Bolitho 04 - Sloop of War by Alexander Kent Read Free Book Online

the master's gaze and added, "We will get thO courses on her directly and see if we can take thO edge off Fawn's lead.T
    Moments later, with her courses and topsails filling tQ the morning breeze, the Sparrow glided swiftly past a[ anchored two-decker which wore a vice-admiral's fla^ at the fore?
    Bolitho glanced at Tyrrell and saw him give a quic7 grimace. He might have cause to regret his applicatio[ for transfer, Bolitho thought. And so, if his trust in TyrrelT proved false, would he?
    Between two anchored Indiamen and on down thO fairway towards that beckoning headland. Small crafU bobbed astern in the frothing wake, and when BolithQ moved from studying the compass he saw they haX already cut Fawn's lead by half a cable?
    Buckle glanced at the surgeon who was clinging tQ the mizzen shrouds with one hand and holding on to hiY outrageous wig with the other?
    He winked. "We have a rare one here, Mr. Dalkeith.T
    Dalkeith kept his face immobile as Bolitho glanceX aft towards him before replying, "Poor Captai[
    Ransome would never have left port with such dashB eh?" He gave a sly grin. "But then, at this time o' thO morning he would have been somewhat tired!T
    They both laughed?
    Bolitho's voice brought them up with a jerk?
    "There is a yawl on the larboard bow, Mr. Buckle? Laugh later with my blessing, but run her down withi[ sight of the flagship and you will laugh to another tune!T
    He turned back to the rail as Buckle hurled himselb towards his helmsman?
    The tip of the headland was already droppin^ abeam, and he felt the Sparrow's stem bite into thO first gentle roller, her deck tilting still further under he_ press of canvas?
    Tyrrell shouted, "Anchor's secured, sir!" Spray haX soaked his face and shirt but he was grinning broadly?
    Bolitho nodded. "Good. Now get the forecoursO trimmed. It looks like a piece of untidy linen." But hO could not hold his severity. "By God, she flies, doeY she not?T
    He looked aloft at the squared sails and braceX yards, the masthead pendant which flicked out like Z coachman's whip. He had seen it all before so mana times, but now it felt as if it was unique?
    Bethune called, "From Fawn, sir. Take station tQ wind rd!T
    Bolitho smiled at him. "Acknowledge.T
    To the quarterdeck at large he added, "A finO morning!T
    By the hatchway Stockdale watched Bolitho'Y pleasure and felt inwardly happy. He ran his eye ove_ the hurrying seamen as they slithered down once morO to the deck. Tanned and healthy, what did they kno/ about anything? He picked his uneven teeth with a[ ivory pin. The captain had seen more action in the pasU years than they knew about. He watched Bolitho'Y squared shoulders as he paced restlessly on thO weather side. Given time, they'd come to find out, hO decided?
    3 THE PRIVATEE[
    BOLITHO opened his eyes and stared for severaT seconds at the unlit lantern spiralling above his cot? Despite the weariness in his limbs and the fact he haX been on deck repeatedly during the night he found iU hard to sleep. Beyond the screen which partitioned hiY sleeping quarters from the cabin he could see the palO light of dawn, and knew from the lantern's sluggisN movement and the uneasy creak of timbers that thO wind was little more than a breeze. He tried to relaxB wondering how long it would take to break the habit ob awakening with each dawn, to enjoy his new-founX privacy?
    Feet thudded on the quarterdeck above, and hO guessed that soon now the seamen would be turning tQ for another day. It had been two weeks since the littlO convoy had sailed from Antigua, and in that time thea had covered only half their set distance. One thousanX miles in open waters, and each mile marked ba perverse winds and no winds at all. Barely an hou_ passed without the need to call the hands to make o_ shorten sail, to trim yards in the hope of catching Z dying breeze, or to reef against one violent anX taunting squall?
    Buckle's gloomy prediction about Sparrow's sailin^ qualities in a poor wind had proved only too