Part 30 (1/2)

The treasure fleet would have no way of knowing that I definitely knew her size and composition.

For all the knew I might be astonished at the force on which I had come.

I listened for a while, chuckling, to the brave tunes being put forth by my flutists and drummers.

Then, when I saw the perimeter s.h.i.+ps of the treasure feelt swinging about toward me, I motioned for the musicians to discontinure their performance.

When they were silent, I could hear the flutes and drums from the enemy s.h.i.+ps.

I called down to the oar-master to rest oars.

I wanted it to appear that I was suddenly undecided as to whether or not to attack, as though I was confused, startled.

I signaled my trumpeter to transmit the command ”Rest oars.” The same message was run up the halyard to the height of the stem castle.

Over the faint music coming from the distant s.h.i.+ps, now approaching, I could hear her war trumpets and, with the gla.s.s, observe her flags. Whereas I did not know exactly the codes employed by the treasure fleet, I had little doubt that our hesitation was being signaled about the fleet, and then I heard other trumpets, and saw the round s.h.i.+ps drawing apart, and tarn s.h.i.+ps streaking between them, fanning out in our direction.

I slapped shut the gla.s.s of the builders and laughed. ”Excellent!” I cried.

Thurnock, near me, the tooth missing on his upper right side, grinned.

”Helmsmen about,” I said. ”Oar-master, half beat.”

I did not even, following my plan, signal this move to my other s.h.i.+ps. I wished to appear that we were turning, suddenly fearing, in flight. I wanted it to appear that the other s.h.i.+ps must take their cue to action from our own, as though, in fear and confusion, we had not even signaled them. I heard more trumpets from across the water. Some of these were from the enemy fleet. Others, brief notes, interrogations, demands for clarification, were from my own s.h.i.+ps.

They had good commanders. I listened to the flutes and drums of the ram-s.h.i.+ps of the treasure fleet. A javelin, with tarred, buring blade, fell hissing into the water, some hundred yards away.

I snaped open the builder's gla.s.s again.

I counted, clearly, some twenty s.h.i.+ps, fanned out in a long enveloping line moving toward us.

The Dorna had now come about and, at half beat, was moving southeast, directly away from the pursuing s.h.i.+ps.

The other eleven s.h.i.+ps with me were, not too gracefully, by intention, coming about to join me in my flight.

I ordered the trumpeter and the man on the flags to now signal flight to them.

These twelve s.h.i.+ps, including the Dorna, incidentally, were my swiftest. It seemed probable, with a decent start, which we had, we could stay ahead of the pursuing ram-s.h.i.+ps, if we chose, either indefinitely, or, if they were faster, which I doubted, at least for several Ahn.

We were not moving, of course, at only half beat.

I wished our pursuit to be tempting.

It was.

Anothered tarred, flaming javelin fell hissing into the water. This time in fell only fifty yards astern.

In another quarter of an Ahn I could count thirty ram-s.h.i.+ps engaged in our pursuit. IF there were more, I could not see them. The treasure fleet itself lay to.

I watched a burning javelin from the lead s.h.i.+p of the pursuers arc gracefully and smoking through the air and drop hissing into the water some fifteen yards to my right, abeam of stern.

I smiled. ”Three quarters beat,” I recommended to our oar-master.

My vessels as though in terror, were keeping no formation, but apparently scattering across the southeast. Each had picked up two or three pursuers. My own s.h.i.+p, perhaps recongnized as the probablye flags.h.i.+p, it having been first in the original formation, was honored by five pursuers. After two Ahn, sometimes increasing the beat, sometimes decreasing it, depending on whether or not we wished to avoid being actually overtaken or we wished to encourage our pursuers, we had spread them behind us in a long, straggling line, its s.p.a.cing an index to the speed of their individual s.h.i.+ps.

By this time, of course, the balance of my fleet, eighteen ram's.h.i.+ps, would have struck the treasure fleet, now protected only by some ten ram-s.h.i.+ps, from the northwest.

I was puzzled somewhat, but not too much, that our pursuit had been so relentless.

I had flown the flag of Bosk, from the marshes, boldly trusting that this incitement would encourage prompt and fierce pursuit. Doubtless in Cos and Tyros there was a high price indeed on my head. I was puzzled only that the pursuit had been as relentless and prolonged as it was. I had not realized my importance to the men of the two island Ubarates. I chuckled. Apparently I was more significant to them than I had fancied myself.

It was the twelfth Ahn before the commander of the first pursuing s.h.i.+p understood either that had been tricked or that he was not likely to overtake our s.h.i.+ps.

”Rest oars!” I called.

I watched the tarn s.h.i.+p heave to, then port oars, and turn away.

”How are the men?” I asked the oar-master.

It was he who had been oar-master on the Rena of Temos.

”They are strong,” he said, ”You did not even call maximum beat.”

”Rest them now,” I said.

There were trumpet signals now from the s.h.i.+p that had been pursuing us, and flags on her halyards. The s.h.i.+ps behind her began turning about. Some of the s.h.i.+ps to the sides, perhaps having seen the flags with gla.s.ses from their stem or stern castles, also ceased the pursuit. Others were out of visual range, scattered somewhere on Tha.s.sa.

As soon as I saw the tarn s.h.i.+p which had been pursuing us begin to move away, I gave my orders.

”Come about,” I said, ”and maximum beat.”

There was a cheer from the oarsmen.

I had little doubt the Dorna was swifter than the s.h.i.+p that had pursued her.

She was now moving way, perhaps at half beat.

I did not think she would have time to turn about again.

We fired no missile, and gave no warning.

We were within fifty yards of her before a seaman on her stern castle, looking back, screamed the warning.

The iron-shod ram of the Dorna splintered into her stern a foot below water line.

”Back oars!” came the cry from the oar-master, and the Dorna, rocking and shuddering from the impact, chopped her way backward.

”Helmsmen pa.s.s to starboard!” I called. ”Stroke, Maximum beat!”

The stern of the enemy s.h.i.+p was already under water as she slipped past her.