easier to walk on water.
Javal watched him grope towards the cabin hatch and shrugged. Bolitho was probably worried about this first action under his overall command. Surely he would not be troubled at the thought of a man or two being, killed ? He reached for the stone bottle and shook it against his ear. It would help the hours to pass more quickly, he decided.
*
Bolitho felt his way to the glowing compass bowl and peered at the steeply tilting car d . Buzz ard's head was almost north-east.
The master said helpfully, 'Beg pardon, sir, but the wind 'as backed two points or so. An' some rain 'as bin fallin'.'
Bolitho nodded and walked forward, his body angled against the deck and the wet pressure of wind across the quarter. It would be dawn soon, and already he could see the nine-pounders on the gun deck standing out like black bars below the weather gangway:
Javal was by the quarterdeck rail, hatless, and with his hair whipping in the wind.
He said shortly, 'Nothing yet.' He looked at him briefly. 'Did you sleep well, sir ?'
Bolitho rested his hands on the rail, feeling the hull shivering and straining like a living thing. He had been unable to remain in the cabin a moment longer. The hours had been an eternity, and Javal's quarters like a damp, unsteady prison.
'A little, thank you.'
'Deck there! Land on th' weather bow!'
Javal snapped, 'Leadsmen to the chains again, Mr. Ellis! Lively now!' In a calmer voice he added, 'That will be the headland. We have clawed round in a mad circle during the night. With the damned wind backing on us, I feared we might be blown hard aground.'
Bolitho said, 'I see.'
He looked away, hiding his feelings from the other man. What had happened ? Where was a signal ? Any sign that the raid had been completed ?
Javal remarked, 'Mears should have fired a gun or a rocket.' Even he sounded uneasy. 'God damn it, we'll be too close inshore within the hour.'
Bolitho ignored him and tried to imagine what it was like beyond the dim shadow which the lookout had reported as land. If Lieutenant Mears and his boats had failed to take the schooner, or for some reason had been unable even to grapple with her, they would have to pull back to the Buzzard as best they could. In a stiff wind, and after a night at the oars, they would be in need of help, and quickly.
From forward came the cry, 'By th' mark seven!'
Javal said quietly, 'Jesus!'
The master called anxiously, 'It shallows fast hereabouts, sir!'
'I am aware of that fact, thank you!' Javal glared at him. 'Watch your helm!'
'By th' mark five! ' The leadsman's chant sounded like a dirge.
Javal muttered, 'I will have to alter course to starboard, sir.' The words were being dragged from his throat.
Bolitho looked at him, noticing how the people and objects around the quarterdeck had assumed shape and reality in the first dull light.
He said briskly, 'Do your duty, Captain Javal.'
He turned away, sharing the other man's despair.
'Deep four!'
Bolitho thrust his hands behind his back and walked aft. The frigate was sailing in about twenty-four feet of water. It was only minutes before she ran her full length ashore. Over his shoulder he saw the land reaching out towards the bowsprit. Mocking him.
'Man the lee braces!' Feet scampered across the decks. 'Put up the helm!'
With a squeal of blocks the yards creaked ponderously above the decks, and as the wheel was hauled over and over Buzz ard started to swing once again towards the open sea.
Javal said harshly, 'Steer due east. Lay her as close as you dare to the headland.'
'By th'mark ten!'
Bolitho watched the land as it started to slip past the forecastle, the faint marks of white at its foot where the wind drove the sea into beaches and small coves.
'Deck there! Sail on the weather bowl Comin' round the point!'
Javal sucked in air. 'Run out the larboard battery, Mr. Ellis!' He added sharply, 'Belay that order! ' His face glowed faintly in a bright red flare which had just burst clear
Javal watched him grope towards the cabin hatch and shrugged. Bolitho was probably worried about this first action under his overall command. Surely he would not be troubled at the thought of a man or two being, killed ? He reached for the stone bottle and shook it against his ear. It would help the hours to pass more quickly, he decided.
*
Bolitho felt his way to the glowing compass bowl and peered at the steeply tilting car d . Buzz ard's head was almost north-east.
The master said helpfully, 'Beg pardon, sir, but the wind 'as backed two points or so. An' some rain 'as bin fallin'.'
Bolitho nodded and walked forward, his body angled against the deck and the wet pressure of wind across the quarter. It would be dawn soon, and already he could see the nine-pounders on the gun deck standing out like black bars below the weather gangway:
Javal was by the quarterdeck rail, hatless, and with his hair whipping in the wind.
He said shortly, 'Nothing yet.' He looked at him briefly. 'Did you sleep well, sir ?'
Bolitho rested his hands on the rail, feeling the hull shivering and straining like a living thing. He had been unable to remain in the cabin a moment longer. The hours had been an eternity, and Javal's quarters like a damp, unsteady prison.
'A little, thank you.'
'Deck there! Land on th' weather bow!'
Javal snapped, 'Leadsmen to the chains again, Mr. Ellis! Lively now!' In a calmer voice he added, 'That will be the headland. We have clawed round in a mad circle during the night. With the damned wind backing on us, I feared we might be blown hard aground.'
Bolitho said, 'I see.'
He looked away, hiding his feelings from the other man. What had happened ? Where was a signal ? Any sign that the raid had been completed ?
Javal remarked, 'Mears should have fired a gun or a rocket.' Even he sounded uneasy. 'God damn it, we'll be too close inshore within the hour.'
Bolitho ignored him and tried to imagine what it was like beyond the dim shadow which the lookout had reported as land. If Lieutenant Mears and his boats had failed to take the schooner, or for some reason had been unable even to grapple with her, they would have to pull back to the Buzzard as best they could. In a stiff wind, and after a night at the oars, they would be in need of help, and quickly.
From forward came the cry, 'By th' mark seven!'
Javal said quietly, 'Jesus!'
The master called anxiously, 'It shallows fast hereabouts, sir!'
'I am aware of that fact, thank you!' Javal glared at him. 'Watch your helm!'
'By th' mark five! ' The leadsman's chant sounded like a dirge.
Javal muttered, 'I will have to alter course to starboard, sir.' The words were being dragged from his throat.
Bolitho looked at him, noticing how the people and objects around the quarterdeck had assumed shape and reality in the first dull light.
He said briskly, 'Do your duty, Captain Javal.'
He turned away, sharing the other man's despair.
'Deep four!'
Bolitho thrust his hands behind his back and walked aft. The frigate was sailing in about twenty-four feet of water. It was only minutes before she ran her full length ashore. Over his shoulder he saw the land reaching out towards the bowsprit. Mocking him.
'Man the lee braces!' Feet scampered across the decks. 'Put up the helm!'
With a squeal of blocks the yards creaked ponderously above the decks, and as the wheel was hauled over and over Buzz ard started to swing once again towards the open sea.
Javal said harshly, 'Steer due east. Lay her as close as you dare to the headland.'
'By th'mark ten!'
Bolitho watched the land as it started to slip past the forecastle, the faint marks of white at its foot where the wind drove the sea into beaches and small coves.
'Deck there! Sail on the weather bowl Comin' round the point!'
Javal sucked in air. 'Run out the larboard battery, Mr. Ellis!' He added sharply, 'Belay that order! ' His face glowed faintly in a bright red flare which had just burst clear
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