the Margaux a martyr to travel - this colour has a pallid quality, perhaps not your foremost
Kydd dabbed his lips with his napkin: those weeks up-country had not been wasted. He raised his eyes and said unctuously, ‘Y'r claret is a sensitive flower, o' course. F'r m'self a hardy Burgundy would be more t' my taste,' he added easily. 'I'd recommend a Chablis were we t' be granted a breeze-mill in the cooling. But y'r very good health, sir.'
It was worth the pain of all Renzi's patient efforts just to see the expressions around the table.
Chapter i5
' Name's Kernon,' said Doud, 'an' I don't think we're goin' ter have the same kind o' grief fr'm him.' He finished his seaming of the jib and bit the thread. 'Sides, he sets me up as yeoman of the store-room,' he added, with satisfaction. This made him a man of influence, of some moment in the small ship, for he was in charge of the boatswain's sea-stores.
'Give y' joy, Ned,' said Kydd. He'd only been back on board an hour or two, and there were definite signs of improvement about Seaflower.
Doggo smiled grudgingly. 'O' course, we lost s' many men b' deserting, Cap'n just has to fin' senior 'ands fr'm somewhere.'
Renzi came up on deck. 'What cheer, mate,' said Doggo, 'an' what's the griff?' Renzi, acting as clerk to the Captain, would know ship's secrets.
'I'm not so certain that I should allow Captain Kernon's confidences to become public property,' he said, frowning. Kydd caught his quick wink.
‘Publick? We's yer backbone o' the ship, has t' be in on th' noos so we c'n plan things out, like. C'mon, tell us what yer knows!' Doggo's hoarse wheedling brought a grin to Kydd's face.
Renzi leaned forward and said earnesdy, 'This must not get out - it's of the first importance to the future of this ship.'
'We understands, mate,' said Doggo eagerly.
'Ship is under sailing orders!'
'Yeah, we knows that'
'And tonight...' Renzi halted, looking dubious. 'Yeah?'
'Well ... it involves your own good self, you understand.'
'Strike me dead — clap on more sail 'n' get on wi' it!'
'Tonight — but we're so short-handed ...'
Doggo drew a deep breath, but before he could erupt, Renzi ended, '... that you're to lead a press-gang!'
'Press-gang?' Doggo spluttered.
Kydd grinned broadly.
'And Thomas Kydd is to assist him ...'
