Bolitho 04 - Sloop of War (23 page)

Bolitho did not look at him. "You realise what you arO saying? There is more at stake than your life.T

Tyrrell tried to grin. "Hector Graves will make a bette_ commander, sir.T

Bolitho faced him. "You will be called on to fighU some of your own people.T

Tyrrell smiled. "I knew that was what you werO thinking." He gestured towards some of Sparrow'Y seamen as they carried an elderly woman towards thO boat tackles. "These are my people. Then can I stay?T

Bolitho nodded. "Gladly." He removed his hat anX ran his fingers through his hair. "Now I'll go and writO Graves's orders.T

"Deck there! Sail on th' larboard quarter!T

They looked at each other and then Bolitho saiX quickly, "Hurry our people along. I do not want thO enemy to see what we are about.T

As he strode away Tyrrell stared after him and the[ murmured, "So be it, Cap'n.T

He heard a sudden cry and saw the girl who haX made Bolitho angry struggling to push her way througN a cordon of seamen?

A boatswain's mate bellowed, "She don't want to goB sir!T

The girl punched the sailor's arm but he did noU seem to feel it?

Then she shouted at Tyrrell, "Let me stay! I want tQ be here!T

He grinned down at her and then pointed at the boaU alongside. Kicking and protesting she was picked uS

bodily and carried to the rail, where with little ceremona she was passed down the side like a bright silk parcel?

The sky was much darker when Bolitho came o[ deck with a sealed envelope for the boat still hookeX on to the chains. All other boats were hoisted, and thO ship around him seemed very quiet and empty?

He raised a telescope and trained it over thO quarter. The Bonaventure was visible now, some siA miles distant. But she had already shortened sailB waiting, as he had expected, for the new day?

Tyrrell touched his hat. "Our men are aboard, sir." HO gestured to the main deck where Midshipma[ Heyward was speaking to a petty officer. "I picked 'eR myself, but you could have had volunteers a'plenty.T

Bolitho handed the envelope to a seaman. "PasY this to the boat." To Tyrrell he added slowly, "Go anX take some rest. I shall think awhile.T

Later as Tyrrell lay in an abandoned cabin, the dec7 of which was littered with open chests and discardeX clothing, he heard Bolitho's shoes on the plankin^ overhead. Back and forth, up and down. Thinking? Eventually the sound of his pacing made his eyelidY

droop, and he fell into a dreamless sleep?

Bolitho stood straddle-legged on the RoyalAnne'Y poop, seeing his own shadow for the first time acrosY the traffrail. How long the night had been, but at the hinU of dawn everything seemed to begin at once, like thO start of some ill-rehearsed drama. Away on thO larboard quarter he saw the hardening pyramid of sailY where the big privateer moved purposefully before thO wind. Strangely, her hull was still lost in shadow, witN only a bone of white around her stem to reveal he_ growing speed. About three miles distant. He turneX his glass to the opposite quarter to the little sloop? Sparrow was much closer, yet in spite of this seemeX even smaller?

Tyrrell joined him and said, "Th' wind seems steada enough, sir. Nor'-west by north, by my reckoning." HO was speaking in a hushed voice, as if afraid to distur> the ships and their deliberate preparations to fight?

Bolitho nodded. "We will steer sou'-east. It is whaU the enemy will expect.T

He tore his eyes from the privateer and turned tQ look along the Indiaman's deck. The new foresail waY drawing well, as were spanker and jib. The rest werO

little better than shreds, and to try to tack more than Z point or so would be a waste of time?

Tyrrell sighed. "I've checked th' guns myself. LoadeX as ordered." He scratched his stomach. "Some of 'eR look so old they'd split if we double-shotted 'em.T

Bolitho faced aft again to watch the other ships? Raising his glass he moved it slowly over Sparrow'Y deck, seeing the figures on the gangways, a solitara seaman at her mainmast crosstrees. Then aft, as Z freak gust lifted the foot of the maincourse like Z miller's apron, he saw Graves. He was standin^ beside the wheel, arms folded, looking every inch Z captain. Bolitho breathed out very slowly. So mucN depended on Graves. If he lost his head, o_ misinterpreted his carefully worded instructions, thO enemy would still catch two for the price of one. BuU Graves had got the first part right. He was wearin^ Bolitho's new uniform, the gold lace showing clearly i[ spite of the feeble light. The enemy captain would bO wary, watchful. Nothing must go wrong at thO beginning. Heaven alone knew how all the extrZ passengers had been crammed below and out ob sight. It would be like a sealed tomb, a nightmare fo_ the women and children once the gunfire began?

