struggling man, once wounded, sends blood in all directions. And a man and two women, leaving a meal, either in panic or because of force, tend towards creating a mess. There’s not a drop of food on the cabin floor, no sign of wine spilt or chairs tipped over.’
‘A small boat?’
‘Yes.’ Harry nodded slowly. ‘It would be helpful to know how far she drifted, of course. But at a guess I’d say that whoever took over the ship could easily have come this far in an inshore type of vessel.’
‘Which adds up to what?’
He shrugged, then smiled at James. ‘Nothing more than I’ve already said. But the Gauchos sailed from New Orleans, and passed Fort Balize, which is our destination. The least we can do is try to take her in with us. Perhaps those in authority there will know more about such matters than we do, and by taking her in we will at least convince them of our peaceful intentions. Certainly, if there are pirates operating, they’d know who they are, and where they berth.’
James thrust forward the sheet, indicating the thin blue embroidery that was not the usual initials. Instead it was a name, or perhaps a word, Hoboi Hili Miko , which made no sense. Unfolding it, he saw that the embroidery continued, this time more recognisably.
Harry leant forward to read it. ‘ Vent! ’
‘That’s “wind” in French,’ added James.
‘Which is what we’re whistling for,’ replied Harry, with a grin.
‘You’re sure, of course, that it was another ship?’
‘Don’t tell me that you believe in ghosts, James?’
‘I don’t. But you’ve referred to the gullibility of sailors many times. I might as well tell you now that there is hardly a man in your crew who is not muttering darkly about that very thing. And our Frenchmen have gone very silent indeed.’
Harry grinned and fingered the linen sheet again. ‘Shall I don this and come aboard in the dark?’
‘Not without all the boats over the side, brother. The sight of you in that sheet will cause them to abandon ship.’
‘No one should be exposed to such temptation.’
CHAPTER NINE
THE DECISION to tow the ship only deepened the crew’s curiosity, and that was heightened when they heard Harry order the party he put aboard to take their own rations and touch nothing, either on the deck or below. Lanterns, rigged at the ends of the yards, caused several sailors to speculate on which particular kind of banshee feared the light. Harry, who knew the answer to be much more prosaic, couldn’t bring himself to tell them the true reason, since his men seemed to derive so much pleasure from their superstitions. The dark mutterings increased as they ran a stout cable out of the tier, all the men who handled it fearful, and quite convinced that whatever had seen off the crew of the Spanish ship would have little trouble in walking along the thick rope to seal their fate. Some strong words were required to counter their reluctance.
Once in place it ran from the bitts below decks on Bucephalas , out through the aftermost porthole and came aboard the Gauchos forward, there to be lashed to the capstan. Towing was never easy, but of all the ships ill designed for the purpose, a caravel, with its old-fashioned design and high forecastle, could be numbered amongst the worst. This was a situation made more troublesome by her condition – she was forever yawing to the side at the slightest pressure of wind or water – so a journey that had taken Gauchos little more than one day looked set to take Harry at least two.
He’d gone to bed and was sound asleep before danger threatened. Called from his cot he knew as soon as he reached the deck that Gauchos was in trouble. The angle of the lanterns he’d riggedon the yards told him that, by towing the ship, he’d opened up whatever was stopping the water from coming inboard. Gauchos was further down by the head and had definitely increased her starboard list. But what was peculiar was that Pender, with whom
‘A small boat?’
‘Yes.’ Harry nodded slowly. ‘It would be helpful to know how far she drifted, of course. But at a guess I’d say that whoever took over the ship could easily have come this far in an inshore type of vessel.’
‘Which adds up to what?’
He shrugged, then smiled at James. ‘Nothing more than I’ve already said. But the Gauchos sailed from New Orleans, and passed Fort Balize, which is our destination. The least we can do is try to take her in with us. Perhaps those in authority there will know more about such matters than we do, and by taking her in we will at least convince them of our peaceful intentions. Certainly, if there are pirates operating, they’d know who they are, and where they berth.’
James thrust forward the sheet, indicating the thin blue embroidery that was not the usual initials. Instead it was a name, or perhaps a word, Hoboi Hili Miko , which made no sense. Unfolding it, he saw that the embroidery continued, this time more recognisably.
Harry leant forward to read it. ‘ Vent! ’
‘That’s “wind” in French,’ added James.
‘Which is what we’re whistling for,’ replied Harry, with a grin.
‘You’re sure, of course, that it was another ship?’
‘Don’t tell me that you believe in ghosts, James?’
‘I don’t. But you’ve referred to the gullibility of sailors many times. I might as well tell you now that there is hardly a man in your crew who is not muttering darkly about that very thing. And our Frenchmen have gone very silent indeed.’
Harry grinned and fingered the linen sheet again. ‘Shall I don this and come aboard in the dark?’
‘Not without all the boats over the side, brother. The sight of you in that sheet will cause them to abandon ship.’
‘No one should be exposed to such temptation.’
CHAPTER NINE
THE DECISION to tow the ship only deepened the crew’s curiosity, and that was heightened when they heard Harry order the party he put aboard to take their own rations and touch nothing, either on the deck or below. Lanterns, rigged at the ends of the yards, caused several sailors to speculate on which particular kind of banshee feared the light. Harry, who knew the answer to be much more prosaic, couldn’t bring himself to tell them the true reason, since his men seemed to derive so much pleasure from their superstitions. The dark mutterings increased as they ran a stout cable out of the tier, all the men who handled it fearful, and quite convinced that whatever had seen off the crew of the Spanish ship would have little trouble in walking along the thick rope to seal their fate. Some strong words were required to counter their reluctance.
Once in place it ran from the bitts below decks on Bucephalas , out through the aftermost porthole and came aboard the Gauchos forward, there to be lashed to the capstan. Towing was never easy, but of all the ships ill designed for the purpose, a caravel, with its old-fashioned design and high forecastle, could be numbered amongst the worst. This was a situation made more troublesome by her condition – she was forever yawing to the side at the slightest pressure of wind or water – so a journey that had taken Gauchos little more than one day looked set to take Harry at least two.
He’d gone to bed and was sound asleep before danger threatened. Called from his cot he knew as soon as he reached the deck that Gauchos was in trouble. The angle of the lanterns he’d riggedon the yards told him that, by towing the ship, he’d opened up whatever was stopping the water from coming inboard. Gauchos was further down by the head and had definitely increased her starboard list. But what was peculiar was that Pender, with whom
Similar Books
