OPORTO, 22nd May - Naval Landing Parties

"A drain ain't a privy. An' you don't smell like you're covered in... in that sort of filth, an' nor you don't look like you're covered in it, neither," Thompson returned.

"Hmph. Could've saved it fer 'em, Bakewell." The boy made a face.

"There'um two gone that way." He glanced over his shoulder. "They'll be comin' back sometime soon." He glanced at Butcher briefly, with a curious glance.

"There's more that gone that a way.. behind you. Think they'll have run out though.. 'less t' wall ran down on em."

He thought he heard footsteps of the earlier mentioned Frenchmen. They must've decided that digging their way through would take too much time, when an easier way out was at hand. Could be soon they would be coming into sight.

But Bakewell was not listening. He had turned to see what Butcher had found. "Ah, no, lads, we still got work to do," he said, jealously eyeing the many wine casks and bottles in the storage room. "Gotta clear this area of any more French."

"Ha!" Chase burst out when he saw what Butcher had found. It was more than enough to make the whole fight worth it. There were enough casks in this room to keep Terpsy happy for weeks.

Mathew rolled his eyes at the sailors:" Least you could not be boastin' bout your find infront of t' marines." he indicated Thompson. " Or..." He paused looking at Bakewell and shook his head.

Thompson joined Chase in looking into the room. That could mean trouble... though he hoped it wouldn't. One of the officers needed to be told about it, though, or there would be trouble. He looked around. Chase was the most steady of the seamen there.

"Cob, d'you reckon we'll be told to take this lot down to Terpsy, or destroy it?" he said, quietly.

With an effort, Chase tore his gaze away from the casks. "The admiral'll prolly want it shared out 'mongst all the crews," he said. "If I guess right, anyhow. We might sneak off a cask fer ourselves though, if I ain't right."

The boy shrugged as the men conversed and turned in the direction of the earlier fleeing Frenchmen.

"Did ye 'splode them magazines down there?" He asked noone in particular. He hadn't heard or felt the explosion from the direction of the privy, but a different direction alltogether. Yet when they were entering and attacking the room, that was the reason they tried to come in.

"That's my thought, too. We need us an officer who won't say to leave well alone, that's what we need." The trouble was, he wasn't too sure of any of the Naval officers, and he didn't know Cartwright well enough yet to know what he might say.

Chase shrugged. "Could send a lad off to find the cap'n," he suggested.

" 'Course we did," Seward said to De Guarde. "Din't you hear it?"

"Could do, but it better not be him, not on that state," Thompson said, glancing at de Guarde. "One of you like to go?"

"Yer exploded that'a way." He pointed in the opposite direction. "Not t' one come from t' drain or wot' ye be callin' it." He was sure there might've been a greater chance of death if it had been closer. "Wasn't t'.. magazine room then?"

He pondered whether to just leave the men to debate on what to do with drink, go back to pick his own, have a gulp or two, and stand guard till the Frenchmen decided to show themselves. They might've picked an officer till then and he'd have decided where to hide his own find.

He looked up at Thompson in surprise that they might've been closer to a decision and arched an eyebrow at the mention of his state. Smelly.

Seward gave the boy an odd look. "No, we blew up the magazine. But them Frogs was blowin' theirselves up too, up on the walltop."

"Seward'll go," Chase said.

"I'll what? Oh fer..." Seward cast a glare at Chase before padding off, grumbling to himself.

The boy arched an eyebrow at Seward. Well, he didn't really care. The magazine was destroyed, wherever it was, and they could round up a few Frenchmen while they were at it. "We're not waitin' 'ere are we?" He asked, keeping his distance a little, since he knew he stank badly. There was some blood on the back of his head and possibly at his temple, but he looked dirty enough and covered in dust, not to mention that it wasn't as bright at day, that it was probably not that easy to spot.

"You there!" A new voice called, belonging to a thin-faced Marine corporal. "What is your business here?"

One of the Marines with him grinned and waved at the Terpsies. "Hey, lads! What'd you find?" It was Everett. Pringle and Williams were already padding toward their mates, completely ignoring the men from Defiance now.

"Some of us are, yes. We're goin' to make sure non of them thievin' sods from the other ships get their hands on this stuff. If you know where you can get a bit of clean water, you'd best make a start on cleanin' yourself up, lad."

Thompson grinned at the new arrivals. "Some good stuff, that we don't want them Defiances or whoever nickin'." He frowned as he realised one of the newcomers was a corporal. Bugger it all.

Lyon looked incensed. "What is your name?" He demanded.

One of his Marines sidled toward the door and peered in. "They's wine casks in here, Corporal!" The other Defiances clustered toward the door as well to see. Jostled aside, the Terpsies eyed their counterparts in disgust.

"Not cleanin', Thompson, till we've got t' French secured." Well unless it had been an order, but he knew no place except the very privy to have any special amount of clean water.

The said French alas have heard all the commotion and were again returning to the privy and the caved in door, looking for a way to make it through as quickly as possible.

He remained silent as he saw the Corporal approach, his dislike certain.

Behind the newly arrived Terpsies the Confidences seemed to be coming in as well, probably with the same intent as the ones who'd first discovered the casks.

Bother it all. Where was the Captain when you needed him - or any officer, for that matter?

He scowled at the Defiances in disgust.

There were others coming up to investigate, which made Chase and the other Terspies understandably nervous. They had gotten here first!

"Close on the casks," Chase said to his mates, hoping the Marines would follow their lead. Williams and the others needed no urging. They pushed the Defiance Marines back and succeeding in blocking the doorway, before the newly-arriving Confidences could get too close.

Corporal Lyon glared at the Terpsies. "You men, disperse," he snapped. But he was ignored.

Thompson wasn't sure how long he could ignore the other Corporal's orders. One thing was for certain, though. He wasn't going to let these Defiances take something discovered by a Terpsy. Chase and the others were blocking the door, which was something, but he didn't know how long they would be able to hold out for. Where was an officer when you needed one?!

"Look what they've got." There was no doubt what sailors would huddle and protect with such want. "Sure think they won't want t' share it, the thieves." A sailor from the confidences muttered. They hadn't seen, but a muttered response from a Defiance confirmed their guess.

"There they is, sar." Seward was back, with a coat-less officer in tow.

Corporal Lyon wasted no time taking advantage of the officer's presence. "Sir. These men refuse to disperse. They were trying to steal the wine casks in that room, sir."

The Terpsies glared witheringly at Lyon. The damned liar!

The men from the Confidence backed off a little, smirking in the direction of the Terpsies. "As true as day, sir. We've seen it too." Jimmy of the same ship spoke.

De Guarde looked at the officer and took a step to the marine, not seeing the other group, with the Defiance's infront of them.

Ugh. There wasn't much Thompson could say in direct contradiction of a corporal, whoever he was. "Ain't nothin' missin', sir, if you want to check," he said. That'd show these Defiances up good an' proper, that would.