The Corvette by Richard Woodman

company at dinner, Captain.’
    ‘And where are your ships, sir?’ asked Drinkwater sharply, aware that the two officers, commanders of two vessels belonging to the Hudson’s Bay Company, threatened to break the meeting up.
    ‘Off Killingholme where they have been at a short scope this past sennight.’
    Drinkwater restrained them from leaving as a babble of talk engulfed the whale-captains round the table.
    ‘Be silent!’ he bawled, ‘may I suffer you to be silent for a moment!’
    Eventually the noise diminished.
    ‘This morning I visited the Custom House and authorised the release of your clearances.’ He paused as this revelation found its mark. At last the Greenlanders fell silent. He turned to the pockmarked Harvey.
    ‘Do I understand that it is customary to embark additional men at Shetland whether or not men are pressed out of your ships?’
    Harvey nodded cautiously. ‘If we are bound for the Greenland fishery. If we are bound for the Davis Strait we recruit in Orkney. We also fill up our water casks.’
    ‘And to which fishery are you bound, gentlemen?’ He looked round expecting a further outbreak of argument but apparently this matter, at least, had been brought to a conclusion.
    ‘We have resolved that, due to the advance of the season, sir, we shall repair to the Greenland fishery. Shoulds’t the fish not prove to be swimming there we may then catch some favourable effects from rounding Cape Farewell and entering the Davis Strait. But this matter we hold in abeyance, to be decided upon later by a majority and for those that wish to try the enterprise.’
    ‘Thank you, Captain Sawyers. Then I must advise you that I cannot winter in the ice
    ‘
    ‘We do not need you, Captain,’ said the black bearded Ellerby aggressively, ‘and we shall in any case fish where the whim takes us, so do not expect us to hang upon your skirts like frightened children.’
    ‘I have no intention of so doing. I shall require that you attend me upon the passage as I have word that there are French cruisers already at sea. I shall cruise in company with those captains who wish for my protection on grounds of their own choosing. I further propose we sail the instant we are ready. Shall we say the first of the ebb at daylight tomorrow morning?’
    A murmur of surprise greeted this news and the Greenlanders debated briefly among themselves. After a while Sawyers rose.
    ‘Thou hast our agreement.’
    ‘Very well. You should each send a boat to the Melusine at six of the clock this evening for your written instructions. I shall include a table of signals to be used by us all for our mutual support and the direction of the convoy. The rendezvous will be Bressay Sound until the end of the first week in June. That is all, but for reminding you that I was informed in London that French private ships of war have sailed for the Polar regions, gentlemen. You may yet have need of Melusine.’ Drinkwater watched for reaction to this slight exaggeration. It would do no harm to induce a little cooperation from these independent ship-masters. He was quite pleased with the result. Even the black bearded ruffian Ellerby exchanged glances of surprise with a captain near him.
    Drinkwater rose and picked up his hat. The meeting broke up into groups. The Hudson Bay Company officers made for the door. The one who had spoken introduced himself as Commander Learmouth and congratulated Drinkwater on taming ‘the polar bears’. He repeated his invitation to dinner which Drinkwater declined on the grounds of insufficient time. Learmouth and Malim departed and Drinkwater paused only to thank the curious Quaker Sawyers for his help.
    ‘Thou hast an evil calling, friend, but thou dost not discredit it.’ Sawyers smiled. ‘And now I shall attend the Custom House and tomorrow pilot thy ship to sea.’
    Drinkwater moved towards the door and found himself behind the big, bearded Greenlander. Suddenly the man turned, barring the way so that