"Fire!" "Sir Edward Pellew himself to see you, sir." "Very well, you can leave us." "Your Honor, I shall have to lock you in." "Then do it." "That it should come to this." "You, of all people." "It's good of you to come and see me, sir." "This is not a social call, man!" "Good God, sir." "In a few hours, you'll be on trial for your life." "And unless there are extenuating circumstances, you'll hang-- hang-- in front of the entire squadron." "It was our duty to restore order and discipline aboard ship, sir." "Order and discipline?" "Black bloody mutiny, sir." "That's what the charge is." "And against a... captain who's a hero of the Nile and the Battle of Cape St. Vincent." "One of Nelson's own, dear God." "It was for the good of the service, sir." "Hero or not, we were headed for disaster." "It's getting away from us." "Hold on!" "Get that..." "lantern on!" "We're carrying too much sail, Archie." "Mr. Buckland, we should take another reef." "You're the officer of the watch, Mr. Hornblower." "It's your decision." "Forward, around that cleat." "Ah, if this keeps up, we'll be aloft before long" "I'll warrant you." "That'll sort out the men from the boys." "Oh, God." "Stick with me, kid, you'll grow up as bitter as the rest of us." "Mr. Wellard, my respects to Captain Sawyer." "Please inform him we're about to shorten sail." "Aye, aye, sir." "Matthews, hands aloft to double-reef that main topsail." "Aye, aye, sir." "Told you." "Come on, lads." "Come on, Randall." "Come on, you little one, get up there." "Come." "What brings you to interrupt my fruit, Mr. Wellard?" "Um, Captain Sawyer, sir..." "Come on, boy, we won't eat you." "I don't believe Dr. Clive and I have enough room left for a young midshipman." "Couldn't manage another thing." "Mr. Hornblower sends his respects, sir and to inform you he's shortening sail." "RANDALL:" "Watch where you're going, Styles." "Just watch yourself, Randall." "Where do you think you're going?" "Steady, now." "Captain Sawyer, sir" "I've ordered another reef on the main topsail, sir." "So I hear, Mr. Hornblower." "Your decision alone?" "Indeed, sir." "Mr. Buckland, you're the first lieutenant." "Do my standing orders require the officer of the watch to inform me before shortening sail or not?" "Sir..." ""Sir"?" "What kind of answer is that?" "Do they or do they not?" "Yes, sir, they do, sir." "Mr. Hornblower?" "With respect, sir, your orders require us to inform you shortening sail, sir." "Don't come the sea lawyer with me, sir." "Ahoy, there, gunner!" "Mr. Hobbs!" "Sir!" "Have you ever had difficulty interpreting my orders?" "Indeed, I have not, sir." "There you are, then." "A gunner has no trouble understanding my orders." "What do you say to that, Mr. Hornblower?" "My apologies, sir, I must have misunderstood." "SAWYER:" "The excellent men of your own division, are they not?" "Perhaps by teaching them a lesson you'll learn something of your own." "But, sir, it was I who made the mistake." "Get to it, you lubbers!" "The last man off the yardarm gets a flogging-- a dozen at the gratings for the last man on deck." "Out of the way, laddie." "I can't..." "Come here, boy!" "Pass the word for the doctor!" "Pass the word for the doctor!" "He's dead, sir." "Well?" "Well?" "He's dead!" "Dr. Clive will be the judge of that." "Doctor?" "Dead, sir." "What are you waiting for, Mr. Hornblower?" "Have the lubber thrown over the side." "Do you hear, Mr. Hornblower?" "For God's sake, Horatio." "The lad's dead, sir." "Nothing'll bring him back." "Is that right, Mr. Kennedy?" "Yes, Styles, that's right." "We can read over him later, sir." "Mr. Hornblower, get that man off my quarterdeck." ":" "Aye, aye, sir." "HORNBLOWER:" "Stow those barrels forward on the gun deck." "Morning." "Bush, second lieutenant." "Look out there!" "Look out!" "Hornblower, third lieutenant." "Interesting welcoming ceremony, Mr. Hornblower." "My apologies, Mr. Bush." "Are you quite all right?" "Nothing damaged but my pride, I think." "Hey there, you at the stay tackles!" "Mind what you're doing!" "Mr. Hobbs, keep an eye on your men there!" ":" "Aye, aye, sir." "Mr. Hobbs, lay aft here." "Mr. Hobbs, your recklessness nearly injured one of the ship's senior officers not to mention damaging vital supplies." "Don't use that tone of voice when replying to an order." "Aye, aye, sir." "Perhaps if the men were better supervised these accidents wouldn't happen, Mr. Hornblower." "WELLARD:" "Captain's coming off, sir." "Quite right, run forward and tell Mr. Buckland." "Boatswain's mates!" "Side boys!" "Lively now!" "Present arms!" "Lieutenant Bush, come aboard, sir." "You came in my absence, did you?" "I did, sir." "Did you report to the first lieutenant?" "No, sir." "You should have reported to Mr. Buckland." "Mr. Buckland!" "Why did Mr. Bush not report to you?" "I'm very sorry, sir." "I was unaware that Mr. Bush had come aboard." "He should have made himself known, sir." "I was forward, inspecting the anchor cables." "Mr. Bush?" "I arrived only a few minutes before you, sir." "I wished to present myself." "And may I say, sir what an honor it is to serve under a captain with so distinguished a record?" "Well, Mr. Bush, you are welcome." "Thank you, sir." "In time, you may, indeed, thank me." "Very well." "You don't know Captain Sawyer, then?" "I know his reputation." "As a fighting captain or... as a man?" "What are you implying, Mr. ...?" "Kennedy, sir, fourth lieutenant." "Well, Mr. Kennedy, I don't think I much care for your tone, sir." "Uh, Mr. Kennedy was merely making conversation." "Weren't you, Mr. Kennedy?" "Now let me show you the wardroom." "Very good of you." ": "I don't think I much care for your tone, sir."" ": "What an honor to serve under a captain with such a record, sir."" "That's enough, Mr. Wellard." "Now get below and find out what that hullabaloo's all about before it brings the captain down on us again." "Yeah, I pushed the little bugger off the yardarm." "Who cares?" "WELLARD:" "Quit it." "Do you hear?" "Belay that." "Silence!" "Mr. Matthews, you're the boatswain." "Get them to stop this bloody racket." ":" "Silence!" "Right, what's going on here?" "You, Randall, what's all this?" "Just settling a little difference of opinion you might