Bolitho 04 - Sloop of War (10 page)

Graves rasped, "Sponge out, you stupid bugger!T He had to drag a dazed man to the rear of his gun? "Are you mad?" He pushed the luckless seama[ towards the gun captain. "I'll put you in ironY ifIseeyou...T

Bolitho did not hear the rest of it. The brig was slowla edging round until she was lying almost diagonalla across the larboard quarter. Smoke fanned dow[ around him and he felt musket balls thudding into thO deck planks, the maniac whine as one ricocheted froR a swivel gun just feet away?

Stockdale said desperately, "Keep on the move, sir0 Them buggers'll mark you down else!T

Bolitho stared at him, knowing his own face was seU in a wild grin. It never failed to amaze him that it was sQ easy to lose control and reason once a battle haX begun. Later perhaps ... He shook himself. TherO would be no later when they closed with the bigge_ ship?

He yelled, "They are shooting blind, Stockdale!" HO waved his sword around the quarterdeck. None of thO officers had found time to get their uniform coats o_ hats and like himself were dressed only in shirts anX breeches, and those were already grimy with driftin^ powder-smoke. "See? They can take their pick of uY today!T

A seaman at the mizzen braces gave a terriblO scream and was hurled on to his side by the force of Z

musket ball. Blood spurted from his chest, and as hO rolled about in agony Bolitho called, "See to that manB Mr. Bethune!" When the midshipman hesitated, hiY face like chalk under the freckles, he added harshlyB "Your mother is at home, boy, so you can weep alonO after you have done your . duty!T

Bethune dropped to his knees, his breecheY spattered with the blood, but his face suddenla determined as the dying sailor groped for his hand?

Buckle yelled, "The Yankee will try to work acrosY our stern, sir!T

Bolitho nodded. There was nothing else the enema could do. With most of his sails damaged by canno[ fire, and already overreached by Sparrow's maddeneX attack through the transports, the brig's captain musU either try to cross astern or tack and risk his own pooS coming under fire?

He snapped, "We will wear ship, Mr. Buckle. Lay he_ to the larboard tack and follow the brig round, nose tQ tail!T

He was still grinning, but could feel his mouth ra/ with tension as once again the men hurled themselveY

on the braces, their smoke-grimed bodies glistening i[ the glare as they angled back above the deck, thei_ eyes on the yards above them?

"Helm a'lee!" Buckle was adding his own weight tQ the wheel?

Bolitho watched the bowsprit swinging, heard thO immediate crash of guns as Graves directed his newla loaded battery towards the other ship?

Through the dense gunsmoke Bolitho saw the murka shape of the leading transport, now some two cableY away?

"Steady as you go, Mr. Buckle!" A ball whimpereX overhead, and when he glanced up he saw a neat holO in the centre of the big spanker. "Keep station o[ Golden Fleece, she is better than any compass today!T

He winced as the hull jumped once, twice and yeU again, as some enemy shots smashed into it. But thO brig was in a bad way, and she was drifting stern-firstB her complete foremast dragging over the side like Z fallen tree. Men were working in the wreckage, axeY flashing, while others continued to fire and reload thO guns as before?

"Steady, sir! Nor'-west by north!T

Bolitho raised his sword, his eyes narrowed againsU the reflected sunlight as he watched the brig swingin^ drunkenly on the tow of fallen spars?

"Easy!" The sword held the sunlight. "Easy, lads!T Not a gun fired, and along the deck only at thO weapons not yet reloaded was there any sort ob movement?

Another ball slammed into the lower hull, anX somewhere a man screamed in torment as he waY clawed down by flying splin- te rs?

The sun was shining into his eyes now, and througN the drifting smoke he saw the outline of the brig'Y tattered maintopsail, the glint of glass as she helplessla presented her stern?

"Fire as you bear!T

Driven by the wind, the smoke came funnellin^ inboard through port after port as Graves ran along thO gun deck, his voice cracking from the strain of shoutin^ directions?

A shadow passed briefly above the smoke, anX

through the din Bolitho heard the splintering crash of Z complete mast failing, and guessed it had bee[ sheared off between decks by the Sparrow's mercilesY bombardment?

