He wished he could pace up and down and gather his thoughts, but knew his strength would fail instantly.
Six miles out. It might as well be six hundred.
He heard Breen say shakily, "With all that powder stored below, we’ll blow to dust at the first shot!"
Bolitho turned and looked at him. "Well said, Mr. Breen!" He lurched to the wheel and held on to it. "Allday, have the boat lowered."
"It is, sir." Allday peered at him anxiously through the pink gloom. "Towing below the counter."
"Good, good." He had to keep talking, to stop the dizziness returning. "Rig a mast and sails in her and warp her around to the lee side so that the Frenchman won’t see her."
Veitch exclaimed "We"d never outrun a corvette, sir." "Don’t intend to," He bared his teeth, pretending to grin. "Make up a long fuse and set it to the powder hold." He saw Veitch's disbelief but hurried on, "We’ll let the corvette grapple us, and then bear away in the longboat."
Plowman cleared his throat. "But suppose the Frogs don’tgrapple, sir? They might send a boardin" party instead." He looked meaningly at Veitch, as if to indicate that he thought the fever was still controlling Bolitho as before.
Bolitho took the glass from his hand and trained it across the rail. The French corvette was much sharper already. She had the wind-gage and was setting her topgallants to take full advantage of it.
He returned the glass and said slowly, "We shall have to wait and see, Mr. Plowman. Now get that fuse, and be sharp about it." As Allday made to leave he caught his arm and asked, "When I called out during the fever. Did I ask for anyone?"
"Yes, sir." Allday looked towards the sunrise. "You called for Cheney, sir. Your wife."
Bolitho nodded. "Thank you."
Midshipman Breen hurried after Allday and whispered nervously, "But is not the commodore's wife dead?"
"Aye." He paused above the bobbing longboat and looked towards Bolitho by the wheel. "An" more's the pity for it."
13. Pursuit
BOLITHO crouched over the Segura 's flaking companion hatch and scribbled on a small piece of paper. He was aware of the strengthening light, a hint of warmth after the first dawn air, but forced his mind to concentrate. Every so often he had to pause and gather his strength for fear that the fever was returning.
Once, when he half rose to peer above the larboard bulwark he saw the French corvette's yards and sails edging round, her slender jib boom displaying her intention to run " down her quarry on a simple converging tack.
Not much more than a mile separated the smart man-of-war and the badly-used Segura.
Bolitho folded the paper carefully and moved to Veitch" s side. "Take this with you." He slipped it into the lieutenant's pocket. "It tells all I know." Suspect was more the word. 'so, if I fall, you must get this message to higher authority as best you can."
Plowman called hoarsely, "The Frenchie's shortenin" sail. sir. "
Veitch nodded. "He’ll be up to us very soon now," Bolitho ran his eye along the deck. It was tilting even less now, and with the light airs barely able to fill each sail, his plan was decided. If there had ever been any choice, he thought grimly..
Allday came aft. "Fuse set and ready, sir. Should give us a quarter-hour. "
Bolitho trained a telescope on the corvette. "Too long. Cut it as close as you dare. Five minutes."
He heard them gasp but watched the French ship drawing nearer, her sails braced round to retain the wind, showing her bilge in the strengthening sunlight as she heeled jauntily on her new tack.
Plowman remarked, "Look at "er copper. She's not long out of port!"
Bolitho felt a shiver of excitement. One of de Brueys's vessels perhaps? Part of a scattered line of scouts which in turn would lead the admiral's mighty fleet into open seas and to Egypt. He thought of all the information, Certain and hearsay, and knew it represented far more than the solitary corvette which was blocking their path to safety, Like a great colossus, de Brueys's fleet of transports and ships of the line would stride via Malta,* using it as a stepping-stone, before setting down again on the Egyptian shore. And thence to India, and all the trade and possessions which England had so nearly lost in that other war.
He said, "Get the hands into the boat, if you please. "
He waited, expecting further argument from Veitch or Plowman.
The lieutenant merely said, "I’ll not cast off without you, sir. And that's my last word on it."
Bolitho smiled. "You"d disobey your commodore, Mr. Veitch? In time of war it could hang you!"
They both laughed, and Veitch answered, "A risk I’ll take, sir. "
The seamen were already scrambling over the lee bulwark, and Bolitho hoped that nobody aboard the French ship had noticed anything unusual. After all, there was little point in trying to outpace a man-of-war as lively as a corvette. And to attempt an escape in a longboat, with the Mediterranean and not dry land across the bows, was a measure of madness.
Allday came aft again, breathing heavily. "Fuse ready, sir." He squinted at the other vessel. Three guns had been run out. Small six-pounders, they would be enough for the elderly Segura, even without her lethal cargo. He added, "There's just us left." He gestured to the wheel. "And this mad Swede."
Larssen grinned, his face as devoid of fear as a child's. "Aye, so I am, sir!"
There was a sharp crack, and as they turned to see a puff of smoke from the corvette's side, a single ball ripped through the fore-rigging and threw up a thin waterspout, away on the starboard quarter.
Bolitho gave a quiet smile. 'signal received and understood." He nodded to Allday. "Get forrard, and start shouting at your invisible crew. "
He knew that the French captain must be watching Segura and probably himself. He darted a quick glance at the longboat, as the bows and then the rest of it slewed awkwardly away from the lee side, every inch of it filled with men and oars, and the jumble of mast and canvas which Veitch was preparing to raise.
Bolitho took the spokes and said, "Hoist the flag, Larssen." The Swede grinned, and moments later the American colours broke once again from the gaff.
It brought an instant response in another sharp explosion, and this time the six-pound ball smashed into Segura's hull, shaking her violently like a great hammer.
Bolitho had not expected the corvette to be fooled. But it all took time, and from one corner of his eye he saw Veitch waving his hat back and forth to show that he was ready.
There was a thump from forward, and he watched Allday jump clear with an axe as the tanned jib sail came crashing down around him in a flailing heap. It seemed to satisfy the Frenchman, for her captain was already bringing her round to run almost parallel, keeping Segura to leeward, while her men shortened sail yet again in readiness to drive alongside. Sailors were clambering into the shrouds with grapnels, and there was a glint of metal as a boarding party ran smartly towards the forecastle for the first contact.
Bolitho felt the wheel bucking in his hands, as deprived of her jib, Segura idled heavily, her sails in trembling agitation. "Light the fuse!"
He heard Allday dash below, and then handed the wheel back to the Swede. He saw a seaman on the corvette's main yard pointing and gesticulating, and guessed he had seen the longboat and was trying to yell his information to the poop above the din of sails and blocks, of shouting men, eager for a fight, even a one-sided one.