say." "Captain Sawyer loves a bit of bare-knuckle between the men." "Keeps them ready for the real thing, he says." "Mr. Matthews, get them to break this up." "Aye, aye, Mr. Wellard." "Come on, now-- hey!" "Hold there, Mr. Matthews." "This hasn't been settled yet." "The captain wouldn't like it if we were interfering, would he?" "He doesn't need to know, does he, Mr. Hobbs?" "Not unless some little toady..." "Hey!" "Come on!" "Randall, break it up now!" "Make me, little boy." "KENNEDY :" ""Sir," Randall!" "You call him "sir"!" "HORNBLOWER:" "Any man... man, Mr. Hobbs, who thinks differently had better remember the punishment for disobeying a superior officer." "Tell them, Matthews." "Death, sir." "Indeed, death." "And best you all remember it." "SAWYER:" "Get the ship under way if you please, Mr. Buckland." "Aye, aye, sir." "Lose the headsails!" "MAN :" "Lose the headsails!" "Hands aloft to lose the topsails." "MAN :" "Hands aloft to lose the topsails!" "Carry on, Mr. Bush." "Heave!" "Heave!" "Go, put your backs into it!" "Come on, heave!" "MAN :" "Heave ho!" "Mr. Hornblower." "Sir!" "Set a course to weather the lizard and then southwest, sir." "Weather the lizard and southwest it is, sir." "South by west, a quarter west." "South by west, a quarter west, sir." "SAWYER:" "Well, gentlemen... it's the West Indies for us." "Santo Domingo." "The blacks are in rebellion there." "Very good, Mr. Hornblower, very good." "Gentlemen, we can certainly rely on Mr. Hornblower to keep us abreast of current events." "Yes, a slave rebellion." "They're uprising against their Spanish masters started by that damn dangerous French Revolutionary nonsense-- liberty, fraternity, stupidity." "You're not a revolutionary, are you, Mr. Hornblower?" "Indeed, I'm not, sir." "No, we know how to deal with them in His Majesty's ships, don't we?" "Santo Domingo, gentlemen." "There's a nest of Spanish privateers right here in Samana Bay menacing our trade through the Mona Strait." "It's our task to clear the vermin out." "It's a far cry from Napoleon, sir but we have ten times more chance of action than with the Channel Fleet." "That so, Mr. Bush?" "It's so." "Now, there's a man after my own heart." "And plenty of action you shall have, Mr. Bush along with an abundance of yellow fever and ague, eh, Dr. Clive?" "Putrid fever and poisonous serpents, sir." "Tropical heat, bad water..." "Hurricanes and shipworm." "When were you last in the West Indies, Mr. Buckland?" "Sir?" "Answer the question-- when were you in the West Indies?" "I regret to say..." "Never, you were never in the West Indies;" "when you were in the West Indies." ""Hurricanes and shipworm."" "Not a day's sail from Plymouth and you're out of your depth already." "Am I not right, Mr. Bush?" "I said, "Isn't that right?"" "Sir, I protest." "We all have much to learn, sir-- from your example." ":" "Hmm?" "Quite right, Dr. Clive." ""Hurricanes and shipworm."" "Gentlemen." "KENNEDY:" "Captain Sawyer's just weary, Archie." ""Weary"?" "The man's bedeviled, Horatio." "Do you think Bush would agree with you?" "Well, no." "Or Buckland?" "Each captain has his own way, Archie." "Tell that to the poor young seaman of yours that we scraped off the deck and threw over the side." "May I remind you that when we first heard we were to transfer to Captain Sawyer's command we drank Portsmouth dry in celebration." "The man's a national hero." "He's earned his place in history." "It's not history that concerns me, Horatio it's the future." "It's far more uncertain." "She sails well." "Yes, she loves a stiff breeze." "This is a bit more than a stiff breeze." "BUSH:" "We'll have to get some sail off her." "The captain has to be informed first, sir-- standing orders." "Very well, Mr. Kennedy, if you would, please." "Aye, aye, sir." "You want to take a reef, Mr. Bush?" "Yes, sir." "With your permission, sir." "Very good, Mr. Bush." "Call all hands." ":" "All hands!" "All hands to reef topsail!" "All hands to reef topsail." "Man the halyards and reef tackle!" "Reef tackles-- haul!" "Put your backs into it!" "Heave!" "'Vast hauling, there!" "'Vast hauling!" "Who's that countermanding my orders?" "It's me, sir, Wellard." "You'll be sorry for this" "Mr. Wellard." "Get down here immediately, sir." "HORNBLOWER:" "There's a reef point caught in the block, sir" "The sail was tearing." "What do you mean coming between me and a man who disobeys me?" "Mr. Wellard is on my station, sir." "He was only doing his duty." "Get down immediately, both of you!" "Mr. Bush... be so good as to send a hand to clear that reef tackle." "Aye, aye, sir." "You there, get aloft to clear that tackle." "SAWYER:" "Get below, Mr. Wellard." "You, too, Mr. Hornblower." "I'll teach you to conspire and try to make me a laughing- stock in front of the men." "Do you here me?" "!" "Get below!" "Mr. Buckland, call the hands aft here, if you please." "Aye, aye, sir." "BUCKLAND:" "All hands lay aft here." "I know where loyalty is to be found, men." "I've seen it." "I see it now." "I see your loyal hearts." "I watch your unremitting labors as I watch everything that goes on in this ship." "Traitors meet their just desserts and loyal hearts get their rewards." "We'll splice the main brace!" "A tun of rum to every man." "And to every boy!" "Rum, on the forenoon watch." "And they'll be drunk as lords." "Come on, close up, close up." "Mr. Matthews, lay aft here and bring your mate with you." "MATTHEWS:" "Aye, sir." "Give me your rattan, Mr. Matthews." "Mr. Wellard's presence is required by the captain, sir." "You, too, Mr. Hornblower." "Very well." "I don't like it, sir." "The lad were only doing his duty." "No way out of it, Matthews." "I could go a bit easier..." "Don't even think it." "He'll notice, sure as sin." "It'll only make things worse." "No hard feelings, Mr. Wellard." "I've seen a beating, sir." "I believe I will stand it well enough." "Good man." "Come on, then, let's get it over with." "And, sir, thank you for speaking up for me." "It's an injustice, Horatio." "It's discipline, Archie." "MATTHEWS:" "One." "Two." "Three!" "Four." "Five." "Six." "Well, Doctor?" "The full dozen if you please, Mr. Matthews." "MATTHEWS:" "Aye, aye, sir." "Come