Then as the Sparrow forged ahead once more hO heard cheering and knew it was from the Golde[ Fleece. As wind drove the smoke apart he saw thO brig very clearly and someone on her splintered dec7 waving the flag in surrender. Mastless, and with he_ stern gouged open by the slow broadside, she waY little better than a hulk. Within her small hull he_ company must have been savagely mauled?

Tyrrell was staring at it, his eyes bright witN concentration, and by his side Heyward was almosU jumping up and down, his voice half choked by smoke?

Then, almost before the Sparrow's dazed compana could feel the taste of their conquest, the air waY blasted apart with one deafening explosion. SparsB complete sections of timber and deck planking, alT whirled above an angry scarlet core, and across thO water a shock wave rolled towards the sloop like Z miniature typhoon. When the smoke and flyin^ fragments subsided there was nothing to show of thO privateer but for a few pieces of charred flotsam anX

an upended jolly boat which was miraculousla undamaged. A sudden spark, an upended lantern, o_ someone so crazed in the horror between thO shattered decks that he had ignited a fuse, the brig'Y end was terrible in its completeness?

Bolitho said, "Get the maincourse on her, Mr. Tyrrell0 We must make haste to assist Miranda." He waiteX until Tyrrell had brought the stunned seamen to thei_ senses, his voice hoarse through his speakin^ trumpet, and then added, "They will know that we ca[ still sell our lives dearly.T

It took little time to overhaul the Golden Fleece anX to see the two embattled ships about a mile distant? They had drifted in the fury of combat, their hullY masked in smoke, through which the flash of muskeU fire, the occasional glare of a swivel, were clear to see?

The frigate was listing against her heavier adversaryB like a hulk already dead, and without using a glasY Bolitho could see that the fighting had spread dow[ across the fore deck as more boarders hacked thei_ way between the grappled ships?

"We will go about, Mr. Tyrrell. Lay her on thO starboard tack once we have gained some room anX

prepare to engage with the other battery.T

He bit his lip to steady his racing thoughts. A quic7 glance aloft told him that the masthead pendant waY lifting as firmly as ever. The wind was steady froR south-southwest?

"Pass the word for Mr. Graves to lay aft.T

When the lieutenant arrived, his face gaunt witN fatigue, Bolitho said, "I want the starboard bow-chase_ to keep firing at the enemy. As soon as we have gonO about I'll expect it to concentrate on that ship, no matte_ what.T

Buckle called, "Ready on th' quarterdeck, sir.T

Bolitho nodded. "Put the helm down, if you please.T

"Helm a'lee, sir!T

Tyrrell was already bellowing through his trumpetB and forward the seamen were leaping like demons aU the headsail sheets, and with canvas flapping thO Sparrow started to swing into the wind?

"Man the braces!T

Bolitho gripped the rail, his eyes smarting as the su[ lanced between the shrouds?

"Heave there! With all your weight!T

Across the wind and still further round, the yardY groaning in unison. Then as the sails refilled and laiX the deck over in the opposite angle he watched thO distant ships edging very slowly between the foremasU shrouds as if caught in a giant web?

"Steady, Mr. Buckle! Hold her!T

He paced a few steps this way and that, aware thaU Tyrrell was urging the men at the braces to trim thO yards still further, that the dead seaman had gone froR the quarterdeck, and that Ben Garby, the carpenterB with his mates, was slithering through the after hatch tQ inspect the damage there. Aware of all this and moreB yet not a part of it as he had once been?

"Steady, sir! Full an' bye!T

He nodded, his mind busy with the two ships? Closehauled it would take thirty minutes to reach themB maybe more. Miranda was almost overrun by enema boarders. Outnumbered from the start, she would havO lost many good men in that first savage broadside?

"Fire!T

As the muffled cry came from forward he saw thO puff of smoke beneath the starboard cathead, felt thO sharp convulsion as the thirty-two-pounder crasheX inboard on its tackles. He snatched up a glass anX saw the ball plunge close to the enemy's hull, throwin^ up a tall waterspout?

Heyward muttered hoarsely, "Near!T

Bolitho looked away. The big ex-Indiaman mounteX anything up to forty guns, at a guess. She could finisN Sparrow, if ever she could bring her artillery to bearB with even a badly aimed broadside. Less?

