The next was from Lucy Beauman. He had been isolated aboard Ariadne following the duel, then rapidly transferred to Desperate and had not been allowed to see her, though he had sent her a letter that he was not sure her aunt and uncle would allow her to see.
There was belated fear for his life, wonderment at his courage, a recital of prayers said for him, a brief screed against Wyndham, who had not struck her as a trustworthy gentleman, a denial that she had encouraged him in the slightest manner (which Lewrie doubted… she was a girl, wasn't she?), profound relief at his victory and survival, deep despair at being denied his presence, grief and tears at their cruel separation (but more prayers for success at his new endeavors in Desperate) and fond hopes of a quick reunion.
She enclosed an embroidered handkerchief for him, scented and splashed with her tears, binding up a generous lock of her honey gold hair. There was also Old Isaac's completed juju bag, which he wa… to hang about his neck immediately and never remove. Lewrie was leery as to that instruction; the bag had a redolence of badly cured goat skin, tidal effluvia and perhaps the slight admixture of chicken guts. She wrote: I shall wate with constant Longing for your Safe Retem, that we may avale ourselves once more of that mutuol Pleasure in our companyunship, and may agane strole without Cares on that particular Strand I have cumm to regard as a most Blesed and Speshul Place.
Awl my Fondness Goe With You, Lucy Someone should teach the little mort to spell, he thought, but was touched by her sentiments, and by her evident love for him. He took time to pen her a proper but passionate reply, the sort that would turn a young girl's head for a while. As a fillip, he enclosed a lock of his own hair (still fairly short). Then it was time to sail.
Admiral Rodney had plugged one hole in the dyke against fill the supplies from Europe that reached the rebellious Colorues by taking the island of St. Eustatius, a major smuggling and transshipment port for naval and military stores and a convenient outlet for American produce and manufactured goods with which they partly paid for all the French, Spanish and Dutch largesse.
By keeping the expected flags flying, and with secret recognition signals, Rodney kept the island open, luring in ships tlllit had no chance to be apprised of the change of ownership. 'It was resulting in scores of captures.
Desperate was sent north with a roving commission to hUilt down ships hoping to use St. Eustatius.
Barely ten days after coming aboard, Lewrie emerged do deck one fine brisk morning sated with a good breakfast of thinsliced fried pork, boiled egg and crumbled biscuit in treacle. He was still smacking his lips and regretting not being able tb enjoy a second cup of coffee when the lookout gave a loud hail to the deck below, ending any thoughts of sail drill for thb Forenoon watch.. ’Sail ho!" he bellowed. "Three points off the larboard bow!" Lieutenant Railsford chose Avery to dash aloft to confirnl the sighting, and Avery handed Lewrie his hat, brushed bact his black hair and ran for the mainmast crosstrees.
Treghues came on deck in breeches and waistcoat and went to the wheel, waiting for a report. Peck, the gangly young blond Marine officer, came up, eager for action. ’Two sail, sir," Avery said. "Schooner and brig. Headed due north, under all plain saiL’
‘Mister Monk," Treghues called. "Alter course to chase, and we shall crack on all sail she can stand. Stuns'ls, too. ’
‘Bosun!" their stocky, dark sailing master relayed. "All hands aloft and make sail. Trice up and layout for stuns'ls." The single night reef in the courses and tops'ls was shaken out, and Lewrie went aloft to the t' gallant mast as the yards were raised up by the jears. Below him on the main course yard, hands were extending the stuns'l booms, bending on canvas to spread every stitch their ship could fly. Desperate leaned her shoulder firmly to the sea and began to soar across the modemte seas, smashing into the odd wave, but slicing clean through the regular set of rollers, her wake boiling.
By ten in the Forenoon she had run the schooner hull-up before her, and the brig beyond showed all her sail plan; clearly they were overtaking handily, which suggested ships too heavily loaded to run. Desperate was already towing one boat, and put another down to be ready with boarding parties. Lewrie hoped that he would be entrusted with one of those parties.
Just after Clear-Deck-And-Up-Spirits at seven bells of the Forenoon they beat to Quarters and manned their guns. Lunch would be delayed, but with the prospect of prizes ahead, no one minded.