on." "Seven." "MATTHEWS:" "Eight." "Eight." "BUCKLAND:" "Nine." "Ten." "Eleven." "Twelve." "That's it, twelve." "Serves the little bugger right." "Very well." "SAWYER:" "The dishonorable part of Mr. Wellard has paid the price for his dishonor." "May that be a lesson to you, young man." "Now, Mr. Hornblower, your punishment." "You think to be a colluder and corrupter of your juniors and to walk away scot-free?" "Were that the case..." "No quibbling with me, sir!" "Were you still a midshipman" "I would flog you like we have Mr. Wellard." "Your position, however dictates a more imaginative approach." "You are on continuous watch for the next 36 hours and I would remind you that an officer caught sleeping on duty is subject to the most rigorous penalty of the Articles of War." "And you know what that is." "Yes, sir." "Then God help you if you're found asleep." "Continuous watch, then, Mr. Hornblower?" "Yes, sir." "36 hours, sir." "It's a long time." "Are you up to it?" "It's Captain Sawyer's wish, sir." "It doesn't do to cross the captain." "It's a lesson we all learn." "That was never my intention, sir." "Glad to hear it, glad to hear it." "Stand firm." "Accept your punishment and we'll hear no more about it." "Yes, Mr. Buckland." "Carry on." "Reporting for duty, sir." "Very good, Mr. Wellard." "Mr. Wellard." "Those sandglasses need to be run against each other." "Aye, aye, sir." "Mark off each minute on a slate or you might lose your reckoning." "Concentrate on the task in hand." "It will help to keep your mind off the pain." "Thank you, sir." "Mr. Wellard at work?" "Aye, aye, sir." ":" "Aye, aye, sir." "Mr. Wellard has learned better now, perhaps than to conspire against his captain... against his lawful superior set in authority over him by act of His Most Gracious Majesty King George II;" "has learned that it is the painful duty..." "Picking on Wellard again?" "Yes." "Is that... reasonable, do you think?" "I don't see where reason comes into it." "SAWYER:" "Mr. Wellard is sulking." "Hmph." "So you decided to hold me up in derision in front of the hands!" "?" "You and that cub, Mr. Hornblower-- you plotted and planned so that my lawful authority should be set at naught!" "No, not at all, sir." "Why attempt to deny it?" "Which one of you was it planned to snag that reef point?" "No one, sir." ""No one, sir."" "How can that be?" "No one." "It was a plot." "So you pretend to be busy to hide your face, because of the guilt that is written upon it." "You think to deceive me." "I gave orders that Mr. Wellard should test the glasses against each other, sir." "You are sadly mistaken, Mr. Kennedy if you believe there is any good in this young fellow... unless, of course you are part and parcel of this infamous affair." "I was merely observing, sir, that he was busy only because I told him to be so." "What do you say, Mr. Bush?" "We can rely on your judgment, I'm sure." "The boy knows nothing, sir." "Doesn't know the bobstay from the spanker boom." "Oh, no, Mr. Bush." "You're too honest." "I knew it the moment I first saw you." "You don't understand these poisonous young reptiles." "We must dredge the truth out of him." "Oh, yes." "Get below, Mr. Wellard." "I'll have it out of you." "By God, I will." "Quartermaster, run forward and get Mr. Matthews to lay aft here, and his mates." "Quartermaster:" "Aye, aye, sir." "Another dozen, and he'll coo like a dove." "We must intervene." "The captain is master of the ship." "And he sought your opinion, sir which, I note, contained nothing to dissuade him from this beating upon which he is now embarked." "Mr. Hornblower, may I suggest you take the time to remind Mr. Kennedy that he is merely fourth lieutenant aboard this ship?" "He has the captain's ear." "Why did he not speak when he had the chance?" "To say what?" "The captain's blood was up." "For Mr. Bush to have spoken up for Mr. Wellard would only have provoked him further." "You think I should have held my tongue." "You think I made it worse." "You acted for the best." "Oh... well there's precious sop for my conscience." "Lookout:" "All on deck, there." "Sail-ho!" "Where away?" "Four points abaft the beam, sir." "Go aloft with your glass, Mr. Kennedy." "See what you make of it." "Aye, aye, sir." "STYLES:" "Matthews." "Hello." "We're wanted aft." "What now?" "Bring your cane." "Oh, hell, not another one." "Who is it this time?" "Young Wellard again." "There, sir, just forward of the backstay." "French frigate, 36 guns." "She's cleared for action!" "36, eh?" "Should we inform the captain, sir?" "She's catching us fast." "Disturb the lion on his prey?" "Rather you than me, Mr. Bush." "I'll go, sir." "No... no need, Mr. Hornblower-- 36 guns to our 74." "They'd never dare." "There's two of them." "Two frigates!" "Damn." "That's changed the odds a bit." "HORNBLOWER:" "Sir!" "SAWYER:" "Mr. Hornblower, you'd better have a good reason for this interruption." "Yes, sir, Mr. Buckland's respects." "There are two French frigates on the starboard quarter." "Tell Mr. Buckland I shall be on deck directly." "Boatswain." "Sir, they're cleared for action." "Thank you, Mr. Hornblower." "That will be all." "They'll be up with us in minutes, sir." "Damn it, man, we can blow them to pieces long before we come into range of their piddling little popguns!" "Not if we're not cleared for action, sir." "You will answer for this later." "We thought perhaps, sir, that, um..." "Clear for action." "Clear for action, damn you!" "Beat to quarters!" "Come on, men, look lively!" "Open the stern port." "By God, they're fast." "Mr. Hobbs, you will oblige me by taken a rope's end to those men if they don't bestir their miserable selves!" "What's wrong with them?" "HOBBS:" "Aye, aye, sir!" "Come on, sailor." "Smarten yourselves up, men." "They're drunk!" "That's what's wrong with the buggers." "Beware a loose tongue, Mr. Matthews." "You never know where it might lead." "My tongue may be loose, Mr. Hobbs but at least it's not raw from licking the captain's ass." "Come on, put your backs into it!" "My God, she'll be across our stern any moment." "God help us." "I'll have no muttering on my deck." "Where are those damn powder monkeys?" "!" "BOY:" "Right here!" "First powder monkey to stern chase, please, Mr. Wellard." "Aye, aye, sir." "Mind