Next afternoon Gus got down to the ship before the others and found Captain Thomas seated on a barrel, smoking his pipe.

‘Cap’n, you know Will’s been made to pick oakum instead of coming here?’

‘Yes, I was told not to expect him this week.’

‘It’s making him ill. Last night he could hardly breathe. Can’t you speak to Mr Frobisher and tell him to let Will go?’

The captain rubbed the side of his nose with his thumb. ‘Wouldn’t do no good, young ’un. Mr Frobisher’s not going to listen to an old sea dog like me.’

So as soon as he was dismissed from the lesson Gus headed for the governor’s office. He had never spoken to him and knew him only from church service on Sunday mornings in the school chapel, when he gave long, boring sermons, full of warnings about the consequences of disobedience and ingratitude. His heart was thumping as he knocked on the door.

A gruff voice bade him enter. The governor was sitting behind a big desk covered in papers and he looked up irritably. He had a long face, framed by dark side whiskers, and eyes partly hidden under drooping lids. As he took in Gus’s small figure his expression changed to incredulity.

‘What do you think you are doing, boy? How dare you come knocking on my door?’

‘Please, sir,’ Gus croaked, ‘I wanted to ask you to do something.’

‘Ask me to do something? Do you imagine I am at your beck and call, to do what you want?’

‘No, sir. But there is someone who needs your help.’

‘My help? What are you talking about, boy?’

Looking into those heavy-lidded eyes Gus saw no hint of compassion or interest, but he floundered on. ‘It’s a friend of mine; please, sir. His name’s Will. He’s got a bad chest and he’s been sent to pick oakum instead of coming to the seamanship classes. It’s making him ill, sir. Please can you ask Mr Frobisher to let him off?’

‘Ask Mr Frobisher to let him off?’ The governor repeated the words as if he could scarcely believe his ears. ‘Listen to me, boy. If Mr Frobisher has seen fit to punish your friend, it will be because he richly deserves it. I have no intention of interfering. Now get out!’

‘But please, sir …’

The governor rose from his chair. ‘You dare argue with me? You are impudent! Come here!

He seized Gus by the collar and dragged him across the room. ‘Over the back of that chair! Get down there!’