Sackett's Land

any gun to reach us.

            Men rushed to the rail with small arms. Jublain killed one with a pistol shot. They put their helm hard over to run us down, but Sakim had foreseen the move and was already moving away, then falling back.

            Somebody ran aft and fired a futile shot at us, and then there was another boom. We saw smoke lifting from the muzzle of one of the stern guns on the Tiger. One, then another.

            We did not see what effect the Tiger's guns had, but maneuvered close to stay out of range of the Jack's stern guns. Men came aft with muskets.

            I put an arrow into the first one, missed the second, and then suddenly, I swore.

            Sakim turned and looked at me. 'What?' he asked.

            'We are fools, Sakim. We forget the obvious.'

            They were all looking at me now.

            'The rudder,' I said, 'it's point-blank range. Smash their rudder.'

            Jublain had finished reloading the gun. 'All right. Ready when you are.'

            'Take her in close, Sakim.' I held my bow with an arrow notched.

            The Jolly Jack was swinging now to bring her starboard guns to bear on the Tiger.

            We ran in as close as we dared. Jublain touched the match to the hole. There was an instant of deadly silence while we waited, then the smash and concussion of the gun.

            The four-pound ball hit the rudder post and smashed it. Hastily, Jublain loaded again. It was a pleasure to watch the man, for it was obvious he was a gunner who knew his business, and he worked smoothly, without hesitation or fumble. Again the gun bellowed ... and the rudder hung loose. The ship looming over us began to fall away.

            Sakim was already turning our gig away. For an instant, close in to the vessel, we lost the wind. Then it filled our sails and the gig glided out from the shadow of the ship. A couple of shots barked heavily, balls hit near us, one striking splinters from the gunwhale, but our gig handled smoothly and we sailed away.

            Glancing back I saw the Jolly Jack had turned broadside to the shore, her guns no longer able to bear on the Tiger, some of the crew desperately trimming sail, others working at the stern to rig some kind of a jury rudder.

            The Tiger had floated free! Now her crew were trying to work her offshore. She had some canvas up, and the longboat was again towing her. As she turned, the Tiger let go with two guns, both shots taking effect in the Jack's rigging: a yard came crashing to her deck. And then the Tiger's sails filled and she gathered speed.

            The longboat cut loose and dropped back to be picked up.

            Further out upon the water we waited, watching the Jack. Bardle was a seaman. I'll give him that. He was using his canvas to keep her headed right, and his men were working feverishly. The Tiger moved in close to us and a seaman tossed us a line. Sakim made it fast and Corvino rigged the sling on our gun. With another line aft we held our gig close to the Tiger's side, as the gun was hoisted aboard and our own towline made fast.

            I was the last man to go aboard, and for a moment I clung to the rope and glanced shoreward. Dark and green was the distant forest, green of trees against the pale sandhills closer by, and blue the water. It was a fair land ... a fair land. I would leave it with reluctance.

            Hand over hand I went up the rope and the gig fell behind on its towrope. Tempany was on the quarterdeck, with Abigail close beside him.

            'Neat work, Sackett,' he said, 'very neat work.'

            We pointed our bows to the north and east, looking for a way to the open sea. Tempany had traded along the coast before coming to where we had met, and his trade had gone well. I had furs ... enough to pay me well for my time, yet I wanted more and we had the space for it.

            'What now?' Jublain asked me.

            'We'll sail north,' I said, 'but if I prevail we'll go into that big bay north of here, cut some mast timbers and burn driftwood for potash.'

            And so we did. On the shores of the large bay we found standing timber, and we cut several for ships' masts, burning wood the meanwhile until we had forty tons of potash to add to our cargo. There had been, meanwhile, more trade with Indians nearby.

            Dealing with Indians I found them of shrewd intelligence, quick to detect the false, quick to appreciate quality, quick to resent contempt and to appreciate bravery. So much of the Indian's life was predicated upon courage that he respected it above all else. He needed courage in the hunt, and in warfare, and to achieve success within the tribe he needed both courage and wit.

            We kept to smaller bays and river-mouths, hoping not to be found by Bardle. But we knew he would be looking. He was better gunned than we, and had a far larger crew, and fighting men all of them.

            At last, our holds filled to the bursting with furs, potash and timber, we set sail for England.

            'It will be good to be home,' Abigail said, at supper.

            'Yes,' I agreed, reluctantly, 'but I shall come back to these shores.'

            Tempany looked up from his soup. 'If we come safely back to England,' he said, 'you will realize a goodly sum.'

            'Yes,' I agreed.

            'And you have friends there, awaiting your return.'

            'That is possible,' I said carefully, 'but I place no faith in such things. My future is one I must make myself, this I know. And my future, I think, is back there.'

            'Gosnold will be sailing again, and there was talk of what Raleigh might do. So many have disappeared in that wilderness ... We have been very fortunate.'

            We discussed much during the long and often stormy nights that followed. We talked of a trading post, of a place in London, on the docks, a place from which to sell or ship our goods. With a man in London, Tempany commanding the ships, and myself in America, we could soon build such a business.

            'Who for London?' Tempany said, frowning. 'I have been so long away that I know few men.'

            'I know the man,' I said quietly. 'He is a rogue, but an honest man withal. I speak of Peter Tallis.'

            'You spoke of him. Is he to be trusted?'

            'I believe so. I would trust him if he gave us his word ... and he is shrewd. He knows business, he knows people, he is aware of all that goes on in London. We should look far for a better man.'

            'Talk to him then.'

            So I intended, and such plans were made, and the plans for the discharge of my cargo, and for sharing with Jublain and Corvino. All this was attended to.

            We sailed up the Thames, at last, looking at the lights along the shore. It seemed impossible there could be so many.

            Suddenly, Jublain grasped my arm. 'Barnabas ... look!'

            He pointed, and I felt a shock, then a wave of disquiet and fear.

            And well I might.

            It was the Jolly Jack, come home before us, and by the look of her, here for several days.

            Nick Bardle was ashore then, and he would surely have seen Rupert Genester.

            They would be waiting for me.

        Chapter 18

            River men came alongside, calling up to take us ashore, but Tempany would have none of them. 'They are a hard lot, good men many of them, arrant thieves many others. We will take no risk. We'll take our own boat ashore.'

            He glanced at me. 'Do you take care. I am ashore to speak of my voyage and our success, as well as to lay plans for our next.'

            'Corvino is off to the Walk for Peter Tallis,' I said, 'and I shall go to the Tabard and send word to my