field of his glass the last doubts were dispelled, and Clinton felt his heart leap fiercely against his ribs.
His voice was strangled with triumphant emotion as he shouted down at the tiny foreshortened figures on the gleaming white quarterdeck far below. Bring her round to due east, Mr. Denham. Order a full head of steam on the boiler-Though he had not yet fully recovered his breath, he threw himself out of the crow's nest and scrambled down faster than he had climbed. In his haste he slid the last fifty feet down the backstay and barely noticed the rough hempen rope scorching the palms of his hands.
By the time his feet hit the deck, Black joke was coming around on to her new heading, and in anticipation of Clinton's next order, Denham had already called the watch below, and they came boiling out on to the deck. And we will clear for action, Mr. Denham, if you please, gasped Clinton, his face dark with blood under his deepwater tan and the sapphire eyes alight with battle lust.
All Black joke's officers carried swords on their belts, only Clinton had selected a cutlass, for he preferred the stouter and heavier weapon, and he fiddled with the hilt even now as he spoke to them quietly and seriously. Gentlemen, I have documented proof that the ship ahead of us has a cargo of slaves aboard her.'
Denham coughed nervously and Clinton forestalled him. 'I am also aware that she is an American vessel, and in ordinary circumstances we would be helpless to oppose her passage. ' Denham nodded with relief, but Clinton went on remorselessly, 'However, I have received an appeal from one of Her Majesty's subjects, Dr. Robyn Ballantyne whom you all know well, who is being abducted aboard the Huron against her will. I am certain what my duty is in these circumstances. I intend to board her, and if she resists me, I intend to fight her.'
He paused and their faces were shocked, strained. 'Those of you who have objections to this course of action should immediately note them in the ship's log, and I will sign them.'
Their relief and gratitude was immediate, few other captains would he so lenient.
He. signed his name neatly beneath the entry in the ship's log, and then returned the pen to its holder. Now that the formalities have been seen to, gentlemen, shall we get on with earning our hire? 'And Clinton was smiling for the first time since they sailed from Zanzibar harbour as he indicated the pile of snowy white sails that was now clearly visible from the deck ahead of Black joke's bows, and as he spoke there was an eruption of dark tarry- smelling smoke from the tall single stack above them, and the engine telegraph clanged sharply as the pointer moved to 'Engine Standing Byposition on the repeater. Black joke had steam in her boiler.
Clinton stepped to the telegraph, thrust the handle fully around the dial to the 'Full ahead' position, and the deck vibrated under his feet as the propeller shaft began to spin and Black Joke lunged forward eagerly, breaking the swells off her shoulders in explosions of white spray. By God, he's got us pinned against the land -1 Mungo drawled the words out nonchalantly, even smiling slightly at Tippoo as he lowered the glass from his eye for a moment and polished the Lens on his shirt-sleeve. We'll have to run like the very devil to get round him, and make the open sea. Mr. Tippoo, will you be good enough to shake out every last reef and crack on all the sail we can carry right up to the sky sails? ' He lifted the glass to his eye again as Tippoo began bellowing the orders. 'It's a little bit too much luck for any one man, ' Mungo murmured aloud. 'It's too much coincidence that the one man I would not wish to meet be lying in the one place on all the oceans where I would not wish to meet him. ' Again he lowered the glass and strode to the poop rail to look down on to the maindeck.
Robyn Ballantyne was at the ship's side, staring out across the indigo blue waters at the sail and the smear of dark smoke, still far out to sea, but every moment converging on them, beaded to a point far ahead of Huron's elegant bows where the courses of the two ships would meet. She sensed Mungo's eyes upon her, and she lifted the shawl off her head so that her dark russet hair tumbled out and snapped and danced around her cheeks.
Her skirts were flattened against her legs by the wind, so that she had to lean slightly forward to balance herself.
She lifted her chin and stared up at Mungo, her expression defiant and she watched him as he carefully bit the end off one of his long thin black cheroots and cupped his hands around the sulphurous flare of the Vesta match and lit the cheroot without once breaking the steady gaze that held her own.
Then he sauntered easily down the poop-ladder to her side. A friend of yours, Doctor Ballantyne? ' The smile was on his lips alone. His eyes were frosty. I have prayed every night for him to come. Ever since I sent the letter that summoned him. 'You do not deny the betrayal?
'I am proud I was able to perform my Christian duty. 'Who carried your letter? 'No member of your crew, sir. I sent it by the master of the Omani buggaloo. 'I see. ' His voice was low, but stinging as dry ice. 'And what of Tippoo's illness, would a physician, perchance, stoop to poisoning a patient? ' She dropped her eyes, unable to meet that accusation. Will you be so kind, Doctor Ballantyne, as to return to your cabin immediately and stay there until I give you permission to leave it. There will be an armed guard at the door.'
I am to be punished? 'No man would blame me for dropping you over the side, and leaving you to be picked up by your countrymen. However, it is your safety I am thinking of. This deck could become an unhealthy spot in the very near future, and we will all be too much occupied to care for YOU.
His attention left her, and he was staring ahead, and then glancing back at Black Joke's smoke, judging speeds and angles with a seaman's eye. Then he smiled. Before you go, I would like you to know that all your efforts have really been a fine waste of time, look there! He pointed ahead along the sheer and mountainous coastline, and following his arm she saw for the first time that ahead of them the sea was as black and broken as new coal cut from the face, glittering with wild jumping wavelets, each flecked with pretty white crests. There is the wind, ' Mungo said. 'That's where it comes through the mountains, and we will be into it before you are safely tucked up in your cabin. ' He chuckled now comfortably, confidently. 'Once we get on that wind, there are few ships on all the oceans, either steam or sail, that would match Huron for a moment, and God knows, there are none who could run her down. ' He gave her a small mocking bow, parody of gracious southern manners. 'Take a good look at that ugly little steam packet, before you go, ma'am, you'll not be seeing her again. And now, if you'll be good enough to excuse meHe turned from her and ran lightly back up the poopladder.
Tears of anger dimming her eyes, Robyn clutched the rail and stared across the narrowing strip of sea at the bustlin& puffing little gunboat, already she could catch glimpses of the hull, and its painted chequer-board gunports. She began to hope that Mungo St. John's boast had been mere bravado, for Black Joke seemed to be keeping pace with the tall clipper, the wind was still a long, long way ahead.
There was a respectful touch on Robyn's shoulder, and old Nathaniel stood beside her. Captain's orders, ma. I am, and I am to see you safe in your cabin.'
Clinton leaned forward, all his weight on the balls of his feet, almost as though he were trying to urge his ship on by the balance of his body, the way a rider leans forward into the jump. He also had seen the wind pattern on the surface of the sea, and knew what it heralded.
The tall clipper ship looked lazy now, indolent in her flounces and ruffles as a lady of high fashion, and Black Joke was snorting and snuffling busily down the short leg of the triangle. If they both maintained this speed and course they would meet about eleven nautical miles ahead. Clinton could visualize the exact spot clearly just
