us, Dutch.'
'Aye, my lord.'
'Bart!'
'Here, sir.'
'Let's go on down and get out of the captain's way.
We're taking up space like gear adrift. It's not quite noon yet, but I think a glass of wine might be refreshing.'
Bart muttered a reply, but Anthony didn't hear it due to the bosun yelling at some oaf for banging a bucket of water and spilling it on the deck.
'I'm sorry, Bart, what did you say?'
Looking somewhat sheepish, Bart answered, 'Me said, it's bound to be noonish ’sumwheres.'
Chapter Two
Anthony was on Warrior's deck when SeaWolf took station just to windward of the flagship. Anthony immediately noticed the ship handling was not the smooth crisp seamanship Gabe normal y demonstrated.
Then, when he saw Lieutenant Hazard and Dagan being rowed over, he knew something terrible was wrong. He felt his chest tighten and became nauseated.
It was hard to catch his breath. Bart also knew something was amiss and his experienced eye picked out the various repairs that had been conducted on SeaWolf as a result of battle.
Moving up close, Bart touched Anthony's arm without being conspicuous. 'Let's go below, sir, Cap'n Moffett can talk with Mr. Hazard. That way Dagan can come on downs to ’us uns.'
Anthony felt half in a trance when he gave Moffett the order to keep Lieutenant Hazard occupied until he sent for him. Then he made his way to his cabin.
'He's alive, my Lord. I feel it in my bones…my soul. I don't want you to listen to Hazard, Lavery, or any of them,' Dagan said addressing Anthony in his day cabin. 'He may be hurt or a captive but he's alive.'
Dagan had told the entire story as Anthony, Markham, Bart and Silas sat and listened without interruption, drinks untouched in their hands.
'This slave, you say you recognized him?'
'Aye,' Dagan replied. 'At first, I couldn't place him, but then it come to me. The man who let Commodore Gardner use his house at English Harbour.'
'Mr. Montique?'
'Adam Montique,' Markham added.
'Aye, that's him. It was his slave and I believe he was there on the beach. I didn't get a look at him because he was in the back of the group of men that had gathered, but I'm sure it was him. He kept saying Gabe was a goner but I felt different. I was torn between leaving the ship there and searching for Gabe or coming here to speak with you, then go back and fetch him home. I didn't want any trouble with Mr. Hazard. I knew you'd have enough troubles without me causing more by hurting the young lieutenant's feelings by jumping ship or disobeying his orders.'
'So what do you plan?' Anthony asked.
'I'd like to go to Petersburg in Virginia. That's where my uncle is and I believe he can get me back to Port Royal.'
'Why not take a ship?' Markham asked, not able to restrain himself.
'Anyone seeing the ship would know who we are and likely know what we were about before we could get close enough to do any good.'
'Who do you want to take with you?' Anthony asked.
Dagan could see Bart and Markham were ready to go but said, 'Caleb. He talks and sounds like a Colonial and he's known to some. If anyone else came it would only slow us down.'
Then looking at Markham but addressing Anthony, Dagan said, 'The prize we took, the Swan, Gabe was hoping you'd take her in and maybe give her to Mr. Markham.'
'Did he?' Anthony said, unable to hide a smile even with the heaviness he felt over Gabe's disappearance.
Then turning to his flag lieutenant he said, 'Well, Gabe's right, Frances. It's time you were given a ship. The choice is yours. You can have Swan or you can take command of SeaWolf. Understanding either is only temporary for now.'
'I'll take Swan, sir. It was in Gabe's mind when he took her, that she'd be mine, so I feel she's the one I ought to have. Besides, sir, I wouldn't want to take away SeaWolf from Lieutenant Hazard.' Anthony looked at Markham, 'You wouldn't be.
He's too junior and inexperienced for command. If you take Swan, I'm going to put Steve Earl in temporary command of SeaWolf until we get Gabe back. Hopeful y, Earl will have his own command soon, but for now it's SeaWolf. Now, go pack your chest and make a list of anyone special you'd like to have. I'm not sure about a lieutenant but a senior midshipman and a good master's mate. Ask Mr. Oxford if you don't have anyone in mind.'
'Only one, sir.'
'Just one?' Anthony queried.
'Aye, my Lord. I'd like Mr. Davy if possible but no one else in particular.'
'Very well, he's yours. Now on your way up pay my respects to Captain Moffett and have him and Lieutenant Hazard come down as soon as convenient.'
'Silas.'
'Aye, my Lord.'
'Do you think you can round up Val y, Captain Moffett's clerk, and the two of you give us a legible set of orders.'
'Aye, my Lord, we'll see to it, ’us'n will.' While waiting on the clerks to draw up the orders for Lieutenant Markham and Lieutenant Earl, Anthony listened quietly as Lieutenant Hazard gave his report.
After finishing his report of the explosion and Gabe's disappearance, Hazard went on to tell of a chance meeting with the brig of war, HMS Hatchet.
'Her captain told me after Admiral Parker had failed to take Sul ivan's Island, the fleet hauled their wind.'
'What of Lord Clinton?' Captain Moffett interrupted.
'I'm not sure, sir. I caught up with the convoy and sailed on to Norfolk. There's still a large British presence there but there's also open defiance and unrest. I then sailed on to New York after a brief skirmish just off the coast at Philadelphia. I spoke with Admiral Graves at New York, sir, and I have his messages for you. His flag lieutenant told me the admiral is in a state of humours about how things are going in the southern colonies and in Philadelphia as well.'
'Did the admiral say anything about the Swan?' Lord Anthony asked.
'No sir, but I wrote my report in such haste I may have forgot to mention her, sir.'
Hearing this Moffett slapped his knee and crowed,
'Well, damme, this boy's got promise, my Lord.' Before dismissing Hazard, Anthony explained why he was putting Lieutenant Earl in temporary command of SeaWolf. 'Your day will come and when it does I'll not forget your loyalty.'
Chapter Three
Along the beach, a young girl and her nanny search for shells.
