Free Ramage and the Dido by Dudley Pope Page B

should put him under an arrest, and apply to the admiral for a court martial?’
    The first lieutenant shrugged his shoulders. ‘It would keep him in the ship, and if we have to sail no doubt the admiral can find us another fifth lieutenant. Most admirals have a favourite close under their lee.’
    ‘Very well. Put him under arrest and confine him to his cabin. I’ll pass the word to the captain of the Hyperion – it’s his second lieutenant who is concerned. And a letter to the port admiral asking for a court martial. It’s a lot of trouble, just to save that young fool’s life…’
     
    Admiral Rossiter was in his office, and as soon as he had greeted Ramage he held up a letter. ‘Your orders have arrived from the Admiralty. How is everything progressing?’
    ‘We need another couple of days, sir; then we’ll be ready to take on our powder. Oh yes, we do have one problem – our new fifth lieutenant.’
    Rossiter raised his eyebrows. ‘Why, the last time I saw you, you were waiting for him to arrive.’
    ‘He was in trouble as soon as he arrived,’ Ramage said shortly, handing over the letter he had written. Rossiter put the letter down and said: ‘Tell me about it.’
    Briefly Ramage described the situation, and went on to tell the admiral how Hicks had been staying at the Star and Garter gambling, instead of joining the Dido.
    ‘Duelling, eh? I don’t want any duels fought in my dockyard, and I’m sure the Commander-in-Chief would not take kindly to any of his officers duelling. Who has called him out?’
    ‘The second of the Hyperion, sir. I’ve little doubt he had good enough reasons – Hicks admits he has other gambling debts, and as good as admitted to me that he cheated – “taking every advantage that he could” were his words.’
    ‘If he is court-martialled, he won’t be able to sail with you. In fact, come to think of it, you won’t be able to sail until after the trial. He can’t be tried in less than a week.’
    ‘The main thing is that I want him confined under an arrest so that he can’t fight the duel tomorrow morning, sir.’
    Rossiter shrugged his shoulders. ‘You can keep him under an arrest for a few days and then decide not to press charges…’
    ‘I don’t want the fellow on board, sir,’ Ramage said bluntly. ‘He’s obviously a bad influence, and as he’s a compulsive gambler, he’s going to come to a sticky end.’
    The admiral tapped his desk with Ramage’s letter. ‘I can send him to the guardship and give you another fifth lieutenant,’ he said slowly. ‘I am prepared to do that because I know you have your old ship’s company with you, and obviously it’s an efficient one. This fellow could be the one bad apple in the barrel.’
    ‘That would be the best way, sir: I don’t want to hang about for a court martial, but I do want to get rid of this fellow.’
    Rossiter gestured at the letter Ramage was holding. ‘Why don’t you read your orders?’
    Ramage broke the seal and opened the single sheet of paper. The orders were brief and simple: after provisioning for six months and completing the fitting-out of his ship to the satisfaction of the port admiral, Ramage was to sail to the West Indies, placing himself under the command of Rear-Admiral Samuel Cameron, the Commander-in-Chief of the Windward Islands Station at Barbados. Ramage managed to avoid giving a sigh of relief: he had not been told to escort a convoy, the dreariest task he could think of.
    ‘Well?’ asked Rossiter. ‘To your liking?’
    ‘Barbados, sir. I always like going back to the West Indies.’
    ‘Yes, nothing wrong with the place, as long as you avoid yellow fever, malaria and blackwater… You’ve been lucky so far, if my memory serves me. I seem to remember various Gazette letters from there.’
    ‘Indeed, I’ve been lucky,’ Ramage admitted. ‘Both in dodging disease and finding action.’
    ‘Very well,’ the admiral said briskly. ‘I take it you don’t want to go