that tackle!" "Do you think we'll be cleared in time?" "HORNBLOWER:" "If this crew weren't such an ill-disciplined, drunken rabble, we would." "That's not what I asked." "Nevertheless, it's the point at issue." "Mind that, damn it!" "Way for powder!" "Way for powder!" "Way for powder!" "Way for powder!" "Way for powder!" "Mr. Wellard, here!" "Sir." "If she shows any signs of bringing her guns to bear shout it out immediately." "Aye, aye, sir." "Come away, look lively!" "Load!" "WELLARD:" "They're running out the guns on the starboard side, sir!" "Shot!" "Sir, I think she's about to open fire!" "Belay that shot-- run her out as she is, damn it!" "We're firing wadding, Mr. Bush." "Wadding!" "What the devil?" "!" "She has to see our smoke." "None of our guns is ready." "Very well." "Shot!" "Fire!" "Sir?" "Stand clear!" "Reload." "Frenchman bearing further away, sir." "Very good, Mr. Wellard." "Run her out!" "Fire!" "Fire!" "She's running off now, sir." "We've frightened her off, sir." "Very good..." "very good." "An original concept, Horatio to fire the contents of your cot at him." "It would certainly have put me off my aim." "The Frenchman fell off the wind at the first whiff of it." "Well, Mr. Hornblower." "Sir." "I'm informed that you fired your stern chaser with no shot in it." "Is that true?" "HORNBLOWER:" "The Frenchman was bearing away preparatory to firing, sir." "I thought it of capital importance to make him think again, however briefly so as to give Mr. Bush time to fire properly before we received the full broadside, sir." "Subtle, Mr. Hornblower, subtle." "How long did it take you to cook up that story?" "Is this to be your career, Mr. Hornblower covering up your incompetence with ingenious fairy stories?" "I submit, sir, that the ploy caused the Frenchman to..." "You submit?" "!" "Good." "Submit to just criticism and in time, you might make a seaman." "Sir, with respect..." "Mr. Hornblower and I agreed upon a course of action that his stern chaser should fire its wadding." "You, too, Mr. Bush?" "Are you joining Mr. Hornblower?" "No, sir, it might have been the wrong course but I agreed to it." "Mr. Hornblower posted Mr. Wellard to observe the French frigate." "Mr. Wellard... ah, yes." "I'm obliged, Mr. Bush, much obliged." "Mr. Hornblower and I have some unfinished business with regard to Mr. Wellard." "MATTHEWS:" "One..." "Two..." "Three..." "Four..." "Well?" "Sir, do I proceed?" "Well..." "It's quite straightforward, Dr. Clive." "Mr. Matthews has beaten Mr. Wellard insensible." "Does he continue?" "Punishment ended." "Bring him to the sick bay." "Then get back on watch, Mr. Hornblower." "Mr. Hornblower." "Nasty business, that, nasty business." "But then again, boys have been beaten since history began." "It would be a bad thing for the world if ever boys should cease to be beaten." "That may well be your medical opinion, Dr. Clive but I can see no useful purpose served by thrashing a young boy within an inch of his life." "Come, come, Mr. Hornblower." "A little tincture of laudanum for the pain and all will soon be forgotten." "Forgotten, maybe, Dr. Clive but forgiven?" "Careful, Mr. Hornblower." "I've had the good fortune to serve the captain for over 15 years, and he has inspired nothing but loyalty in the men under his command." "And that, too, is your medical opinion, is it, Dr. Clive?" "SAWYER:" "Article 19:" "If any person in or belonging to the fleet shall make or endeavor to make any mutinous assembly upon any pretense whatsoever every person offending herein and being convicted thereof by the sentence of the court martial shall suffer death." "And if any person shall utter any words of sedition or mutiny he shall suffer death." "And if any officer, man in arm or soldier shall behave himself with contempt to his superior officer or shall disobey any lawful command every such person shall suffer death." "And I'll have you all know that these articles apply to my officers as much as to anyone else." "Carry on, Mr. Buckland." "BUCKLAND:" "Aye, aye, sir." "Division officers dismiss your divisions." "Dismiss!" "Dismiss!" "Dismiss!" "Look lively there." "Dismiss!" "SAWYER:" "Mr. Buckland." "Sir." "Half-duty, Sunday, today." "Double rum for all these good men." "Sir." ""Extra rum for the crew."" ""This rule applies to my officers."" "Yes." "It's an interesting method of fostering cooperation in the crew." "Have you ever come across it before?" "No, I most certainly have not." "Perhaps Captain Sawyer's methods will prove consistent in the end." "Perhaps it's only an impression." "What?" "The erratic nature of his command." "How do you find it?" "Erratic." "Most erratic, to say the least." "Thank you, sir." "I needed reassurance that I was not misjudging the captain's mental powers." "Not at all." "That is to say, probably not." "It's a matter for Dr. Clive to pronounce him." "That would be the appropriate course, yes." "Good evening, gentlemen." "You are the officer of the watch are you not, Mr. Hornblower?" "If you'll excuse me, sir, I'm needed up on deck." "Well, waste not, want not." "Put that back." "Put that back." "Or do you want me to smarten up your big ugly face?" "Styles." "Randall... put it back." "Mr. Hornblower." "Well rested, I trust." "Sir, I'm..." "Asleep on watch-- you're as good as dead already." "I'll take you out and hang you by the neck unless..." "I do believe your life is in my hands." "You fear me, sir?" "I've always held you in the highest regard, sir." "Indeed..." "I was once like you-- young, intemperate... a danger to fellow officers." "You would shoot me where I stand." "Sir..." "Here." "Captain Sawyer, please." "Don't trifle with me, sir." "Shoot me." "Stop that!" "You, too, Dr. Clive?" "Is there anyone I can trust?" "CLIVE:" "You should be in bed, sir." "Give it to me." "You could do yourself an injury, sir." "Come." "I shall give you something to help you sleep, sir." "Your life is in my hands." "Don't forget." "Your life is in my hands." "He won't forget, sir." "Will you, Mr. Hornblower?" "I will not, sir." "You'd do well not to let Randall get to you." "But he's so..." "Hey... you're boatswain's mate now." "It's your job to order." "Message from Mr. Hornblower." "Could you turn to him on deck?" "Is