Chapter Fourteen
A fog drifted over the lowlands. The distinct smell of the marsh was very evident on the gentle sea breeze. The tide was coming in. It was a tearful departure. Faith's goodbye kiss was hot and passionate and salty as the tears flowed from her face.
"I will see you as soon as I can," Gabe promised. He had offered to let Lum stay behind but Lum would hear nothing of it.
"We'll come back time to time and when dis heah wars over we'll come back to stay."
Making their way back to the rendezvous, Gabe said, "I just don't know, Lum. This whole situation makes no sense."
Lum could feel the melancholy Gabe was experiencing. He paused and laid his hand on Gabe's shoulder then said, "Yo problem cap'n is you don't hate dem whats we's fighting against and you don't love what we's fighting for. I don't reckon you's even knows dis King what making the war. But foh me, you's give me freedom. So's I'm yo' cabin servant, I'm paid to do it and iffen I was to decide to quit, I could. Iffen I'd stayed behind I'd jus been a slave."
Well, I'm not much more, Gabe thought, but understood the wisdom in the old black man's words.
Finch was waiting as had been planned. Gabe could see the man was nervous and fidgety.
"We've got to take a detour on the way back. Seems a frigate has tied up at Wilmington Island. I don't want to chance getting stopped by coming too close. I know another way. A little rougher and longer but it'll bypass the island."
"But I want to see this ship," Gabe insisted, "even if we have to wait until dark." He could sense Finch's anger but the ranger held it in check.
"You hankering to get shot up or have your neck stretched? That's what they'll do or worse if we're caught. You ever see'd a man skint?"
"I trust your abilities, Mr. Finch. If we need to take to the marsh after I've seen the ship so be it, but I'm going to take a look."
Sighing Finch relented saying, "It's your funeral.?C? Gabe was not happy with Finch's idea of getting past the privateer but he didn't have a better one. An old canvas was "borrowed?C? from someone's fishing boat. It was under this canvas Gabe hid. A hole was cut in it so he'd have a good view. The heat from being under the canvas was bad enough but the stench from the "ripe?C? old cloth was made worse when Finch raided some poor souls trout line and piled the fish on top of the canvas. It added to the disguise but Gabe swore to himself he'd never eat another fish.
Finch sat in the bow of the boat with a fishing pole while Lum in the stern poled them past the ship and Wilmington Island. When given the all clear to get out from beneath the canvas Gabe was soaking wet with sweat.
"Stay low,?C? Finch warned, "In case you have to duck beneath that canvas again sudden like.?C?
Gabe took a long swig of warmish water. He rinsed his mouth with the water, spit over the side then took a drink. "She was a frigate alright but not the Barracuda.
She was the Edisto.?C?
"More-'n-likely,?C? Finch drawled, "she's owned by someone close by being named Edisto. There are two rivers and a town with the same name.?C?
Made sense, Gabe thought.
"She had fourteen gun ports this side,?C? Finch said.
"That'd make her a twenty-eight??C?
"Well, she probably carries two chase guns forward and two aft,?C? Gabe answered, "so I'd bet she's a thirty-two at least and looks French built.?C?
"Well, they're talking about her in Thunderbolt like she's something special,?C? Finch said. "Man said she'd taken twenty prizes full of trade goods and military supplies.?C?
Gabe had noticed the use of "man?C? said and not a name mentioned. Whatever else Finch was, he was careful not to reveal a source. He'd already told Gabe not to count on help from loyalists in Thunderbolt.
Unlike Savannah, where there were large numbers of people who were against the war, the folks in Thunderbolt were very much in favor of the revolution.
Well good news or bad, Gabe thought, they'd succeeded in their initial fact finding mission. He smiled to himself; maybe his personal mission was a little more successful. He now knew his love for Faith was not one-sided. The only thing that would keep the two of them apart would be death. Well, that was a real possibility with this damn war.
Lum broke Gabe's reverie when he said, "We's heah and I believe dem's sails out dar on da horizon."
"Aye," Gabe replied, "Two sets of sails. Let's just hope they're ours and not some damn privateer trying to make it back to his lair."
Chapter Fifteen
A cutting out… Gabe… we are supposed to be on a fact finding mission and return with our facts," Markham exclaimed as he paced about in his cabin.
The Swan and SeaWolf had made the rendezvous as planned. Sitting at the mouth of the inlet and waiting to be picked up, Gabe had formed a plan to cut out if possible, and if not possible to cut out, then burn the Edisto. Once out of sight of land, Gabe had signaled Swan to heave to.
Though senior to Markham, Gabe had himself rowed over to the Swan to present his plan. He would need some of Markham 's men to carry out the plan.
Now as always Markham was in a tirade at the mention of such a daring plan.
"Gabe, have you forgotten what happened last time?" Markham saw the hurt look on Gabe's face but he continued, "Facts, Gabe, not heroics. Has something addled your brain?" Markham continued on, "You know damn well what our orders say."
"Aye!" Gabe answered his friend, "But Francis, sometimes we have to take initiative."
10
Upon hearing Gabe use his first name Markham rolled his eyes.
"Besides," Gabe continued, "you can take Finch and head on back to Saint Augustine. All I want is your marines and Mr. Davy."
"Humph! It's not enough to lose your midshipman over some damn foolish incident, you can't wait to chance mine."
After Lancaster 's trial, he had been transferred to another ship. Although they had won the trial, they felt that to stay in Saint Augustine would be a constant reminder and irritation to the garrison soldiers. So, Lord Anthony transferred Lancaster, and as of yet Gabe had not gotten a replacement.
Shaking his head and giving a sigh Markham agreed. "But damme, Gabe, if you come out of this alive you owe me. Not just a round. Nay, you owe me a whole evening and maybe a little sporting to boot."
"You got it," Gabe exclaimed pounding his friend on the back. "I'll send Finch over and you can transfer Davy and the marines. We'll leave at dusk so we can be back at first light or sooner. Swan and SeaWolf can stand offshore and watch for a flare. That's the signal to pick us up."
"And if there's no flare by sunrise?" Markham asked.
Solemnly Gabe replied, "Then it's up to you as I doubt we'll be back."
The sky had darkened and stars began to twinkle and take shape. The weather held with a wind blowing briskly on the larboard beam. This should help the rowers, Gunnells thought as he put SeaWolf in position to offload the cutting out party.
Gabe was in cabin with Dagan, Lavery, Davy and Marine Lieutenant Baugen. Jackson was there also but Barracuda 10
more to listen than anything else. He'd already made his argument why he and not Gabe should be leading the expedition. Gabe tried to salve his feelings by explaining he knew the layout and that would make things much easier.
"Besides," Gabe explained, "I have to have someone I trust in command of SeaWolf in my absence." As the group listened intently Gabe explained, "We are still out of sight of land but I've ordered Gunnells to plot us a course so we'll stand in about here," pointing to a spot on the chart spread across his table. "We should make our way inland in the boats just at nightfall. I want Mr. Davy's launch to attack on the starboard quarter.
Have your axe men ready, Mr. Davy. As soon as convenient have them cut the cables both forward and aft. This should set the ship adrift and with the current float her down river. Hopefully we'll have enough speed for steerage."