‘Will you shut your filthy gob?’ said the Lieutenant, ‘I couldn’t care if you’d let all of Newgate free. Point is, you’re the anchor. That’s what I’m told that’s what it’ll be. Here’s a helmet, tie it tight. You’re small though, aren’t you, and light? I’d take a weight. If I was you, I’d drag this ten-pounder along with you besides. I’ll help you with it, some of the way. How’s that for caring?’

‘I’ll weep with gratitude,’ said the boy bitterly.

‘I’m trying to help!’ said the Lieutenant.

‘Who am I anchoring for?’ he asked.

‘Me,’ I said. ‘We’ll be all right. It’s not so bad, is it? Out there?’

They both laughed at that, without mirth.

‘What’s your length then?’ asked the boy.

‘She’s Five Hundred Yards,’ said the leather man.

‘No!’

‘Yes, Five Hundred.’

‘You’ve made some friends, haven’t you?’ said the kitchen boy. ‘What the hell did you go and do?’

‘I kissed an Upiremonger.’

‘I should think you did,’ he said. ‘Wait a minute, you’re not joking, are you?’

‘No, I’m not.’

‘It’s not right,’ he said, ‘why should I pay for it? Why should I go out in this, I didn’t kiss anybody. I haven’t kissed anybody. And now most likely I never shall. Where’s your bloody boyfriend now, darling?’

‘Shut it, Anchor, do your straps up.’

‘If you start pulling me out,’ the boy said, ‘I’ll have to cut the rope. I’ll have to do it. Same as anyone. No hard feelings. I’ll take the weight and I’ll hold on. But if you pull me out, I’ll cut on you.’

‘Will you all stow it!’ roared the Captain, tramping up. ‘Now you,’ he said, pointing to me, ‘get in your togs. The bell will be sounding quick enough.’

Suspended on hooks in the courtyard were huge brass helmets and beside them what at first looked like the bodies of some strange deflated men but I soon understood were kinds of rubbery leather body suits, much thicker and grimmer than the ones I knew in Filching. I was to put one on. I could see thick stitching upon it. There were many scratch marks all over it, as if some beast had gone for it, ripping at the suit with sharp nails. There were many patches too where, I suppose, the attacking thing, whatever it was, had managed to bite through the suit, had managed to get through the thick skin of it, and what, I wondered, what happened to the person that was in the suit before me?

‘No,’ I said then, ‘I won’t! I won’t do it!’

‘Don’t think about it. Better not to think, just go to it.’