Free The Scent of Corruption (The Fighting Sail Series Book 7) by Alaric Bond Page B

while the fresh running rigging became swollen and impossible to reeve. Any cleaning, painting or paying still to be done on the open deck had to be abandoned, with the hands being sent below to work instead in stuffy storerooms or cabins. And all the time those officers who had been informed both of Prometheus' new destination, and her revised departure date, swore testily at what men they did command, while privately wondering where more might be found.
    But there was good news as well; Benson's excursion had proved far more successful than they could have expected. Earlier that morning the fourth lieutenant had returned from his recruiting drive bringing with him five experienced hands along with seven landsmen, three of which had actually volunteered. The able hands were man-o'-war trained, having recently returned from a thirty month commission in a frigate, and apparently spending their accumulated wages over a two night binge that ended with them before the local assizes. All five had shown spirit to begin with but now seemed resigned to their fate, whereas the landsmen were still so bemused by their situation and surroundings as to be positively docile. The receiving tender had provided three more the previous morning, two of whom were already settled, but Lewis' lot from the night before were not quite so amiable.
    There had almost been a riot getting them aboard and, even several hours later, some of the more lively were continuing to object. Caulfield supposed he would have to go and listen to their complaints eventually but for now was content to let them expend their energy below, where the more violent were safely contained in bilboes. But however much trouble they were causing, he readily acknowledged that Prometheus ' most junior lieutenant had done well.
    Two of his prisoners needed to be released almost immediately, and left threatening to return with injunctions for the rest, but such legal niceties would take at least three days to produce, and the ship should be well out to sea by then. And those still held appeared experienced seamen in the main; just the kind they were after. Even their overly expressed anger at being taken showed character that only needed to be channelled to good advantage, and the first lieutenant made a mental note to alert the captain of Lewis' performance. A commendation from him would mean much to the lad, who had not held a commission for more than a couple of months and would be feeling his way for some time.
    But that still left them short of the five hundred or so lower deck hands that was their ideal wartime complement. It was not a massive deficit; ships had sailed with far smaller crews, but one that Caulfield was at a loss to know how to rectify. Prometheus was well provisioned, the only other commodity lacking being fresh water and, as he looked out at the appalling weather through the chart room scuttle, the irony did not appeal. Once that was aboard, they might sail, and the first of the lighters was expected that very afternoon. He had placed his pen down and was rolling up the watch list he had been studying when there came a tap at the door. One of the midshipmen poked his nose through the crack.
    “Captain presents his compliments, sir, and might he speak with you when convenient?”
    Caulfield grunted an assent to what amounted to a royal summons, and slipped the watch list under his arm before leaving the tiny room. He had a feeling it would be needed.
    * * *
    “W e have new messmates for you, Flint,” Cartwright announced as he approached the head of the table. He had three contrasting men in tow, and each viewed their new home with differing levels of interest. Dinner, the mail meal of the day, had just been eaten, while the first issue of spirit was still warm in their bellies. So those of Flint's mess were in a genial mood, and they in turn examined the newcomers with a collective, and amused, curiosity.
    “Butler has joined us from a transport,” the