"Carrots" Hereward, Detective

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 226, 24 September 1938, Page 32 (Supplement)

"Carrots" Hereward, Detective

H.M. battleship Retaliation lay in ;'e Hamoaze. Her mighty casemates .1:1.! enormous guns gave a striking h'. iure of Britain's naval power, her -iimvvv decks ami flashing brasswork -hi'wing the results of discipline and 1 .-.Hilarity reduced to a science. It v.;is the afternoon in the week which, •■earing the name of "make and mend day." has from time immemorial li.'en regarded as the naval man's li.i 1 r"-holiday, subject to the exigencies 01' the service, such exigencies being many and frequent. In the gunroom "Carrots," otherwise Midsliipman Francis Ht*reward extremely sorry for himself that, being lor the first dog watch, he was precluded from going ashore, lay on the leather covered settee with his legs over the back, consoling himself with reading a detective yarn of a lurid description.

The curtain over the gunroom door was pushed aside and another midshipman entered dressed in plain clothes. Lifting an abstruse work on trigonometry that lay on the table, lie threw it at his friend.

"Hullo, 'Carrot-!,'" he remarked. '"Deep as usual in the study of our profession, that noble profession upon

which the safety of our island heritage does most depend—bow-wow! Still, it is not playing the game that yuu should take advantage of your messmates being ashore to mug up the beastly stuff." He snatched the book from the hands of the recumbent lad, glanced at it and burst out laughing. "Great Scott!"' he exclaimed. "The Silent Sleuth! Oh, my sainted grandmother !" "It's a topping story," said "Carrots," retrieving that profound work. "Clear out, 'Gusher,' and leave me to my forelorn solitude." "Gusher," alias Horatio Greeham Middleton, grinned. '"This is a jolly afternoon for a walk on the Hoe." he remarked, "with tea and ices at Furnival's." "Get out of it, kid," returned his friend sourly. Laughing, Middleton took his departure and "Carrots." again became absorbed in his book. He had devoured one page when a tap came to the door of the gunroom and a bluejacket entered, cap in hand.

"The First Lootenant's compliments, sir," he said, "and 'e wants to see vou in 'is cabin."

"Holy crumbs!" ejaculated Midshipman Hereward, "I wonder what's up now." He went over all the incidents of the past 24 hours and tried to think of what dereliction of duty he had been guilty, but so far as he

could recollect, his conscience was fairly clear.

Snatching up his cap and pulling down his jacket, he hurried along the Hat, ascended to the next deck, passed through an alleyway and came to the cabin of No. 1. * There he knocked.

"Come in!" cried a voice, and "Carrots" entered the cabin.

Mr. Ernest Ferrers, First-Lieuten-ant of the Retaliation, was standing before an open drawer of his locker attired 111 shirt and trousers, an inane smile on his face. As the lad entered, he dropped something into the drawer, turned round, and as if a sponge had been wij>ed over his countenance, his expression became official, slightly tempered with good humour.

"You wanted to see me, sir," said the midshipman, hoping for the beet. "Oh! Ah! Yes, Hereward. I am expecting a gentleman to dinner, but I may not 'be back before lie comes. Keep a look out for him, will you? Bring him here to my cabin and explain to him that I am unexpectedly compelled to go ashore, but that I won't be long. In fact, I shall be obliged if you will keep him in conversation until I do get back." "Yes, sir," returned "Carrots," his mind relieved. "Is he a naval officer, sir T"

"No, he » a soldier man, a colonel. He will be in plain clothes, of course. You will find him a genial chap, but

don't let that beguile you ing to pull his leg. That'

into trr--1 do."

ihe midshipman returned to the gunroom and Ji is detective vam. Number One again took the article from the drawer. It a tiny case, which he opened and took from it a rmg; a very tine ring, a half-hoop of beautiful diamonds which had landed Mr. i err erg in debt to the amount of guineas. The sunlight shining through the scuttle flashed from the gems as he turned it that way and this.

"I hope she'll like it," he murmured. He was still gazing at it when another man entered the cabin. •What? Not ready yet!" exclaimed this man, who was in plain clothes. Ferrers, without waiting to replace the ring in the case, hastily dropped both into the drawer, as if he did not wish his friend to see them. "1 can only go as far as the Ho® with you, 'Guns,'" he said. "Oh,' returned the gunnery lieutenant with a grin. "Got a call to make." Ah! said "Guns," the grin spreading. Ferrers, taking a jacket and waistcoat from the drawer, finished his dressing and the two left the ship. In his hurry Ferrers forgot to lock his drawer. About seven o'clock a shore boat came alongside the Retaliation and a military looking man wrapped in a heavy greatcoat ascended the ladder and raised his hat to the quarterdeck. Midshipman Hereward walked smartly forward and saluted. "Lieutenant Ferrers directed me to watch for you," he observed. "I'm to show you to hie cabin." The colonel regarded "Carrots" with some surprise. "Isn't Lieutenant Ferrers here?" lie asked. "Unexpectedly compelled to go ashore, sir," returned the youngster glibly. "Very sorry at not being present to meet you, but he told me to say that he won't be long." The eolonel growled something which the midshipman did not catch. "I his way, sir,'' he said, and when they reached Xo. l's cabin: "Please sit down, sir." Then renienil>ering the injunction to keep the visitor in conversation. "Topping weather we are having, sir." The colonel muttered something which implied that the state of the weather did not concern him. "Confoundedly bad form." he grunted. "I take the trouble to come to his lieaatlr ship and then he isn't here to receive me!" (To be continued.)