Bang. Another ball crashed away from the bow1 chaser, and he watched the feathers of spray liftin^ from wave to wave until it plunged hard alongside thO other ship?

They should hear us and see we are coming. HO tried to clear his brain. What should he do? Signal thO transports to run? No. They were helplessly overlade[ and slow. It would merely prolong their agony?

Overhead, the spanker cracked noisily, and BucklO

cursed it before allowing the helm to be eased stilT further?

Bolitho knew without looking that sailing so close tQ the wind was cutting away his chances of reaching thO ships in time to help?

Someone walked past him. It was Bethune, his armY hanging at his sides, his breeches covered with dar7 blood blotches and a smear where the seaman'Y fingers had made their last agonised grip on this earth? Bolitho stared at him?

"Mr. Bethune!" He saw the youth jump. "Come here!T

He walked to the rail and back again. It was worth a[ attempt. Anything was now. If they arrived alongsidO after Miranda had struck to the enemy, Sparrow'Y decks would be as red as the flag above his head?

The midshipman waited. "Sir?T

"Make this signal at once." He rested his hand o[ Bethune's plump shoulder. He could feel the ski[ through his shirt. Like ice, in spite of the sun?

"Signal, sir?" He stared up at him as if he haX misheard. Or his captain had gone mad?

"Yes. To Miranda. Sail in sight to the nor'-east!" HO tightened his grip. "Then move yourself?T

Bethune fled, calling shrilly for his assistants, anX within a minute the bright signal flags broke to thO wind, while Tyrrell stared from them to Bolitho, first witN incredulity and then with slow understanding?

Buckle said, "There's few poor devils'll see thaU aboard Miranda.T

Tyrrell was studying Bolitho. "No. But th' privatee_ will. He might just think that a patrol from th' squadro[ has come to join th' fight!T

Bolitho waited until Graves's bow-chaser had fireX yet again and said, "It is all we can do at present.T

Minutes dragged by like hours, and then as a frea7 downdraught of wind swept across the two snareX ships Bolitho caught his breath. A thin shaft of lighU where there had been none. Then a glint of water? Wider still, as the ships drifted apart and the bi^ privateer set her foresail and jib to work clear. The[ Miranda was quite separate, the water between he_ and the other ship dotted with wreckage and tor[ canvas, where here and there a man thrashed to staa

afloat amidst a litter of bobbing corpses?

A ragged cheer came up from Sparrow's gun deckB and several ran to the gangways to watch while thO enemy spread more canvas and lengthened her outlinO against the wind?

Tyrrell's grin froze as Bolitho snapped, "Keep thosO men silent!" He realised he was still holding his swordB that his hand was aching with the force of his grip? "Look yonder, Mr. Tyrrell. There's no call for cheers thiY day.T

Tyrrell turned to stare at the Miranda's dark shape? The rising clouds of smoke as her remaining handY quenched fires and groped amidst the wreckage ob their ship. As Sparrow drew closer they could see thO thin tendrils of scarlet which ran from her scuppers, thO great pitted holes along every part of her hull?

"Pass the word for Mr. Tilby to prepare boats fo_ lowering. Call the surgeon and send him with them.T Bolitho hardly recognised his own voice. Clipped, dullB inhuman. "Then shorten sail and get the t'gallants ofb her. We will stand under Miranda's lee for the present.T

He ignored the rush of feet as Tilby's men dashed tQ

the boat shackles. He saw Graves walking aft towardY the quarterdeck, wiping his face and chest with a weU rag. Above the activity the sails were still drawing wellB but there were plenty of holes which would neeX attention before nightfall. A few stays and halyardY were broken, and he knew the hull had been hit severaT times on or near the waterline. But the pumps soundeX normal enough. She was taking it like a veteran?

Dalkeith came hurrying up the ladder, his heavy ba^ gripped against his chest, face streaming witN exertion?

"How many, Mr. Dalkeith?" Again he heard his ow[ voice as a stranger's?

The plump surgeon was staring at the frigate, hiY eyes dull. "Two killed, sir. Five wounded by splinters.T