Title: The Stowaway

Part: 2/?

Spoilers: In between "The Frogs and Lobsters" and "Mutiny"

Rating: PG-13

Summary: When a stowaway saves Archie, Horatio is put to a horrible problem. His duty, or his honour?

Disclaimer: Horatio is not mine. Nor is dear Archie Kennedy or anyone else from the original series, they all belong to themselves.

AN: Hehe, I'm just being silly . . . And you can be sure it's not a Mary- Sue or some *cough* other things would happen to Archie . . . hehehehehehe. . . not to mention the stowaway would be a girl somehow. . . Oh, and this is still aboard the Indy, yes indeed.

~~~*~~~

"We'll have to take him to Pellew…" Horatio said finally, looking at Drummer but speaking to Archie. Archie nodded, but his lips were curved in a small frown as he also looked at the boy.

"We'll stand up for him, though?"

"Yes… He did save your life. But remember, Mr. Kennedy, that Pellew has every right to hang him."

"I know." Archie said quietly, then turned to Drummer and spoke a little louder, "Come then, Mr. Drummer, we are taking you to see Captain Pellew. He will most likely hang you, so you must be on your best behaviour. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir." The boy said quietly.

"Good. To Pellew, then."

~~

"He hid in one of the water barrels?" Pellew inquired, his eyebrow arched as he looked at the odd trio before him. The boy was shaking, and his lieutenants were stiff as boards – most amusing.

"Yes, sir." Horatio replied.

"And he saved Mr. Kennedy?"

"Yes, sir."

"I see…" Pellew looked down at the papers on his desk, and shuffled through them mindlessly as he did when he was thinking.

"And your name is Henry Drummer?"

Drummer looked a little startled to be spoken to, but answered readily enough. "Yes, sir."

"And why did you run away, Mr. Drummer?"

"My father bought me a commission, sir… As an Ensign, sir. In the army." Drummer spoke quietly, and both Horatio and Archie turned slightly to look at each other. They had not heard this part. Pellew raised an eyebrow.

"The army? Did you not want to go?"

"No, sir." Drummer's voice was just above a whisper now, half in awe and half in fear of the Captain before him.

"Were you afraid, Mr. Drummer?"

"No, sir." He replied, with a surprising amount of conviction.

"If you were not afraid, Mr. Drummer, why then did you run away?"

"I hate him, sir, begging your pardon. He wanted me to be an officer, so I didn't." It wasn't spoken harshly, but with more of a sad tone behind it. Pellew felt himself becoming intrigued, and struggled to keep it down.

"So you risked your life by stowing away on one of His Majesty's Frigates. For which, you realise, you could soon be dangling from the yardarm."

Drummer gulped, and Archie opened his mouth to protest, but shut it when he saw the look Horatio threw at him.

"However, Mr. Drummer, it comes to my mind that you have already bought a commission for service with His Majesty… Are you willing to serve it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then I shall give you a chance, Mr. Drummer. Just one." All three of the men before him relaxed visibly. "I shall give you your life, Mr. Drummer, in exchange for the life you gave to one of my Lieutenants. But I shall be quick to take it back, Mr. Drummer, if I feel you do not deserve that chance."

Drummer nodded vigourously. "Yes, sir. Aye aye, sir. Thank you, sir."

"Very good. Mr. Kennedy, if you would please escort Mr. Drummer to the Midshipman's mess…"

"Midshipman's mess, sir?" Drummer interrupted, the surprise obvious in his voice.

"I believe that the admiralty will soon be receiving payment for a commission of a Midshipman, from a Captain that found a very worthy man already among his crew." His eyes twinkled, and Drummer grinned and followed Kennedy out of the Captain's quarters.

"You're a good man, sir." Hornblower said as he turned to go.

"Too good, Mr. Hornblower. Too good."

***