wanted was to get the boats away. No second plan, no arrangements for possible discovery had even been discussed.
The Andiron was supposed to be ancknred below Dogwood Point, but even allowing for better shelter inshore, it was still likely that her captain had called extra hands to watch for possible dangers in the rising wind. Herrick had a sudden picture of his exhausted boats' crews arriving at the ship's side to be met with a murderous fire from the awakened and eager gunners.
Ryan was shouting again. `There's a strong drift, y'see! It'll carry us clear of the 'eadland, sir!' He sounded bitter. `It'll be a long pull to clear the point at this rate.'
As if to, back his words there was ann anonymous rumble of voices from the darkened boat. Someone muttered, `We should turn back. There's no chance now!'
Herrick glared down the boat. `Silence! Do you want the whole island to hear us?'
Ryan whispered, `Could we not lie beneath the point, sir?' He sounded slightly ashamed. `We could rest the men a bit an' then try again.'
Herrick nodded, another plan forming in his brain. `Good idea. Signal the cutter, Ryan.' He took the tiller as the quartermaster opened the shutter of his lantern and blinked it twice astern. To the oarsmen he snapped, `Keep the stroke! Together, now!' There was no muttering, but he could sense them all watching him in the darkness. He added, `The rest of you keep baling, and watch the oars. I want 'em muffled at every pull!'
Ryan said, `Cutter's turnip', sir. I can see the pinnace back there, too.'
`Well, thank God for that!' Herrick forgot the grumbling seamen as the skyline hardened into a jagged overhanging cliff. It was Dogwood Point well enough, but they had drifted further than he had feared. They were not below it, but on the wrong side altogether. As he stared wretchedly at the land's hostile outline he felt the boat's motion begin to ease and heard the oars pick up a steadier time as the launch thrust into more sheltered water.
He said quietly, `Oars! Easy with those blades now! You sound like a lot of damn cattle!'
The boat rode uneasily in the inshore swell while the weary sailors fell across their oars and sucked gratefully at the damp air. The pinnace moved out of the gloom and lay close by, and then the cutter crossed to the other side and paddled nearer so that Midshipman Maynard could make himself heard.
`What shall we do, Mr. Herrick?'
`Lie here for a bit!' Herrick spoke slowly to give himself time to sort out his hazy ideas. He wished Maynard would not sound so lost and bewildered in front of his men. Things were already bad enough. He added, `Where is Mr. Parker and the jolly boat?'
Maynard shrugged, and Packwood, the boatswain's mate, called quickly from the pinnace, `We've lost sight of him long since, Mr. Herrick!'
Herrick controlled his reply with an effort. `Maybe he turned back!'
A seaman murmured, `Sunk more likely!'
Herrick made up his mind. `Come alongside! But get some fenders out!'
He waited, holding his breath as- the two boats sidled against the launch. At each creak and thud he expected to hear shouts from ashore, or the ominous rattle of musket fire. But only the wind and the hissing spray interrupted his words as Maynard and Packwood craned to hear him.
`If we pull around the point we shall be too late to make an attack.'
Maynard muttered petulantly, `We were given too far to row in my opinion. It was impossible from the start!'
Herrick snarled, `No one is asking for your opinion, so just listen to me will you?' Herrick was surprised at the savagery in his own voice but hurried on, There should be a bit of foreshore below the point, so we'll head for it now. Mr. Packwood will wait with half a crew per boat and lie as close as possible to the rocks.' He waited, feeling the tension dragging at his patience. `Understand?'
They nodded doubtfully and he continued, `Mr. Maynard will accompany me ashore with thirty men. If we scale the point we should be able to see down the other side. If the Andiron is still there we might try an attack even now, especially if she looks peaceful enough and is close to the headland. Otherwise we will head back to the picking-up area.' He had a brief picture of Vibart's scorn and rage when he returned to announce the failure of the attack. He again felt the same unreasonable anger at the mission. The admiral should have sent a heavier force. Even the Cassius would have helped just by adding her strength and availability for the final withdrawal.
Perhaps it was his own fault after all. If he had not trusted Vibart's complacency and had checked the distance from the shore more carefully. If only he had allowed for the change of wind and the savage offshore drift. He shook himself angrily. It was too late now. The present was all that counted.
But he still found time to imagine Bolitho in these circumstances. The mental picture of that impassive face helped to steady him and he said in a level voice, 'Bear off and head for the rocks. But not a sound, any of you!'
.One by one the boats moved inshore, and when almost hemmed in by dark-fanged rocks the first men leapt slipping and cursing into shallow water.
There was no point in trying to split the party into groups now, Herrick decided. It would take too long, and they had taken enough chances already. He watched the three boats move clear and then snapped, `Mr. Maynard, come with me. McIntosh will take charge down here.' He groped through his mind to remember the carefully listed names. 'Allday and Martin follow me!'
Allday seemed a capable man, and Martin, who had once earned a rare living as a Dorset poacher, was as nimble and quiet as a rabbit.
As they climbed in silence up the steeply sloping cliff Herrick again thought of Bolitho and his dashing attack on Mola Island. There he had to deal with every sort of danger, yet he had succeeded at the cost of his own life. Compared with Mola Island this escapade was nothing, he thought grimly.
And why had he made a point of suggesting an alternative to the attack? Was he perhaps already preparing to slip away to the waiting Phalarope without even attempting to complete the mission?
He stumbled and almost fell to the rocks below, but a hand seized his wrist and he heard Allday say, `You must watch this sort of cliff, sir! It feels secure, but the stones are only caked in soil. There's no real grip in them.'
Herrick stared at him. Of course, Allday had been a shepherd as well as a sailor. After Cornwall 's rocky cliffs and hills this was probably child's play to him.
As if reading his thoughts Allday murmured, 'Many's the time I've been down this sort of thing after a wandering lamb.
They both froze in silence as Martin hissed, `Sir! There's a sentry up yonder!'
Herrick stared. `Where? Are you sure, man?'
Martin nodded vehemently. `Thirty yards or so over there!. I heard his boots. There!' His eyes gleamed excitedly. 'Did you hear 'em?’
'Yes, I did.' Herrick sank down on a ledge of wet grass. A sentry up here. What was the point of it? No man could see much beyond the edge of the cliff at night-time. He said, `We'll crawl closer and take a lookl'
Holding their weapons clear of the treacherous stones they wriggled across the side of the headland, their eyes smarting from straining and watching.
Herrick said at length, `Martin, get away to the left. Allday, take the seaward side.' He watched them crawl away. `We'll push on up this slope, Mr. Maynard. I feel that something is not quite right here.'
Allday came back first, his body bent double as he ran quickly from bush to bush. `The Andiron's there right enough, sir! She's just on the other side of the point. She's in complete darkness. Not a light or a sound from her!'
Maynard muttered, `They must be damn confident!'
Allday said, `The crew could be ashore, sir.'
`Unlikely.' Herrick tried to find the cause of his uncertainty. `Their anchorage must be a good one.' He stiffened and then relaxed as. Martin slithered down the slope on his scrawny buttocks.
Martin waited to regain his breath. 'Them's soldiers up there, sir!'
`What are they doing?' Herrick forced himself to remain calm.
'Sleepin' by the looks of it, sir!' Martin picked a thorn from his bare foot. 'They'm got a sentry at each end, but the rest is just lyin' about.' He shrugged. 'Sleepin' like I said!' He sounded scornful.
Herrick asked sharply, `What did you mean, Martin, 'at each end'?'