that all he said?" "No, he said look lively." "Archie." "Long night." "Oh, time is only the half of it." "I fear you the captain returning." "Oh, why?" "What new madness has he embarked upon?" "What can we do for you, Mr. Hobbs?" "HORNBLOWER:" "Captain Sawyer." "I've never seen a man so unstable in his mind." "He wants to die, Archie." "Then let him." "My fear is that in doing so he'll delight in one of us dying with him." "What now, Hobbs?" "It's Matthews, sir." "You wanted to see me, sir?" "I think I'll call her Betty." "Sir." "We have unfinished business, Styles." "You're not so tough without your mate Matthews around, are you?" "I don't need any help to teach you some manners." "I don't need no knife neither." "Styles:" "Get off me, ~censored~!" "Get off!" "Should have realized I'd been sent on a wild goose chase." "HORNBLOWER:" "Get off him, damn you!" "By God, you'll pay for this." "Now put him in irons." "Huh?" "What?" "He said he was winning, sir." "Now take him to the sick bay." "What the devil do you want?" "I heard there was some sort of argument going on." "Natural high spirits below decks, I daresay so." "I therefore ordered Randall to be placed in irons and Styles, who they'd kicked almost to death." "You exaggerate, Mr. Hornblower." "There he stands large as life." "You're too squeamish-- I've noticed that about you." "I daresay, sir..." "Styles, if you would, please." "Nevertheless, there he stands." "As I say your squeamishness clouds your judgment." "I advise you to conquer it." "It does not bode well for your conduct under fire..." "Mr. Hornblower." "With respect, sir, I find..." "Respect?" "What do you know of respect?" "You come before me with these men whose boisterous high spirits led them to knock each other about a bit and you expect me to punish them." "I like high spirits in my men, do you hear?" "What I do not like are weak-kneed officers who do not know how to keep order." "Do you understand?" "I understand, sir." "Charges dismissed." "Well?" "Charges dismissed." "Believe me now, do you?" "What the devil is he up to?" "I suspect the evidence was before the captain" "I opened my mouth-- the evidence he to hear, that is." "By God, I believe you're right." ""Weak-kneed officers who do not know how to keep order."" "Never heard the like." "Order?" "He doesn't know the meaning of the word." "SAWYER:" "Stay where you are, gentlemen." "There-- every sign of guilt." "Bear witness to it, Mr. Hobbs." "SAWYER:" "Stand still!" "A mutinous assembly, I believe." "No, sir." "SAWYER:" "Do you give me the lie on my own quarterdeck-- plotting, whispering, scheming now treating me with gross disrespect?" "I'll see that you regret this, Mr. Buckland." "I intended no disrespect, sir." "SAWYER:" "Again you give me the lie." "Mr. Bush..." "I'm disappointed in you." "Why did you not see fit to report this mutinous assembly to me?" "I wasn't aware of them, sir." "I was helping Mr. Wellard take a noon, sir." "Ah..." "Mr. Wellard... of course." "He will be in this, too." "You will be in trouble with these gentlemen" "Mr. Wellard." "You didn't keep a sharp enough lookout, did you, boy?" "!" "I doubt if you'll have a friend left on the ship." "But later for you." "The lieutenants first as their lofty rack decrees." "You..." "Mr. Hornblower you will resume your continuous watch for a further 36 hours and these three gentlemen can report to you when every watch is called." "Aye, aye, sir." "And at every hour of every watch two, four and six bells every watch, day and night, every hour." "And they're to be properly dressed." "Let there be no slackness in the execution of this order-- none!" "I will have means of knowing if I am obeyed or not." "Dr. Clive." "Mr. Buckland." "Mr. Buckland." "May I rely on your confidentiality?" "Good, good, good." "The captain..." "The captain?" "Do you think..." "How would you describe his mental... powers his mental state?" "I would not presume to describe my captain's mental state." "You can't have failed to notice his management of the ship." "I would not presume, Mr. Buckland." "I advise you not to either, sir." "Ambition is one thing..." "Ambition?" "What do you mean?" "I'm talking about the indiscipline of the crew." "The ship is barely manageable." "Hasn't it occurred to you that you would be captain?" "What?" "What are you talking about?" "For God's sake, man if the captain were declared unfit you would be acting captain master under guard and all the rest of it sole arbiter of all lives aboard." "Sir." "Matthews." "How many hours is it now, sir?" "Thirty-five." "Well done, sir." "Managed 19 hours myself once before." "Collapsed-- dead on my face." "What happened then?" "The captain was a kind man, sir." "He gave me a dozen lashes and let the whole matter drop." "Pray God I'm as fortunate." "Indeed, sir." "Not that..." "Let us hope not, Matthews" "A lively crew." "Not all, sir." "Some of the men don't like it any more than I do." "Watch your tongue, Matthews." "Sorry, sir." "I speak for a third of the men, sir." "Carry on, Mr. Matthews." "Aye, aye, sir." "Mr. Wellard." "You understand your duty, Mr. Wellard?" "I do, sir." "Good luck." "I didn't know you were a dancing man, sir." "Best keep it down, would you." "Who threw that?" "The captain will hear of this." "And he'll have a right laugh when he does!" "BUCKLAND:" "Suppose we declare him unfit for command." "Suppose we put him in irons." "We'd have to be quick and sharp about it if we do it at all." "The hands might follow him..." "But suppose we were quick and sharp about it." "Surely there must be some chance..." "Sir..." "Horatio?" "Listen." ":" "I thought I'd find you here." "Did you, indeed?" "Our wardroom is deserted." "I thought you might be up to something." "I thought you might feel that something had to be done." "I'm not sure I follow you, Mr. Bush." "About the captain." "What?" "I thought you might feel that the captain wasn't fit for command..." "Mr. Bush... as I do." "I think we're all of one mind, Mr. Bush." "Well, in that case, I'd be very glad if you allowed me to join you." "Mr. Wellard." "I was expecting to see" "Mr. Hornblower on watch." "Call of nature, Mr. Hobbs." "Ah." "Well, I'll just wait a moment for his return." "BUCKLAND:" "He's