Treghues had gone below to catch up on paper-work with his clerk, interview the purser and pretend that there was nothing to get excited about, while Lewrie fretted and stewed in impatience. And when their captain did emerge he was cIoseshaved, dressed in a good coat and cocked hat, his small sword hung "just-so" from his belt frog.
When they had the schooner within range of a six-pounder, just about six cables off, she took one look and raised her rebel colors to satisfy honor, then quickly hauled them down and rounded to into the wind. Mr. Feather, a burly master's mate, and Midshipman Forrester went over in the first cutter to take charge of her with ten hands. ’Good man, Forrester," Treghues commented to Railsford by the quarterdeck nettings. "He'll keep our prize safe. ’
‘Aye, sir," Railsford agreed dutifully but without much enthusiasm. Lewrie stood close by and heard this exchange and weighed it for what he thought it was worth. In his short time aboard he had found that young Forrester had a reputation much like Rolston in Ariadne when it carne to discipline and tautness.
Then they were off again in pursuit of the brig. Treghues ordered stand-easy for the gun crews, but unlike old Bales he had had the ship properly cleared for action, though their chase might be a mere smuggler and not a privateer or warship. He was taking no chances, and Lewrie approved. Their captured schooner fell in line-astern far back, so loaded she was barely able to stay in sight.
Water and cheese and biscuit was brought up to the gun crews as they stood easy for a cold dinner with the galley-fire extinguished. Lewrie stood in the waist of the ship by the main'; mast, idling on the jear bitts and chewing his dry dinner. The cheese was a navy-issue Suffolk, more like crumbling rock than cheese. Giving up on making a meal on it, he brushed his hands and stood on the jear bitts for a better view.
The brig was now well hull-up, perhaps a league off and still being overhauled. Lewrie imagined that she was badly laden besides being heavily loaded. Her bow seemed to slough and make a large wave even with her forecourse spread taut for its lifting effect. Had her bow ridden higher, lessening her resistance, she might have made a knot more. And as low in the water as she looked, her shallower draft would be of no avail in the maze of islands ahead to the nor-nor' west, where she could normally expect to lose the frigate with her deeper draft. ’Got a good view, Mister Lewrie?" Treghues asked, hands behind his back and staring up at him as he paced the gun deck to inspect his hands. ’Aye, sir." Lewrie climbed down to doff his hat. "Learning anything?’
‘Aye, sir. She draws a foot deeper forrard," Lewrie said. "He'll have to shift a pair of guns, or some cargo, or he's ours before two hours pass.’
’Indeed," Treghues said, shocked to hear such talk from a midshipman. "But he can always get a favorable slant of wind. Get into those islands.’
’Aye, he could, sir," Lewrie persisted. "But the Trades hereabouts drop off around the First Dog, sir, and he's too deep to risk shoal water. We're balanced, more sail aloft and have a longer waterline," Alan vowed, preening a bit. ’So you are confident." Treghues smiled, using the moment to put life into his crew. ’That I am, sir.’
’We'll have him, lads. Our new midshipman believes so, so we must, eh? A little more gold in your pockets would not go amiss." Treghues passed on to trade joshes with the quartergunners, mostly of the squire-to-tenant "how do your sheep keep, old, un" variety with the expected reply of bright smiles and much tugging of forelocks, leaving Lewrie abashed. He had tried to make a good impression on the captain concerning his skill and nautical knowledge so that he would think of him as competent and equal to Forrester, but now he was the
silent butt of the crew's humor.
Goddamn him, Lewrie fumed, busying himself with looking at train tackles; I didn't deserve that.
Before another hour had passed, the brig wore to larboard slightly and opened fire at extreme long range with a sixpounder gun, the ball dropping far short but good evidence of her intent to fight.
I'd get the stuns'ls in, Lewrie thought, peering aloft. If I were the chase I'd wear hard onto the wind, lay her full-and-by to the nor' east and beat up toward St. Barts. Maybe gain a league before we got ourselves sorted out… A Molly or not, he had to give Lieutenant Kenyon credit for a superb education in ship-handling and how to draw out a stern chase, as they had once off Anegada, pursued by that privateer. ’Bosun, hands aloft and take in stuns'ls," Treghues called "Mr. Gwynn, stand by to try your eye with the number one gun.’
