Run Them Ashore by Adrian Goldsworthy Read Free Book Online Page B

lock, and then in a fluid motion swept it up, aiming at an imaginary enemy on the bluffs. He pulled it back to full cock, then squeezed the trigger, letting it slam down and spark. Pringle wondered what the reaction would have been had the piece been loaded.
    Don Antonio nodded as he brought the musket back down. ‘English made,’ he said. ‘Tower pattern.’ He looked at Pringle and Hanley in turn. ‘What do you expect me to do with this?’
    One of the boys giggled at their confusion, until Don Antonio silenced him with a glance. Pringle was annoyed. The lad had such smooth features, an almost effeminate air, and he did not liked being mocked by such a creature. It was hard to understand what two children were doing carrying arms. The other boy looked a little older, and his expression was wooden.
    ‘I say again, what do you expect me to do with this musket?’ The chieftain’s expression was stern and proud, but did not seem hostile.
    ‘Shoot Frenchmen,’ Hanley suggested.
    ‘But for how long?’ Don Antonio said. He gave a thin smile, like a teacher disappointed in a pupil. He looked at a bale of cartridges that Murphy held up for inspection. ‘Your muskets fire a bigger ball than our own, or those of the French. So we cannot fire your ammunition from our guns. We can put our cartridges in your muskets, but the ball will be loose and will not fire so well.’
    ‘We could bring you enough new muskets for everyone, and more ammunition.’ Hanley responded quickly, while Pringle wastoo busy thinking how obvious this was and was depressed that no one had thought of it in planning their mission.
    ‘You could, but could you also assure me that there would always be enough, wherever and whenever I needed them? I cannot amass great stores or magazines and leave them in a safe place, because there are no safe places. I must always be able to move. Do you see?’
    ‘Yes,’ Hanley said, and Pringle nodded in agreement.
    ‘Good, then next time bring me loose powder, lead for balls, good flints – you English make the best – and shoes. Sometimes they are more important than guns. If you want to bring muskets, pistols and ammunition then bring me Spanish or French ones. You understand?’
    ‘Yes, I believe we can help you in that way.’ Hanley looked pleased by El Blanco’s confidence in receiving aid from the British in future.
    ‘Good. Now come with me and I will show you what we do.’ Pringle was surprised at the prospect of moving so suddenly. He was even more surprised when Don Antonio spun around and kissed the boy who had giggled.
    ‘Good God,’ Billy said before he could stop himself, but it was a long embrace and a good minute before the couple parted. Don Antonio’s lover smiled and then spoke in a light voice so obviously female that at last he understood.
    ‘Good God,’ he said more softly this time, baffled that he had not seen the two ‘boys’ for what they were from the very beginning. In spite of the short hair they were obviously young women, and pretty women at that, even if the silent one had no softness about her gaze.
    ‘May I present my wife, Paula, and her sister Guadalupe.’ The British officers bowed again. The sister gave the slightest acknowledgement, while Don Antonio’s wife presented her hand to be kissed.
    ‘They fight with you?’ Pringle could not help asking after the pleasantries had been exchanged.
    ‘With me sometimes,’ the chieftain said lightly, ‘but I ampleased to say that usually they fight for me. Now, gather your things and we shall go.’
    Dawn was still a few hours away when the whole troop filed out of the dell by a different, even narrower and more difficult path than the one they had used to come in. Guerrillas who knew the way led the riding mules for the three redcoats. More mules and a number of horses were waiting in a little valley outside, as were more fighters. Altogether there must have been some fifty men in the band, half of them mounted.