“Captain, Sir, are you alright?” Will asked spitting seawater as he spoke.
“I’m fit for tea with the King lad.” Johnathan answered, laboring his words out. “We just fancied a swim.”
“What happened Sir?” asked Will, he lifted Grimes’ head up slightly to keep it out of the water.
“Cobb. Cobb’s mutiny…” Grimes faded out of consciousness.
“Throw me a line!” Will cried up to the sailors on deck. With lifeline in hand and a dozen sailors heaving them up, Will had his commander aboard the Endurance. The sailors relieved him of Captain Grimes and lay him on deck next to the other man they had rescued. Will hunched over the two men, Lieutenant Shelton lay next to Grimes both men unconscious. Shelton still bleeding from a number of wounds. A boiling rage rose inside of Lieutenant Pike and he looked up over his shoulder into the rising dawn. The shimmering sunlight danced along the water, shining brilliantly into his eyes. Squinting and blocking some of the light with his hand Will could make out the silhouette of the Valor under full sail. She was listed slightly from the wind and making good speed.
“Many things I could say of Cobb, but he is an able sailor, damn.” Will growled to himself. “All hands, full sail and beat to quarters, run out those chasers!” Will ordered as he stood to follow the sailors hauling the rescued officers below deck. “Fetch me when we’re in range, if she turns, if the wind shifts, anything,” he said to Harper and disappeared below.
The rhythmic rocking of the ship did little to hinder the aging doctor in his examination and treatment of both men. Occasionally he would beckon Will to assist in some small way, holding a lantern, helping remove some article of sea-soaked clothing that was a hindrance. Will felt utterly helpless standing and watching. What little he knew about wounds was of no use in a room with a man who had quite literally been practicing medicine since before Will was born. After about twenty minutes of looking over both officers, the Doctor turned to Will with a stone expression.
“This one will live,” he motioned to Lieutenant Shelton, “The Captain however, I’m not sure how he is still alive. He has recovered somewhat from his blood loss, but the infection is advanced. If it were in another part of the body amputation would be his only hope and still overdue. He may survive the day, not much longer.”
“Thank you, Doctor. Please excuse me, if you would Sir. I’d like a few moments alone with them.” Will replied, desperately trying to shrug off the doctor’s prognosis of Captain Grimes.
The array of glass windows across the rear of the cabin began to shine with daylight as Will sat silently looking over his fellow officers. Captain Grimes lay mortally wounded, Admiral Sharpe dead by the American’s hand, his contingent of marines was cut by two thirds in the engagement in Kingston. Half the fleet was lost in the harbor and now the Valor taken by mutiny. How quickly the Caribbean had chewed through them, Will thought. The first engagement nearly broke them, leaving the Valor in shambles. She still had not been fully refitted. The fact that she was making speed now was a testament to Cobb’s seamanship. There was no denying, Cobb had a great deal of knowledge and skill for sailing. But his honor, that was another matter entirely. There were no doubts in Will’s mind, Cobb had sown dissent amongst the crew since the exchange outside the cove. Having half the fleet gunned down by a British colonial fort before their very eyes only played further into his hand. Without question, he decided, there are men aboard following Cobb under false assumptions. But the frigate, even wounded, would still be capable of sailing circles around the cumbersome line flagship. Her larboard battery was in shambles, but the crew could, given enough time in fair seas, transfer some of the starboard guns over. Even at half power, with a proper commander, she was still dangerous. Will’s mind ached with the possibility of engaging the Valor, men with whom he had served, many if not all would die in such a battle. How was any of this to be explained upon his return to England? A rogue Governor? An American conspirator leaving two ships sunk and mutiny aboard a third? Will felt as though he was drowning in despair. The words of the Admiralty board in London crept into his mind, You are not yet ready for a command of your own, they had felt like a hammer blow that afternoon in the roasting oven of the board room. Here, in the late Admiral’s cabin, thousands of miles removed, the words stung more than ever.
Lieutenant Shelton came to first, a fit of coughing rousting him awake. Will grabbed the young man’s hand and knelt at his side.
“You’re alright lad, relax.” He said, easing the Lieutenant back into the hammock.
“Will?”
“Yes, you’re aboard the Endurance. My lookouts saw you in the dawn, thank god, any earlier and we’d likely have missed you both. What happened?” asked Will.
“Cobb happened. They organized a mutiny, I tried to fight them Will, but he’s turned too many. They took the watch and locked the marines into the hold, when I awoke, they stormed the cabin. I didn’t stand a chance Will.” Shelton rasped.
“Ok. Ok lad take it easy now. Cobb’s had his fun, now we’ll see if he’s got the stones to weather the storm he’s just whipped up.” replied Will.
“He’s got enough to sail her Sir, but he can’t fully man the gun lines at the same time.” Shelton reported, is voice cracking to a whisper.
“Good. Fine job Lieutenant. You rest now, we’ll see to the mutineers.” Will eased the young officer to lay back into the hammock and turned for the hatch. He paused for a moment, looking over the pair. Shelton’s wounds were not too
