Seventh Dispatch - [voice]/[action]

[captainhornblower]

[Horatio Hornblower's voice is very calm, very quiet. It sounds... not even curious. He is almost stating a fact, rather than asking a question.]

Lieutenant Bush's things are gone.

Why? What is the meaning of this?

[His housemates... will find him in his own room now, seated at his desk, the journal lying open in front of him-- if they dare disturb.]

Comments

[simplestgift]

Precisely! [He adds length to the masts and now each has three sails. Then a jib, and a forestaysail on the bowsprit.] Of course, we can't go into every battle hoping for a storm.

[captainhornblower]

No, certainly not. [He's still smiling.] But it doesn't take a storm to out-manoeuvre a larger ship. Pull them into a chase, feign going in one direction to force them to follow, then change your movement. If their ship can't keep up...

[simplestgift]

That's to escape, not to fight, Horatio. [He pauses, tapping the pencil against the paper thoughtfully, trying to think what else needs to be added or changed.]

[captainhornblower]

You'd be surprised.

[Horatio chuckled faintly and flashed Archie a smile. One that usually preceded a brush with near-disaster.

His eyes focused on the paper, and he cocked his head, admiring the sketch.

A fine ship, certainly, once she was built. And with the man who should have always been his lieutenant. He couldn't ask for much more, not here.]