Desperate turned off the wind, as master gunner Gwynn fussed over his foremost starboard cannon. Once the quoin was out and he was satisfied, he put up his fist and stood clear, looking aft. Treghues must have waved to him, because the linstock came down to the firing quill in the vent, and the gun lurched inboard with a flat bang. The ball splashed short but directlYlin line with the brig's bowsprit. The brig responded with a full broadside of six guns, aimed high. Lewrie could hear the smt as it moaned overhead through the rigging. A sail twitched, a.
d a block and halyard snaked down to thud onto the larboard gangway. ’Stand by the starboard battery!" Alan looked aloft again. The stuns' I booms were still rigged out, though the sails were mostly furled. Now would be ~ time to wear, he thought grimly, and this broadside will be wasted. It's nearly five cables' range, anyway. This is just wh~t they want of us… ’As you bear… fire!" Treghues shouted.
The guns began to belch and roll back to the extent of the breeching ropes, and the well-drilled crews leaped on them tQ sponge out, to clear the vents and begin ramming down fresh powder and shot.
Thought so! Lewrie told himself. The smuggler brig had hardened up her braces and sheets and was wheeling to present. her stem to them, wearing through at least ninety degrees to the. nor' east. ’Goddamn and blast the bugger," Monk called out as though he had just had his purse cut loose, and Treghues chafed him for blaspheming. ’Hands to train and sidetackles!" Lewrie shouted. "Snug, em down tight and prepare to come about!" A second later that same command was shouted to them from Railsford on the quarterdeck. Waisters ran to the braces to cast them off the delaying pins while the forecastle captain prepared to heave on his heads'l sheets. But they had to wait until the men aloft had laid in from the yards after securing the stuns' Is, and the brig 280 Dewey Lmnbdm was gaining time to windward, no matter how the officers aft shouted for the topmen to speed their work. ’Hands wear ship!" came finally. "Put yer helm down!’
‘Haul, you people, haul!" the bosun roared. ’Vast hauling and belay!" Desperate turned up into the wind as steady as a needle on a pin and settled on her new course. The chase was still on her starboard side, now settled just over their windward cathead, and had regained at least half a league of distance on them. It would take the frigate at least two more hours to beat up to windward against that more weatherly brig, at which point it would be near the start of the First Dog Watch. ’Gun crews, stand easy.’
Lewrie climbed onto the jear bitts once more to look to the suth'rd for their first prize. If Forrester had two brain cells to rub together he would wear onto the wind now, as soon as he saw what was happening. A schooner, even a loaded one, could go to windward much better than either the brig or Desperate, could cut the comer off and with even one gun manned, could threaten their chase into heading north once more.
There was no sign that Forrester had the requisite number of brain cells, for she plodded along for long minutes on her original course. A signal went up Desperate's mizzen, which went unseen. ’Blind fucker," Lewrie muttered just loud enough for the nearest hands to hear. "He'll not stand a chance now." By the time the schooner came about she was not just downwind of the chase but downwind of Desperate as well. Desperate stood on for three hours before coming within range once more. The captain of the brig must have been a nacky man himself, because he hauled his wind to head due north, and as soon as Desperate began to parallel her course and open fire once again, he tacked, this time crossing the eye of the wind. He ducked out of the way of the broadside and headed off into the gloom of late afternoon to the sou-sou' east, back the way he had come. Forrester stood no chance even to get close. And the brig was not as unhandy on the wind as Lewrie had thought, for she pulled up half a point higher than the frigate, and was actually very slowly drawing away.
The hands were stood down from Quarters and the galley fire was lit. Lewrie looked at his watch. It would be dusk in forty-five minutes. They would stand to evening Quarters, then, without a prize.
This evening Lewrie was in what was left of the Second Dog Watch, so he left the gun deck and went up to the quarterdeck to stand by the wheel, where Monk and Treghues and Railsford were confening. ’Still so confident, Mister Lewrie?" Treghues said irritably. "He was mighty crafty, sir," Lewrie replied, searching for something safe to say to a captain who was livid inside. "Most likely a Jonathan captain-’
‘What makes you think that?’
‘The French and the Dons don't handle ships that well, sir.
He may have been Dutch, but I doubt it. American-built brig with a rebel captain. She was smartly handled, sir.’
’Next thing you know, Mister Lewrie shall be giving us lessons in ship-handJing," Treghues said. "Jesus Lord.’
