Alexander Kent - FORM LINE OF BATTLE!

Then Bolitho signalled for the sloop's captain to come aboard, and as both ships shortened sail he returned to his cabin and sent for Quarme.

'I want all officers assembled in this cabin fifteen. minutes after the sloop's commander, Mr. Quarme.' He ignored the mystified expression on the other man's face and continued crisply, 'And all warrant officers not employed in working the ship, right?'

'Aye, aye, sir.' Quarme's eyes moved to the quarter windows where the little sloop rode easily in the Hyperion's lee. 'Can I ask what you intend, sir?'

Bolitho eyed him -impassively. 'Fifteen minutes, Mr. Quarme.'

He controlled his gnawing impatience as the sounds of a boat coming alongside and the shrill of pipes announced the new arrival. But by the time an equally mystified Lieutenant Bellamy, commander of H.M. Sloop Chanticleer, arrived in his cabin he was, outwardly at least, quite composed again.

Bellamy was a young, gangling officer with troubled eyes and an air of sad apprehension about him.

Bolitho got straight to the point. 'I am sorry to summon you aboard in this way, Bellamy, but as senior officer of this squadron I have need of -your ready assistance.'

Bellamy digested the beginning without much show of excitement. But he did not question Bolitho's right of stopping him either, and Bolitho considered the use of the title 'senior officer' had already been of some value.

He continued, 'Over yonder lies Cozar, which as you may know is now in enemy hands. It is my intenton to reverse that arrangement, and at once.' He eyed the lieutenant searchingly. 'But only with your help, you understand?'

Bellamy obviously did not. If a seventy-four was powerless to act it hardly seemed likely that his frail-timbered sloop could add much to the proceedings. But he nodded nevertheless. Maybe only to humour Bolitho, a squadron commander who had to all appearances but one ship at his disposal.

Bolitho smiled, 'Very well then, I will tell you what I intend.'

Fifteen minutes later Quarme opened the door and stood aside as the Hyperion's officers filed silently into the cabin, their eyes at first busy on these sacred quarters, and then finally settling on the gangling lieutenant.

Bolitho faced them calmly. 'Well, gentlemen, at last we have a plan.'

The eyes shifted to him and stayed there.

'In an hour or so we will alter course to the north and beat back towards the mainland. There is not much time, and a great deal to do. Now, it seems to me that the French will not attempt to return to Cozar during the night. For one thing it is a mite dangerous, and the other is that they might run against us or the Princesa.' He unrolled a chart on the table. 'By dawn tomorrow I intend to be in this position to the nor'-west of the island, and as soon as we are sighted by the garrison then Lieutenant Bellamy will take his ship into the harbour.'

If he had announced a visitation from God his words could not have had a greater effect. Some of the officers stared incredulously at Bellamy for explanation or confirmation, but the latter merely looked at his feet. Others exchanged baffled glances and threw strange stares at Bolitho, as if to reassure themselves that he had not gone raving mad.

Bolitho smiled slightly and continued, 'In the next hour I want one of our carronades taken across to the Chanticleer.' He tightened his jaw, hearing his own words committing himself and every man present. 'In addition she will carry one hundred of our seamen and all the marines.'

Captain Ashby could contain himself no longer. 'But what will happen, sir? I-I mean, dammit, sir.. He trailed away into helpless silence as Rooke's drawling voice broke in from the side of the cabin.

'So you want the Frogs to think that the sloop is the Fdirfax returning to harbour, sir?'

Bolitho nodded silently. Rooke was sharp enough anyway, and well ahead of the rest.

'Exactly.'

There was a great buzz of murmurs and questions, and then Quarme asked doggedly, 'What chance is there of success, sir? I mean to say, the Chanticleer is a sloop, but she's nothing like the Fairfax. She's older and smaller!' There were several nods around him.

'A good point, Mr. Quarme.' Bolitho thrust his hands behind him. `However, I have found from experience that men usually see what they expect to see. ' He looked around their faces very slowly. 'And the enemy will see a sloop being chased back into harbour by the Hyperion. They will open fire on this ship to cover her escape. By the time they realise what has happened we will be inside the harbour and too close to the landing place for the French to depress their guns.'

He had every man's full attention now. Even the midshipmen were craning forward to listen.

He said, 'But it has to be quick, gentlemen. At any moment from now on the French might be sending other ships. Then again some keen-eyed lookout might see the difference in sloops before we can enter harbour. But the garrison will be soldiers. Need I say more?'

Surprisingly, several of them actually laughed. It was a small beginning.

Bolitho looked round. 'Do we have a French flag? One of the new ones?'

Several heads were shaken.

Bolitho sought out the grey-haired sailmaker. 'Well, Mr. Buckle, you have thirty minutes to make one, so get to it!'

He did not wait for the man to reply but turned to the Hyperion's gunner. 'Mr. Pearse, you can get the carronade swayed across as soon as you like. Select a good crew for it, and use whatever boat you require.'

He watched him follow the sailmaker and then added evenly, 'When we made our last attack on the harbour we were hiddedn from the battery for a few moments by a shoulder of land. If this ship keeps on that same course as before the enemy might move some of the other guns across to hit us better. They will be very confident by that time, and will know that we would never attempt to sail directly into a trap. If they do that the sloop willl have an even better chance.'

There was a murmur of excitement. It was a plan at last. There was still a lot to be sorted out and explained. But it was a plan.

'Very well, gentlemen, you may go. Attend to your duties. I will be on deck directly to deal. with the next phase.' -

As they left the cabin Bolitho turned once more to Lieutenant Bellamy. He had expected some comment, even protest, but Bellamy had said nothing at all, and Bolitho was not sure he had understood half of what was expected of him-.-

He said, 'Thank you, Bellamy, that was most helpful.'

The lieutenant stared at him and swallowed hard. It was? He gulped again. 'Er, thank you, sir.'

Bolitho followed him on deck and watched him walk unsteadily towards the entry port. Then he breathed out very slowly. He had failed to inform Lord Hood of the failure to take Cozar. He had assumed overall command of an operation which might end in real disaster and a great loss of life. He had even waylaid a sloop with its despatches and mail, and would possibly destroy the little ship for good measure.

He looked up at the masthead and saw the pendant lifting and stirring itself in a growing breeze. But if there had been any excuse for avoiding action before, there was none now. The consequences for what he had already done had made that impossible.

Then pushing the doubt from his mind he crossed to the weather side of the quarterdeck and began to pace up and down with steady concentration.

Bolitho awoke with a violent start and for several seconds stared at Allday's stooping shape and the heavy jug which he carried in one hand.

Allday said quietly, 'Sorry to wake you, Captain, but it's getting a mite lighter on deck.' He held out a mug and began to pour a hot drink while Bolitho gathered his thoughts and peered around the sloop's tiny cabin.

Above the chair in which he had fallen into an exhausted sleep he could see a pale rectangle of light from the quarterdeck skylight, and the sudden realisation of what lay ahead held him rigidly in his seat, like a man emerging from a nightmare only to find it is real.