OPORTO, 22nd May - Naval Landing Parties

He could kiss the Lieutenant, he really could! Well, maybe not... that would be just... yuck. But he'd never expected an officer to downright lie like that to stick up for someone else.

He managed to keep his thoughts from showing on his face and picked up a bucket someone had kicked over, stepping to the pump after Ware had finished to fill it.

"C'mon, mate," he said to de Guarde. "Let's sort you out. You can borrow my jacket if you need to. Shame yours got all messed up earlier."

De Guarde smiled at Oxley, keeping his back to the midshipman. Somehow he felt that he couldn't be seen or recognised that way. It felt so unreal that he was right infront of Mr. Hollow - which he loathed certainly - and felt actually as if he had an upper hand, because he had such great officers and friends this time.

He helped pump the water even if his head hurt more and he felt somewhat dizzier. He grinned at his friend, feeling the midshipman's eyes on him and then they were gone. He whispered, quietly enough that only the drummer could hear him: "..you.. you marines are amazin'."

Mr. Hollow was looking at the lieutenant. "There should be a few Frogs arriving from eastern side." He spoke calmly. "Will you need any more marines to keep them secured?"

"I think we will be able to handle ourselves," Cartwright replied. "We have certainly held our own thus far." Despite a lack of aid from the admiral, he thought.

"Here, I'll take that, Andrew," he said, grinning at de Guarde. "You look like you're half done in." He wasn't going to say anything else in front of the Confidence midshipman, just in case he started to suspect something fishy was going on.

"Stick with us, we'll see you right." He picked up the bucket, still grinning, and indicated the other Marines. "You can sort yourself out when we're back with them, mate."

Mr. Hollow sensed the underlying message and smiled. "Certainly sir." He looked over his shoulder and studied the sailors as if he had a purpose for it. ".. I'm afraid my duty calls. It was pleasure, sir." He made a short salute. It was clear he wouldn't go too far.

De Guarde nodded to Oxley trying to ignore the midshipman even as he was making a turn. "Owe you. " He murmured as he straightened up, taking a step forward to follow Oxley with the bucket of water. He held a hand out to offer help in carrying the thing.

He grinned at de Guarde, welcoming the help with the bucket. "Let's go sort you out then, Andrew," he said. He daren't say too much, or look too relieved or the midshipman would smell a rat.

"..lets." To the midshipman it might've looked like two mates chatting away while they were doing their duty. Young folk did that. The same folk got in trouble sometimes too for it. But the lieutenant didn't seem to mind.

When they were away enough he dared speak again, and more loudly. "..He's smart... your lieutenant. Dunno how he knew..why he.. but he's bloody smart." He paused and managed a nervous chuckle, not looking over his shoulder only because he felt it might look suspicious if he did and someone wasa looking. "..so, does that mean I'll be red fer t' time being?" A faint grin appeared on his face. Relief made him feel giddy, even if his head didn't seem to care for the small victory.

That was one small crisis averted. Cartwright headed back toward where the prisoners were being held, privately amused at the whole thing.

"Reckon it does, mate," Oxley said, almost giddy with relief. "You owe Mister Cartwright. I thought we was finished till he come up to say his piece. He's... he's the best officer I ever had, ever!"

"He is, n' I know I owe him, n' you." He smiled wishing he could have a loud laugh, a toast and cheer to celebrate this. But just giggling silly was enough. "Thanks. Thanks t' the both of you. N'.. N' he actually lied. Called me Shepherd!" He contained his voice there, didn't want to be overheard by anyone.

"I've never. And he..I don't even know how he knew, but ..well ye Terpsy's marines are summat!" He was talking, a lot, but he couldn't help it. "So..where we'um stoppin' Mr. Semistink?" What could he do for the lieutenant? He didn't know, but this was well worth owing something fer.

"Ask him how he knew. He's.. he's like that. Knew I'd bin in a fight without me sayin' anythin', that time." The Shepherds were going to have a right laugh at this - they loved swapping places with each other to confuse people, and for them to manage that without being anywhere in the area would make them laugh.