Midshipman Heyward came to the poop and saidB "All our boarding party are ready, sir." Like Bolitho anX Tyrrell he had discarded his uniform and looked eve[ younger in his open shirt and breeches?

"Thank you." Bolitho noticed that instead of Z midshipman's dirk Heyward had thought fit to wear onO of his precious swords?

There was a bang, and he saw a ball ricochetin^ across the lively wave crests before throwing up a quilT of spray between him and the Sparrow's bows. E sighting shot, a declaration of intent, probably both, hO thought grimly?

Over the water, and audible above the rustle of tor[ canvas, he heard the staccato beat of drums, anX pictured the scene aboard Sparrow as her men ran tQ quarters. Phase two. He saw the patch of scarlet aY the ensign broke jauntily from her gaff, felt a catch i[ his throat as the ports opened to reveal her line ob guns. With less than half a company available, GraveY must have pressed some of the Indiaman's crew intQ service to get the guns out so smartly. But it had to loo7 exactly right. As if the sloop was preparing to sho/ defiance and trying to defend her heavy consort?

Another bang, and the ball ploughed into the seZ about a cable clear of Sparrow's stem?

Bolitho clenched his jaw. Graves was cutting it fine. Ib the wind chose this moment to veer he would bO unable to go about, would be in irons if he tried to falT back and try again?

Tyrrell said hoarsely, "There she goes!T

The sloop's yards were swinging and as her leO gangway dipped heavily into the swell she began tQ tack closehauled to larboard, crossing Royal Anne'Y stern like a small protective terrier. Flags broke froR her yards, and Bolitho imagined Bethune yelling at hiY party to make haste and hoist the meaningless signal? The enemy would think Sparrow was preparing to fighU to the death and was ordering the Indiaman to make Z run for it?

Cannon fire ripped along the Bonaventure'Y foremost battery and more splashes leapt closer to thO heeling sloop. Graves was shortening sail, clearin^ away the hampering canvas from his guns, eve[ though it was unlikely he had more than a quarter ob them manned?

Tyrrell spoke between his teeth. "That's closO enough, Hector! For God's sake don't make a meal ob it!T

One heavy bang rolled across the shark-blue waterB and even though the flash was hidden by Sparrow'Y hull, Bolitho knew it was one of her bow-chasers. HO saw the ball slap hard into the spray by the other ship'Y forecastle, the immediate spurt of orange tongues aY she fired back in earnest?

The Sparrow's foretopgallant mast quivered anX then seemed to curtsy downwards into the swirlin^ brown smoke, the furled sail marking its progress as iU caught and swung in the criss-cross of rigging beforO plunging into the sea alongside. Holes appeared i[ several of her sails, and Bolitho caught his breath aY the hammock nettings below the quarterdeck buckeX and burst apart from a direct hit?

The enemy was much nearer now, her foretopsaiT bulging as she stood before the wind, charging dow[ on the sloop which was now less than two cables froR her starboard bow?

Tyrrell exclaimed, "He's done it! Blast th' man, he'Y going about!T

The Sparrow was wearing, her masts swingin^ upright as she came round violently, the growing lighU making her sails shine as they flapped and puckereX to the strain?

The gunfire had stopped, for with her stern towardY the enemy Sparrow presented no target at all. He_ forecourse was already being unleashed, and as shO gathered way through the water Bolitho saw thO topmen running out along the yards like black insectY until more and still more canvas bellied to the wind. HO could see Buckle by the quarterdeck rail, too intent o[ his work even to watch the labouring Indiaman as shO surged past. Sparrow was abeam, and then in minuteY was well beyond the Indiaman's bows, headin^ towards the first rays of sunlight from the placiX horizon?

Bolitho felt suddenly dry, his limbs very loose, as ib belonging to someone else. He watched thO Bonaventure's forecourse being brailed up to reveaT her great span of poop, the men on her gangways whQ were waving and gesturing after the retreating sloop? Jeering no doubt. All the madness of intended battlO now lost in the confused actions of an unfought victory?