made a mockery of us." "Officers on continuous watch." "That's as good as a death sentence." "And Mr. Hornblower here-- how many hours has it been?" "It's certainly a novel approach to captaincy." "Novel?" "What about Wellard?" "I like it no more than you, Mr. Kennedy." "BUCKLAND:" "So do we act now?" "Do we take a chance... and declare him unfit?" "And in Kingston, sir... what will await us there?" "A court-martial." "Why?" "Why?" "What on earth for?" "Well, this is mutiny, Mr. Buckland." "Mutiny." "Well, perhaps I should check the wardroom to see that Mr. Hornblower is all right." "I hardly think that necessary, Mr. Hobbs." "Well, we wouldn't want anything untoward to have happened, would we, sir?" "Where are they, Mr. Wellard?" "HORNBLOWER:" "This is the point." "It'll sound different in court." "We've been punished;" "that could happen to anyone." "It's no grounds for mutiny." "And the crew?" "Double rum, make and mend." "It's not for us to criticize the captain... so the court will think." "But when they see him, Horatio..." "He's cunning..." "and we all know he can talk and find a reason for anything." "And he's plausible." "Wellard?" "A midshipman, no friends, no family." "What will the court say when they hear the captain had a boy beaten a couple of times?" "They will laugh." "And so would we..." "if we didn't know." "We will hang for it." "22 years..." "I've held my commission." "And now he'll break me." "He'll break this whole bloody ship." "Sir..." "Sir..." "Oh..." "Hobbs." "You said to tell you, sir." "Yes, who?" "Lieutenants Hornblower, Bush, Kennedy and Buckland..." "Yes." "not on watch, sir nor in the wardroom and I thought..." "Yes, my God, so do I!" ":" "Call out the guard!" "You heard me, Sergeant, there's mutiny brewing-- black, bloody mutiny!" "Call out the guards!" "If you find two or more of these gentlemen together you will tell them to stay exactly where they are." "Forward you go, Mr. Hobbs to the hull amidship." "Aye, aye, sir!" "Flush them out, the verminous scum!" "Shh!" "Mr. Wellard, why aren't you on watch?" "The captain said he's coming." "Oh, God, holy God!" "Anyone else?" "He sent Hobbs to cover the amidships section." "He's turned out the marine guard." "Mr. Wellard, come with me!" "You three get forward and scatter when you're on deck." "Quickly, now!" "You two... go forward." "Come on!" ":" "There's the captain." "Help me, help me here!" "Thank you." "Let's get the grating." "Mr. Wellard, this way." "Who's there?" "It's me, Hobbs, sir." "Where are they?" "They're around here somewhere." "Let's split up here." "Over there." "Down there!" "After them!" "Hurry!" "Hurry!" "I hear you." "Out!" "Out!" "Or do I shoot you where you stand?" "Run, go on, get out!" "Stay where you are!" "They've abandoned me." "Universal treachery." "Universal desertion." "My men, where are my true men?" "Keep away." "Sir..." "Keep your distance." "Sir..." "Hold on-- what was that?" "Come on." "BUCKLAND:" "Is he dead?" "Dr. Clive is with him now, sir." "What happened?" "It would appear he fell..." "Mr. Bush." "Fell?" "KENNEDY:" "So it would seem, sir." "Are you all right, Mr. Wellard?" "You're shaking." "Quite well, sir, considering." "Mr. Wellard, would you kindly retrieve the captain's pistols?" "They could be vital evidence, sir." "Ah..." "yes, indeed." "Sir..." "Captain was talking about mutiny, sir." ""We've got to catch the mutineers," he says." "Did he give you any indication as to the identity of these mutineers?" "No, sir." "But, sir..." "Mr. Hobbs was with him." "Might have confided in him, sir." "Yes, thank you." "Dismissed." "We need to sway him up." "Yes, very well." "Mr. Bush, get a tackle rigged." "Aye, aye, sir." "Mr. Hornblower!" "Mr. Kennedy!" "Mr. Hornblower... about this... accident." "Sir." "Never mind." "No, never mind." "It'll keep." "WELLARD:" "Sir?" "Thank you, Mr. Wellard." "Lift him together now... steady." "The pistols, sir." "Very well..." "over there." "Will he survive?" "I think so." "Will he recover?" "Depends on what you mean by "recover."" "He's very severely concussed." "I think what Mr. Buckland means is will he recover sufficiently to resume command?" "Impossible to say." "His skull's intact." "That's all I can tell you." "I will be on continuous watch, sir." "We'll go with the captain's orders until we know more." "Aye, aye, sir." ":" "Well, what else can I do?" "He might wake up this afternoon, for God's sake." "Then what?" "Out of my way, please, Mr. Hobbs." "I don't seem able to move." "Awkward, isn't it?" "It can't be helped." "Though, uh... you can help me, sir." "In what way?" "Well, I was wondering what happened to the captain." "And I fancy you know exactly what happened." "Get out of my way, or I shall report you." "How can I help you with that?" "I wasn't there." "Oh, I think you can, sir." "For when the captain's recovered there'll be shootings and hangings aboard this ship." "And you won't want to fall foul of those." "So I think you'll tell me." "After all, we wouldn't want to see your young neck stretched like a chicken... sir." "I don't like it." "I don't like it at all." "Mr. Buckland, we didn't" "Perhaps not, but we all know what was said." "Yes, but to no effect." "The events overtook us." "That does not mean that I am comfortable with it." "We did nothing other than consider our options in those circumstances." "Fate intervened, Mr. Buckland." "And the air smells all the better for it." "The captain's incapacity is not a matter for celebration, Mr. Kennedy." "Unless and until Dr. Clive pronounces otherwise" "I would remind you that he is still in charge of this ship." "Do you want me to wake him, sir?" "He hasn't slept for days." "Let him have a little longer." "I don't envy his position." "He's the one that would have to assume command." "I bet the responsibility weighs heavy." "Why don't you get some sleep, Mr. Kennedy?" "I'll stand watch for you." "Thank you, Mr. Bush, but I will share the watch with you." "Very well." "Two days' sail from Santo Domingo." "Not long to whip this crew into fighting shape." "No, Mr. Bush, but I'm sure the task will not prove beyond us." "How did it happen?" "How did what happen?" "How did the captain fall down the hatchway?" "He must