Later, while Will stood working on the foredeck with the men, Kaye called Sam Holt across to his point high to windward, and quizzed him harder. When Sam demurred the captain raised his voice, then led him off below to carry on discussing in the cabin. He said, as Will learned later, that Lord Wodderley's second missive -received too late for him to act upon and let them go again, he claimed had been extremely dubious about the value of their jaunting, and demanded yet again to know what interest they had in catching smugglers, and precisely what the outcome of their search had been. Sam, anxious to get the blustrous fool off the subject, hit on the Frenchmen-smuggling as a safe bet, and told how he and Mr. Bentley had met a 'woman spy' (he did not name her) who had come to England to aid prisoners to escape, and how they'd gleaned there was an operation being set in motion at about this very time which was why, he hinted, they had been told off to go down and search some more.
Kaye's hazel eyes grew keener at this point, less congested with undirected anger. What woman, how a spy, was what he wanted in more detail, but Sam began to hedge as if this were part of the secret too. For himself he felt sure the Celine link needed hard looking at, but he wanted nothing less than that Kaye should take a special interest. Enough the line should wean him off his probing into Sir A's affair.
"It is nothing yet, sir," he said, circumspectly. "Apparently the villains plan to spring them from a prison hulk and transport them back to France, but it is just a rumour till we stick our noses in it. As you can see though, it is the sort of thing their lordships play very close to chest; it's more important than the running of some tea! In all likelihood it won't add up to much though, will it, so if anyone's to end up looking gulled, Will Bentley and myself will be the men!"
Kaye considered it, his transparent face incapable of much guile.
"Aye," he said, almost to himself. "But interesting though, for all that. It's not just trade for profit, is it, which some people think is not so ... Nay, there's treachery and stuff involved, there's King and country." He tailed off, his eyes refocusing on Sam's. "Hah!" he exclaimed. "You're right, there's nothing in it. But I'll be silent as the grave, so you may freely speak, if any further ... Perhaps you'd be so good ... ?"
"Oh indeed, sir," Sam said, heartily. Congratulations, man, he told himself, a sticky situation brought into dock. Next he'll be giving brandy!
"In any way," snapped Kaye, remembering his mood, 'you owe me favours, you and Bentley, so don't expect to get away too light. There is the matter of your jaunt in Kent, an' all The boatswain's mate damn near got flogged for it, that saucy devil Eaton. Turned up as bold as brass and said the two young gents would vouch for him. I'd a damn good mind to knock him back to land man I need a drink. Bob! Black Bob! Where is the bastard boy? And you may go about your business, sir."
The confrontation with the homeward-bounders, when it finally occurred, had all the makings of a Navy knockabout, hall marked Richard Kaye. Indeed, the two midshipmen might have found it funny except that it cost one sailor's life, that of Shockhead Eaton, whom they valued rather highly. They took only seven men, three of whom were later released because of their protections, and it was several days after the engagement before they limped back to London under jury rig.
The first day out they made good time, and by nightfall were skating down the Kentish coast, from north to south. They took in sail when it was dark, as there was traffic as always in the Downs, and in any way they did not want to miss their target, whose position they knew only vaguely. Four ships was Kaye's word, although it seemed to Kershaw impossible they would stay bunched so close to home, so close to ranging Press tenders. He stood with Sam and Will as Gunning gave the orders to snug down, all three of them marvelling at the level of his inebriation.
"It's his second day," the strange spy told them, in his quiet voice. "They last from three to five, they tell me, then he lies down like a corpse till he's recovered, and doesn't touch another glug for days or weeks. Worst is, it's catching. We'll see some sailors dropping from the yards I shouldn't wonder."
It was catching with the Navy men as well, not just the owner master's crew. There was an element of competition as to who could hold their liquor best, and a greater one as to how they should obtain it, well beyond the daily ration. Even on his uncle's ship, where things were tightly regulated, Will had been aware that that ration was enough to knock out weaker-headed men, while others hoarded it for use as bribes or currency. On Slack Dickie's ship, with men often ashore, or rummaging and stealing from vessels stopped and searched, there was rarely any shortage. Tonight it was apparent that there was a general spree.
"Should we warn Lieutenant Kaye?" said Will, but tentatively, for fear that they would mock at him. The captain had remained below since dinner, when he too had been drinking heavy. But they did not mock, they shared in his concern.
"No point," said Kershaw, with unusual brusqueness. "I think Black Bob's the target of his thoughts tonight, he'll not brook interruption. Thank God it is a quiet night, that's all. By morning maybe, most will have sobered up sufficiently. I'll do first turn on watch, shall I?"
The wind had died down, as it often did at nightfall with high glass, and the air grew very chill. The stars were showing in an almost cloudless sky, and the sea was velvet black, rolling but unbroken. Soon the moon was due to rise, almost full.
"I'm not for my bed yet," said Sam. "Jesu, what a rum life, this life upon the sea. Silence, beauty, and a drunken rabble. And over there, not much above ten or fifteen leagues or so, the enemy. I wonder if they conduct things so, or different. Have you had many dealings with them, Mr. Kershaw?"
The three of them stood on the quarterdeck alone. Gunning had overseen the lashing of the wheel, then wandered forward with the erstwhile helmsman towards the noise of revelling. He had thrown a glance at them, a type of challenge, that they should care, or dare, to question his ship keeping But they were happier alone, in charge of her. For some time, Kershaw was disinclined to answer.
"I lost my eye to Frenchmen in a fair battle." His voice remained low, but it was firm. "A little privateer, sailed very well, shot very well. The rest of me was spoiled by the Spaniards, on land, in prison. I am not so keen on them."
"Ah," said Sam.
A small cry came from beneath them, escaping through a port, or cabin skylight. A small, low cry, full of unhappiness and pain.
"Less inclined to drunkenness than us, though," went on Kershaw, his voice only slightly changed. "More amenable to being told to keep the peace." He paused. "Some men are very bestial, you know. They are very much like beasts."
"Well," said Sam, "I suppose we'll meet 'em some day, me and Will. In the meantime, we are off to fight the English, there's a thought. I wonder what Slack Dickie would do if threatened with a hard nose merchant broadside. What think you, William?"