'Nay sir, but I believe they've sighted land and several sails. Dagan has gone aloft.'
'Very well, Mr. Davy. Tell the first lieutenant I'll be topside directly.'
'Aye, sir.'
Once on deck, Gabe found both Lieutenant Hazard, Lieutenant Lavery and the master amidships. Mr. Hazard held a glass to his eye. The master was first to spot him.
'Morning, cap'n.'
'Mr. Blake, Mr. Hazard, Mr. Lavery,' Gabe addressed each, as was his morning ritual.
'The look-out has spotted land, sir. It appears we're a little of course,' Hazard reported.
Hearing this Gabe turned to the master. 'Mr. Blake, what's your calculations?'
'We've been pushed south by the gale, sir. I believe we are just off the coast of South Carolina but instead of Charlestown sir, I think we are about sixty miles south, possibly Port Royal or one of the barrier islands. There are several of them.'
Dagan had made his way down from the masthead.
'There are three strange sails, two appear to be schooners and the other larger. About the size of a brig. Turtle's still about ten miles ahead and from the looks of things I'd say they've spotted her.'
'Privateers you think?' Hazard asked.
'That'd be my guess,' Gabe answered.
'But I thought they'd be bottled up by our blockade and lazing by the fire,' Lavery commented.
'I'm sure they used the gale as a means of running the blockade,' Gabe answered. 'I'm not sure I'd risk broaching my ship in such a gale just to run down a bunch of privateers I probably couldn't catch and that'd likely end up on a lee shore anyway.'
Then Gabe asked, 'What about the rest of the convoy?'
'They're on station sir, including Wild Goose and Lancaster. I fired the flares as you ordered before you took ill,' Hazard continued, 'but Turtle never responded.'
'I didn't expect her captain would,' Gabe answered.
'The arrogant son of a bitch is probably going to cost us a lot before this day's over, gentlemen, especial y with those privateers lurking. Did you log his failure to respond, Mr. Hazard?'
'Aye, cap'n, last night and this morning.'
'Very well, the wind is almost directly astern so have Mr. Druett fire one of the forward guns. He's bound to hear it. I know he's not deaf.'
'Think we should signal for him to take up station, sir?'
'It wouldn't hurt; however, he didn't answer the flares so I doubt he'll answer the signal.'
Feeling his stomach growl, Gabe realized he hadn't eaten in twenty-four hours. 'Dagan, let's go below. Mr. Hazard let me know if there's any change.' Once below, Dagan spoke, 'You think he's ignoring the signals on purpose, don't you?'
'Yes,' Gabe answered, 'I think he's got a rendezvous set up with the privateers. Why else would a man be in such a hurry to risk himself and a load of gunpowder.'
After a fitting breakfast and two cups of coffee Gabe returned back on deck. Lieutenant Hazard reported, 'I was just about to send for you, sir. The Turtle has taken a more southerly course and the privateers seem to be ignoring her and headed toward us.'
Gabe pounded the bulwark with his fist, ’I knew it.' Then he explained his theory to his first lieutenant.
'Signal Lancaster to come abeam on the weather side.
Then have Estes to position Wild Goose behind Lancaster about midway through the convoy. If one of the privateers get through it's up to him to protect the convoy.'
'Deck there,' the lookout cal ed down, 'The ships be ’seprating, sir. Ones ship rigged sir, she be about eight miles off the starboard bow. The schooners, sir, one going to windward and ’tother to leeward.'
'Separating to get amongst the convoy,' the master said while holding a ship's glass to his eye. 'I can see the t'gal ants of one.'
'Signal Wild Goose to be ready, Mr. Hazard, but tell him to stay on station for now. Let's see what their next move is.'
'Aye, cap'n.'
'Damn, sir,' the master cal ed, 'That ’un looks like she might be a French corvette.'
'I'll go aloft,' Dagan volunteered.
'Beat to quarters, Mr. Hazard.'
'Aye, cap'n.'
Dagan was down on the deck before Gabe realized it.
'She's a corvette right enough and appears to be a twenty-four.'
'Damme,' Gabe exclaimed. 'I bet she's got a crew of a hundred and fifty or more.' Sensing there was more, Gabe stopped talking and looked at Dagan. 'What else?'
'She's flying the same company flag as that prize we took on the way to Barbados.'
'So they're after blood as well as the convoy,' Gabe muttered to himself.
'The wolves will be in firing distance in ten minutes or so, cap'n,' Mr. Hazard said, 'She's under full sail.'
'In a hurry that one, ’ain't she,' the master said.
'Deck there…The schooner to leeward has dropped back and appears to be taking the weather gage.'
'I didn't think she'd keep her previous station,' Gabe stated, 'That was just a ploy to see how we responded.'
'Deck there,' the lookout howled down, 'She's run out her larboard guns!'
'Deck there,' the lookout cal ed again, 'The furthest schooner, she be sailing wide and putting on more sail.'
'A wolf trying to get among the cows.'
'Sheep, Mr. Lavery, ’a wolf among the sheep,' Gabe replied archly.
Lavery was intent on calling the convoy a herd of cows. Several anxious minutes passed then, 'She's firing, sir,' the lookout bel owed down, 'She's firing.' Gabe winced as bal s moaned through the air.
'He fired too high,' Dagan commented, used to taking prizes not fighting ship to ship.
'Well, his next one won't be too high, I bet,' Gabe replied. 'Mr. Hazard, prepare to fire, sir.' Gabe stood up
on the small poop deck. The corvette was now not two hundred yards away. 'Fire! Give him what for lads, fire.' SeaWolf’s six-pounders spoke as one. Hours of gun drill had paid off.
'She's hit,' Dagan replied.
'Down, down everyone,' Hazard cal ed and as he did the corvette fired again. Raising himself from the deck, Gabe was stupefied. Twelve guns had fired from the corvette, an entire broadside but with little damage.
'Grape,' the master replied, 'She's fired with grape.' BOOM!…
SeaWolf gave a shudder; Druett had her guns in action again.
'We're hitting her, cap'n,' Hazard was saying, 'She got gaps in her bulwark, spars and rigging are dangling from aloft and at least two guns are out of order.' Before Hazard had finished his comments the corvette fired again. This time the blast was thunderous. Some of the bal s hit the sea and caused fountains of water to gush up on SeaWolf’s deck. However, some were more effective.
Pieces of bulwark were gone, the corner of the small poop deck over Gabe's cabin was blasted away and the gaff boom was shot into. Surveying the damage, Gabe saw Hazard trying to raise himself. Several large splinters had penetrated his coat and were sticking out of his arm. His blue coat turning dark, then red from the shoulder down his sleeve.
BOOM!…
Druett's gunners were still at work. 'We've opened up her gallery, sir.'
'Dagan, see to Everette. Mr. Lavery, take over for the first lieutenant and prepare to come about.'
'Aye, sir.'
'Mr. Graf, how are things going with the Lancaster and Wild Goose?'
