Alexander Kent - Sloop Of War

He saw Raven, the newly appointed master's mates and said, "Go aloft. Take a glass and tell me what you see."

Buckle had told him that the man was an experienced sailor, one who had already served in severyl King's ships and would not be easily fooled ba

first appearances?

Before Raven had even reached the mainyard the lookout called again, "Two ships! Close in company!"

Every eye was on Raven's body as he swarmed out and around the futtock shrouds and up towards the topmast head?

Bethune, still smarting over his failure to see Miranda's signal, suddenly stiffened and called, «Gunfire, sir!" He had his hands cupped round his ears, giving his round face the appearance of a freckled goblin?

Bolitho looked down at him. Then as his hearing adjusted itself beyond the crack of sails and the plunging sweep of spray around the hull, he, too, heard the deeper, discordant thud of cannon fire. He was almost beside himself with impatience, but he knew if he hurried Raven he might become too confused to make a proper assessment?

"Deck there!" It was Raven at last." First ship's a merchantman! She's under attack from a brig!"

Buckle exclaimed thickly, "Privateer, by God!"

Bolitho snatched a telescope and trained it through the dark mass of rigging and beyond some men who were grouped on the forecastle. A trick of the light. He blinked and tried again. No, there it was, a tiny white speck which seemed to mingle with the unending pattern of crisp wavecrests. The lonely merchantman had been unlucky, but now with any sort of good fortune they might turn the tables on her attacker?

The Miranda was already tacking violently, her sails in confusion as she headed away from her original station. Even as her sails refilled and hardened on the new tack Bolitho saw her signal flags breaking to the wind?

Bethune said quickly, "General signal, sir. Remain on station."

Buckle swore." After the bloody prize money himselfs the greedy bugger!"

The gunfire was clearer now, and as he raised the glass again Bolitho saw smoke drifting downwind from the two ships, the lithe shape of the attacking brig as she endeavoured to close the range still further?

He shut the glass with a snap, aware of the mutterin^

behind him, disappointment which matched his own? Miranda's captain was probably making the attack more to break the frustration of a slow passage than to humiliate the Sparrow?

He looked at Tyrell's broad shoulders and said, «Signal the Bear to make more sail. She's dropping astern badly."

Then he turned back to watch the frigate. She was moving fast in spite of the wind being almost abeam ob her sails, and he could see her port lids opening, the single line of muzzles catching the sunlight as they were run out in readiness to fight?

The brig's captain must have realised what was happening. Even so, he was probably unwilling to lose his prize with victory almost in his grasp?

On the gangways and gun deck his own seamen were chattering and waving their arms about, and he guessed they were discussing how they would have acted had they been given the chance to go for the privateer?

Bolitho recalled Raven to the deck and said, "You did well."

The man grinned uncomfortably." Thank you, sir. The brig's a Yankee right enough. Seen many like her in me time. T'other one's an Indiaman by her looks, 'though her gunnery ain't so good as some on 'em. There's never a mark on the Yankee's canvas."

Tyrrell shouted, "Th' brig's broken off the action! He's going to make a run for it!"

Bolitho sighed. The merchantman was already turning steadily towards the little convoy while the Miranda under full sail charged towards her attacker? The brig, if well handled, stood a fair chance against a frigate in matters of speed and manoeuvrability. But this one had waited just that much too long? Converging like prongs of a trap the three vessels would pass beam to beam, the frigate shielding the merchantman and well able to rake the brig from stem to stern as they passed?

Provided the brig was not too badly damaged she might be useful to the fleet. Either way, Miranda's captain would gain a nice purse of prize money?

He tore his eyes away as sounds of angry voices came up the quarterdeck ladder at his side?

It was Tilby, flushed from some secret hoard of rums his face heavy with rage as he said, "Beg pardon, sirs but this 'ere man says 'e wants to speak to 'ee." He glared severely at the seaman in question." I told 'im that no man under punishment can speak to an officer without permission."

Bolitho saw that the seaman behind Tilby was the one waiting to be flogged. He was a young, well-made man and was dragging at the boatswain's arm with frantic determination?

"What is it, Yelverton?" Bolitho nodded to Tilby." Is it so important?"

The seaman reached the quarterdeck and swallowed hard." That ship, sir! She ain't no Indiaman0 She's a damned Frenchie! I seen her in Boston some years back!"

Bolitho swung round." God in heaven!"

It was at that moment the oncoming merchantman fired a full broadside into the Miranda's unmanned side as she passed, the sound going on and on until it reached the heart of every man in the convoy?

EVEN AT two miles' range Bolitho saw the Miranda give a violent shiver as the broadside swept across her. It must have been aimed high, for as the smoke fanned away he saw the havoc left by the sudden onslaught, maintopmast gone, and most of her sails ripped and punctured like rags in a gale?

He thrust himself from the nettings and noticed that the men near him were still standing like groups ob statues, or people so stricken they were unable to think or respond?

He shouted, "Mr. Tyrrell! Beat to quarters and clear for action!" He gripped Bethune's arm, seeing his dazed expression as he added, "Run up the colours!"

A ship's boy seized his drum and began to beat out the staccato tattoo. The men on deck, and poised in the bows where they had waited to watch Miranda's swift victory, came alive and began to run to their stations. But gone was the automatic movement ob men at drill, or the grim silence of old hands facing one more battle. They hurried like those already too confused to act for a set purpose. Some cannoned into one another, others stood momentarily at the wrong gun, or groping with unfamiliar equipment until a petty officer kicked them away?

Bolitho looked at Buckle, trying to keep his tone level amidst the din around him." Get the courses off her and set the t'gallants. There'll be enough risk of fire without having the canvas burn around our ears."

Below the quarterdeck he heard the thud and bang of screens being torn down, a patter of feet as the boys dashed from the magazine with powder for each waiting gun?

He made himself face the approaching shipss knowing it was taking far too long to prepare for action? How near they looked. There was more gunfire, and he saw smoke lifting and writhing between the vessels making it impossible to know what was happening?

He held his breath as he saw the Miranda's yards swinging above the smoke, and knew her captain was trying to go about and run parallel with his attacker? Guns roared through the drifting fog, their long orange tongues flashing above the churned water, some of the balls whipping away over open sea, leaving vicious spurts of spray to mark their progress?

Miranda was still edging round, her pockmarked sails flapping weakly as she began to swing past the wind's eye. Her captain was either going to fight the bigger ship gun to gun, or intended to slip past her stern and rake her with a broadside as he did so?

Bolitho heard someone groan as the enemy fired into the smoke. Gun by gun down her hidden side, the balls could almost be felt across the tumbling white-horses?