OPORTO, 22nd May - Naval Landing Parties

"Don't 'ave to threaten me," Oxley said easily. "'Course I don't think any diff'rent of you. Only that, well, I wish Terpsy'd bin your first ship, is all. I mean, you wasn't 'zackly nice to Cob Chase, when he hadn't hardly said two words to you, but you hadn't bin taught right in your old ship. 'Specially if they was like that all the time to their middies. Ain't any middy - anyone - goin' to learn right if you's scared stiff of makin' a mistake."

He grinned, strewing the chest's contents around the floor. "Thompson's a good'un, right 'nough. Most of 'em is. 'Cept for Shriver, but you know 'bout him. He don't talk much about stuff like that. If you tole him anythin' secret, it'll stay that way, that's sure as eggs is eggs."

"What are ye doing over there? Making a mess! Thought you marines were exempt from that." He shook his head with a small smile. He moved to the other chest and began chugging things out of it. Perhaps they would have found something useful. He just hoped nobody would accuse them of attempting to loot. It wasn't that!

"...Yer... make quite a..critique there." He murmured as if to scold the young marine. ".....but... our ship was.. .well it was in ways stricter than this one.. n' others... well you'd never see a middie become a Tar. Like here."

He realised he had begun to talk without meaning to. Not atleast in such detail. ".....I mean... our.. well. " he was quick to think to speak rather of Thompson, whom they both knew. "...Does.. Thompson talk 'bout .. well, he's never tole a secret that somebody else trusted him with?"

Oxley looked up. "Well, me last ship... me last officer... he was a proper gentleman. I mean, well, he was allus smart as new pin. He'd have an inspection ev'ry week - 'part from Divisions on Sunday, I mean - an' he'd look for the smallest thing to be out of place and all. Only, we never saw him 'part from that. If we had a problem, we couldn't right tell him. Had to tell the Sergeant, an' I dunno that even the Sergeant tole him. He warn't fussed 'bout us, see, not like people. But Mister Cartwright's diff'rent."

He liked Mister Cartwright. More - he worshipped him. What other officer would have let him light the fuse and not told him to buck up or something when they heard the fear in his voice, despite all his best efforts to hide it?

"I never heard that Thompson tole a secret. Not ever. Though I dunno why you'm so worried 'bout it. You ain't asked 'bout me, but I never tole a secret neither."

"I ..don't know. Things that make you weak.. are those that should remain with you...never to be said to another." He sighed and threw a bundled up shirt at Oxley." And already I've broken that rule too many times.. I don't know what it is with you red coats..lobsters. You've had me tongue speakin' when it shouldn't have been!"

He looked up at the ceiling noting a crack that ran half way to the side and saw that there was some rubble that equaled the shape of the lost chunks up above.

"Cartwright is... an interesting man... to say the least. Though I sense he's much more than that to you. Just don't you pray to him like he were a god." He winked. "That would anger someone for sure."

"He... I..." He trailed off. He'd practically made de Guarde tell him - show him - those scars, and he couldn't admit he'd been more than a bit scared in that tunnel.

"I was that damn scared in that tunnel," he said, speaking quietly. "And he knew it - must've done - and never said anythin'. Let me light the fuse and... and was awful nice when he could've told me to buck up, right where ev'ryone could hear."

"You was scared?" He hadn't expected that he too would be let in on a secret, but was glad of it. It made feel as though things were evened out somewhat. "..Sorry, I meant.. I see." He smiled and fetched another pair of slops from the ground.

"Well he must have faith in you that you'll do good. Seen something in you, that even you didn't know, I think." He smiled. "Feels nice ter have someone like that, n' all proud of you, don't it? Say they'um proud or pretend not to see you scared but let you do summat important. Is showing that they have faith in you!"

"Yeah..." he said thoughtfully, and picked up a shirt from the floor, looking critically at it. "It... it makes you want to go on doin' the thing that made them say they was proud of you, don't it?" He looked almost shy. "I never had an officer like that afore, see. Not ever. He's... he's summat special, him."

Even remembering his feelings of near-panic in the dark stinking tunnel made him shiver a little. "Other officers'd've said to buck up, and that would've tole ev'ryone how... how scairt I was." He glanced across at de Guarde, keeping his head lowered a little as though studying the shirt. "I... I never liked dark, closed-in places, see. Not when I know I can't get out."

"Yes. It does exactly. Makes you.. feel accomplished. .. feel like you could do more jus' so you could hear that said again or see it that they were proud. Of course you should do summat because it was an order, not because you felt like the officer was nice saying it. But.. it helps."

He lifted a pack of letters again and studied them then tucked them under his shirt. Perhaps there'd be more paper that he could write on in the pack. If not, he would have found a way to do something about returning it, perhaps.