have overbalanced." "Is that all?" "All?" "What do you mean, all?" "You know what I mean;" "you were there." "Mr. Buckland's compliments... and can you both attend him in the captain's cabin immediately?" "BUCKLAND:" "He's lost his memory?" "Yes, he does not remember his accident at all or the hours preceding it." "Is he capable at present of commanding this ship?" "It needs to be established, Dr. Clive." "At present, no." "Then we know where we stand." "For the present, we do." "How do you propose to treat him?" "By bleeding him." "I may purge him later." "I have yet to refine a regime." "He's certainly calmer." "Calmer?" "In what way has he not been calm?" "He looks comatose." "That may be a natural reaction to his memory loss and so on... to his injuries." "And what was this quite "natural reaction"?" "He became a little agitated-- that is all." "How?" "In what way, agitated?" "He showed symptoms, not extreme of a certain paraphronesis with occasional phrenetical impulses." "And in plain English?" "I could perceive certain symptoms, as I say... tendencies which led me to suppose some irritation of the meninges-- the brain lining-- in plain English which caused me to think..." "In plain English, Dr. Clive is the captain capable of resuming command?" "No." "Thank you." "For the time being." "We're back there again, are we?" "We won't know, will we, if you keep him in this condition?" "What do you mean?" "You're giving him laudanum, aren't you?" "What business is it of yours?" "I'm his doctor." "One does not need to be a doctor to know the effects of an opiate." "What, you're dosing him with laudanum, Dr. Clive?" "Well, are you?" "A certain dosage seems to be appropriate." "How will we ever know if the captain is capable of running this ship if you keep him in a constant state of sedation?" "You will oblige me, Dr. Clive by leaving off your drugging of the captain." "I do believe a bit of bruising about the face improves your looks." "I've had worse beatings at the hands of me father... if he me father." "Next time, I'm going to do you for good, Styles." "It's you we'll be tossin' to the crabs, Randall." "Except they'd spit him out." "Because they're very particular about what they eat, the crabs." "It's more likely when the captain comes back you two will be dancing from the end of a rope." "You and whoever it was who pushed the captain." "Save it, Styles." "He's all mouth." "Oh, no, that's a promise." "I've got a nice bit of yardarm for you two and an extra bit for Mr. Wellard." "The captain fell;" "we all know that." "Of course he did." "Anyway, you two won't be so leery if the captain doesn't come back, I'll tell you." "Oh?" "Why not?" "Because Lieutenant Buckland is a born fool." "He couldn't command a trip round the bay never mind a seventy-four." "Dr. Clive... it is necessary for me, formally to assume command of this ship." "What's preventing you?" "are, Dr. Clive." "KENNEDY:" "You will not declare the captain unfit for command." "You keep prevaricating." "Until you declare him unfit, it will be a usurpation of power." ""Mutiny" in other words!" "Why are you so frightened of the word?" "You don't seem frightened that someone may have shoved him down that ladder, nearly killed him." "That's what you should be concerned with;" "not the niceties of taking over!" "Dr. Clive, this is hardly helpful." "Helpful be damned!" "I've served with him on three ships." "I know him!" "The man's a hero." "You're drunk, damn it." "You're drunk." "BUCKLAND:" "Dr. Clive... we are less than two days' sail away from Samana Bay where we are to see action." "It is vital that you declare the captain unfit to command this ship and for it to be noted." "You will please satisfy us as to this point." "Damned if I will!" "There he is!" "decide." "Satisfy yourselves!" "It may be a useful a cautionary measure, sir if Mr. Kennedy were to note Dr. Clive's inebriated condition." "It may be that he is incapable himself of carrying out his duties." "Too slow, gentlemen!" "We need to be faster when we engage the enemy!" "Call yourselves a gun crew?" "We'd be blown out of the water!" "Right, let's show these ~censored~ how it should be done, eh?" "Reload!" "Reload!" "Gun ready, Mr. Hornblower!" "Run her out!" "Gun ready, Mr. Bush!" "Run her out!" "Heave!" "Fire!" "Fire!" "One minute 35, Mr. Bush, to my one minute 28." "Better." "But not good enough." "Both:" "Reload!" "You're a real taskmaster, Mr. Hornblower." "We'll make a crew out of them yet, Mr. Bush." "Much better, gentlemen." "We're getting there, sir." "Are you unwell, Mr. Hornblower?" "No, sir." "But I have a request, sir." "He wants to do what?" "That's what he said." "Well, whoever heard of that?" "Come and look at this." "Could you do that?" "Hey, Mr. Hornblower!" "Hey, stop that, Styles." "Pump, you sons of sea cooks, pump!" "We're pumping as hard as we can, sir." ":" "Styles!" "SAWYER:" "This is my not a public bathhouse!" "Mr. Buckland... you will arrest lieutenants Bush, Hornblower and Kennedy." "Sir." "Arrest them!" "Unless you care to join them!" "Very well." "Sergeant Whiting." "Sir." "Come along, gentlemen." "And clap them in irons like the mutinous dogs they are!" "STYLES :" "By the mark!" "Line!" "STYLES :" "And a quarter less... five!" "Deep four!" "And a half four!" "MATTHEWS:" "Heave!" "Belay!" "It's no good, sir." "We'll never bring the guns to bear." "The fort's too high up!" "Sir." "Get away, get away!" "Sir, I beg you." "We are standing into terrible danger." "By the mark three!" "There is only a few feet of water under us, sir." "We must turn now before it's too late." "No, no, I don't want to." "I want to fight them!" "Then at least let me release the other lieutenants." "Without them, there will be no one to command the guns." "Oh, no, you don't, Mr. Buckland." "I know what you want." "They'll stay just where they are." "We're going to come under fire at any minute." "Why doesn't Buckland do something?" "Most hands will back him up." "They're not stupid!" "Hobbs!" "Hobbs, come here now!" "For God's sake, this is madness." "Get us out of here." "Can't do that, sir." "You know I can't." "You can't work the guns on your own, Hobbs." "You need us, Hobbs." "I can't." "Hobbs, get us out of here-- that's