It was crazy—by count about twenty-seven merchant ships and a single escort—but Kydd was determined to see it through. "Take us t' wind'ard, Mr Bonnici," he said hoarsely. "I'll have th' ship ready t' drop down on any who make a false move against us."
Teazer eased into position on the weather side of the square and trimmed canvas to stay with the slow-moving crowd of sail. Kydd remained on deck until he was sure the convoy was on its way, then turned to the officer-of-the-watch and said, "I'm going below, Mr Dacres. Call me if ye think there's anything amiss."
He climbed into his cot without undressing.
There was no incident for three days: the convoy was getting used to sailing together, a singular thing for merchantmen who had no real conception of using the set of the sails to spill wind in order to match speed to that of others.
The square was still more or less together, but now they were approaching the choke point of the Strait of Otranto where it was almost possible to see the coasts of Italy and Albania at the same time, and where any predators could be expected.
As the morning light displaced the darkness of night on the fourth day, at the narrowest part of the strait with a rugged blue coast distantly to starboard, company was spotted. A pair of small but speedy vessels paced together some way off to leeward of the convoy. Their lazy progress, just out of gun range, was that of sharks cruising round a school of frightened fish.
Kydd lowered his telescope and turned to Bonnici. "It's a xebec I recognise, but what's th' other?" It was more substantially built than the low, fine-lined xebec, and on the very much smaller lateen mizzen a tiny but complete square sail topped the mast.
"They both Algerines," Bonnici said quietly, as though they could be overheard.
For Barbary pirates ranging far from their desert lair this larger vessel would hold their stores and booty while the smaller xebec could swarm aboard their selected victim. At eight guns a side, though, it would not do to dismiss the larger too lightly.
"The large, he a barca—do not confuse wi' the Spanish one," Bonnici added, carefully studying it with the glass.
Those of the convoy nearest shied away from the threat, huddling closer. If any of the deep-laden merchantmen ran a-foul of another they would be instant prey—Kydd could not risk leaving the others and they would be on their own. He tried not to think of the fate in store for any small merchant crew overwhelmed by Barbary pirates.
The evil pair, however, did not appear in any hurry as they glided along with the convoy, no doubt picking out victims.
Kydd was confident Teazer could win against either of them and probably both, but this was not in question. The safety of his convoy was. He could not leave his precious windward position for the sake of a few weak sailers and race down on the pirates through the convoy to rout them, then be faced with a long beat back against the wind to save the rest.
The raiders would probably take one or two hapless ships on the fringes and then fall back, knowing Kydd could not pursue.
"Mr Dacres—Mr Bowden, I have a service for ye. Now, mark m' words, an' let there be no mistake . . ."
The two Algerines made their move not much more than an hour later straight at the heart of the convoy. Wheeling about, the two vessels leaned into the wind. Unknown pennons streamed from the tip of their lateen yards as they readied for the onslaught.
Instantly a complex hoist soared up from Teazer's signal halliards, then another. The pirates slashed onwards, but from one of the convoy's front marker ships then from a rear one answering signals streamed out. Large battle ensigns broke out bravely on both ships and they threw over their helm to lay a course directly for the Algerines.
The "trap" was well sprung and it did not take the attackers long to realise their danger. With a brig-of-war bearing down on them directly and several obviously disguised warships closing in fast on both flanks they were not going to stay and dispute. They turned about abruptly and fled.
Teazer recovered her signal teams from the marker ships and resumed her vigil. Climbing back aboard, Lieutenant Dacres smiled uncharacteristically. "Such a to-do, you'd never have believed it—I had to draw my sword on the craven villains to get them to conform! "
The rector of the Republic of Dubrovnik himself came aboard with the thanks of the merchant community when the convoy was delivered safely, but Kydd needed to press on. After an uneventful return passage, the massive crenellations of Malta were a welcome sight. He wished that Renzi was there to admire the ancient town with its long city wall and stonework mellowed by the centuries. He was probably still in Tenacious, first lieutenant of an old and weary ship with a vindictive captain. And on endless blockade.
Teazer found her berth again in Dockyard Creek and Kydd gave leave to all the Maltese hands. With certain employment in difficult times they could be relied on to return and their absence released space for the rest.
The muster book had to be sent to Gibraltar and proved before pay could be authorised, and even then it might be months in arrears. The British sailors would have only what they had kept from their previous ship but Jack Tar would never be renowned for frugal habits. Not for nothing was it said, "They earn money like horses and spend it like asses." Kydd resolved to try for an advance from the clerk of the cheque in the dockyard.
The shipwrights and riggers tut-tutted over the amount of extra rigging, blocks, pendants, clew garnets and the rest involved in spreading a main-yard but it was the appearance of young Attard, brimming over with self-confidence and full of salty yarns about his experiences, that most eased the process, and Teazer prepared for her new sail, the langard mainsail.
It was more difficult in the matter of carronades. It was not a weapon much seen in Mediterranean arsenals and in the peculiar circumstances of Malta the Board of Ordnance did not figure at all.
No carronades but still, Kydd accepted, six-pounders were not to be despised; Teazer's sixteen long sixes were normally more than enough to settle an argument with a privateer, and even if they were to find carronades it would mean re-equipping with special slides in place of the usual wheeled gun-carriage.
Kydd returned to his ship; there would be some delay while these improvements were put in train and he had time on his hands. "Mr Dacres."
His lieutenant came across the quarterdeck from where he had been watching the movements of the exotic little craft about the great harbour.
Kydd removed his cocked hat and smiled. "I have a mind t' step ashore and see a little o' Malta. I thought to hire a carriage, save m' legs a hard beat t' windward. I wonder if ye'd care t' join me f'r the day?"
"I would like that, sir," he replied, but then added, "But without we have a pilot with Italian or the Maltese lingo, I fear we would be at a stand."
"O' course. Then as this is a problem o' navigation, who better than our master t' plot the course?"
The sun was warm to the skin and had a benign cast that set the mood for Kydd. For the first time in weeks he could let tranquillity take hold. In the sternsheets of the cutter he relaxed against the backboard and grinned at Dacres in the sheer escapism of the moment, but Dacres only smiled back politely.
"Mr Bonnici," Kydd asked, "I'm intrigued t' know—who was it built this mighty place? Seems t' me that it's the strongest citadel in all Europe."
"Well, sir," Bonnici said, "ye have to understan' that in the time of your Queen Elizabet' we were attack by the Turk, an' suffer a long and cruel siege. We win, but the knights say they never suffer such again, an' build Valletta—only fifteen year and finished! " he said proudly.