" Ever something happened to you ,in t' dark.. closed space? Or is jus'.. like summat you was born with fearing?" He asked, also in a soft whisper, placing a hand on Tom's shoulder. He didn't want him to think that he was pitying him as he wasn't.

"Well, he asked if I wanted to light the fuse, so that warn't an order. An' he... well, he never made me go down there." He shrugged. "Got trapped in the outhouse once. See, we had a lean-to sort of thing 'gainst the back wall, an' I got shut inside and the door wouldn't open. Was only a kid at the time, see." He looked up at de Guarde. "Don't go tellin' anyone will you? Please?"

"I won't." He smiled warmly. "Not even on t' threat of death I won't tell." He nodded and reached up and ruffled Oxley's hair. "You silly sod, you've made a promise to me, and so I will to you. N' I promise not to have you shut in no small place.. like a sea chest, not even for a prank."

He sat up. "Mmm. .feels rather nice not to smell like I was part of an outhouse myself... so, though.. tell me, who let you out? From that dreadful place I mean? Who'd helped you at last?"

He batted de Guarde's hand away. "I'm still older'n you, an' don't you forget it, neither," he said. "Was Sam who let me out. Dunno how long I'd bin there, but it was damn cold, an' awful dark." He grinned. "Your hair ain't so clean as it could be," he said, "but you do smell an awful lot better'n you done when we come in here."

"Older you may be, but I'd be quicker if we had a race." He answered though he wasn't quite sure that his feet would carry him about faster than that of his friend. Oxley wasn't the smallest lad and he was older and possibly stronger too. There was a sure kick he wished never to repeat!

"N' was it smelly at all?" He added with a short laugh which was quickly replaced with a scowl. "Hush you or I'll stuff me dirty slops right on your head and see how you like it!" He grinned though , perhaps to show he did not feel offended or angered by the remark. "Need a proper wash.. n' you too. Dunno if they'll give us one once we return on Terpsy, or have us in line before we do."

"I know me trousers ain't so fresh as they have bin, but least I din't go crawlin' through all that muck like you an' Mister Cartwright done," he said. "I hope I can get 'em clean, that's all. Least they warn't me best pair - they'm still on Terpsy. Still, i don't s'pose I'll ever be wearin' these for Divisions ag'in if they won't come proper clean." He looked up. "S'pose we'd best be gettin' back out there afore folks start wonderin' where we've got to," he said, and stood up with a sigh. "You'd better look after me jacket, though, it's the only one I've got."

"You'll jus' have to do lots and lots and lots of scrubbing. Could give you my slops for practice. There's no way I may see any hopes with them though. They're soaked through n' through with the filth. Bet they could near run, if I gave them a pinch." He eyed his trousers sceptically. He could wonder if they were even worth taking anywhere. Perhaps a pair of slops for a pair of slops would work? Leave that to the French or the locals to enjoy, or , which he was more certain, to burn.

"Don't worry about your coat. As long as I'll have it today, it will be protected well and not lost. I promise that. " He stood, stretched for a few steps and then with a light bow indicated the door. "After you." He said and smiled. "..thanks fer ye help...with this all." He added.

"'S all right," he said easily, feeling a lot more comfortable now. He scrambled up and crossed the room to open the door. "Hope we ain't missed anythin'," he said, and kept to himself the hope that the middy off Confidence might have forgotten about them, and be kept busy somewhere else. "Let's go and find Mikey ag'in 'fore the 'Tenant sees we'm missin'."

(and finally the site trouble is over! yay!)

"Think we ain't unless we are wanting for some shoes as well. Which wouldn't be too poor an idea, considering where our feet had been. " He made a face at the image that that thought placed in his mind. Somehow the lack of daylight had been kind to them. He wondered if they'd have even considered entering the tunnel if they could see exactly all that it contained.

"..You think we'll be able to see a surgeon once we get back on board?...or even have one who'll make sense ,any of it?" One that was alive and kicking, he doubted that there wouldn't be plenty of wounded to return home anyway.

He waited for the lad to open the door and peeked out once he'd done it, looking left and right uncertainly. He did spot a blue back, but could not tell which officer it belonged to. "How many midshipmen short are we again?" He hoped that no new midshipmen may arrive on board even with some that left or died.

Oxley looked down at his own feet. His shoes were still wet, and he really didn't want to think about the stuff they'd been wading in, and having to clean it off his shoes and gaiters. The cuffs of his trousers were suspiciously discoloured, too.

"I hope I c'n get these prop'ly clean, or Sar'nt Quinn's goin' to give me what-for," he said, and shrugged as he heard de Guarde's question. "I dunno. Though you don't need a surgeon, do you? If I was you, I'd stay as far away from 'em as I could while I was all prop'ly fit and hearty. An' we can have up to ten middies at once, I think. Though I never heared that any captain likes havin' that many."

