Alexander Kent: Sloop Of War

flotilla. With these and nothing more I am expected to patrol and seek out the enemy, run errands for the fleets dab away the tears of rich merchantmen whenever they sight an unfamiliar sail. It would need a force five times as large, and even then I would hope for more?

He turned to watch Bolitho's expression as he stared across the shimmering water?

Bolitho said slowly, "Three sloops-of-war." He saw a tiny armed schooner anchored beyond the others. Was she to be his? He swallowed hard." And a schooner."

"Correct." Colquhoun moved to his table and picked up a heavy decanter. As he held it against the sunlight he said, "You are being given the Sparrow, Bolitho? Eighteen guns and only two years old." He eyed him flatly." Next to my frigate, she is the best under ma command."

Bolitho could only stare at him?

"I do not know what to say, sir."

The other man grimaced." Then say nought." He poured two glasses of brandy?

"I have no doubt of your ability as a sea-officerB

Bolitho. Your past record is proof of that. To obey and carry out orders without question is one thing, however? To lead others, to hold their skills and lives in your hands without ever losing grip, is something else entirely." He offered him a glass." To your first command, Bolitho. I wish you more of the luck which has guided your feet to this year of '78, for I promise you will need it!"

The brandy was like fire, but Bolitho's head was still reeling and he hardly noticed it. A new sloop. The best under Colquhoun's command. In a moment he would awake aboard Octavia to find today just beginning?

Colquhoun said calmly, "Your predecessor in Sparrow died recently."

"I am sorry to hear it, sir."

"Hmm." Colquhoun studied him thoughtfully." Fever? His first lieutenant is too junior even for temporary command." He shrugged." Your timely arrival, the blessing of our devoted admiral, and, of courses Bolitho, your obvious qualities for the appointments made you an immediate choice, eh?" He was not smiling?

Bolitho looked away. It would be safer to assume from the beginning that Colquhoun had no sense ob humour?

He said, "I will do my best, sir."

"Be sure of that." Colquhoun took out his watch and flicked it open." Sparrow is at full complement. For seamen, that is. I will have to send your prize-crew to other vessels in greater need. Unless you have any particular fellow you wish to keep?"

"Yes, sir. Just one. I appreciate that."

Colquhoun sighed." You are a curious mixture. E Cornishman, I believe?"

"Aye, sir."

"Ah well…" He did not continue. Instead he said, "] have made arrangements for a boat to collect you in a half-hour. Your documents will be ready by then."

Bolitho waited, half expecting some fresh advice?

Colquhoun seemed to read his thoughts and said quietly, "From time to time you will receive written instructions. But you will only be told what to do. Ho/

you achieve success and carry them out will be your burden alone." He turned back to the window, his eyes on the careened frigate." I have held four different commands. The first was, of course, the most exciting? But also, as I recall, the loneliest. No more could I ask for help from my companions in the wardroom. Nor could I seek freedom outside my hours of duty. In earlier days I always imagined a captain to be a kind of god, put on earth to command and to leave all worra of execution to mere subordinates. Now, I know different, as you will."

Bolitho picked up his hat." I shall try and remember that, sir."

Colquhoun did not face him." You will not. You will think you know better than everyone else, which is as it should be. But somewhere along the way, in the teeth of a gale, or facing an enemy broadside, or becalmed perhaps with the ship's people near mad with thirsts you will know the true meaning of command. When you need help and advice most, and there is none. When all others are looking aft at you, and you have the power of life and death in your fingers. Then you will know, believe me."

He added shortly, "You may wait in the room by the

entrynce."

The interview was ended?

Bolitho crossed to the door, his eyes on the silhouette against the bright window. It was such an important moment that he wanted to hold on to every part of it. Even the furniture and the well-stocked decanters?

Then he closed the door behind him and returned to the waiting room. When he looked at his watch he saw he had been just twenty minutes in the building?

At the window he stood staring at the small ships on the far side of the anchorage, trying to distinguish one from the other, wondering what she would be like. What his company would think of him?

Eventually the door opened and an elderly lieutenant peered into the room?

"Sparrow, sir?"

Bolitho saw the sealed envelope in the man's hands and took a deep breath?

He nodded." Yes."

The lieutenant bobbed his head and smiled." Your orders, sir. The boat has been sighted approaching the jetty. I will arrange for your gear to be collected from Trojan when she reaches here." He shrugged." I am not so sure it will ever catch up with you, however?

Bolitho grinned, unable to maintain his outward calm?

"Have it sold for me, eh? Put it towards helping some of those wounded seamen awaiting passage to England."

As he strode towards the sunlight the lieutenant took out a pair of steel-rimmed glasses and peered after him. Then he shook his head very slowly. x remarkable young man, he thought. It was to be hoped he would remain so?

After the shadowy cool of the building Bolitho found the sun's glare harsher than before. As he strode down the coast road, his mind half dwelling on the interview with Colquhoun, he was already wondering what his new command would offer. With, but not of the fleet, there should at least be room to move, freedom from the daily flow of signals and requirements which had been his lot in the powerful Trojan?

He paused at a curve in the road and shaded his eyes to watch the boat which was already drawing near to the jetty. He shivered in spite of the heat and started to walk more quickly towards the sea. To anybody else it was just one more boat going about its ship's affairs, but to him it represented far more. x first contact. Some of his men. His men?

He saw the familiar shape of Stockdale standing beside some of his newly bought belongings and felt a sudden touch of warmth. Even if Colquhoun had said that not one single man of Bolitho's prize-crew could be spared for his first command he felt sure Stockdale would have arrived aboard in his own way. Thickset and muscular, in his broad white trousers and blue jacket, he reminded him of some indestructible oak? He, too, was watching the approaching boat, his eyes slitted against the light with critical interest?

Bolitho had been junior lieutenant in the frigate Destiny when their paths had first crossed. Sent ashore on the thankless task of drumming up recruits for the ship, and with little hope of much success, he had arrived at a small inn with his party of seamen to set up headquarters, and, more to the point, to find some peace and a moment to refresh himself for the

next attempt to obtain volunteers. Tramping from village to village, inn to inn, the system rarely changed? It usually resulted in a collection of those who were either too young for the harsh demands of a frigate or old sailors who had failed to find fortune or success ashore and merely wanted to return and end their days in surroundings they had originally sworn to forsake forever?

Stockdale had been none of these. He had been a prize-fighter, and stripped to the waist had been standing like a patient ox outside the inn while his sharp-faced barker had called upon all and sundry to risk a battering and win a guinea?