Part 29 (1/2)

As the helm went down again and Achates Achates surged round into the wind, Bolitho was grateful that they had not made more sail. In such a stiff wind the s.h.i.+p might have been in irons, or worse, dismasted. surged round into the wind, Bolitho was grateful that they had not made more sail. In such a stiff wind the s.h.i.+p might have been in irons, or worse, dismasted.

Gun by gun along the starboard side the captains were holding up their hands as each barrel poked its muzzle through a port.

The frigate was still floundering down-wind under the dragging weight of fallen spars and sails, but Bolitho was not deceived and knew what could happen once that wreckage was hacked away.

'Main-tops'l braces there! Heave! Put your backs into it!'

Achates continued to turn, the frigate suddenly appeared above her starboard bow as if she and not the little two-decker was moving. continued to turn, the frigate suddenly appeared above her starboard bow as if she and not the little two-decker was moving.

To any inexperienced eye it would look like chaos. The boatswain and his party swarming out on the topsail yards to rig the chain-slings, while below them their s.h.i.+p pirouetted around her masts to cross the enemy's stern.

'Starboard battery! Ready!' Ready!'

Keen had his hand in the air and did not even blink as here and there along the enemy's side a gun fired in defiance. But for her it was already too late, and as Achates Achates crossed the frigate's starboard quarter even those guns fell silent, unable to traverse enough to find a target. crossed the frigate's starboard quarter even those guns fell silent, unable to traverse enough to find a target.

Bolitho saw a ripple of musket fire from the p.o.o.p and mizzen-top and instant response from Dewar's sharpshooters.

He felt something like sickness in his stomach as Achates' Achates' jib-boom pa.s.sed the frigate's stern. He saw her glittering cabin windows, her name, jib-boom pa.s.sed the frigate's stern. He saw her glittering cabin windows, her name, La Capricieuse, La Capricieuse, in gold letters across her counter. in gold letters across her counter.

Then Achates' Achates' starboard carronade belched fire from the forecastle and the enemy's stern and p.o.o.p appeared to open like an obscene cave. When the carronade's ma.s.sive ball burst within the crowded hull its packed charge of grape would transform the gun-deck into a slaughter-house. starboard carronade belched fire from the forecastle and the enemy's stern and p.o.o.p appeared to open like an obscene cave. When the carronade's ma.s.sive ball burst within the crowded hull its packed charge of grape would transform the gun-deck into a slaughter-house.

Men, weapons, the rudder, everything would be blasted aside and incapable of movement for many hours.

Keen cupped his hands. 'Get the royals on her, Mr Quantock!'

He had no time to wait and worry about the carronade's harvest. The frigate was out of the fight.

Once again Achates Achates clawed her way round to hold the wind on her quarter. It was as if nothing had changed. Not a man lost, not a scratch on wood or canvas. clawed her way round to hold the wind on her quarter. It was as if nothing had changed. Not a man lost, not a scratch on wood or canvas.

Bolitho climbed the p.o.o.p ladder and levelled his gla.s.s to seek the French seventy-four. Even in distance she looked fierce and enraged, he thought. She was spreading more sails, and had hoisted a signal to her yards for the benefit of her remaining companion.

He heard Knocker shout, 'East-nor'-east, sir!'

The Frenchman was steering north-east. Again they were on a converging tack. But the Argonaute Argonaute held the wind-gage and would probably try to cripple her enemy by dismasting or by tearing down her rigging with chain-shot while keeping at a safe distance. held the wind-gage and would probably try to cripple her enemy by dismasting or by tearing down her rigging with chain-shot while keeping at a safe distance.

Bolitho trained the gla.s.s on the dismasted frigate. It must have been a terrible shock. Bolitho remembered his time as a prisoner of war in France. Never again, he had vowed then.

Keen touched his hat. 'All guns loaded and ready, sir.' He glanced aloft. 'Mr Rooke has even managed to rig his nets and slings.'

Bolitho smiled. 'I know know it was a risk, Val.' it was a risk, Val.'

Keen looked away. 'You gave them fair warning. They'll not need it this time.'

