Light duties and men

He had earlier used the hair for grip and nothing more, but now he froze for he heard a voice behind him. He released any hold that he had on Mr. Yates and was right then hoisted up by his collar so that he choked a moment before he was steady. " N-nothing." He stammered.

"Well, if it was nothing, you won't mind stopping it then, will you? Sir."

Peter dabbed at his cheek. It was beginning to sting but it did not feel as if there was much damage, just a graze with a slight oozing of blood. "We were ... " None of the excuses he could think of would work. He licked his lips and tried anyway. "Mr de Guarde was teaching me - if we get into a boarding action..."

"..Yes." He looked to Yates and then slowly nodded:"... he better learn here.. when his life doesn' depend on it."He smiled faintly, more confident like:" Than when we are in the heart of battle...if I weren't rough on him.. he'd think it easy do when the real Frog comes at him." He turned silent quickly after. The excuse was good, but they could only hope that anybody was buying it.

As an excuse, it was among the better ones Quinn had ever heard, though delivered so completely unconvincingly that it could be attempted to be believed, with any seriousness. However, one of the boys had been caned not so long ago, and the other was not the sort to be caught fighting without good reason.

"I suggest that your attempted boarding action ceases - now! - and you find some other way of occupying yourselves. Separately." He released their collars and looked at them. "Or Mister Leat may hear of it, and you don't want that, now. Do you?"

Peter smiled his most innocent smile at the Sergeant, while agreeing mentally that it would indeed be best if Mr Leat were not told. He turned to de Guarde. "If I hadn't slipped, I'd have had you then. I think I know how to do it now." There was a bite to his words. He would be more careful in future, because he did not think that de Guarde was going to call it quits.

Quinn nodded. "Good. Now, do you think you can keep apart until eight bells, or do I need to find you something to keep you occupied with?"

Edrington turned back towards Thompson, as things settled down. "Air," he confirmed and then shrugged. "Like a pea-shooter, I suppose. Only with greater pressure than a human mouth can manage. I don't know if I believe it either, but it must work, or the Austrians would not have equipped a regiment with them. I must hope that it works, or it will be a very short demonstration."

His smile wasn't as innocent as Peter's but it was there, and it was struggling to be as good. He turned to Mr. Yates then and though in mind he was glaring at him, in person he was just smiling, like a fellow that was proud of his pupil:" Yes, you did a good job. With a bit more practice.." A meaningful few words:" You may be up to challenge any Frog." He took a tender step to the side and away from the sergeant.

"But not now, .. you deserve some rest of it." He bit down the next retort. No, he did not want Leat to know. His reputation was bad as it was and he could not bear another punishment yet. Not even if it meant that Mr. Yates would suffer it with him.

He smiled again most pleasantly at the sergeant:".. We will certainly not continue this today."

"I should hope you would see fit not to continue it at all," Quinn replied, wondering just what De Guarde had learned on his previous ship. He hoped it hadn't spoiled him for future service in the Navy, but two days in and he'd already begun to develop a reputation as a bully.

"Right, the pair of you, go and find something useful to do, and keep away from each other, or I will find you something to do where I can keep an eye on you."

"Thank you. We'll ... " Smiling made his cheek sting, but Peter turned one on de Guarde, and then back on the Sergeant. The thought of being kept an eye on was rather appealing, but could not last forever. He moved away for them, making for the bow in the hope of finding somewhere quiet to sit. And to think.

"And what of you, Mister De Guarde? Do I need to find something for you to do?"

"..I... I think no..." He watched the younger boy leave. He then turned to the sergeant. He had much to consider and hope that he was not called up for duty soon, even if light. And he also needed to change his breeches, even if the new would be as quickly stained as the old. He had the boy so close to being beaten bad. Ah well, the ship was small, the voyage was long, there would be other times, when things would go bump in the night. And hurt too. "I'm on light duty today..."

"That doesn't mean I couldn't find a way of keeping you out of mischief. If I hear anything else of you before eight bells, I will find you some useful employment where I can keep an eye on you. If you are sure you will not be going after Mister Yates - or anyone else, you may go. Sir."

"I would not dream of it." He spoke on the account of mischief. No duty till one decides and calls for him, while his mind is occupied with only the discomfort and the pain and does not concetrate on anything else, or to ask for duty, make a fair impression and distract yourself properly from feeling bitter and pitying yourself for long.

"..Actually,..I would prefer something." He decided. Distractions were good. So were better impressions.

"All right, then. I was just about to start checking over the arms locker to see whether any of the weapons need looking at. Come on, this way."

