"The mine was no more than two feet from the ship's side when between horns and waiting steel a body forced itself. Hudson braced his back against the ship's side and his hands went out to the mine..."

Was he a coward trying to prove himself? Or was there another explanation for Hudson's strange behaviour? Why did he cover up for Bronson? As Number One, he was in a position to protect the man from the consequences of his drunkenness while on board ship——but why? And what was Captain Peter Bentley to do about the situation? But Hudson was only one of Bentley's worries. As captain of the Flotilla leader, he had a lot more on his plate. There was a war to win, for instance...