“Go on.” Cobb said, releasing his grip.
“My name is Tim Sladen. I am a tobacco merchant from the States, and I was in Kingston when Admiral Sharpe attempted his coup against the Governor. He failed and we set off under contract from Governor Geor Alton to hunt down the two remaining ships and return them to the King’s justice.” He rattled. “Since they departed Kingston, one of them has engaged a merchant ship named ‘Gazelle’ laden with payment to the Crown from the East India Company. I believe they have joined causes with a band of pirates to further their cause.”
“Why would Lieutenant Pike join in with pirates?” a sailor in the crowd shouted over, red faced and visibly irate. “I manned helm on his watch, and I was there next to him when it was pirates that fired on us! It’s hog spit, it makes no sense. But what I have seen, Cobb, is I have seen this bastard push three men who were trying to rescue him back into a feeding frenzy in the water! I say we toss his arse over and watch while they rip him to ribbons!” Several shouts of agreement rose from the crowd that was now encroaching on Tim’s position on deck. Cobb shifted his gaze back to the pitiful looking American who had fallen to his knees.
“There is gold at stake here. The payment from the Company is a massive amount, all the profits from India and the Caribbean over the course of the last year. The Admiral’s treasons were an attempt to seize that payment. They are pilfering riches from the East India Company,” Tim pleaded, hoping the mention of gold would pique their interests. Cobb smiled broadly as a fortunate coincidence hit his mind.
“Who here remembers the flag signal we flew before the pirates fired on us?” Cobb shouted over the crew.
“Captain Grimes inquired the Admiral for tea,” a sailor called back in reply. “Could he have been alluding to the East India ships?” Faces in the crowd of sailors suddenly shifted expression, trading knowing looks and shrugged shoulders. Cobb could see them drawing the conclusion he had aimed them toward.
“Snap to on deck,” Cobb barked, “Ready on the main! I want full sail and taut sheets; we have a ship of traitors to hunt down!”
Chapter 12
H.M.S Endurance
26 Sept 1808
17 Degrees 32 minutes N, 76 Degrees 12’ W
The incessant pounding and hacking at the barricaded doors of the aft castle cabin had gone on for hours. Near midnight, Lieutenant Shelton had come up with the idea for a sortie to buy time if not retake some of the ship. He and several of the marines who had taken refuge inside the cabin would climb out the fantail windows and up onto the stern, from there they would counter the assault and attempt to regain control of the helm. Will sat on a wooden bench rubbing his temples while Shelton spelled out his intent. He looked down where the unconscious woman lay on the deck and considered how much of their predicament could be accounted to his decision to aid her.
“It is our best chance, Sir. If we sit in here and cower among ourselves, eventually they will break down the door, barricade be damned. We cannot hold out forever.” Shelton pleaded.
“Neither can they, with another ship approaching, their attention will have to avert to that and soon.” Will countered.
“And if they are pirates? Or suppose she is a French privateer. Are we really considering another ship for our salvation? Sir?” Shelton pressed, his tone was plagued by the frustration of their predicament and becoming more challenging by the minute.
“It won’t solve all of our problems. Only give them more to contend with. Damn it! This confounded crew of greedy bastards why am I so cursed?” Will shouted, kicking over a stool near his leg. “Grimes would know the answer, but better yet, Grimes wouldn’t be in this situation to begin with. I’ve failed my commission, failed the Navy, the crew. I’ve failed. The board was right, I’m not ready for command of my own.”
“You’ve only failed us Sir, if you surrender to it. So long as there is fight left in those of us with you Will, don’t give up hope.” Shelton replied with a hopeful look. Will’s shoulders sagged for a moment, feeling the weight of every eye in the room falling on him at once. He shifted his gaze back to the woman on the deck and caught her stirring. She lifted an eyelid and pressed her arm outward against the deck, rolling herself to one side with a painful groan.
“She lives!” a marine uttered.
“Aye get water lad. Shelton, get these men ready. You’re going to carry out your assault plan, but I want you to time it with the arrival of that approaching vessel.” Will said, fighting the nagging doubt in back of his thoughts.
“Yes Sir. Let me have a look and see if I can spot her again,” he replied with a renewed vigor as he paced back to the fantail windows.
Will knelt next to the stirring woman, seeing her confusion and shock to be in a large stateroom.
“Who are you? Where are we?” her question rasped in a near whisper.
“We are aboard the H.M.S Endurance miss, the Navy vessel that sank your own. I found you in the debris field and we fished you aboard.” Will answered in a flat tone but not unkind.
“Why? Why rescue me just to hang me? You should have saved your efforts and let the sea take me,” she hissed in her rasp.
“I’ll not presume the King’s justice, nor will I stay it. You may hang woman, but not now. I found you alive and I am honor bound to aid any soul at sea in need. Gallows bound or not.” Will answered through a fresh battery of
