‘No need to be ashamed of that. All the boys here are orphans – leastwise, that’s what they claim. There’s some parents as try to pass their kids off as orphans to get them in here.’

‘Why?’ Gus asked in astonishment.

‘Because boys here get the best training there is for going into a trade. Cobbler, carpenter, tailor, you can learn all that here. So what are you aiming to do?’

‘I want to learn to be a sailor, like my da,’ Gus said eagerly.

‘Do you indeed? Well, it’s good we made each other’s acquaintance then. I’m Captain Thomas and I’m in charge of the boys who want to be sailors.’ He looked Gus up and down. ‘How old are you?’

‘Thirteen … well, nearly.’

‘That’ll be eleven, then,’ the captain said. ‘Well, you’re small but you’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. But no more fighting. Keep that temper under control and you and me will get on famously.’ He lifted his head as a bell began to ring. ‘Time for dinner. Off you go. I’ll see you later.’

He strode away, leaving Gus wondering which way the dining hall was. As he hesitated, a figure detached itself from the shadows under the cloister which ran round the courtyard.

‘Lost?’

‘Er, yes, a bit.’

‘Come on, I’ll show you. My name’s Will, by the way.’

‘I’m Gus.’

‘Yes, I heard. I liked the way you stood up to that lout Murray. It’s time someone took him down a peg or two.’

‘I think the cap’n did that, not me,’ Gus said honestly.

‘Well, you gave him as good as you got. In here.’

The hall was crammed with boys, seated on long benches drawn up to trestle tables. Gus would have hesitated to push in, but Will slapped a boy on the shoulder and exclaimed, ‘Shove up, will you? There’s two more of us here.’

The boy addressed looked up as if to refuse, but when he saw who it was his expression changed. ‘All right, Will. Come on, lads, move over.’

Will prodded Gus to sit in the space that opened up and squeezed himself onto the end of the bench. Bowls of broth and hunks of bread were passed from hand to hand down the table and a cheery conversation began over Gus’s head between Will and some of the others. Munching his food, Gus cast surreptitious glances at his new friend. He reckoned he was probably two, maybe three years older and, though he was dressed in the same ragged shirt as everyone else, he somehow managed to look cleaner and tidier than the rest. His hair was dark and his eyes a very bright blue and there was something about his friendly, cheerful manner that made Gus feel lucky to be sitting next to him.