the harbours all the time, but the Preventives have got a bit sharper of late. So in the usual way, we keeps to the more remote coves.’
‘But not tonight?’
Jacob smiled his slow smile. ‘Tonight we’re playing with fire.’
The wind spilled out of the sails, making them flap with a crack of canvas. I could see dark shadows scurrying about up in the rigging. I knew one of them was Will, but I couldn’t make out which. I was glad to have the solid deck under my feet. I’d been back up in the rigging since that first time, but I wasn’t comfortable there yet.
There was a sense of suppressed excitement all around me, as the men prepared to unload the contraband. I could tell their nerves thrilled to the danger they were about to face. I found myself picking up on their enthusiasm, tension holding my body as taut as if the customs officers were breathing down my neck.
On the far side of Brownsea, the ship swung in towards land, and hovered there. A tub-boat was lowered as quietly as possible into the water. The creak of the ropes and the splash of the still harbour waters on the hull made the blood race in my veins. I held my breath, but could hear no sound of alarm being raised.
A few ankers of brandy were lowered into the tub-boat and the craft set off with a creak and muted splash of oars. She was soon lost to sight in the darkness. A mist was swirling around us now and I saw the flash of Jacob’s teeth as he grinned. ‘They’ll not see us now,’ he murmured in a satisfied voice.
The tub-boat returned and was tethered behind us, the sails filled with wind again, and The Invisible moved further inland, gliding past the tree-shrouded island.
We were out of the lee of the island now. The wind freshened and the mist began to clear. The only sound was the water swishing against the underside of the lugger. ‘We’re goin’ to do it,’ said Jacob. ‘We just need to make the dash across this stretch of open water to Rockley Point. If only this mist would hold.’
But the mist was vanishing by the moment, allowing us to see the twinkling lights at Poole. And if we could see them …
‘Cutter launched!’ the man in the look-out called down.
Jacob frowned heavily. ‘The Preventives are out,’ he growled. ‘They must have spotted us. That’s damned unlucky.’
Every available hand rushed to the sails. I thought we were going to turn about and make our escape back out to the open sea. But I was wrong. Instead, the men were unfurling all the canvas The Invisible carried. The ship altered course, sailing closer to the wind. I guessed they were trying to race the cutter. It was a dangerous game, surely?
Our ship quickened her pace, the timbers creaking and the canvas filling. She surged through the still estuary waters. I couldn’t see a thing ahead of us in the darkness, but I was aware both skipper and pilot knew every inch of the huge natural harbour and that the look-outs would be alert and straining their eyes for any danger. When we reached Rockley Point, the moon emerged once more from behind the clouds, allowing us a brief, dazzling glimpse of a narrow channel ahead. My heart skipped a beat. The cutter was pursuing us; did we not run the risk of becoming trapped?
I looked around me, feeling anxious. None of the men looked worried; merely tensed for action. I fidgeted restlessly, wishing I knew something about sailing the ship. I wanted to help, not stand around uselessly.
There was a light thud behind me. I turned to see Will had landed on the deck. His eyes were sparkling, his breathing quick from his descent through the rigging. I realized he was actually enjoying the danger. He grinned when he saw me looking at him. ‘We shall see some sport before this night is out,’ he promised.
‘Sport?’ I asked. ‘Are you mad? No, that’s a stupid question. I know full-well you are.’
Will chuckled. The moon slid behind another dark cloud and I couldn’t see the expression on his face. ‘What
‘But not tonight?’
Jacob smiled his slow smile. ‘Tonight we’re playing with fire.’
The wind spilled out of the sails, making them flap with a crack of canvas. I could see dark shadows scurrying about up in the rigging. I knew one of them was Will, but I couldn’t make out which. I was glad to have the solid deck under my feet. I’d been back up in the rigging since that first time, but I wasn’t comfortable there yet.
There was a sense of suppressed excitement all around me, as the men prepared to unload the contraband. I could tell their nerves thrilled to the danger they were about to face. I found myself picking up on their enthusiasm, tension holding my body as taut as if the customs officers were breathing down my neck.
On the far side of Brownsea, the ship swung in towards land, and hovered there. A tub-boat was lowered as quietly as possible into the water. The creak of the ropes and the splash of the still harbour waters on the hull made the blood race in my veins. I held my breath, but could hear no sound of alarm being raised.
A few ankers of brandy were lowered into the tub-boat and the craft set off with a creak and muted splash of oars. She was soon lost to sight in the darkness. A mist was swirling around us now and I saw the flash of Jacob’s teeth as he grinned. ‘They’ll not see us now,’ he murmured in a satisfied voice.
The tub-boat returned and was tethered behind us, the sails filled with wind again, and The Invisible moved further inland, gliding past the tree-shrouded island.
We were out of the lee of the island now. The wind freshened and the mist began to clear. The only sound was the water swishing against the underside of the lugger. ‘We’re goin’ to do it,’ said Jacob. ‘We just need to make the dash across this stretch of open water to Rockley Point. If only this mist would hold.’
But the mist was vanishing by the moment, allowing us to see the twinkling lights at Poole. And if we could see them …
‘Cutter launched!’ the man in the look-out called down.
Jacob frowned heavily. ‘The Preventives are out,’ he growled. ‘They must have spotted us. That’s damned unlucky.’
Every available hand rushed to the sails. I thought we were going to turn about and make our escape back out to the open sea. But I was wrong. Instead, the men were unfurling all the canvas The Invisible carried. The ship altered course, sailing closer to the wind. I guessed they were trying to race the cutter. It was a dangerous game, surely?
Our ship quickened her pace, the timbers creaking and the canvas filling. She surged through the still estuary waters. I couldn’t see a thing ahead of us in the darkness, but I was aware both skipper and pilot knew every inch of the huge natural harbour and that the look-outs would be alert and straining their eyes for any danger. When we reached Rockley Point, the moon emerged once more from behind the clouds, allowing us a brief, dazzling glimpse of a narrow channel ahead. My heart skipped a beat. The cutter was pursuing us; did we not run the risk of becoming trapped?
I looked around me, feeling anxious. None of the men looked worried; merely tensed for action. I fidgeted restlessly, wishing I knew something about sailing the ship. I wanted to help, not stand around uselessly.
There was a light thud behind me. I turned to see Will had landed on the deck. His eyes were sparkling, his breathing quick from his descent through the rigging. I realized he was actually enjoying the danger. He grinned when he saw me looking at him. ‘We shall see some sport before this night is out,’ he promised.
‘Sport?’ I asked. ‘Are you mad? No, that’s a stupid question. I know full-well you are.’
Will chuckled. The moon slid behind another dark cloud and I couldn’t see the expression on his face. ‘What
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