an order." "No." "Damn, thought we had him there." "We did." "That's it!" "That's more like it!" "Return fire, Mr. Buckland." "We cannot elevate the guns enough, sir." "I said return fire, or by God, I will!" "Engage the enemy, Mister." "Sir." "A quarter less three." "This is my ship." "Fire." "Fire!" "Devil." "We're aground..." "God help us." "We're aground." "Styles!" "Come on!" "Heated shot, they're using heated shot!" "I wouldn't worry, Mr. Kennedy." "We'll drown long before we burn." "Ahoy there!" "Ahoy there!" "STYLES:" "Here!" "Go, grab hold!" "Hold tight!" "Why is it I can never find you when I need you?" "Come on." "Get Clive-- get the doctor-- and tell him to bring a straitjacket." "Where do you think you're going?" "No, you don't." "Oh, Randall, get out of my way." "Make me." "Get them in there!" "Come on!" "Two, six, heave!" "Hold him down!" "Mr. Buckland's compliments and will you please come to the quarterdeck?" "Respects to the first lieutenant but, no, it's impossible." "You see why, surely." "The captain, sir, he's not himself!" "Is he wounded?" "No, sir, but..." "Well, these men are!" "Now pass me that sword." "Heave!" "Heave!" "Stand back, gents." "We'll soon have you out of there." "Do your stuff, Styles." "Thank you, Matthews." "Now find the cable and get that hole plugged up then meet us up on deck." "Aye, aye, sir!" "Mr. Buckland, you all right, sir?" "We're aground." "Fast aground." "We'll have to get her off of the anchors." "Where is the captain, sir?" "He's gone to earth somewhere." "I've sent young Wellard to look for the doctor." ":" "Where the hell is he?" "We must get a cable through a stern port." "HORNBLOWER:" "Let Matthews, sir." "I'll take a boat, stand under the stern to take the cable if you bring the anchor around in the launch." "Mr. Kennedy can man the capstan." "Very good." "Styles, you come with me." "Give us plenty of slack, Matthews." "Aye, aye, sir!" "More slack!" "Come on, men!" "Now give way together." "Sir, if you please, the captain was in a very bad way." "I do beg you to go to him." "In a minute." "In a minute!" "CLIVE:" "More ligatures." "Stretch out, Mr. Hornblower." "Stretch out!" "Aye, aye." "Row, damn you, row!" "BUSH:" "Come on, quickly!" "We're going to lose the anchor, come on!" "She's going to go, come on!" "Quickly, men!" "Feed it through the anchor ring!" "BUSH:" "Quickly!" "She's going to go down!" "Quick, she's going!" "She's going!" "Pull it over the stock!" "BUSH:" "She's going down!" "Quickly!" "I'm drowned..." "Mr. Hornblower!" "Don't let me drown!" "Anchor's let go, sir!" "Heave away, men!" "Heave away, men!" "Powder monkey!" "Where's the powder monkey!" "Mr. Bush!" "They pushed me, that's what they did." "Pushed me." "Mutiny." "By God... it is mutiny!" "Come on, men!" "The ship is at stake!" "Heave, men!" "Heave and wake the dead!" "Move those bodies there!" "Stay to your post!" "Get up!" "Move the capstan back!" "KENNEDY:" "Heave!" "Where is he?" "Where is he?" "He's over there somewhere." "Mr. Wellard, find Sergeant Whiting." "Bring him here with four of his men, quickly now." "Aye, aye, sir." "Captain Sawyer, sir, it's me..." "Dr. Clive." "I was right." "Heave, damn it, heave!" "Do you want to sit here till the next tide while they shoot us to pieces?" "Heave!" "Did you feel it?" "When the guns fired." "It must have broken the suction." "Double shot the guns." "I'll tell Buckland." "Double shot the guns!" "BUCKLAND:" "Mr. Hornblower, what's happening below?" "If we miss this time, we're finished." "Mr. Bush's compliments, sir." "We will fire the guns double-shotted." "But we can't elevate the guns enough even to hit the fort." "Recoil may shake us free, sir." "There, there he is." "He's one of them." "Mutineers, all of them." "You're under arrest for mutiny and treason!" "Now, Sergeant Whiting, do your duty." "HORNBLOWER:" "The priority is to refloat the ship, sir." "What?" "So we should, yes." "Mr. Wellard, my respects to Mr. Bush." "Tell him to carry on." "SAWYER:" "Stay there, you puppy!" "give the orders here." "Mr. Wellard, if you please." "Aye, aye, sir." "SAWYER:" "Do you duty, sergeant." "Damn your ayes, do your duty or, by God, I will." "Dr. Clive, is the captain fit to command this vessel?" "It's not that simple!" "Arrest him!" "Dr. Clive, if you continue to prevaricate we should all die here!" "SAWYER:" "I'll count to three: one..." "BUCKLAND:" "Sir, I beg you!" "Dr. Clive!" "Two..." "You're endangering the ship, sir!" "Dr. Clive!" "All right, yes." "Three!" "Keep it going now, heave!" "What happened?" "Sergeant Whiting, the captain has been declared unfit for command." "Disarm him and escort him below." "BUSH:" "We're coming off." "Stand by the sheets!" "Horatio, what's going on?" "The doctor has decided that the captain is unfit to command." "It was under duress." "Did you or did you not declare the captain unfit for command?" "You were being threatened with a pistol, for God sake!" "By whom?" "By the captain." "Come on, man, move it!" "Take him to his cabin." "You'll swing for this." "You all will." "Tell me, Mr. Hornblower... did you know that the captain had found his pistol?" "No, sir." "Oh, I see." "We were hard aground, sir." "We were as good as dead already." "You took a gamble." "It seemed reasonable enough, sir." "Ready when you are, sir." "Mr. Bush?" "You're in command of the now, sir." "Yes." "Very well." "Let's get this ship underway before the Dons sink us." "Raise sheets and tack!" "Home, mainsail home!" "Pull hard to larboard!" "And so the ship was saved?" "Yes, sir." "It was Dr. Clive's opinion that Captain Sawyer was unfit to command?" "Reluctantly, yes." "That was his opinion." "Well, that's something at least." "But you do realize, sir, it's your word against his." "It was for the good of the service, sir and for the safety of the ship." "By God, Mr. Hornblower" "I hope you can back that up with solid evidence because from where I'm standing" "I wouldn't lay great odds on an acquittal." "No, sir." "I'm afraid you're right." "So the captain's condition was due to falling down the hatchway." "That's what seemed to push him over the edge, sir." "It's a very interesting choice of words, Mr. Hornblower." "How did the captain come to fall?"