"Colder'n well digger's arse, ain't it sir?"
"Ah, Bart. I'm surprised you've torn yourself away from Silas's coffee. Did it get cold or did it run out?"
"Well, sir, ’twas a little of both, it be. Silas say's if you're to enjoy it afore the heats all gone to come on down. Otherwise, he'll be taking an ice pick to it."
"Very well, I'll be right down. Bart!"
"Aye, sir."
"My compliments to the captain. Will he take a cup with me if convenient?"
"Aye, sir, I'll see to it," Bart replied as he snuggled his coat tighter about his ears and went to deliver Lord Anthony's message.
"Good morning, Lord Anthony."
"Dutch! Have a seat. Silas has wrapped a hot brick to the coffee pot and is unwrapping it now.
He says it's only lukewarm but maybe it'll be stimulating."
"Aye, my Lord, Silas's coffee usually is," Dutch Moffett, Anthony's flag captain, replied, thinking of his first cup of Silas's coffee which had been liberally laced with brandy.
"Looks like the blow will last all the way to Halifax, my Lord. The master says it'll be another two or three days before this lets up."
"Huh," Anthony replied. "I don't know what's worse. Being roasted in New York 's harbour or freezing in the Atlantic."
"Well, my Lord, I'm told freezing is less painful."
"Have you ever asked anyone that's been burned alive or frozen to death, Dutch?"
"No, my Lord, I can't say as I have," Dutch answered smiling.
"Then we don't really know, do we?" Lord Anthony quipped. "And I'd rather not learn from experience."
"No, my Lord, neither would I. Speaking of New York, my Lord, they found that contraption that created such a commotion. It's called a submersible or a submarine. One man fits inside and uses a hand crank that turns a propeller that pushes the contraption through the water. A torpedo was attached to a harpoon and driven into the targets hull. Then a fuse is lit. When a signal was given the contraption was hauled away by a party ashore using a tow line attached to its stern.
The torpedo fuses were cut at different lengths to give the devil time to do his handiwork before anyone knew something was amiss."
"Not an honorable way to fight a war is it, Dutch?"
"Nay, my Lord but one has to recognize the genius behind such a scheme."
"Oh, I do recognize that and a lot more as well, especially after my conversation with General Clinton. The Army is treating this war more as an outing than a war. Admiral Shuldham is being sent back to England. Rumor has it Admiral Lord Howe is taking over as Commander-in-Chief, Naval forces.
"I understand Admiral Graves is to be Lord Howe's second and he's to be in charge until Lord Howe arrives."
"Maybe when Lord Howe arrives we will get reinforcements."
"Aye, my Lord, we need them. Twenty-nine ships to patrol eighteen hundred miles of coast from Florida to Nova Scotia. That's a tall order for our entire fleet. It's impossible with our measly twenty-nine ships, most of which are unrated."
"I know Dutch."
"Bart!"
"Aye, my Lord."
"Have the flag lieutenant bring me those dispatches."
"Right away, sir."
"Dreaming of some lass from home are we, sir?"
Lieutenant Francis Markham had been sitting at the wardroom table staring at an empty cup and daydreaming when Bart had stuck his head in the door to deliver his lordship's summons. The wardroom was generally off limits to the crew, but the officers on board Warrior soon learned "the Admiral's cox'n" pretty much came and went as he pleased.
The fifth lieutenant feeling his prowess in his shiny new uniform had once made the mistake of ordering Bart to report to the bosun for extra duty as he had appeared to have an abundance of time on his hands.
Bart had been sitting aft on the bulwark smoking his pipe. Lord Anthony overhearing the upstart called to his flag captain, "I say Captain Moffett would you be so kind as to remind the fifth lieutenant he'd be better suited tending to his duties than interfering in the affairs of my staff?"
"Aye, my Lord. Mr. Johns!"
"Yes, captain."
"Did you hear his Lordship?"
"Aye, captain."
"Do I have to say more?"
"No, captain."
"Let's hope not you damn imbecile. Can't you see his coat's gilted with more gold than you'll ever wear?"
"No, sir, I mean I didn't at the time but I do now, sir."
"Very well then Mr. Johns. Go see the first lieutenant with my compliments and tell him how you're to be available for any additional tasks he might need accomplished."
"Aye, captain. I'll see him now, sir!" Since that episode Bart and the rest of Anthony's staff were treated with respect.
A loud THUD!
"Zur, the flag lieutenant, zur." The unexpected shout and stamping on the floor made Anthony jump, spilling what was left of his coffee on the flag captain.
"Damme man, I'm not deef."
"Silas!" Lord Anthony exclaimed, then turning to the flag captain he apologized, "I'm sorry Dutch."
"Yes, my Lord."
"See to Captain Moffett's uniform if you will."
"Aye, my Lord. I'll tend to it now." Turning back Anthony again apologized, "I'm really sorry Dutch. I told Dunlap to instruct the sentries to simply knock."
Standing behind Anthony, Bart looked sheepishly at Markham. He and Markham had discussed this situation in the past. Bart couldn't help but believe that the sentry stamped his musket butt on the deck just a little harder than necessary just to see the admiral jump. It was a dangerous game if he and Markham 's suspicions were true.
Maybe he'd pay the lout a special visit and give a word of warning "Bart style".
"Iffen yews like sir, I's could see the surgeon and get a bit of cotton wadding to stuff in yew's ears so's the sentry wouldn't startle yew so."
"Shut up Bart."
"Aye, sir. Course we could always flog the bloody bullock so as to make ’em a's zample to the utter sentries."
"Bart!"
"Aye, sir. Shut me trap I will and head topside me thinks. It's a little to warm for me liken down here."
As Bart closed the door behind him, Markham exploded with laughter then saw the stare he got from Captain Moffett and Lord Anthony.
However, their stare only lasted a moment before they too joined in, causing Markham to start up again.
As always Bart had got the last word in before leaving.
"It's a wonder you haven't set that one adrift," Dutch said when he could catch his breath.
"Aye," Anthony replied, "but Bart grows on you, Dutch. It'd be hard for me to imagine life in the Navy without him."
Markham felt humbled and touched at his Lordship's words.
Sitting in the pantry, Silas shook his head as he was deep in thought. Bart was full of more shit than a holiday turkey. He'd better be glad he was the cox'n. Otherwise, he'd been in a prison hulk somewhere. Some wondered at the relationship between Bart and Lord Anthony. Yes, some wondered but Silas knew.
When his Lordship was a lieutenant and Bart was a seaman on board the brig, Southwind, Anthony had caught Flagge, the first lieutenant, sodomizing one of the servants. The captain was not on board and Anthony was unsure of what actions to take.
He knew the lout should stand a court martial for
"buggery". He went ashore that evening and Flagge had Anthony ambushed in an alleyway.
Bart had been ashore and happened on the event.
While some would have run away, Bart didn't.
He'd liked the young lieutenant who was in charge of his division and he hated Flagge. He'd had his own suspicions about the first lieutenant's ways.
Bart pulled his knife and picked up a broken barrel stave, and charged into the melee. Bart's intervention saved young Lieutenant Anthony's life.
Two of Flagge's men were killed, and two ran off.