"I will...but you're sure he's allright t' talk to?" He did look like it, just that he was a marine lieutenant. It could as well mean he was alright with the marines but not just any Tar or ...well Tar. "You know... I'd like t' meet me new brothers." He grinned. "Though don't know where resemblance left of." He winked helping to carry the water still. He stumbled and caught himself in time.

"Like I said, he let me talk to him 'about that fight without sayin' names and gettin' anyone in more trouble. He... he thinks that... Well, he's one of them that likes folks to talk about things. I can't 'splain it right, not really." He shrugged. "Here, reckon we're safe enough here. You get that awful shirt off an' give yourself a proper wash, will you?"

"Oy, watch where you're goin', Privy!" Sam Oxley exclaimed as they nearly collided with him. "Glad to see you're finally washing off. At least I hope that's what the bucket's for." He grinned at his brother.

"I will bu'..Ain't takin' me slops off unless yer have a decent pair I can replace 'em with." And even then he'd request to have some privacy for it. He began to peel the cloth off of his skin, lifting it over his head. He winced a little when the fabric was pulled across the patch of flesh and skin which had hit the wall, when he was thrown of his feet. A smear of red followed along the shirt, where he pressed the fabric to it.

"He's an odd one. Usually they'd ask yer.. jus' so they found out who's all t' blame fer it. Get them all.. not jus' listen."

And then he nearly ran smack into the other Oxley." Woah.." He stiffened first, thinking he'd run into the Midshipman again. Seeing it was just the sailor Oxley he grinned. "Oy.. m' name's Buckles, ..Andrew Shepherd. Not Privy." He made a face. "Who's you?"

"Oh, well hello Shepherd. I'm Sam Oxley, his brother," he answered easily. "Where you goin' now, Tommy?"

"Uncanny family resemblance." He looked between the two boys." The older one I presume." He took a step back. "He doesn't have yer way of meetin' new people, does 'e , Tom?" Making a motion as if protect his eye, which was probably enough of a joke and tease for the lad to understand.

"'Course he's older'n me. Four years older'n me, near 'nough." He grinned. "Dunno who interduced who first with that all, Buckles. How's your officer, Sam? He ain't goin' to go givin' you what-for if you come visitin' us Lobsters, is he?" He took his hat off, and grinned at the pair of them.

"You wouldn't mind me gettin' m'self more presentable while you two chatter away?" He asked holding his shirt curled up in his hands and thinking it might never smell nice or not smell at all, ever. He just hoped that didn't go the same for him or Lieutenant Cartwright.

"Go ahead, mate. Don't mind us," Oxley said, giving a half-shrug.

"My officer. You mean Mister Deverel? Nah, just sent him off to have his arm sewed up. Our surgeon came ashore. But what's your captain like? What's your ship like?" He looked around to see if anyone else was listening before he confided, "I wouldn't mind getting off the Defiance. I mean, coming to your ship with you. I only been with Defiance a coupla months, and it ain't for me."

The youth knelt by the bucket and began scrubbing away at his face and his hair, deciding that the cleanest water was best used for that. The water turned pinkish as it dribbled over his skin, leaving small trails over his shoulders and back.

"Ow." He touched his hand over the back of his head. "..ow." He muttered, and continued with the scrubbing. The longer he did it, the more convinced he was that it would take a while and a lot more water till he was clean. He listened to the two boys, while they talked, and lifted the bucked a little, dunking the water on him. Atleast his face looking more like his old self.

"She's a good ship, a real good captain. The officers are fair, an' you can't say better'n that, Sam." He looked at his brother, slightly disbelievingly. "You really mean you want to come over to Terpsy? That'd be real good, if you could do that. I think you'd like her, got decent officers. An' they don't have the cat out half as much as some other ships do that I know of."

"Listen t' 'im. Got wisdom that... sometimes." He smiled looking up at the two brothers. Oxley deserved finding the lost sibling. Perhaps he would be lucky and would keep him for longer. They would stay here abouts atleast for a while. Securing the fort, dealing with their prisoners and waiting for more orders.

Half of the water had been used up, and a nice stinky puddle made on the floor, but he still felt as if the filth seeped into his skin and that the stinking was hardly any less.

"Shame you can't swim. Could make you swim back to Terpsy. That might get you half-way clean," Oxley said, looking down at the puddle spreading around de Guarde. "So what happened after you was pressed, Sam?"