Alexander Kent - Command a King`s Ship

Bolitho smiled shortly. 'A fair guess, if the truth be told. But it was a bad storm, and when the master suggested this small isle as a place for shelter I began a'thinking.'

He took Penn's telescope and trained it towards the bows. There was the islet now, an uneven blob of grey/blue. The masthead would be able to see much more.

'Where is the wind?'

Davy said, 'From the south-west, sir.'

Bolitho let his mind move accordingly. 'Alter course and lay her on the larboard tack.' He crossed to the binnacle, seeing the helmsmen watching him curiously. 'We will steer nor' nor'-west.'

He waited as a bosun's mate dashed to pipe the hands to the braces again.

Then to Herrick and Davy he added slowly, 'This way we will keep the isle between us and the other vessel and hold our advantage to wind'rd. Get the courses on her, but keep the t'gallants furled for the present.'

Herrick understood at once. 'Aye, sir. The less canvas we display, the less likely they are to sight us.'

Bolitho glanced at Mudge, who had appeared with Fowlar beside the helm.

'You put the thought in my mind. I have always wondered why Muljadi has good warning of our movements. I think we shall soon know his methods.' He looked at the washed-out blue sky above the tapering masts. 'But for the storm we would have approached directly from the east'rd. Thanks to the weather's rough mood we have gained something for once.'

Herrick asked softly, 'What of the admiral's instructions, sir?' Then he grinned. 'I can see from your expression that you intend to choose your own moment, sir.'

Bolitho smiled. 'One cannot bargain if one is a beggar. I have learned that long since.'

He looked up as with sails cracking and shivering to the new tack Undine turned purposefully to larboard, the small, humped islet moving away from the weather bow as if released from an anchor.

'Nor' nor'-west, sir! Full an' bye!'

Bolitho beckoned to Davy. 'Get the courses on her now.' To Mudge he called, 'How long, by your consideration?'

Mudge pouted. 'Two hours, sir.'

'Good. Then once the sails are drawing well we can send both watches for their meal.'

He watched the scurrying figures clawing along the yards, others standing below on deck ready to sheet home the great fore and main courses.

Herrick nodded approvingly. 'Bit different from when they came aboard, sir.'

Bolitho found he was desperately hungry. 'I think that applies to most of us.'

He strode to the cabin hatch, knowing that the unknown vessel might be harmless, or an old wreck long abandoned. Or one more trick to delay or deceive him.

Noddall watched him warily. 'It's salt beef again, sir.'

'That will be excellent.' He ignored the amazement on Noddall's rodent features. 'And I'll take some claret to wash it down.'

He leaned over the sill and stared at the frothing wake below the counter.

Chance, luck, call it what you will, he thought. It was all they had, and he intended to make good use of it.

'By th' mark seventeen!' The leadsman's cry rose easily above the sounds of flapping canvas as Undine, her courses again brailed up to the yards, glided steadily towards the islet.

Bolitho saw Shellabeer touch the leadsman's shoulder and reach out to feel the tallow arming in the bottom of the heavy weight before calling, 'Rocky bottom, sir!'

Bolitho nodded. As Mudge had described it, the small islet was more like an isolated rock pile than part of the sea-bed.

'Prepare to anchor, Mr. Herrick.' '

He took a glass from Penn and moved it slowly over the ragged.outline. They were five cables offshore, but it was close enough to see that the first smooth impression of a surfaced whale had changed severely. The rocks were blue/grey, like Cornish slate, and cut by wind and tide into massive steep gullies, as if some giant had hacked the islet into slices. Apart from a few clumps of gorse or rock flowers, it looked bare and unwelcoming, but there were plenty of sea-birds perched in little clefts, or circling busily above the highest point, which he estimated to be some three hundred feet above the water.

He heard Herrick shouting his orders, the creak of rigging as Undine dipped and rose again in a sudden swell. The water looked deep, but it was an illusion. He could see some narrow, stony beaches at the foot of the nearest cliff, and guessed that the safest anchorage was on the opposite side where the other vessel lay hidden. There was surf, too, steep and angry as it licked and spluttered around the one visible landing place.

'Helm a'lee!'

He moved his glass in time with the ship as she turned easily into the wind, watching for any sign of life, the merest movement to show their approach had been seen.

'Let go anchor!'

The sound of the anchor hitting the water seemed unusually loud, and he imagined he could hear it echoing back from those desolate cliffs.

Herrick shouted, 'Lively, lads! Secure those lines!' To Davy he added, 'Lowering parties, man the tackles!'

Bolitho said, 'Have the leadsman watch his line now and see that the anchor is holding fast. If we begin to drag because of the rocky bottom we will veer more cable directly.'

'Aye, sir.'

Herrick hurried away, his face totally absorbed in his own duties.

With the ship swaying and pulling lazily to her cable, it was even quieter, and Bolitho saw some of the birds quitting their precarious perches to fly'and circle above the mastheads.

Herrick returned, breathing heavily. 'We seem safe enough, sir. But I've told the anchor-watch to keep alert.' He squinted towards the shore. 'It looks like a graveyard.'

'We will need two boats.' Bolitho spoke his thoughts aloud. 'Gig and cutter will suffice. They will have to run smartly through that surf. The beach is steep by the look of it. So put a good cox'n in the cutter.'

He saw Allday signalling with his fist as the gig rose jerkily from its chocks, the guy-ropes tautening to swing it round and above the gangway.

He added with a smile, 'I think my boat is in safe hands.'

Herrick looked at him anxiously. 'Areyou going, sir?'

'It is not for want of glory, Thomas.' He lowered his voice, watching the chosen hands as they mustered by the arms' chests. 'But I need to know what we are against, if anything.'

Herrick sounded unconvinced. 'But if the other craft is one of the pirate's, sir, what then? Surely you'll want to sweep round and rake the devil as he slips his cable?'

'No.' He shook his head firmly. 'He will be safely anchored yonder. In shallower water than I'd dare enter close enough to rake him. Once clear he could lead us a merry maypole dance, and I fear we would never match his agility in these conditions.' His tone hardened. 'Besides which, I want to take him!V

'Boats lowered alongside, sir.' Davy came aft, a curved hanger dangling from his belt.

Bolitho touched his own sword-hilt and saw Captain Bellairs watching the boats with visible irritation at being left behind.

He called, 'Captain Bellairs, I would be obliged if I could have three of your very best sharpshooters in each boat!'

Bellairs brightened considerably and snapped at Sergeant Coaker, 'Well, lively, Sar'nt! Although they should all be excellent marksmen, what?'

Herrick grinned. 'That was thoughtful, sir.'

'Perhaps.' Bolitho shifted the glass again to watch some birds landing delicately along the clifftop. They would never do that if men were close by. 'But if seamen are better at scaling cliffs, there is no beating a well-aimed ball at the right moment!'

He nodded to Davy. 'Man your boats.' To Herrick he added casually, 'If things go wrong, you will find the admiral's orders in my cabin.'

'You can rely on me, sir.' Herrick was looking troubled again. 'But I'm certain that-'

Bolitho touched his arm and smiled. 'Yes. But just bear it in mind. If you have to, act upon them, asyou see fit.'