Ramage's Devil

'I'll have the list for you, sir, and that rounds off the Murex affair, but there is one factor: you remember I mentioned earlier that the Count of Rennes and about fifty other Royalists were being transported by Bonaparte to Devil's Island?'

Admiral Clinton nodded. 'Rennes? Isn't he the refugee fellow that has a place in England? Down at Ruckinge, I seem to remember. My place is at Great Chart, and my wife and I met him several times. A friend of the Prince Regent, I think.'

'The same person, sir. He came back to France at the peace. My wife and I were staying with him when he was arrested, as I was telling you, and his valet hid us. I have the valet on board the Murex - he's one of the four Frenchmen who helped me retake the ship.'

'The others - are they people like the Count?'

'I don't know who they are, sir, but L'Espoir was fitted out in great haste the moment Bonaparte heard that our ambassador was leaving Paris.'

'So we are too late to stop her escaping. L 'Espoir ison her way to Devil's Island now.'

'She's only a few hours ahead, sir. She left Brest about half an hour ahead of the Murex.'

By now Admiral Clinton was lost in his own thoughts and talking to himself. 'Takes a frigate to catch a frigate - en flûte, you say, so she'll have fewer men and few guns ... more guards because of the prisoners ... Yes, I'd better spare a frigate: it'd be dashed difficult if the Prince heard that nothing had been done ... but if I could take the Count of Rennes back with me ... the frigate'd be a prize too, and there'd be my eighth ...' He gave a startled jerk, as if surprised to find he was not alone in the cabin.

'Ah, Ramage. Yes, well, just had an idea about that dashed signal from the Calypso. You've got those extra men from Wells' frigate, so the Murex isn't short-handed now. Supposing you take her and go on board the Calypso and see what the devil it's all about. You know the ship so well.'

Ramage nodded and added the part that the admiral had omitted: 'It will save you detaching any of your frigates, too, sir.'

'Quite, quite,' Clinton said, as though the thought had never occurred to him. 'Give me time to think about the Count of Rennes and L'Espoir, so if I have any more questions later you can answer them when you get back from the Calypso.'

'If there is any urgency, sir, a situation which I think calls for the physician of the fleet, should I repeat 215 and the Calypso's pendant?'

Clinton thought for a moment. 'That would also mean that this flagship had to come up to the Calypso?'

'Yes, sir. I was thinking only of saving time in a dire emergency.'

'Very well. But look 'ee Ramage, you're a sensible fellow. I've read all your Gazettes. Bit inclined to go your own way - that wouldn't do if you were serving under me, mind you - but you succeed. So my orders to you - I'll have them put in writing: it'll only take a couple of minutes - are to go on board the Calypso, and sort out whatever is the problem. I must hurry to get into position off Brest - from what you say, Bonaparte has several ships he'd like to get out before I arrive to shut the door. Now, wait on deck while I get my dam' fool secretary to write up your orders. Get the Calypso's position from Captain Bennett, and anything else you need. Looks as if you'll need to visit your tailor as soon as possible.'

Ramage grinned. 'There's a lot to be said for trousers when you're climbing up a ship's side, sir; breeches are tight.'

Clinton said: "Very well. Unless you find it absolutely necessary to hoist 215, you will come up and report to me personally. Use your discretion. I have an odd feeling about this Calypso affair ... Bullivant must have just been made post... Influence of the father, I suppose ... ' Again the admiral seemed to drift away in a reverie, and Ramage quietly left the cabin.

Captain Bennett took Ramage into his cabin and unrolled a chart. 'The fleet will be here' - he indicated a line thirty miles to the west of Ushant - 'and there'll be the usual frigates here, here, here and (providing this odd signal does not mean the Calypso has to go back to Plymouth) here. The admiral likes a couple of frigates with him, to investigate strange sail.

'Do you want to note down any latitudes and longitudes?' he asked.

Shaking his head, Ramage said: 'I should be reporting back in a few hours. How far do you estimate the Calypso is to the north?'

'Well, the Blackthorne is in sight of us and the Calypso can see her. Say twenty miles. This is a five-knot wind for a brig like the Murex - she must have a clean bottom.'

'She's clean,' Ramage said, 'but with only a dozen hands I haven't been pressing her!'

'A dozen, eh?'

'And four landmen, only one of whom speaks English!'

At that moment a bespectacled young man came into the cabin after the Marine sentry announced him.

He handed a slim volume and a sheet of paper to Ramage. 'A copy of the Signal Book and the admiral's orders, sir: he particularly wants you to read them before you leave the ship.'

Murmuring 'If you'll excuse me,' to Bennett, he read the copperplate handwriting and stylized wording. The phrases were dignified, those used by their Lordships and admirals for scores of years. They added up to the fact that whatever happened the man giving the orders took no responsibility for the results, while the man receiving them had no choice... However, in this case Admiral Clinton had obviously consulted Steel's List and found that Ramage was senior to Bullivant, and the orders, which of necessity were phrased with no knowledge of what was the matter, gave Ramage authority 'to rectify, make good, issue orders and otherwise do what is required for the benefit of the King's Service in relation to the vessel herein described'.

Ramage folded the orders and tucked the paper down the front of his shirt. 'If you'll excuse me,' he said to Captain Bennett and used his pen to sign the receipt for the orders and for the Signal Book which the young secretary had been holding out.

As he climbed down into the cutter he felt himself being pulled in two directions. Up to the north, something strange was happening to the Calypso, a ship he had come to love and a ship's company he regarded as his own family. Out to the west, L'Espoir was carrying Jean-Jacques and fifty other victims of Bonaparte to Devil's Island, which meant harsh imprisonment probably ended eventually by a quick death from the black vomit.

Ramage watched as the small cutter was hoisted on board and heard Swan preparing to get the Murex under way again. The extra dozen seamen would mean the Murex could stretch to the northward under courses as well as topsails.

As soon as Swan came aft, Ramage handed him the new copy of the Signal Book. 'Have someone sew up a canvas bag and find a weight to put in it. That Signal Book must be kept in the bag and the whole thing thrown over the side if ...'

'Yes, sir,' Swan said. 'Anyway, now the ship isn't deaf and dumb any longer!'

'We might regret that,' Ramage said. 'The admiral will be changing all the signal numbers now the French probably have Murex's original book.'

'Oh no, sir, I forgot to tell you. I was on deck when the mutiny started and the Signal Book and private signals were on the binnacle box. I managed to throw both over the side before the mutineers got control of the ship. I'll take an oath on that, sir.'

Ramage sighed with relief but said: 'I wish you'd told me that earlier. The admiral is already choosing the number to add to all those in the Signal Book, and drawing up new private signals.'

'Well, I know the penalties for signals, so...' Swan said, and both men knew the phrase usually added to them when they were issued. The new private signals handed over by the admiral's secretary, Ramage noted, had two paragraphs of warning: 'The captains and other officers to whom these signals are delivered are strictly commanded to keep them in their own possession, with a sufficient weight affixed to them to insure their being sunk if it should be found necessary to throw them overboard ... As a consequence of the most dangerous nature... may result from the enemy's getting possession of these signals, if any officer... fail in observing these directions, he will certainly be made to answer for his disobedience at a Court Martial...'