"If they can't you could just snatch yourself a pair of trousers here? Though you prolly have a pair already in yer chest. Just don't try to wear these fer inspection. Or if you do.. raise them up high so their stench sends sar'nt Quinn reelin' backwards, faintin' and all forgetting you were there!" He adjusted his slops. Much better now, that they were so clean. They'd need an extra wash once they got back aboard. A good fair scrubbing, and so would he. He just hoped they wouldn't be stood in a line and hosed down or something of the sort.

"..Do you know wot'.. the captain will decide.. as how to have us all cleaned as quick as he can?" He asked and began to walk, not seeing any familiar face yet, or atleast not one that he would loathe to see.

"...Ain't thinking of going to a surgeon. They ain't a very friendly sort, not most of the time." He scowled. "...well ten's good.. though I think that they don't have that many as.. they'd eat t' captains of house n' home, or in this case of ship n' home rather!"

"Dunno if they've got any white trousers that'd fit me. An' I can't wear striped ones like you Tars can, neither, them not bein' proper uniform, like. An' I do have another pair, but I can't wear 'em all the time, and what happens if they's all over dirty when we've got Divisions?"

He shrugged. "Might have to see if I can get some more duck or summat from the pusser and make up another pair... though that'll mean payin' for it. Still, ain't like I'm goin' to see any pay till we get paid off, and who knows when that'll be?"

He stepped outside, not seeing anyone who looked as though they were going to cause trouble. "Why was you askin' about a surgeon if you don't want to see one, then? Don't make sense, that."

"Well, them be soldiers. Tom. They're more keen on having white than they are to having striped. Least, unless they have any other colour on them. For that I cannot vouch." His on slops had been white, though he hoped still to grow into them. The shirt too.

"We can go back fer you to look if they've got anything that would suit ye. That is, though, if we hurry. Ain't good if we get seen idling about!" The benefit of an enclosed space too was, that nobody could see them. Often the - out of sight, out of mind - could well work.

"You can sew?" He was quite astouned at that revelation, though he knew Thompson could. How else could he have cut down his shirt and made it fit, and well at that, a younger lad. Better make sure he was as clean as can be, before he would done that shirt on. No need to risk having a stain on it from the privy.

"Asked 'bout 'im 'couse... well me head still hurts something bad, and It ain't couse I've drunk either." He frowned. "But you've a fine point that.... best stay away from one. I'um sure it will stop." He stopped and looked at Oxley. There was a pair of midshipmen ahead of them, a company of seamen, some marines of the different ships and some prisoners being herded to their meeting point.

"Could do, I s'pose. Though did you see any trousers that looked like they might fit me?" He shrugged and grinned. "We'd have to be awful quick - I think folks might start wonderin' where we've got to if we don't get back to the others quick-sharp."

Another pair of trousers would certainly help, though he didn't know whether they could find anything of use - and the ones he was wearing fit. They just had some very dubious brown stain round the cuffs. Maybe they'd wash out. He didn't know; he'd never gone through a sewer before today.

"I did see several trousers in there. Come, let's have a quick sneak back, n' we can run all the way back to your officers. We'll be safe. And I doubt anybody'd real notice we were gone for this long anyhow. There's so many French prisoners to heard up and all." He took a hold of Oxly's shirt and tugged him along.

"There's another few chests in there. I'll be damned if one doesn't have a pair of trousers that'd fit you. And then.. Aye then we're really goin' back, as sure as we can. Oh.. if you find any of them papers, could you tell me? I've need some if I mean to write and I don't know when I migh' next get shoreleave n'all."

"Don't go tearin' me shirt, will you?" It was a good-natured grumble and the drummer followed De Guarde back into the barracks room without any further protest. He shrugged and turned to another chest that they hadn't opened earlier. "I don't much mind if they have noticed we's gone," he said, pulling things out. "Here, is this sort o' paper any use?" He held out a sheaf of papers tied together with a ribbon before bending to pull out a pair of trousers. "D'you reckon these'd fit?" he asked, holding them up.

"Think you should try 'em, but they do look like a length.. might've been some drummer's or something. Their musician's atleast. Them are young , aren't they?" He asked as he stuffed the papers behind his shirt, looking a bit chubby what with the few he'd put there already. Having his or rather Oxley's coat over the shirt though, mostly concealed that he had anything in possession at all.

"Thanks, the sort you found are just the kind I need. If they have summat written on them, it's no problem. I can tear the part of or such.. any'way thankee!"

Oxley grinned and sat down to start unbuttoning his gaiters. "If you could find a rag or summat - even a shirt - that I can wipe me hands on, I'd 'preciate it," he said, looking disgustedly at the buttons and then his fingers. "I really honestly don't wanta know what all that-there muck was," he said. "But I ain't doin' it ag'in in a hurry, that's for sure."