Bolitho walked to the rail and said quietlyB

"Remember, Mr. Tyrrell, and remember it well. We havO to cripple her if we can. Then if a patrolling frigate findY her she can finish what we started." He gripped hiY wrist. "But make sure our people play their parts. Ib Bonaventure hauls off now, she can pound us to pieceY without losing a breath!T

The privateer had edged closer, running dow[ towards the quarter so that she would eventualla overhaul RoyalAnne along her larboard side. He_ captain was a superb seaman. With all but his topsailY clewed up he was handling the heavy vessel with botN confidence and skill, and would certainly hold the wind1 gage no matter what Bolitho tried to do?

A gun flashed out its long tongue, and Bolitho felt thO ball smack into the lower hull, jerking the planks at hiY feet with savage violence?

He saw bunched figures on the other ship's poopB the wink of sunlight on raised telescopes, and guesseX they were examining their victim. It looked much as iU had when he had come aboard. Damaged bulwarkY and broken rigging. One hatch had been purposefulla left open, and several of his men were running about i[ apparent confusion while Heyward directed thei_ performance from beneath the forecastle?

"Now!" Bolitho waved his hand, and from the mai[ deck one then another of the six-pounders hurled itY challenge across the narrowing strip of water?

From aft a swivel banged sharply, the caniste_ probably falling harmlessly long before it reached thO enemy's side?

The response was immediate. Gun by gun, thO Bonaventure's broadside sent ball after ball crashin^ into the hull. Bolitho was thankful he had sent most ob his men below, otherwise they would have been cuU down by the fierceness of the onslaught. Timber anX planks flew in all directions, and he saw a seama[ hurled like a bloody rag to the opposite side, his limbY kicking as he died?

Stockdale looked at Bolitho and saw him nod. WitN a grunt he dashed along the deck waving a cutlassB while Bolitho drew his pistol and yelled after him. Whe[ Stockdale ran on towards the halliards he firedB praying that his hand was steady as the shot whineX clear above the coxswain's head. Stockdale reacheX his goal, and with one slash severed the halliardsB bringing the big Company flag tumbling down likO some bright shroud across the weather rail?

In a lull of noise and gunfire Bolitho heard a voicO across the water, magnified and unreal in a speakin^ trumpet?

"Heave to or I'll sink you!T

From forward he heard Heyward urging his men tQ obey the call, the sudden groan of timber as the shiS lurched drunkenly into the wind, her remaining sailY flapping and banging in disorder?

Tyrrell said, "He's going to grapple!T

There were men on the Bonaventure's yards, and aY the big hull surged carefully and then more insistentla against the side Bolitho saw grapnels flying from Z dozen points at once. The men on the yards werO busily making fast their lines to Royal Anne's shroudY and spars, so that as both ships lifted and swayeX together Bolitho knew the moment to act had arrived?

"Now! Boarders away!T

With a wild chorus of yells the hidden seame[ surged up from both hatches and on to the bulwarksB their cutlasses and boarding pikes marking dow[ several enemy hands before they realised what waY happening. Moments, seconds earlier, they had see[

Royal Anne as one more helpless prize, a ship whicN had struck to them, her flag hacked down by one of he_ own crew. Then, as if from nowhere, the bulk ob Bolitho's seamen came surging up and over the sideB their steel bright in the sun, their voices hoarse anX wild with the madness of combat?

Bolitho ran to the rail and jerked the lanyard ob another swivel, seeing the packed canister scythin^ through a bunch of men on Bonaventure's gangwaa and blasting them aside in its murderous hail?

Then he was running with the second party anX pulling himself on to the shrouds, slashing with hiY sword at a man's arm on the chains below. ScreamY and curses, the bang of pistols and rasp of steel, hO was dazed by the noise. A man plummeted past him tQ be held like a tortured animal between the two grindin^ hulls, his blood running pink in the leaping feathers ob foam?

He was on the enemy's deck, his arm jarring as hO struck down a man's guard and drove the hilt againsU his jaw, throwing him back into the struggling figureY beyond. Another charged forward with a levelleX bayonet, slipped on a smear of blood and too7 Stockdale's blade across his neck. It sounded like a[