hated the English, not his father. It was right that they should be together now, he thought.
Herrick asked, 'Is it true about the attack, sir?'
Bolitho watched the leaping spray and listened to the whine 176 of wind through the rigging. 'It is half-true, Thomas,' he answered quietly. 'The Saphir is at St. Clar. If our people try and storm the harbour there will be a massacre.'
Herrick said at length, 'Then we must cruise off the inlet, sir. That way we can meet the squadron and prevent this attack from starting.'
Bolitho seemed to be speaking his thoughts aloud. 'A gesture. That is what they want. A gesture of faith.'
Then he swung round and grasped Herrick's arm, his face -close and determined. 'They shall have one! That Saphir has escaped me once, Thomas, I'll not let her spoil anything more for us!'
Herrick did not understand. 'Do you mean to attack, sir?'
He nodded firmly. 'I do. Under cover of darkness and as soon as possible!'
He broke off as the French boy walked slowly past, Allday's arm around his shoulders. It was over for Charlois.
Bolitho continued harshly, 'There was a brave man, Thomas. I have no time for one who dies for ambition. But a man who dies for a cause, no matter how unlikely, is a man to be remembered!' He gripped his hands behind him and stared at the dark sky. 'Now bring her around two points to larboard and lay a fresh course for the southern headland. We will be more sheltered there, and safe enough in this visibility to remain unseen.'
Herrick said, 'It will go against the admiral's orders, sir.'
Bolitho eyed him for several seconds, as if his mind was only half on what he was saying. Then he replied tersely, 'I am going to walk for a bit, Thomas. Do not disturb me until we are with a mile offshore.'
As the rain and spray lashed the decks and the Hyperion clawed her way closer to the hidden land, Bolitho strode restlessly up and down the weather side, his chin sunk in his neckcloth. his hands clasped behind him. He was hatless, yet seemed oblivious to the wind and spray, and conscious of nothing but his thoughts,
Herrick watched him and found time to wonder that he was still able to be surprised by anything Bolitho could do.
The Hyperion's wardroom felt damp and stuffy, and the air around the gyrating lanterns was encircled with thick blue smoke from several pipes as the assembled officers listened in silence to their captain's steady voice. Outside the pitching hull and beyond the shuttered stem windows the sea noises seemed muted, but it was also true that the ship's movements were less violent now that she was closer inshore and the headland was taking the worst of the wind's force.
Bolitho leaned on the spread chart and looked around at the intent faces. The expressions which met his gaze were as mixed as their owners. Some were obviously nervous, others showed an unthinking excitement. There were some like Herrick who were openly dismayed at the prospect of being left out of the actual operation until its final stage.
He said slowly, 'This' is a boat action, gentlemen. It has to be if we are to have any chance of a surprise attack.' He glanced down at the chart, not seeing any of the scribbled details, but in order to search his mind's fullest extent to find if he had forgotten, or worse, failed to explain what he expected of each of these men.
He said briskly, 'We will take the launch, the two cutters, gig and jolly boat. All told we will muster a force of ninety officers and men. Cutlasses and pistols, but make sure the latter are only issued to senior hands. I don't want some eager fellow letting off his weapon too soon and giving the game away!'
Gossett said gruffly, 'You say there's a beacon on the northern 'eadland, sir?' He leaned forward and tapped the chart with his long-stemmed pipe. 'According to the chart it's not been lit since war was declared.'
'Quite so.' Bolitho felt his limbs beginning to tremble with suppressed excitement. 'As we know, it was not alight during our other visit. The French take the view that by night nobody would be fool enough to try and sail into the anchorage without it. That, of course, does not apply to us!'
Several smiled, and he marvelled that such reckless comment could be greeted with anything but doubt. The whole scheme might be killed within minutes of starting if they were sighted by a sentry or stumbled on a patrol.
He hurried on, shutting out the picture of these same attentive officers lying dead or wounded under the angry sky. 'Mr. Herrick, you know what to do. You will cruise off the inlet and await the signal. When the beacon is lit you will enter harbour.' He fixed Herrick's grave eyes across the heads of the others, shutting them out from his words. 'If the signal does not appear you will under no circumstances try to force an entrance. You will seek out the squadron and endeavour to persuade Sir Edmund to stay clear.' He looked around their faces again. 'For if there is no signal, gentlemen, we will have failed!'
Rooke said, 'There will be the devil to pay if that happens, sirl'
Bolitho smiled quietly. `And maybe if we succeed, too.' He straightened his back, his expression final. 'Any more comments?'
There were none. They were committed, and Bolitho guessed that like himself most of them wanted to get it over with, one way or the other.
As they moved out to the upper deck Herrick paused and said softly, 'I wish I were going, sir.'
'I know.' Bolitho'watched the groups of motionless seamen being checked and rechecked by their petty officers, while others under the charge of Mr. Tomlin busied themselves around the tiered boats in readiness for lowering. He said, 'But this ship needs a good master, Thomas. If I fell in action afloat she would be in your hands.' He shrugged. 'If I die tonight the same applies.'
Herrick persisted stubbornly, 'All the same, sir, I would feel better being with you.'
Bolitho touched his sleeve. `All the same, you will stay. here and carry out my orders, eh?'
The boatswain crossed the crowded deck and touched his forehead. 'All ready, sir!'
– 'Very good, Mr. Tomlin. Man your boats!'
Seconds later at a whispered command from the quarterdeck the ship wallowed round towards the shore and hove to. The noise of yards and canvas, the creak and clatter of tackles and blocks as the boats were swung high above the larboard gangway seemed indescribably loud, yet Bolitho knew that from the land with the encroaching sounds of wind and sea they would not be noticed, with any luck at all.
He said. 'When we have left you will clear for action. You are short of officers now, but still have plenty of hands.'
Herrick tried to grin. 'I have the master and Mr. Caswell. The oldest and the youngest, and of course the bullocks, sir.'
Bolitho held up his arms as Allday buckled the swordbelt around his waist. For a moment longer he touched the worn hilt at his side and then said, 'Me ship is yours; Thomas.
Take good care of her.' Then he climbed up the gangway and peered down at the boats tethered alongside. They were filling with men, and even in the darkness he could see the checked shirts of the seamen, the gleam of weapons, the occasional darker shape of an officer.
He called, 'Very well, Mr. Rocket Carry on, if you please!'
He watched intently as the big launch and the first cutter cast off, and with their oars already dropping into the rowlocks idled clear of the side. Rooke and a midshipman were in charge, and within seconds both boats were swallowed up in the gloom. Next Inch in the second cutter cast off, and with rather more noise than necessary pulled lustily around the ship's bows. That only left the gig and little jolly boat, in the charge of Fowler, the third lieutenant, and Midshipman Piper.
Bolitho took a deep breath and glanced quickly around the upper deck. He could see Herrick and Gossett watching from the quarterdeck, and Captain Ashby further aft by the poop ladder, the latter no doubt still brooding because his marines were excluded from the raid.
Allday said, 'Ready when you are, Captain!' In the darkness his teeth were very white.
Bolitho nodded and swung himself out and down the main chains, waiting until the jolly boat lifted momentarily in a wavecrest before leaping down beside the others.
He leaned over the gunwale and waved to the gig. 'Mr. Flower, keep close astern of mel' To Midshipman Piper who squatted beside him he added, 'Cast off. There's a long pull ahead.'
The jolly boat lolled clear of the Hyperion's shining side, and as the oars bit into the tossing water turned and headed towards the shore. It was a small boat, and with ten seamen in addition to her crew, as well as Allday and the officers, would make heavy going of it.
