The shadow of the eagle

'I heard from Hyde that Ashton called McCann, a "Yankee bugger".'

'A Yankee bugger?'

'McCann's from Loyalist American stock, sir,' Marlowe explained, 'like Admiral Hallowell.'

'Was McCann provoked?' Drinkwater asked quickly.

'I don't know,' Marlowe replied. 'Knowing Ashton,' he paused, 'well, who knows? Probably.'

'That is what I want you to find out, Frederic. I want you to hold an enquiry tomorrow. We can send Frey in with the boat taking Gilbert ashore and you shall gather evidence in the wardroom. Report to me when you have concluded ... by tomorrow evening at the latest, by which time we shall, I hope, be resuming our station off Flores. Do you understand?'

'Yes,' said Marlowe.

'It's another chance, Frederic, to rid yourself of this man's influence.'

'He may see it as something else.'

'He may see it how he likes; I am instructing you to carry out this duty and you are the first lieutenant of the ship. Whatever complexion Mr Ashton may wish to put upon the case is quite irrelevant, but it will do you no harm either way. Oh, and by the bye, either way I want the matter examined with scrupulous fairness.'

'Of course, sir,' said Marlowe.

'That way any opinion Ashton may have to the contrary will be conscionably groundless.'

The wardroom presented an untypical appearance next morning, for Marlowe had ordered the table cleared completely and all personal items, which in the usual run of events would have cluttered the place, removed into the cabins of the individual officers. The announcement of this requirement was made at breakfast to which all, except for Frey, the officer of the watch, were summoned. The usually degenerately homely room now took on a forbidding appearance.

'What's afoot?' Hyde asked, aware that some sort of effort was required on his part and that his entire day was being set awry at an early moment by this disruption of routine.

'I am charged with examining the circumstances surrounding the incident which occurred on the mole at Santa Cruz yesterday ...' began Marlowe, only to be interrupted by an incredulous Ashton who rose and asked:

'You are what?'

'Oh do sit down Ashton,' said Hyde laconically, 'and pray don't be too tiresome, I have other things to do.'

'The day you actually accomplish them will be witness to a damned miracle,' Ashton snapped unpleasantly. 'I asked a question and I demand an answer.'

'I think, Josiah,' Marlowe cut in quickly, 'you should heed the advice you have just been given. You shall demand nothing, and sit down at once.' Marlowe took no further interest in Ashton and turned to Hyde. 'I wish you to sit with me, Hyde. We will commence our examination at two bells; Mr Birkbeck, I should be obliged if you would relieve Ashton of his watch this forenoon, in order that we can carry out this duty without delay. He may substitute for you after noon.'

'Very well, Mr Marlowe.' Birkbeck drew his watch from his pocket and stared at it a moment, then he rose, went briefly into his cabin, reappeared and went on deck.

As soon as he had gone, Ashton began to expostulate. 'Look here, Freddy, is this some kind of a joke, because if it is ...'

'It's no joke, Josiah. I'd be obliged if you would clear that boat-cloak and bundle of papers and remain in your cabin until called.'

'By God, I'll...!'

Ashton stood up again with such force that he cracked his head on the deck-beams above and ducked in reaction with a further torrent of oaths. Then, seeing he was cornered, he snatched up his cloak and papers, and withdrew into his cabin, shutting the door with a bang.

'Knocked some sense into himself at last,' remarked Hyde with a grin as Frey entered the wardroom, his hair tousled.

'Hullo, I hope you lubbers haven't done with breakfast yet; I'm ravenous. Sam!' The messman having been summoned, Frey was soon spooning up a quantity of burgoo and molasses, drinking coffee and pronouncing himself a new man, whereupon Marlowe opened the proceedings by summoning Ashton from his cabin. The third lieutenant was quizzed as to the exact nature of his orders and Hyde noted down his reply. He was then told to cool his heels in his cabin, to which order he resentfully complied, giving Marlowe a malevolent glare.

Midshipman Paine was then called and permitted to sit at the table. He admitted having been asked by the boat's crew if they could nominate two of their number to obtain some fresh bread.

'Why do you suppose the boat's crew wished to purchase bread, Mr Paine?' Marlowe asked.

'Because they were hungry, sir, and could smell fresh-baked bread from a bakery across the harbour.'

'And how did you think they were going to pay for this bread, the scent of which so fortuitously wafted across the harbour?' queried Hyde.

'Why sir, from money which they had brought with them.'

'Isn't that a little unusual?' asked Marlowe.

'That they had money, sir?'

'Yes.'

Paine shrugged, 'I didn't think so, sir. I believe it was no more than a few pence.'

'Did any of the marines contribute?'

'I'm not sure, sir. I don't think so.'

'Where was Sergeant McCann at this time?'

'He had posted himself on the beach as one of the sentinels, sir.'

'So he was not party to any of the discussion in the boat.'

Paine shook his head. 'No, sir, though it wasn't really a discussion.'

'Did you think there was any ulterior motive in the men's request, Mr Paine?'

'You mean ... ?'

'I mean, did it, or did it not occur to you that the men might have come ashore with ready money in order to buy liquor?' Marlowe asked.

Paine flushed. 'Well, sir, yes, it did occur to me, but the smell of the bread persuaded me that...' The midshipman's voice tailed off into silence.

'How many men contributed money towards this bread?' Marlowe enquired.

'I can't be absolutely certain, sir, but about a dozen.'

There was a brief pause while Hyde made his notes and then he looked up and asked, 'Did you make a contribution towards the bread, Mr Paine?'

Paine coughed with embarrassment and his Adam's apple bobbed uncomfortably. 'Yes,' he murmured.

'Speak up, damn it,' prompted Hyde, dipping his pen.

Paine coughed again and answered in a clearer voice, 'Yes sir.'

And it was bread you were investing in, I take it?'

'Oh yes, sir.'

'Why?'

'I was hungry, sir.' A thought appeared to occur to the midshipman and he added, 'I was jolly hungry, and I thought the men must be, too, since they had had a long hard pull from the ship, sir.'

'So you thought that justified disobeying Mr Ashton's order?'

Paine's mouth twisted with unhappiness. 'No, not exactly, sir ...'

'Then do enlighten us, Mr Paine,' pressed Marlowe, 'what exactly you did think.'

Paine relinquished the role of martyr and confessed: 'I thought if only two men went, they would soon be back.'

'Soon be back... ?' prompted Marlowe, his face expectant.

'You know ... before Mr Ashton returned.'

Both officers sat back and exchanged glances. 'So you deliberately disobeyed Mr Ashton's order?'

'In a manner of speaking, yes, sir.'

'Why?'

Having placed himself at the mercy of his interrogators, Paine's attitude hardened and he fought his corner. 'I thought no harm would come of it.'

'But harm has come of it, Mr Paine,' argued Marlowe.

'Yes, sir, and I regret that and I take full responsibility for it. As a matter of fact, sir, I thought Mr Ashton's order unreasonable. The men could not desert, for the place is an island and for two men out of sixteen to run ashore for some bread, seemed, in my opinion, reasonable enough.'