The gun crews clustered around their run out cannon. The decks were already sanded. Long hoses were rigged to the pumps. There had been barely enough time to get cleared for action, and it was just as well. There was no time to be afraid.
The boys dashed madly across the decks with gunpowder and shot for the guns. Marines lined the rails; topmen clung to their perches. And the two ships were now ready.
"Looks as if she's going to close for action, Mr. Scull," Barney said. He had come to stand behind the helmsman.
"The wind's increasing, sir," Scull said, as the "Athena" rolled.
"How far do you reckon she is, Mr. Scull?"
"About three-quarters of a mile, sir," Scull answered.
Macgregor bounded up onto the quarterdeck, waiting for his orders. "You may fire only when I give you the order, Mr. Macgregor," Barney said impassively. The water was narrowing fast between the ships. The warship was holding fire too. The tension would lift as soon as the guns fired. It couldn't be long now. Barney started down the gangway at a fast clip.
The gun captains and crews watched him as he went past. Fore, he raised the glass. With the wind off her quarter, she was bearing down for the kill.
He strolled leisurely along the port guns. The gunner's boys watched him with awe. As he mounted to the quarterdeck again the English guns fired for the first time.
The fore guns had spoken, like the bark of a bulldog, for no hits were sustained.
"Look at her roll," Scull yelled. Firing with accuracy was almost impossible at the distance.
But the tension on the "Athena" was growing, as the size of the enemy ship was all too plain. Barney cursed the slow minutes. Every nerve in his body jabbed at him mercilessly, and he stood stock-still, behind the helmsman, waiting. Waiting was all he could do, for he in-
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tended to deliver the first broadside at close range, and between then and now the "Athena" would be punished hard. He forced himself to relax. If an opportunity arose, he must be ready to seize it calmly.
"Keep her small with the wind, Mr, Scull," he said.
"Aye aye, sir," breathed Scull.
A roar of guns punctuated the air. A shot skimmed across the decks amidships, knocking a gun from its carriage, instantly killing two men, Barney heard Macgregor yell, "Axes! Clear away this wreckage!"
The "Athena" held on her course. The men were already frantically working to remount the guns, and the two men were being dragged across the bloodied deck. Then the Britisher came about for a full broadside.
"Here it comes," breathed Scull.
It came with a thunderous roar. The whole ship shuddered. A section of rail hurtled at Barney's feet. The foretop royal crashed down onto the deck. Two port guns spun around madly. Barney leaped for the rail.
"Get them lashed quick, Mr. Macgregor," he shouted, even as men dashed to drag away the wounded. "Quick!" Barney shouted. If they loosed and went skidding around the deck they would be worse than the charge of a maddened elephant.
Behind him Scull was yelling for the deck to be cleared. The English ship was wreathed in the smoke of her own guns, and now from below could be heard the sound of the pumps.
The warship had changed course; her sails were set now, as the two ships bore down on each other.
"Oh, Christ," Scull swore. "Here she comes!"
"Hold her thus!" shouted Barney, as the warship bore down. They would pass within fifty yards. "Mr. Macgregor!" he shouted. "Hold your fire till the foremost gun rests square on your target!"
The prows of both ships were on a line now, across the heaving water, almost in a line mast for mast. Both captains intended to deliver their broadsides at the same time. But the Britisher, with the wind at her heels, foam swirling from her wake, still held the weather gage. In the next moment the "Athena" fired.
She rocked and trembled. No sooner had her guns fired than she was answered.
The heavy shot whistled like a dreadful wind, tearing and plunging through sails and timbers. The "Athena" reeled, smoke com-
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pletely enveloped her. Slowly it lifted to let Barney's eyes see the damage.
Even as it lifted he shouted, "Stand by to come about!"
After his voice came Macgregor's; with relief Barney heard him yell, "Stop your vents!"
The sponges were rammed into smoking muzzles. Wounded men were being dragged away to the masts, to wait there until they could be carried below. The foretop mast was hanging uselessly; already it was being cut away, and the "Athena" was coming about.
His crew was working like the best trained crew in the whole damned world. The "Athena" dipped; men tugged on sheets and braces. Eyes narrowed, Barney watched the enemy ship, as she too came about and was bearing down again, guns loaded, ready to fire, ready to board.
Barney looked up at the weathervane. He jumped to the side of the helmsman. A great rolling sea on the stern quarter came boiling at them. "Helmsman," he said, "execute my next order by rule of contrary."
"Aye aye, sir!"
He said to Scull, "She's going to fire and board in the smoke!"
Scull could see her decks lined with marines, he saw her officers plain. "Oh, Christ," he muttered again, "here she comes, sir!"
"Hold your fire, Mr. Macgregor!" Barney roared.
"Aye aye, sir," the answer came singing back. Macgregor was up in the hammock nettings. He waved an arm.
"Mr. Jerrell! Mr. Lang! Direct your fire to the decks!"
Scull was swearing steadily. The warship was almost on them again. Towering, looming, she was monstrously close. "Within pistol shot," Scull cried.
Barney judged the distance. A minute more. Just a minute. It passed. He raised his voice to its greatest pitch, so as to be sure it was heard on the enemy quarterdeck. "Helmsman!" The cry rang out. Over the wind, over the water. "Helmsman! Hard aport your helm! Do you want him to run aboard us? Hard aport!"
Barney watched the wheel; he watched the other ship. The wheel was clapped hard to starboard. The helmsman had obeyed the order to its contrary.
Aboard the Britisher, the words, the order was plainly heard. Captain Mason, of his Majesty's ship "General Monk," shouted, "Helm astarboard! And we'll have the Yankee in ten minutes!" Eyes nar-
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rowed, he, too, watched. He would have the Yankee in ten minutes; they would board her after the broadside.
Both wheels swung. Too late Captain Mason perceived the trick, too late came his countermanding orders, yelled out frantically as the two ships closed. They were going to foul.
Barney raced fore, down, along Macgregor's loaded starboard guns. 'Tire when we foul, Mr. Macgregor!"
Nothing could stop it now; it was much too late. The enemy ship was veering steadily, her great bowsprit, pregnant with headsails, was swinging inevitably as the "Athena" held on her course. The two ships fouled.
The enemy bowsprit tore through the "Athena's" foreshrouds with a fearful ripping and tearing. The "Athena's" foremast shivered. Timbers shuddered and groaned as the enemy prow grazed and then bumped the "Athena's" sturdy oaken side. And Barney yelled:
"Here you are, men! Lash her tight!"
He himself was hanging onto the enemy jibboom, tangled with cut rigging. The crowded forecastle of the "Athena" fell like bees onto their hapless quarry. In sixty seconds the warship was securely and completely lashed to the "Athena." Her heavy guns were useless; in this position she could not use them. But the crash of the "Athena's" guns had already sounded. The musket fire had begun earlier.