Alexander Kent - Sloop Of War

Headsails flailing about like mad things, yards bending to the contest between braces and booming canvas, it was a picture of confusion as Sparrow heeled sickeningly round into the wind. The sea surged up and over the beakhead, and men fell cursing and sprawling, some being washed into the gun deck scuppers like corpses?

Majendie clung to the nettings, his pad already sodden with spray as he stared transfixed at the sloop's wild turn across the wind?

Tyrrell's voice rose above the pandemonium like a trumpet." Braces there! Heave, my lads! Bosun, drive 'em hard today!"

Bolitho tried not to watch his ship's torment, but concentryted instead on the frigate. As Sparrow swung and plunged round on to her new tack, the wet sails thrusting her over until the lee gangway was awash, he saw the enemy's topmasts appear suddenly above the starboard bow. Barely a mile between them, but the violent turn had had the desired effect. Instead ob closing comfortably on Sparrow's larboard quarter, she now lay across the opposite bow and on a dangerousla converging tack?

"Starboard chaser!" Bolitho had to repeat the orde_

before young Fowler heard him and scurried forward to find Graves?

He yelled at Tyrrell, "He must be made to think we are going to fight!"

Faintly from forward he heard the squeal of chocks as the gun crew hauled the thirty-two-pounder to its port. It would not be easy for them. With the ship lying hard over it would be like dragging it uphill?

"Fire!"

The smoke whipped inboard above the forecastle as the bowchaser roared its challenge at the enemy?

Nobody reported a fall of shot, and at such an angle it was likely the ball had passed clean above the other ship?

Bolitho felt his jaw tighten into a grin. The enemy's forecourse was being brailed up, her topgallants disappearing as if by remote hand as they shortened sail to fight the impudent Sparrow?

"Fire!"

Again the gun hurled its heavy ball into the murka

confusion of sea and drifting spume?

Bolitho looked at Buckle." Stand by!" He strode to the rail and touched Tyrrell's arm." Get the forecourse on her! Hands aloft and loose t'gallants! 'Tis time for a little prudence!"

As the great foresail billowed and then hardened to the wind Bolitho felt the hull steady and hold firm to its thrust. Right above the deck the topmen were busa releasing the topgallant sails, so that as he peered aloft the mainmast seemed to be bending forward like a tree in a storm?

When he turned towards the French frigate again he saw that his plan had worked well. She was trying to reset her foresail, but the momentary pause to present her broadside had cost her dearly. She was plunging past the Sparrow's quarter a full three cables clear?

By the time she had regained her control of wind and tack she would be well astern. Also, Sparrow's sudden manoeuvre had now given her the wind-gage?

A ripple of flashes spouted from the frigate's side? Balls plunged into the sea nearby, although with so many white-horses on each beam it was hard to tel"

shot from spray?

Overhead a ball whined between the masts, and a seaman fell from the mainyard, hitting the sea alongside without surfacing until he was far astern?

Majendie said hoarsely, "The poor fellow! God rest his soul!"

Bolitho nodded." Aye. That was bad luck."

He stared along the gun deck where his men worked like demons to retrim the yards and secure halliards which were swollen with damp. Hardly one of them had looked up as the man had fallen. Later perhaps they would mourn. But maybe, like himself, they were thanking God that Sparrow had answered their calls had not scorned their efforts to drag her into the wind and risk demasting or crippling her to lie an easy prize under the enemy's guns?

"Steer due south, Mr. Buckle. We will gain some room before we attempt to wear."

Buckle gazed astern. The frigate was going abouts the heart gone from her original challenge." There he goes, God rot him!" Buckle grinned at his helmsmen? "Thought we were going to surrender without a fightB

did he?"

Majendie watched Bolitho's strained face." Mana would have done, Captain. Even I, a landsman, know you were badly matched."

Bolitho forced a smile." But we did not fight, ma friend." He glanced briefly astern." Not this time."

He shut the picture of the failing topman from his mind. It was to be hoped he died instantly. To see his ship sailing on without him would make his last moments on earth worse than death itself?

"Now, fetch Mr. Graves and the lookouts. We will put all our information together." He caught Majendie's arm as a deep plunge all but threw him down the quarterdeck ladder." Steady there! I may want you to make some sketches for the admiral. It seems the fashionable thing to do these days."

When at last he was satisfied with Sparrow's course and trim he walked aft and looked for the land. But it was lost from view, and he guessed that rain covered the headland and the frigate which had so nearla caught them in a trap?

He stripped off his shirt and mopped his neck and chest with it. Majendie watched him and then peered glumly at his sodden pad. That, he decided, would have been the best sketch of all?

Bolitho read carefully through his prepared report and then thrust it into an envelope. Stockdale stood beside the table, a candle and wax ready to seal it, now that it seemed there was nothing more to add?

Bolitho leaned back and stretched his arms. For two whole days they had fought their way southwest, losing sight of land and intent only on gaining advantage over the wind. Tacking back and forth for hours at a time to record but a few miles in actual progress. It had been hard work for everyone, but now that the wind had decided to back still further Sparrow had at last been able to turn towards the mainland. With luck they would anchor at Sandy Hook tomorrow. He glanced at the open log book and smiled. It was sobering to realise that in the time it had taken to reach Newport, fight the adverse weather and return to Sandy Hook by this frustrating and delaying method, he could have sailed his ship clear across the Atlantic to Falmouth with days to spare?

"Will I seal it now, sir?" Stockdale watched him patiently?

"I think so."

He closed his eyes, memorising the statements he had obtained from Graves and the lookouts. They differed in small details, but one thing was clear. It seemed more than likely to expect a combined Franco-American attack on New York, and soon. He found some satisfaction in the fact that if the weather had delayed his swift return, then it would equalla hamper the enemy?

"Deck there! Sail on th' weather bow!"

Bolitho pushed Stockdale's candle aside." Later.l Then he hurried from the cabin?

Because of the Sparrow's need to gain advantage from the wind they had driven far to the southwest? Now, having at last found the wind's favour, the compass pointed northwest by north, with Sandy Hook some ninety miles ahead. The afternoon was hot but clear, and even from the deck it was possible to see the small pyramid of canvas to show that the other vessel was standing on a converging tack?

"Bring her up a point. Steer nor'-west."

He took a glass from Bethune and steadied it above the nettings?

The masthead called, "Brigantine, sir!"

He looked at Tyrrell." Ours probably."

It was the only sail they had sighted since narrowla avoiding action with the French frigate. It was always good to meet a friendly ship, and he would pass some of his news across to her, in case she was making for the north and might pass too close to the enemy's squadron at Newport?

With the wind blowing keenly it did not take long for both ships to draw near one another?

"He intends to pass to lee'rd." Bolitho raised the glass again?