The lad frowned and moved up to it. He'd clean it up along with everything else that needed washing and hope Chase would come back soon and not be flogged when he did. "S' not fair." He muttered to himself, thinking of Chase. He wondered what Tide Evans had to talk about and hoped it was all just about Seward and what a cruel man that was.

Terry gave him a watery sort of grin. "I won't, honest." Though how anyone could think Mister Evans had gone soft was beyond him.

"Good lad." Tide reached out to ruffle the boy's hat about. "G'an back down back to your mess, or they'll clean your plate off for you."

"They won't," he said decisively. Before he could talk himself out of it, and wondering slightly at his own daring, he slipped his arms around Mister Evans and gave him the briefest hug imaginable before running below back to his meal.

The hug caught him thoroughly unawares but before he could even begin to think about reacting to it, the boy was gone down the ladder. Of all the... Tide shook his head, slowly, and realised he was grinning. Anyone else would have Button pulled up for that, but what was the use in that? Poor lad was just that. A lad.

Schooling his face back into impassivity, the quartermaster made his way below again as well. There was still a conversation to be had with De Guarde.

De Guarde sat close to the kid now, his finished plate infront of him. He was feeling pensive. He heard the pitterpatter of small feet, and saw Button reemerge below, just to scamper of to his mess. There was some food left for him there, probably.

He shrugged and turned to stare at the kid. He did not hear the quartermaster approach, distracted as he was with nudging his forefinger against the kid. He peered in it again and remembered his time as a mess cook. So much changed since.

"Boy." Tide's voice was hard and sharp. "Leave off playin' with that. You'n I need to be havin' a chat."

"Here?.."He asked timidly and turned. He looked a little afraid as he saw it was Evans, though he had known that already by his voice.

As much as he might have liked to hold the conversation here, Tide knew better. "Topside," he growled and ignored the questioning glances turned his way from the others in Chase's mess.

"Aye." The boy answered abruptly and shuffled from behind the table. He stood beside Tide Evans, ready to follow him topside the moment the man might move himself. He felt queasy, his face probably as pale, as he felt.

"You first." He would not put it past the boy to attempt to duck out of doing as he was told.

"..Aye." Dutifully the boy stepped infront of Tide Evans and then lead the way past the other men and their tables. He continued up the companionway and only stopped when he thought that they reached their destination.

He turned around, gulping and looking up. "..H...here?" He tugged on his sleeve and added. "..a'right?"

The foc's'le was good enough, Tide supposed. "It'll do." He did not trouble himself to glance aft. The barest hint of unease on his part would draw the suspicion of the officer of the watch. "Ain't I told you to keep clear of Seward?"

"I wos' at me mess eatin'. I didn' look fer trouble." De Guarde answered, staring at the floor. "...I didn'!"

"Oh of course not. Trouble just follers you about." Tide folded his arms over his chest. "I ain't forgot you bein' the one got Seward a few stripes a coupla days ago. Neither does he. An' I knows why. Now he's bound for a few more and he ain't gonna be blamin' Chase for it only, that's sure!"

He shook his head, just barely suppressing a sneer. "You ain't done much 'cept make things sticky for the lads since you come aboard. Can't keep yourself to yourself, or let things alone even after bein' told. It's only luck for you I ain't a proper officer, or I'd have you up there with them other two for some strokes!"

"I didn' do anythin' today. I was jus' comin' ter eat. I'm still 'llowed ter eat in t' same mess!" De Guarde spoke quietly, his hands balled into fists yet lacking the stubborness, confidence or conviction.

"You wouldn't have me flogged.. not like that." He shook his head and scowled. "I'm a boy. I get t' puss wors'...not back stripes!" He lifted his gaze to look at Evans. "Please don' have Chase striped..he'um innocent." He did not say Steward was to blame, but just defended his Tar.

The stupid boy. "Ain't a thing wrong with eatin'. It's makin' yourself an obvious nuisance that's a problem. Seems you're always in the middle of whatever's goin' bad." The quartermaster let out a short, sharp sigh. "I can't do, more like, or I would - and that'll be God's truth! Serve you right. There ain't a thing I can do 'bout them other two even if I wanted. It's up to the cap'n now and he ain't likely to stop it neither."

"But..." De Guarde protested. "I really didn'...I was askin' Chase if we was to learn after we ate...'fore I went back ter t' sick berth." He winced and frowned. Tide Evans thought he was a bad character, possibly something of a trouble instigator perhaps, certainly one who problems would be attracted to!

"W..why would you have me flogged, Mister Evans?" He asked. He could not tell him or anyone else about Cattling. Served him right, what Evans would say and had said. "Wot'...if I go ter t' captain an..ask 'im ter spare them?" He could not ask for one without putting blame to the other and he feared that in doing so the night at the Heads would repeat itself. "...Or...wot' do ye want me to do?" He asked upset.

" 'Cause it might teach you better'n anythin' else to keep to yourself."

Go to the captain. Was the boy out of his mind? Thinking on it, even for a second, perhaps he was. Tide made a face. "Oh aye, sure, go to the cap'n. That'll do. Just so long's you tell him your own part in things too."

There was almost no point in this, he realised. The boy had no concept of being wrong. "I want you to do what you're bloody told," the quartermaster said. "There's no use in a seaman that don't mind when he's given an order. And for God's sake let that poor lad Button alone."

"...I'll remain away from everyone. " The boy answered with resignation. He was bruised both physically and mentally but for the first he could not tell anyone and for the second nobody would care.

He sighed. For a moment the thought that he could attempt a second swim crossed his mind. Voluntary swim that nobody might notice. He shook his head and frowned. "I was ordered to help in the sick berth. I did so. I was not ordered to eat there...but if this is the order you give me,... I will make arrangements and I will not leave the place until relieved.. or ordered different." Thompson had no time anymore, Chase would not want to see him having gotten his second flogging in ways because of him.

Why was he even wasting his time?

"If that's what you was told to, best you go an' do it," Tide said shortly. And leave the business of worrying about other boys to those who could manage it better, he added silently.