Michael Aye - Barracuda

"Mr. Gunnells, do you see the two schooners are running parallel but the lead ship has a good distance over the sister ship?"

"Aye, cap'n, I sees it."

"I want to split the two, then come around and pour a broadside up the latter ship's bunghole." Smiling, Gunnells replied, "I'll lay her so close to yonder ship's stern you could walk through the galley windows if you've a mind."

"No nothing that close," Gabe answered the old master, "But pistol shot range will do." BOOM!… BOOM!

"The frigate has fired on LeFrelon," the lookout called.

Smoke had engulfed the privateer momentarily but was now drifting between the two ships.

BOOM!… BOOM!

The roar of cannon filled the air as LeFrelon fired back scoring a hit as pieces of debris went flying into the air. Seeing this, Gabe called to his gun crews, "A guinea to the first gun to score a hit."

This brought cheers from the men, profit and a gut full-o'-glory, "Huzza to the cap'n, huzza."

"Open ports," Gabe ordered Jackson.

"Mr. Druett," Gabe called to his gunner, "Let go with the bowchaser if you will. I want those rogues to feel SeaWolf's fangs."

"Aye, cap'n. Hear that lads," Druett called. "Time for SeaWolf to bare her fangs and give them whoresons a bite or two."

BOOM!… BOOM! Both nine pounders had fired.

"We claim the guinea," a man cried. Sure enough the huge jib on the leading schooner had been hit causing her to skew to larboard.

"Foul! Foul," the ole gapped-tooth gun captain cried. "We've had no chance to bear."

Raising his hands in surrender, "Fair is fair," Gabe called. "We'll make it even. A guinea to the first crew on each side to score a hit, but a tie means you split the purse."

This brought more cheers from the men. SeaWolf was now bearing down on the schooners.

As an afterthought, Gabe turned to Jackson, "Are the boats being towed?"

"Aye, captain, I set Mr. Graf to it soon as you ordered beat to quarters."

SeaWolf and the leading schooner were virtually parallel. As Gabe gave the order to fire he could hear the firing as LeFrelon battled her foe. Lanyards jerked as one as the anxious gun captains heard the order they'd been waiting on.

SeaWolf rocked back as a whole broadside let loose with a tremendous crash. The entire side was in a frenzy.

As the guns hurled backwards to the end of their breechings, clouds of dirty yellow 'n' black acrid smoke filled the air then flowed aft toward the quarterdeck with the breeze.

The gun crew flung themselves at their guns as the gun captains shouted instructions and encouragement.

"Worm out, worm out laddies. 'At's it, now swab.

Atkins, ya bugger I said swab."

Worming, swabbing, reloading, and running out, each crew was like a well-oiled machine. The occasional curse from a gun captain was more for show than need.

"Lively now! Fire! That's it, you lubberly whoresons! Worm… swab… reload." On and on it went, each crew trying to beat the time of the next crew.

Gabe tried to watch the fall of shot. The schooner was being pounded but SeaWolf was being hit as well.

Several gaps were in the bulwark, the forward mainsail had a huge rent and one gun was overturned. One of the gun crew lay beneath the heavy barrel, his legs kicking the air. Then mercifully they thudded to the deck and lay still. Then they were past the first ship. Would he come about or continue on? Gabe wasn't sure but if things worked to plan, he'd have the second schooner between them.

"He's trying to come about, sir." This from Gunnells, "He's trying to come about on the same tack." Well, he couldn't worry about that now; they were along side the other schooner and SeaWolf rocked as she was racked by the privateer's broadside.

"Four pounders," Jackson cried out, "She's only got four pounders."

Was he glad or complaining, Dagan wondered. SeaWolf rocked again but this time it was from her own broadside. The schooner was hit good, but was firing her guns again, those that were left after SeaWolf spoke.

"She's got a good skipper," Gabe spoke to Dagan.

"Aye, he's making a fight of it."

Gabe had made his way aft to Gunnells and the wheel. He looked at the schooner as SeaWolf slid by then after a pause bellowed his order. "Now, Mr. Gunnells, down helm. Put your helm down."

The master had two men at the wheel. With all their might they spun the big wheel. Gabe felt the rudder bite and SeaWolf made her turn to larboard bringing the loaded cannon to bear on the stern.

"Ease her up, that's it, ease her up," Gabe ordered.

SeaWolf crossed the privateer's stern with each gun firing as they sailed past. The galley windows were shattered by the first gun with each subsequent shot lending to the destruction of the one before it.

Then there was an explosion as the magazine was undoubtedly hit. The once proud beautiful ship was now nothing by fiery debris filling the air, then raining down all about. Huge chunks were hitting the sea with splashing and sizzling sounds.

Suddenly, one of the worst sounds heard aboard ship rang out: "Fire! Fire! Fire to the mainsail." Gabe turned to Gunnells, "Put the ship before the wind, then heave to." He then shouted orders to Jackson,

"Clew up the topsail and top gallant. Then cut away the mainsail."

"Lavery?"

"Aye, captain."

"Get a bucket line formed."

"Graf?"

"Aye, sir."

"Get the hammocks and blankets soaked and ready if we need them."

"Mr. Dover?"

"Here, sir," the carpenter answered.

"Open the sea-cock and get some water in the bilges, then get the ship's pumps ready. Hopefully we won't need them, but let's get them ready."

"Aye, cap'n." As the carpenter turned to carry out his duties Gabe called after him again.

"Mr. Dover."

"Sir."

"Don't forget to close the sea-cocks. We want to put water in the bilge, not sink the ship."

"Aye, sir, close them I will."

Dagan then sidled up to Gabe, "Here comes the other privateer."

"Damme," Gabe said, not liking the thought of having to surrender.

BOOM!… BOOM!… Gabe looked for the fall of the shot not seeing any damage to SeaWolf.

"Look sir," one of the petty officers called out, "It's Merlin. She's firing on the privateer."

"Huzzah! Huzzah for the Merlin," SeaWolf's crew cheered.

On board Merlin, Lord Anthony and Bart watched as SeaWolf's crew fought the flames. Meanwhile, Earl guided his ship into combat against the remaining schooner. LeFrelon and the privateering frigate were locked together and were in hand-to-hand combat.

"We's got to 'urry," Bart volunteered, "else Knight and his bunch'll be overrun."

Lord Anthony was also concerned. He wanted to help Gabe but he also had to go to Knight's aid.

However, the damnable schooner came first.

"Captain Earl?"

"Aye, my Lord."

"I'd be grateful if your next salvo was double-shotted with a measure of grape. Time is of the essence."

Earl understood the urgency and had himself been torn between which ship to aid. In theory, Gabe should be able to handle the fire but…

The cannons had been loaded as ordered and after coming about Merlin unleashed its deadly broadside. The weight of its metal stopped the schooner dead in the water. The once proud schooner should have hauled her wind after the first exchange with Merlin's bigger twelve pounder cannons.

The ship was mastless, and pockmarked from the stern forward. Men were scurrying to abandon ship as the schooner was already down forward.

"Come about if you will, sir," Lord Anthony was addressing Earl. "Let's see if we can lie alongside the rogue," he continued, using his sword as a pointer. "Pray to God we're not too late."

As Merlin approached the privateer frigate men started firing muskets and swivels in their direction. One of the men at the wheel involuntarily let up, as a ball hit the deck next to him.