He nodded smiling and feeling the small sting of his lip and the bruise that had been forming since the punch. Nevermind either now. His walk was slower than that of the sergeant, though he was trying to keep up. The duty suggested wasn't hard, nor was it demeaning. He was thankful for both. "Right away."

Quinn wondered whether there were any good in the boy, or whether it had been beaten out of him aboard Confidence. This might be a good time to talk to the lad and find out. Not that De Guarde was his responsibility, of course, but it didn't seem as though he was on good terms with the middies' berth, and the lieutenants probably scared him stiff.

He unlocked the arms locker. "What do you think about starting with the muskets first?"

"If you believe it right." He nodded softly gazing at the locker with mild curiosity and anticipation. Surely it was a mere and uneventful task that he did come here to do, but it was just as well that he could enjoy it.

"I mean, surely.. sounds good so." He wasn't sure if his earlier answer had come across unpleasantly and though he usually would not care he gave atleast the tiniest effort to make any misunderstandings understood.

Quinn smiled, recognising the effort for what it was.

"If folks here ask you a question, they ain't trying to trip you up, or trick you into sayin' summat you shouldn't. They want to know what you think. Or, when it comes to taking your examination, they'll be asking you what your books say."

He pulled the first musket out. "Right, now, we're looking to see if there's any rust, if the flint needs changing and if the lock works properly. What can you tell me about this musket, if you have that information?" He held it out. "You can take it, if you like, but they are heavy things."

"... I don't think I'll be sent for the examination." He looked downward slightly. He hadn't expected the small lecture and wasn't sure if it the man wasn't just saying things of theory and not understanding how it all went in the real world. But he was older, and...

He cast that thought aside and carefully peered at the musket. Rust, flint, lock. He put on a confident face and reached out taking the heavy musket into his arms. He sure would not be intimidated by a little bit of weight! He blinked realising how very heavy it really was, but again kept a determined look on his face while he inspected it.

"I think there's no rust here,... the flint.. I think the flint's allright. it's not shattered or cracked or anything." He looked a bit uncertain at the lock. He hadn't fired a musket before, but seen it done. He looked fearful that he would not supply the man with a quick and right answer, so very tentively he added: "T' lock is.. in fine condition too. Doesn't.. um.. jam like."

Quinn smiled. "I daresay you've never fired a musket. Here, if I hold it, it'll be easier for you." He took the weight of the weapon, holding it so De Guarde could see the lock properly. "What you do, is pull the flint back one click, then close the pan. That's on half-cock now, as safe as a musket can be when loaded. Then pull the flint back a second click, to full cock, which makes her ready to fire. Then you pull the trigger, and watch for the spark."

He felt embarrased, his cheeks turning red as he observed and listened to the explanation given. He nodded slowly and did as he was told, knowing the musket not to be loaded, else pulling the trigger might not have been the smartest thing. ".. I saw it fired." He murmured softly. He relaxed after a moment, for the sergeant hadn't scolded him for doing a foolish little mistake. Instead he looked patient and welcomed teaching him?

He saw the spark after he pulled the trigger and looked up:".. t' spark is a good thing, no?..n'... t' mechanism worked allright. I mean.. it did all it should, so t' musket's fine!" He nodded then very tenderly he added:" I.. think so... atleast."

"I think you're right, that musket is fine." He put it to one side and pulled out a second musket. "Now, you're a fast learner, so you should be able to check this one yourself, though I'll hold it for you because of the weight."

He seemed willing to learn, which was good. Maybe that's where it had all gone wrong... the lad wanted to learn, but had had only bad examples given to him, and hadn't been given clear guidance since arriving on Terpsy? Quinn wondered whether he could speak to Mister Leat about that, though it would have to wait till later.

At the compliment the boy blinked so startled and surprised that at first it looked as if he did not understand a single word that the sergeant was saying. Light appeared in his eyes then, which hadn't been present a mere moment ago. Not fear, but just a bit of pride, accompanied him when he checked the second musket.

He pointed to a tiny bit of rust that he found on the barrel and then he tried the procedure that just a moment ago was shown to him. Half-cock, full-cock.. and the trigger. He pulled it. The system itself looked to work good, but there wasn't a good spark he could discern. Or atleast he thought there wasn't one. So carefully he looked to the sergeant, contemplating his judgement.

"..there's a bit of rust.. but t' lock works .. the flint I'm not too sure 'bout. wasn't a good spark." He hesitated and then added:".. You always call it a her?.. like we do a ship?"