STO'B 7

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But Badger was ready for her commander to board on the ceremonial starboard side. When his boat rowed around to the port side, the larboard side, the master and the lieutenant exchanged a glance. "Larboard side?" asked the master.

"So it appears." replied the lieutenant.

The boatkeeper hooked on and, after a moment of hushed argument from the boat, whose nature escaped them, they saw a head and then the body of a large man, partially uniformed but with his jacket over his arm. As soon as he set foot on the deck the bosun's mate blew his whistle and was immediately silenced by the bosun. Several of the marines presented arms, while others stared dumbly at their new commander. The sailors also stared. "Good evening, gentlemen," said the man. "I am Commander Fitton."

When several moments passed and Commander Fitton said nothing further, the lieutenant stepped forward, saluted and removed his hat, and said, "Welcome, sir, to the Badger. I am Lieutenant Grey, this is the master, Mister South; this the engineer, Mister Stevens; the carpenter, Mister Scott..." and so on, through the officers. As each officer was named, he saluted Commander Fitton, who, as best he could in an inadequate uniform, saluted back.

When he was done, Philip pulled the lieutenant aside and quietly said, "Ah, I don't suppose you could pay the boatman? I seem to have put off without my purse."

The lieutenant stared, then replied "yes, sir", as in duty bound, and leaned over the side to settle Philip's fare. The boatkeeper's boat moved off and was immediately replaced by another.

From this boat sprang a fully uniformed midshipman, who saluted the quarterdeck, saluted the lieutenant, and stated that he had orders for Commander Fitton; he was to wait for a response.

"I am Commander Fitton," said Philip again, hoping he sounded more impressive than he felt. No jacket, no epaulletes, an absolute disgrace. He received a cover from the midshipman and opened it, reading

Sir:

Immediately upon receipt of this Order You shall take the Dispatches, &c previously received by Your command and proceed forthwith to or about 36° N, 14° E, there to meet Admiral XXX of the XXX squadron and deliver up to him the same.

Should You be unable to comply with this Order You will send notice of such, along with the reasons for Your Inability, via the Bearer of this Order.

Your Obt, Humble Servant,
XXXXX
Admiral of Her Majesty's Navy

To Commander Fitton, HM Sloop Badger

"Mr -," he turned to the lieutenant, "we received some dispatches from the flag?" Philip asked.

"Yes sir, the day before last. I had them placed in your cabin."

"Very good, Mr Grey," the man's name came to him this time, "prepare to weigh anchor," said Philip. To the midshipman who had brought him the order he said "thank you," dismissing him, and the boy disappeared over the side to his boat.

"Yes, sir," replied Grey, "of course, sir, but we haven't received any coal, yet. And perhaps you'd be like to be read in, sir?", which was as close as he could come to saying that until he had been read in, Philip was not, in fact, the Badger's commander. "Surely the admiral didn't mean to weigh anchor immediately?"

"I am not in the habit of discussing my orders, Mr Grey," said Philip, hoping he didn't sound as pompous as he felt, "but yes, if you would read me in." He handed the lieutenant the order appointing him to the Badger.

"Silence, fore and aft!" cried the lieutenant, "Off hats!" and once the deck was silent, and every head was bare, "By the Right Honorable Lord Green, Knight of the Bath, Admiral of the Blue and Commander in Chief of Her Majesty's Ships and Vessels employed and to be employed in the Mediterranean..."

When he had finished, and Philip was wedded to the Badger as her commander, whose lawful order it was death to disobey, Commander Fitton ordered the anchor weighed. There being no steam up, there followed a screeching of whistles as the bosun and his mate hurried the men into position, pinning the capstan bars into place around the capstan and swifting them, looping the heavy messenger cable around the capstan and bringing it alongside the even heavier anchor cable, and pinning them together with nippers while other sailors sprinkled sand on the deck for traction. The sailors spun the capstan round, quite easily at first, pulling the anchor cable from the water, but as the Badger slid over on top of her anchor the capstan spun slower, and slower.

"Up and down sir," cried a voice from the beakhead, indicating that the Badger now floated directly above her anchor.

"Thick and dry for weighing!" replied Lieutenant Grey from the quarterdeck, and the men leaned into their capstan bars, straining to break the anchor from the ground. The lieutenant ordered the setting of the fore and main courses; the canvas billowed out, several sailors pulling it into place, and the Badger plucked her anchor from the ground.

[EDIT 21 May 2009: corrected names of carpenter and engineer to match later enteries]

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