’I would not presume, sir.. ‘. ’Don't take that tone with me, young sir, or I'll have you bent over a gun before you can say Jack Ketch.. ‘. ’Aye aye, sir.’
’Get off my quarterdeck.’
’I'm in the watch, sir?" Alan quailed. ’Then get down to loo'rd and out of my face.’
’Aye aye, sir.’
Welcome back to the real Navy, Lewrie thought, gazing off to the north as it got darker. There was a spectacular sunset astern, all reds and golds and layers of clouds painted pink and amber and blue grey, and the seas were bright as glittering rubies. At least he could appreciate that without harm.
Lewrie idled his time until evening Quarters thinking about that brig. She would most likely run to windward until after full dark, then come about north once more, probably wear on a reciprocal course because she did not want to get tangled up with the inshore patrols near St. Barts and St. Maartin. She could go due north outside the island chain. She could not set west-that would take her back into the anns of Desperate and the prize schooner. And on the map engraved in his head, Lewrie saw the Saba Bank. No, she would turn nor'west and run the gap for the other smuggler's holes in the Danish Virgins, St. Croix as the best bet, Spanish Puerto Rico if she was set to westerly. Lewrie was not sure what Commander Tobias Treghues had planned, but he knew where he would have waited to find her again. But then, nobody was asking him about it, were they? If he could not dazzle his new ship with his brilliance, he could at least succeed at appearing competent, and that was what he did in the weeks of cruising that followed. He requested that Railsford let him assist in small arms. He let it be known at lunch to the captain's clerk that he had assisted an acting purser and had worked in the English Harbor stores warehouses. He chatted with Mr. Gwynn and dropped a hint that he loved artillery and the great guns. At navigation practice with his new sextant (thanks to Lord Cantner's reward) he displayed to the sailing master his skills naturally, and Mister Monk let it be known that he was a dab-hand at navigating. In the course of his endeavor he casually revealed that Lieutenant Kenyon had let him stand Middle Watch with a bosun's mate, and that he had filled in as an acting master's mate in Parrot during her time with fever.
To each of these worthies he also showed a false front, that of a young man lately run to death by duties and happy to be once more a junior petty officer with no major responsibilities. Having been in the Navy long enough to know how hatefully any senior Warra
nt or Commission Officer regarded idle hands, and knowing that when a midshipman was working some officer was well pleased (and cannily understanding the perverse nature of his fellow man), Alan soon found himself exactly where he wanted to be.
He assisted the master-at-anns and Marine lieutenant at small anns. He assisted Mr. Cheatham with the ship's books and expense ledgers. He and the gunner's mate and yeoman of the powder room became coequal authorities on the upkeep of the great guns and all their ancillary gear.
Avery found his niches as well, and they drilled young Carey in terminology and lore until he could spout technical lingo with the ease of a bosun twenty years at sea. Carey also learned how to curse most wondrous-well, it must be said.
As the weeks went by, Treghues and Railsford learned that there was indeed a new order aboard-midshipmen who were useful, instead of the usual snot-nosed younkers-in-training they had grown accustomed to. There was less snarling from Treghues. In fact, there was a grudging acceptance, then a secret delight in having thoroughly salted and tarred midshipmen who could be trusted to carry out an order smartly.
Forrester, however, began to pout more, to purse his lips and squint his porcine eyes and curse them roundly. He was being threatened, and he knew it. Dh, he still had Captain Treghues' favor, since he had long been the man's star pupil, and their families were obviously cater-cousins. He was one of the original crew when Desperate was commissioned, and it would take an act of incredible stupidity or craven cowardice to break that bond. But when it came to something prestigious to do, his name was no longer the first on Treghues' lips.
Nor could he hold his superior social position in their mess, because if he struck out at Carey, he had Avery and Lewrie to contend with, and he could not push his weight around with either of them. He did try, but Avery was a most inventive fellow when it came to filling the young man's shoes with molasses during the night, nailing his chest shut when he was on deck, starting small rips in his hammock with a shaving razor that would tear open and leave his wide arse hanging out in the air by the start of the Morning Watch; substituting smaller sizes of slop trousers so that Forrester had to appear on deck with a distinctly pinched look about the middle. With all of them on deck during the day at exercises and drills, Forrester found it hard to respond with his own brand of trickery, since they all watched him close in a cabal sworn and dedicated to drive him to distraction.
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