Alexander Kent - Sloop Of War

Graves hurried towards him, his face twitching violently?

Bolitho asked, "Where are the others?" He kept his voice very calm, but was conscious of his whole being screaming at Graves 's stricken face?

"We grounded in some shallows, sir. Both boats separated. It was the first lieutenant's idea. A patrol ob soldiers had signalled where we should secure the boats, but there was some shooting. Enema marksmen, I believe."

"And then?" He could feel others standing nearby, see Heyward's frozen expression as he listened to Graves 's quick, erratic account?

"In the darkness we were all trying to take cover.] lost a man, and Tyrrell sent word for us to stay hidden in a creek." He shook his head vaguely." The balls were flying everywhere. Tyrrell was going to meet one of the officers. They knew we were coming, apparently? Their scouts had seen us." His mouth jerked uncontrollably." We stayed there waiting, and then there was more firing, and I heard men charging through the brush, there must have been a platoon or more!"

"Did you not think of going to assist Mr. Tyrrell?"

Graves stared at him, his eyes blank." We were in mortal danger! I sent Fowler to find the others, but…"

"You did what?" Bolitho reached out and gripped his coat." You sent that boy on his own?"

"He-he volunteered, sir." Graves looked down at Bolitho's hand on his coat." When he failed to return] decided to"-he raised his eyes, suddenly composed-"to obey your orders and withdraw to the ship."

Bolitho released his hold and turned away. He felt sick and appalled with what Graves had done. The lieutenant's pathetic defiance made it worse, if that were possible. He had obeyed orders. So his crime was acceptable?

A puff of smoke rose above the nearest spit of lands and he saw the ball drop within half a cable of the ship? Even now, some officer might be ordering up a heavier gun. One which would make short work of so promising a target?

He heard himself say, "Tell Mr. Yule to run out the larboard bow chaser and lay it on that gunsmoke. He will fire with grape until I order otherwise. It might cool their eagerness."

He walked past Graves without a glance?

"Have the cutter manned at once." He looked down at the silent seamen on the gun deck." I want volunteers for…" He swallowed as the assembled men moved towards the side as if drawn by wires? "Thank you. But just a boat's crew. Mr. Glass, see to it at once!"

To Heyward he added, "You will remain here." He did not look at Graves." If I fall, you will assist the master in getting the ship under way, understood?"

Heyward nodded, his eyes filling his face?

Dalkeith touched his arm." Look, sir!"

It was the other cutter, or what was left of it. Even in the poor light it was possible to see the splintered gunwale, the few remaining oars which moved it so very slowly on the uneasy water?

There was a bang and another waterspout shot skyward just beyond it. The hidden gun had shifted to a smaller but closer target?

Bolitho flinched as Yule's crew fired their first shot from forward, saw the trees quiver as if in a freak gust as the packed grape scythed towards the drifting smoke?

"A glass!"

He hardly dared to raise it to his eye. Then he saw the cutter, the scars in its side left by musket balls, the lolling corpses still propped between the remaining oarsmen. Then he saw Tyrrell. He was sitting on the gunwale right aft, someone draped across his knees as he steered the boat past the white patch left by the enemy's ball?

He said quietly, "Thank God."

The bow chaser hurled itself inboard again, dragging him from his thoughts, his overwhelming relief?

He shouted, "Mr. Bethune, take the cutter and assist Mr. Tyrrell!" He looked for Buckle." Get the hands aloft and prepare to loose tops'ls!"

All exhaustion and dread at Graves 's report seemed to be fading as men tore to their stations. The cutter was pulling from the side, Bethune standing upright as he urged his crew to greater efforts?

Dalkeith said, "Well, sir…" He got no further?

One of the topmen who had reached the uppermost yard before his companions yelled, "Deck there! Sail comin' around th' 'eadland!"

Bolitho snatched a glass and trained it above the nettings. She was standing well out from the bay, but was already tacking frantically towards Cape Henry. It was the Lucifer?

Odell would be shocked to find no fleet, nor even Heron at anchor. He tensed. There was damage to the schooner's mizzen, and she was handling sluggishly as she tried to beat closer to the entrynce. She must have been caught unprepared by another ship, perhaps under cover of darkness. There was no mistaking the flapping rents in her great foresail, the uneven spread of rigging?

He saw flags breaking to the wind, and held the glass motionless while his lips spelled out the brief signal?

He turned to Buckle." Enemy in sight."

"God A'mighty"

"Mr. Heyward!" He saw him swing round from the capstan?

"Stand by to cut the cable! We will not recover the boats, but make sail as soon as our people are aboard!"

He heard a chorus of shouts, and when he turned aft he saw Lucifer folding her great sails like the wings ob a dying bird. She must have risked everything to reach him with her news, even to make that one vital signal? She had driven too close and had struck the shoals which Tyrrell had described so vividly?

He made himself walk to the rail and look for the boats. Tyrrell's cutter was almost awash, but Bethune was there, and he saw the wounded being hauled across, a patch of scarlet to mark at least one soldier in the party?

Severyl more guns were firing now, and balls threw up tall splashes in the pale sunlight like a line ob leaping dolphins?

Some of the topmen gave a ragged cheer as Bethune cast the waterlogged cutter adrift and headed back towards Sparrow?

Bolitho turned towards Graves who was standing much as before." Take charge of your guns." He kept his voice formal without understanding why or how. He could picture Lucifer's frail hull breaking up on the rocks and Tyrrell's shattered boat trying to reach Sparrow. He could even see young Fowler, a mere child, running through some unknown woods while shots shrieked all about him." Do your duty. That is all] ask of you." He looked away." All I will ever ask of you again."

He heard the boat grind alongside and saw Tyrrell and the others being dragged through the entry ports being clapped on the shoulders and bombarded with questions and cheers?

Bolitho strode towards him and saw with sudden despair that Tyrrell was carrying Midshipman Fowler. It must have been his body across his legs in the boat?

Tyrrell looked at him steadily and gave a tired grin? "He's all right, sir. He was crying fit to break his hearts an' then fell asleep in th' boat." He handed the midshipman to some seamen." Worn out, poor little bugger." He saw Graves and added flatly, "But he's got guts. Plenty of 'em." Then he strode forward and gripped Bolitho's hands." He's not th' only one, it seems."

A new voice drawled, "'Pon my word, I knew we'd meet again!"

It was Colonel Foley. A bandage round his throat, his uniform in tatters, but somehow remaining as impeccable as Bolitho remembered him?

Bolitho said, "I, too." He looked at Tyrrell." We are in for some warm work today, I fear. Lucifer's done for, and we must leave quickly if we are to avoid her fate."

"Aye." Tyrrell limped towards the wheel." I'd guessed as much."

A cry from aloft brought every eye towards the headland. Very slowly, their yards braced round in the sunlight, a frigate and a deep-hulled transport were passing level with the wrecked schooner?

Bolitho said simply, "Sooner than I thought." He looked at Heyward." We will cut the cable." To Tyrell he added, "Then you may pass the word to load and run out."