“What about the gunner’s stores?” he asked. “Powder? Shot? Wads? Cartridges?”
“I’ll send for the gunner, sir, shall I?” asked Jones. He was desperate at all this revelation of his own inadequacies.
“I’ll see ’em all in a minute,” said Hornblower. “Purser, gunner, bos’n, cooper, master’s mate.”
These were the subordinate heads of department responsible through the first lieutenant to the captain for the proper functioning of the ship.
“Aye aye, sir.”
“What the devil’s that noise?” asked Hornblower pettishly. For some minutes now there had been some sort of altercation on the quarterdeck over their heads. Strange voices were making themselves heard through the skylight.
“Shall I find out, sir?” asked Jones eagerly, hoping for some distraction. But as he spoke there was a knock at the cabin door.
“This’ll tell us,” said Hornblower. “Come in!”
Midshipman Horrocks opened the door.
“Mr. Still’s respects, sir, an’ there are some gentlemen come on board with an Admiralty letter for you, sir.”
“Ask them to come here.”
It could only be trouble of one sort or another, Hornblower decided, as he waited. One more distraction at a moment when he was about to be desperately busy. Horrocks ushered in two figures, one large and one diminutive, wearing glittering uniforms of green and gold — Hornblower had last seen them only yesterday at the Court of St. James’s, the German princeling and his bear‑leader. Hornblower rose to his feet, and Eisenbeiss stepped forward with an elaborate bow, to which Hornblower replied with a curt nod.
“Well, sir?”
Eisenbeiss ceremoniously handed over a letter; a glance showed Hornblower that it was addressed to him. He opened it carefully and read it.
You are hereby requested and required to receive into your ship His Serene Highness Ernst Prince of Seitz‑Bunau, who has been rated as midshipman in His Majesty’s Navy. You will employ your diligence in instructing His Serene Highness in his new profession as well as in continuing his education in readiness for the day which under Providence may not be far distant, when His Serene Highness will again assume the government of his hereditary dominions. You will also receive into your ship His Excellency the Baron Otto von Eisenbeiss, Chamberlain and First Secretary of State to His Serene Highness. His Excellency was until recently practicing as a surgeon, and he has received from the Navy Office a warrant as such in His Majesty’s Navy. You will make use of His Excellency’s services, therefore, as Surgeon in your ship while, as far as naval discipline and the Articles of War allow, he continues to act as Chamberlain to His Serene Highness.
“I see,” he said. He looked at the odd pair in their resplendent uniforms. “Welcome aboard, Your Highness.”
The prince nodded and smiled, clearly without understanding.
Hornblower sat down again, and Eisenbeiss began to speak at once, his thick German accent stressing his grievances.
“I must protest, sir,” he said.
“Well?” said Hornblower, in a tone that might well have conveyed a warning.
“His Serene Highness is not being treated with proper respect. When we reached your ship I sent my footman on board to announce us so that His Highness could be received with royal honours. They were absolutely refused, sir. The man on the deck there — I presume he is an officer — said he had no instructions. It was only when I showed him that letter, sir, that he allowed us to come on board at all.”
“Quite right. He had no instructions.”
“I trust you will make amends, then. And may I remind you that you are sitting in the presence of royalty?”
“You call me ‘sir’,” snapped Hornblower. “And you will address me as my subordinate should.”
Eisenbeiss jerked himself upright in his indignation, so that his head came with a shattering crash against the deck‑beam above; this checked his flow of words and enabled Hornblower to continue.
“As officers in the King’s service you should have worn the King’s uniform. You have your dunnage with you?”
Eisenbeiss was still too stunned to answer, even if he understood the word, and Horrocks spoke for him.
“Please, sir, it’s in the boat alongside. Chests and chests of it.”