attacker then thrust his blade forward, the tip of which stung as it pierced flesh entering Anthony's abdomen. Anthony twisted and avoided most of the man's attack, then raised his pistol and fired into the man's chest. Dropping the pistol to the deck, Anthony shifted his cutlass to his right hand and with his left pulled the blade from his flesh. Hot, warm blood flowed over his hand as he did so.
Seeing the admiral wounded, another foe attacked him only to have Bart step between the two. Surprise filled the man's face as an enraged Bart now in a killing mood smashed the hilt of his cutlass into the man's face; dazing his opponent who never saw the backward swing of Bart's blade that severed his head which toppled to the deck before the rest of the body slumped.
Standing over Anthony, Bart called, 'Merlin's, to me, to the admiral.'
The British sailors quickly gathered in a knot around their admiral to protect him, but the fight was over.
Gabe was quickly there. After seeing to his brother, Gabe sent Dagan to fetch Caleb while he tried to make him comfortable. Anthony was carried to Earl's quarters on Merlin protesting that he could walk. Caleb quickly removed Anthony's coat and shirt. He gently probed the wound with a cloth soaked in rum. Then taking a clean rag Caleb ran it through the wound leaving a wick of sorts.
'Twisting as you did,' Caleb explained, 'the man's blade penetrated the fleshy part of the abdomen but did not enter the viscera. Therefore, the internal organs were not disturbed. I have ordered an anodyne… a nostrum composed of extraction Thebaicum and wine. It will Barracuda
induce sleep and prevent pain. A dose of which I think will be most needed once the adrenalin of the battle has waned. The only concern would be if the evil humours create a putrid fistula in the wound. If necessary a balm of sulfur, glycerin and hogs lard can be impregnated into a dressing and applied.'
As the group left, Anthony gave Earl instructions about the captured ship. His words slurred from Caleb's concoction before he could complete his orders. The last words he heard before sleep overtook him was Bart saying, 'I's didn't mean for you to loose yews belly that way.'
Damn him, Anthony thought, always has to have the last word.
Chapter Seventeen
Damme, but I don't know what's worse, Lord Anthony thought. This pain from the wound, nausea from Caleb's concoction or the headache from the hammering on deck.
Earl had just come down to visit along with Gabe and the masters from each ship as ordered by Anthony.
'Repairs on Merlin and SeaWolf are about finished so we can soon be underway,' Earl had said.
'We were lucky,' Gabe had said.
Neither Merlin nor SeaWolf had anything other than superficial damage. The captured ship had at one time been a merchant vessel that had been converted into a privateer. She had been armed much like a forty gun frigate. She was old but still seaworthy. At the time of battle she only carried a crew of some two hundred.
However, even from the poor attempt at recordkeeping by her captain, it appeared she had started her cruise with some three hundred and seventy five men. Some of these men were recorded D.D. or discharged dead while others were noted to have been used as prize crews on captured ships. From the initials D.D., Anthony could only assume whoever had tried their hand at recordkeeping had spent some time in the British Navy.
The remaining privateer's crew appeared to be a mixture of Colonials, French, Spanish and even a few blacks. The records also showed an alarmingly large list of ships and cargos taken.
'Damned busy fellow if you ask me,' Earl had said.
The name on the ship's stern was the Argus but the ship was definitely Spanish built. Dagan had talked to a few of her crew and they all seemed aware of a 'Ghost ship' that deliberately destroyed rather than take its foe.
'She's called a ghost ship because all the captain leaves behind is the spirits of the dead souls he's sent to the deep. One of the men we questioned said once he's blasted away at the ships protecting the convoy, he'll send a boat to various ships. If a cargo strikes his fancy he'll take it but just as often he'll just stand off and fire into a ship until she's sunk, with no apparent rhyme or reason. Usually it's a ship what be under British colors.' All heads turned as Bart spoke. He generally didn't say much during a conference but when he did it paid to listen.
Lord Anthony looked at his cox'n and queried,
'Where did you get this information?'
'From a rogue what 'ad run and signed on with the freebooters,' Bart replied, 'I see'd this man wot had tattoos on his arm and 'ad a Kentish accent. So I's sided up to 'em wid a wet and says we looking for good tars. I told 'em iffen he'd mind 'is manners like and was helpful in giving us-uns some useful 'telegence, life would go better for 'em. Utterwise 'ed be dancing the newgate jig for desertin'.'
Bart's use of 'newgate jig' to threaten a hanging caused a chuckle from the officers. ''Pears' he seed things me way,' Bart continued, ''Cause after a taste of me wet his tongue loosened up quicker than a whore's drawers.'Did the scoundrel say where the ship's homeport is?' Anthony asked.
'He's not sure,' Bart continued, 'They've seen ' em at Isla de Tesoros and at Cayo Hueso.'
'Where are these places?' Anthony asked directing his question to the two masters.
'I know more about Cayo Hueso than Isla de Tesoros,' Gunnells replied.
'What about you, Quinn?' he asked Earl's master.
'I've been to Isla de Tesoros,' Quinn replied. 'Its name means Treasure Island after all the loot what's been cached there over the years. It's a small island that lies under Havana 's belly. There's several smaller islands scattered about. There's no way to get close without being spotted except for a night passage. Something I'd be leery of. My charts are sketchy at best, but the passage from either the eastern or western side is narrow with reefs and small islands that could ground or worse rip the bottom clean out of a vessel. I'd not try without a pilot. If that's his lair I'd blockade the area.'
'We can't,' Earl interrupted, 'That would create a national incident.'
'We still may take a peek,' Anthony replied not yet ready to give up. He then turned his attention back to Gunnells, 'Tell me about Cayo Hueso.'
'It used to be called Bone Key from all the dead Indians that died in a big Indian War,' Gunnells said,
'Now it's called Cayo Hueso which is Dago for Key West. It's a small island about three and one-half by one and one-half miles. My charts say it's the deepest port between New Orleans in the Gulf and Norfolk in the Atlantic. Due to the abundant rainfall there's usually plenty of fresh water. The island is full of small inlets that wind their way into thick stands of mangroves. There are also lots of mahogany trees that are good for ship's repair. Far as I know while both Havana and Britain
claim it, no one government controls it. It's used by fishermen to dry and salt their catch. There's more'n one story of wreckers luring some ship in only to run aground. While the port is deep water it'd take a skilled man to navigate the treacherous reefs and currents.
Somebody like your flag lieutenant.'
'My flag lieutenant?' Anthony quizzed with a surprised look on his face.
'Aye, my lord. We've shared a wet at the Mermaid and he told me before the war he'd done a bit o'… salvage work.'
'Well, damme,' Anthony exclaimed, 'Maybe Dagan's lady luck has decided to smile down upon us.' Then almost as an afterthought Anthony asked,
'Did anyone get a name for this ghost ship?'
'Aye,' Bart spoke up again, 'She be the Barracuda.'
'Hummph…,' Anthony mused. 'Is there anything to suggest the Argus and Barracuda are in link.'
'No, my lord, just the opposite I would say,' Earl answered. 'Unlike the organization we found with the captain of the Reaper, the Barracuda has chosen the name well. She appears to be a rogue ship that for the most part operates alone. A ship that has a vendetta for the British.'
At this point the sentry announced, 'Merlin's first lieutenant says winds picking up.' Upon hearing this, the two masters made their way topside. Gabe said his goodbyes and departed as well.
'Did you find anything else of interest on the Argus?' Anthony asked Earl after everyone was gone.
'Not really, sir. Stores were almost depleted so I believe the ship was headed to replenish them. I was amazed
