Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (46 page)

***

             
Harry
and
Kit
Tanner
had
discovered
that
Mister
Bentley
was
a
fountain
of
knowledge
when
it
came
to
bird
and
animal
life.
In
fact
the
reverend
gentleman
was
quite
an
accomplished
ornithologist
and
became
quite
passionate
when
observing
some
new
species
he
had
not
before
encountered.
The
brief
visit
to
Ascension
had
provided
an
opportunity
to
add
to
his
extensive
journal
of
notes
on
the
variety
of
birds
found
nesting
there
and
he
had
enlisted
Harry
to
make
detailed
drawings
of
some
of
the
specimens
Kit,
a
dead
shot
with
a
fowling
piece,
had
managed
to
shoot.
This
gave
an
opportunity
to
go
ashore
with
him
once
Spartan
had
taken
in
all
she
required
and
waited
only
for
the
completion
of
some
repairs
to
the
Maid
of
Selsey
which
her
Master
described
as
'
minor
matters
occasioned
by
that
late
assault
'
.

             
"
Now
then,
Mister
Heron,
"
the
parson
called.
"
Follow
me
please;
I
am
advised
there
is
a
nesting
site
nearby
of
a
bird
I
have
previously
observed
only
in
flight.
You
too,
Mister
Tanner,
but
cautiously.
I
do
not
wish
to
have
them
fly
away.
"

             
Harry
glanced
at
Kit
and
grinned.
With
a
wink
to
his
friend
he
replied,
"
Aye,
aye,
sir.
"
He
followed
carefully
behind
the
parson
as
they
walked
slowly
and
cautiously
up
a
small
slope.

             
"
Ah.
"
The
Parson
had
stopped
and
was
peering
over
the
top
of
an
outcrop
at
something
beyond.
"
Make
no
sudden
noise
or
movement
–
we
have
found
a
nesting
Atlantisia
elpenor
.
They
are
now
quite
rare,
but
my
references
say
it
was
once
extremely
abundant
here.
" 

             
Harry
eased
himself
into
a
position
from
which
he
too
would
be
able
to
see
the
bird.
"
I
see
it,
sir,
but
what
makes
it
so
remarkable?
"

             
Mister
Bentley
peered
at
him
for
a
moment.
"
What
makes
it
remarkable?
Why
that
it
is
found
in
no
other
place,
Mister
Heron.
And
no
one
is
able
to
say
why
it
is
vanishing
as
it
is.
One
of
our
Lord
'
s
deep
mysteries
I
suspect.
"
He
returned
to
his
study
of
the
bird
saying,
"
I
desire
you
to
capture
its
image
for
me,
can
you
do
so
swiftly?
"

             
Harry
already
had
his
pencil
and
pad
to
hand
and,
finding
a
suitable
surface
quickly
roughed
out
a
sketch,
noting
small
details
and
surrounding
it
with
notes
as
to
colours
and
movement.
The
sun
blazed
down
on
him
as
he
did
so,
and
the
breeze,
fitful
as
it
was,
did
little
more
than
stir
the
dust.
Everything
he
touched
seemed
to
be
coated
with
the
gritty
volcanic
dust
that
formed
the
almost
arid
surface
of
the
island.
He
finished
his
sketch
and
eased
back
to
where
Kit
Tanner
waited,
watching
a
wheeling
bird
high
above
them.
"
I
have
finished,
sir.
"
He
looked
up
at
the
bird
Kit
watched
and
asked,
"
What
bird
is
that,
sir,
it
appears
similar
to
the
frigate
bird,
yet
quite
distinct.
"

             
"
As
it
should,
"
the
Parson
studied
the
bird
for
a
moment.
"
A
Phaeton
–
yes
–
a
Phaeton
lepturus
,
another
native
of
these
islands,
though
a
little
farther
inland
than
their
normal
patrol
I
think.
"
He
glanced
at
Harry
'
s
sketch
and
said,
"
Excellent.
Come,
I
think
we
have
disturbed
it
enough
for
now
and
the
boat
will
be
returning
for
us
shortly.
Let
us
return
to
the
town.
"

***

             
Recounting
this
later
to
several
of
the
younger
midshipmen
in
the
Gunroom
as
he
worked
to
colour
a
fine
sketch
produced
from
his
notes,
Harry
remarked,
"
Our
Parson
'
s
knowledge
of
the
birds
seems
encyclopedic
–
but
I
wish
he
would
use
the
common
names
rather
than
the
Latin.
I
'
d
have
more
hope
of
understanding
him
then.
"