Pascoe turned his head as some seamen dashed past, their chequered shirts very pale and stark.
"I must go, sir."
Bolitho stood aside. "Good luck."
Moments after the frigate had laboured round into the wind" her remaining sails booming in confusion, the three boats were in the water alongside, and then soon pulling away towards the land.
Javal rubbed his hands. "Bring her about and steer sou"-east by east, Mr. Ellis. And put two good hands in the chains just to be sure we do not gut the keel out of her!"
He crossed to Bolitho's side and waited in silence until his ship was once more under command of wind and rudder. Then he said cheerfully, "This is always the worst part. The waiting. "
Bolitho nodded, his ears trying to hold on to the swish and creak of oars. But they had gone, swallowed in the other sea noises.
He said, "Aye. I’d prefer to be going with them."
Javal laughed. "God's teeth, sir! I wish to make the Navy my career for many years yet. What chance would there be of that if I allowed my commodore to be taken?" It seemed to amuse him greatly.
Bolitho snapped, "I dare say."
Javal cleared his throat and said in a more sober tone, "It will be all of four hours before we know anything, sir. My first lieutenant is very experienced. He has been with me for some eighteen months. He has cut out several such vessels without many losses to us."
Bolitho nodded. "I will use your cabin again, if I may. A short sleep will refresh me for tomorrow. "
He could almost hear the lie being thrown back in his face.
Sleep? It would be 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 card. Buzzard'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. I What had happened? Where was a signal? Any sign that the I 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 Buzzard 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 bow! 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 of the land. 'stand by to shorten sail!" To Bolitho he exclaimed, "The schooner, by God! Mears has taken her!"
Even without a glass Bolitho could see the low-hulled vessel thrusting away from the encroaching land, her great sails rising like wings above the choppy wave crests. At her counter he saw the darker shapes of Buzzard's boats being towed astern, a lantern rising and dipping at her foremast to confirm the capture. Perhaps Mears feared that because of the delay, his failure to signal earlier, he might be met with a broadside rather than cheers.
Javal snapped, "We will come about. Lay her on the starboard tack and steer sou" by west until we have more sea room. "He glanced at Bolitho by the nettings. "You will wish to rejoin the squadron, sir?"
"Yes."
He walked clear of the busy seamen and marines as they ran to obey the pipe. It was over, and as far as he could tell, – without a shot being fired. He found he was shaking badly. As if he had been there with them.
When Buzzard leaned steeply on her new tack Bolitho saw the schooner following suit, her lee bulwark almost awash. She was certainly deep laden.
He said abruptly, "Heave-to at your discretion, Captain. Signal your lieutenant to close within hailing distance."
Javal eyed him doubtfully. "Aye, sir. If you say so." He saw Bolitho's expression and said no more.
Bolitho walked slowly to the nettings, shutting out the sounds of the unexpected preparations to heave-to once again. He did not even hear the squeak of halliards as the signal flags ran up the yards and broke to the wind. He was watching the boats surging along under the schooner's stern. The jolly boat was not one of them.