He stared hard at the French seventy-four. Just over a mile distant, while the little frigate was standing away from her heavy consort and tacking down-wind to be ready to dash down and harry Achates Achates from another angle. After seeing the fate of from another angle. After seeing the fate of La Capricieuse La Capricieuse it was unlikely she would force home an attack yet. it was unlikely she would force home an attack yet.

Bolitho also watched the French flags.h.i.+p and felt the nearness of their contest like claws in his loins. She was new, big and better armed. But Achates Achates was more agile, and had proved her worth a hundred times over. was more agile, and had proved her worth a hundred times over.

Keen was thinking aloud. 'If he holds the wind we cannot reach him, sir. Whereas he can move in when he pleases or chance some long shots which might score a serious. .h.i.t.'

'I agree.' Bolitho climbed up to the nettings and peered over them. 'The other frigate, the Diane, the Diane, she's steering for the west'rd, next she'll come about after us.' He shot him a grim smile. 'To snap at our heels!' she's steering for the west'rd, next she'll come about after us.' He shot him a grim smile. 'To snap at our heels!'

Keen nodded. 'She could do some damage if we were already engaged with the Argonaute, sit.' Argonaute, sit.'

Bolitho stepped down. 'Tell me what you think. Shall we use the Diane Diane as bait?' as bait?'

Keen's eyes lit up. 'Go for the frigate, sir?'

Bolitho nodded. 'Contre-Amiral Jobert is, I believe, an honourable sailor. I cannot see him standing by while his remaining frigate is attacked by a s.h.i.+p of the line!'

Bolitho looked at the sun. Only an hour since the carronade, the Smasher as it was termed, had blasted away the other frigate's resistance.

He said, 'You have a gun captain named Crocker. I met him at the fortress. A fearsome fellow but, I understand, the finest of his trade.'

Keen said, 'Lower gun-deck, sir. I'll send for him.'

Crocker came aft, his good eye s.h.i.+elded from the sun. After the cool gloom of the lower gun-deck he was finding it irksome. He knuckled his forehead and gazed at Bolitho, his deformed figure at odds with the scarlet-coated marines nearby.

Bolitho said, 'I want you to take charge of the two stern-chasers. We shall have company there directly, and when I give the word I want you to damage her badly enough to cause concern to her admiral.'

Crocker twisted his head further as if to fix his good eye on him.

Sir?'

Keen said wearily, 'Just do it, Crocker. The French seventy-four will close the range when her admiral sees what is happening.'

'Oh, I see, see, sir!' sir!'

'Pick all the men you want, but I need that frigate winged.'

Crocker showed his uneven teeth. ”Bless you, sir, I thought you was makin' do with the little 'un!'

He loped away with his strange swinging gait, and Keen said, 'If we let the Frogs get alongside, old Crocker will frighten them to death!'

Bolitho loosened his neckcloth and looked at the sky. Sea-birds floated high above the embattled s.h.i.+ps, indifferent, and coldly watching for the gruesome sc.r.a.ps which would soon be theirs.

He thought of Belinda, the green slope below Pendennis Castle where she could watch and wait for the s.h.i.+ps to pa.s.s.

He heard Adam say, 'It won't be long.'

Bolitho looked at him. Was he afraid? Resentful that he might die so young?

But the lieutenant saw his glance and said, 'I'm all right, all right, sir. I shall be ready.' sir. I shall be ready.'

Bolitho smiled. 'I never doubted that. Come, Adam, let us take a walk together. It will pa.s.s the time.'

The swivel-gun crews and marine marksmen in the tops peered down as the vice-admiral and his youthful aide walked up and down the quarterdeck, their shadows pa.s.sing over the naked backs of the seamen at their tackles with their rammers and charges.

Mids.h.i.+pman Ferrier lowered his gla.s.s for the hundredth time, his eye sore from staring at the oncoming seventy-four. It seemed such a short while ago that he had been thinking of home, of the chance to take his lieutenant's examination. In that towering pyramid of sails and the double line of guns which glinted in the sunlight like black teeth, he saw his hopes already gone. Now the thing which worried him most was whether or not he could stand up to what lay ahead.

He saw Bolitho pa.s.s by, speaking with his nephew, the way the flag-lieutenant was smiling at something he said. When he raised his telescope again his fear had gone.