starboard.
'That was Earl, I'm sure,' Lavery said, his voice suddenly excited and high pitched.
'What was he firing at? Another gunboat? The ships ahead were not yet in range.'
Meanwhile aboard SeaWolf with still no visible target, the gun crews sat at their stations, restless and uncomfortable now that the north wind was gathering in force.
'Fog will be gone quick like,' the master proclaimed but that did nothing for the men as they shuffled and shivered, damp from the fog and cold from the wind. Gabe wished he hadn't ordered the gal ey fires out; a warm cup of coffee would have lifted their spirits if nothing else.
It was like holes in the sky as the sun was finally able to punch its way through the clouds. 'Maybe we can see now, sir,' the first lieutenant volunteered.
'And pray we be truly thankful for that which we are about to see,' Gabe replied sarcastically but was suddenly sorry for his words. 'My apologies, Mr. Hazard, I'm foul company this morning I fear.'
Another patch of fog rolled across the waves and with its passing the sky was almost clear. And with the clear sky the glimpse of sails Gabe had seen earlier, they were dead ahead and stretched across the horizon.
The lookout was calling down, 'Six…no…seven sets of sails, sir and one's a frigate.'
'What about the damn gunboats?' Gabe cal ed.
'No sign, sir.'
'We'll have to tack soon,' Hazard volunteered,
'The master has stated the sooner the better.' A number of smaller islands were now visible from the masthead and just beyond them a larger island, Grand Manan. Their present tack would take them dangerously close to those smaller islands.
'If it ain't the privateers, it is shoals and rocks,' the master declared.
'Signal from Le Frelon, sir, engage enemy, single action.'
'Damned cheeky of Earl if you ask me.' Turning Gabe was face to face with Caleb, 'Thinks he's a commodore no doubt.'
Gabe had to smile, 'Come to grab a bit of fresh sea sir before the excitement starts?'
'Aye,' Caleb replied, and then asked, 'What does Earl mean single action?'
'We'll break through the enemy's lines as a group then it's every man or every ship for himself.'
'Did I hear the lookout say one was a frigate?'
'That you did, my friend, but it's a small one, twenty-eight or thirty-two guns I'm sure, not a forty-four like Drakkar. '
'Deck there, the frigate has fired but ain't yet found the range.'
Caleb looked at his friend, 'Have a care and no heroics today. Your word.'
Grasping Caleb's hand Gabe replied, 'My word.'
'Liar,' Caleb responded then made his way below to recheck everything he'd already checked and make sure his mates were sober.
'Earl will have his hands full today,' Hazard volunteered. He had gotten to know the man well during his temporary command of SeaWolf. 'A very confident seaman and brave man. May God and luck be with him this day.'
'Aye,' Lavery answered. He too liked Earl and was concerned about his having to face a thirty-two gun frigate with a twenty gun corvette.
'Not worried about the odds are you Mr. Lavery?' Blake, the master asked.
'Who wouldn't be,' Lavery responded matter-of-factly. 'A schooner, a ketch, a brigantine, and a corvette against God knows what.'
Overhearing the two lieutenants' conversation Gabe didn't speak out but felt the same apprehension.
It had sounded like the best plan available back in Warrior's wardroom…but now. Well now, the plan was in effect and that was al there was to it.
'Shall I go aloft?' Dagan asked. He knew Gabe needed him at the masthead but seemed reluctant to order it.
'Yes, let me know what we are facing, a true picture.'
The lookout moved over as Dagan made his way onto the platform. A quick scan of three-hundred sixty degrees then Dagan settled his attention to the sails ahead. After scanning the horizon again, Dagan cal ed down his report.
'Seven ships and a gunboat, a gal ey I believe and there's wreckage aft, probably the gunboat we saw earlier.'
'Probably a forward scout,' Gabe thought.
As quickly as he'd gone aloft Dagan was quicker coming back down and expanding on his report.
'Seven ships and a large gal ey. Looks like three large schooners, sixteen or eighteen guns I'm thinking, a brig at least sixteen guns and the frigate. There's one ship aft I couldn't get a good look at and the gal ey appears to have a thirty-two pounder forward.'
As the ships continued to approach on a converging tack Hazard approached Gabe, 'It appears Le Frelon will be on one quarter and we'll be on the other of that frigate.'
'Aye,' Gabe answered, 'If we can time it right we can both give her a broadside and hopeful y she'll not have enough gunners to deliver a full blow from both sides at once. However, don't forget sir, we have a large schooner to our larboard that will be doing her damnedest to cripple us as well.'
'Aye, sir, I see her more clearly now.'
'Deck there, the schooner has just fired a bow chaser in our direction.'
It was a wet sailing master who turned inboard and growled. 'A miss, but close enough to soak me, by Gawd. He'll have our range with the next one, I'm thinking.'
Hearing the master's comments, Gabe spoke to his lieutenants, 'To your stations now. Keep a good lookout and after my first order to fire, then fire as you will. Remember it will be close action and from al quarters so don't wait for me to tell you what to do…just do it.'
As the two left Gabe looked over toward Swan. He could make out Markham and Davy. Both gave a wave and Gabe returned it.
'We'll al share a wet when this is over,' Dagan spoke softly.
'I'm looking forward to it.' Then Gabe made his way to the wheel. 'Al ready, Mr. Blake?'
'Aye, cap'n, we're ready by Gawd.'
Then speaking to the crew in general, Gabe cal ed out, 'A guinea to every member of the gun crew whose gun scores the first hit.' This set the men to howling.
'Mind you…mind you now. Men!' Gabe spoke again after quieting the men, 'If there's a tie you'll have to share the purse but I'll double the rum ration.' This again set the men to howling. This was what he wanted…to get the men in the right mood for what was forthcoming.
BOOM!…CRASH!…
The master was right. The approaching ships now had their range, and it would be a minute more before their guns would be in range; however, Earl had just let loose with a forward gun.
'Alter our course two points to windward,' Gabe ordered the helmsman, 'Then let's see if yon frigate notices the change before she fires again.' BOOM!…BOOM!…The frigate fired at Earl who quickly returned fire.
'A hit, a hit. Le Frelon has scored a hit.'
'The hornet has stung its prey,' Dagan quipped.
'Let's hope he does more than just sting him,' Blake replied after hearing Dagan's comment.
The converging schooner let off a gun. The shot landed close to SeaWolf’s bowsprit sending a spout of water over the bow and soaking a gun crew. still Gabe held his fire.
'Alter course again back to original course,' Gabe ordered the helmsman. 'No use wasting shots yet,' Gabe
