It was the way of it. Nelson always had said that if in doubt no captain could go wrong if he placed his ship alongside that of an enemy, and in this he was only taking to a higher plane the lion-hearted spirit of the seamen that was so much the reason for the invincibility of the Royal Navy.
Forward, Bowden touched his hat; his gaze was direct and untroubled. 'All forrard ready and waiting, sir,' he said gravely.
'Thank 'ee, Mr Bowden. I hope . . .' But Kydd could not finish and turned away abruptly.
The gunner was imperturbable in his tiny, claustrophobic magazine; the carpenter and his mates waited patiently at the forward end of the mess deck for the first smashing cannon strike through Teazer's side.
Acknowledging the boatswain's sketchy salute as he handed out from his store the tackles and stoppers for emergency repair to the rigging Kydd mounted the fore hatchway, nearly tripping over the sailmaker who was mustering his gear. 'Ye're going t' be busy in a short while, Mr Clegg,' he said.
'Sir,' he acknowledged, in his dry, whispery voice. The man had probably seen more service than that of any other two aboard put together.
Kydd moved to go, then paused. 'Ah, I'd like t' be very certain Teazer is properly at quarters in every part. Er, can ye tell me—slipped m' mind—what's the quarters f'r battle of, er, Able Seaman Sprits'l?'
Clegg's face creased into a pleased smile. 'Why, sir, you'll find him in y'r cabin safe 'n' snug,' he said, without embarrassment, 'Mr Tysoe standin' by.'
La Fouine took the wind to starboard and gathered way, his bowsprit as unwavering as an arrow, fixed on Teazer, who lay quietly under topsails two miles offshore.
'He's comin' out!' The yell went up from all parts of the ship, dissolving into high-spirited cheers. If there was to be any doubt about the outcome it would not be from before the mast.
Kydd stared forward resolutely, trying to penetrate the mind of the man who opposed him but receiving no hint from the cloud of canvas the ship carried as he pressed on through the entrance. What would be his next move? A flying pass, bow to bow, followed by a sudden turn to rake across Teazer 's stern? A stand-off bombardment, given his greater range guns? Close-in carnage? He must foresee every possible move and be ready to parry. And have his own counter-moves.
La Fouine came on fast with all plain sail set, no topsails for him. Kydd grew uneasy: what did it imply? He was just about to send topmen aloft when, clearing the mouth of the cove, La Fouine put up his helm and plunged downwind through the unknown coastal shoals, making for the open sea at the south end of the island.
'Be buggered! He's runnin', the shy cock!'
It was totally unexpected and Kydd had no option but to throw Teazer round and follow at a safe distance offshore, losing ground until his own courses were set and drawing. The straggling headland at the last of the land came and went; there was nothing now but a vast and empty sea, the ultimate battlefield.
Was La Fouine enticing Teazer towards a more powerful consort? Or simply making a break? At least his duty was plain: to use all possible means to close with the enemy and bring him to battle. But La Fouine was making fine speed away to the southeast and Teazer had yet to get into her stride.
There was one niggling fact, however: if La Fouine was trying to get away, why had he not set stuns'ls and all other possible aids to speed in running before the wind? Whatever the reason Kydd would not set them either; if La Fouine saw them laboriously rig stuns'l booms and bend on such sail he need only wait until all was in place, then go hard up into the wind, leaving Teazer to thrash along for the time she needed to take them in again.
The two ships stretched out over the sea until it became evident by sextant that the angle from waterline to La Fouine's masthead was increasing. Teazer was gaining! For all La Fouine's fancy ship-rig and smart seamanship Teazer was the faster vessel before the wind.
Thumping the rail Kydd urged his little ship on. La Fouine was now visibly nearer and a plan for close action would be needed. Through his glass Kydd thought he could pick out the blue and white figure of the captain on his quarterdeck: what was he thinking of Teazer now?
Then, not more than a quarter of a mile ahead, La Fouine spun at right angles to take the wind hard on his starboard cheek, angling away to the right. At the same time as his side lengthened his whole broadside bore on Teazer —he did not waste his chance and up and down his length hammered the flash and smoke of his guns, the breeze gaily sending the smoke rolling away over him to leeward.
Teazer's guns could not bear, but she made a narrow target, bows on; as far as Kydd could detect there was no damage.
Quickly he bellowed orders that had her pirouetting round as fast as the braces could be won, but La Fouine had gained vital points by reducing Teazer 's advantage to weather.
In the contest of ships' speeds it did not take the sextant to tell that close-hauled Teazer was even faster. Kydd guessed that La Fouine was overdue a careening, and a brig-sloop had the edge over the less handy ship-rigged species, but even so he felt a jet of pride.
A conclusion was now inevitable, and Kydd's mind raced. In the chase to windward he had the same kind of quandary: close-hauled, the best advantage to be gained was to toggle bowlines to their bridles and stretch forward the weather edge of the sails. This took time and, in just the same way as with the stuns'ls, if La Fouine were to revert back before the wind they would need removing. Again, he took his cue from the Frenchy: no bowlines, therefore none for him.
Kydd stepped over to the quartermaster at the wheel. 'Luff 'n' touch her,' he ordered. Tentatively Poulden eased the helm, watching for the slightest flutter at the taut, windward edge of the sail, at which point they were straining as close to the north-westerly as it was possible to be. Kydd was bargaining that Teazer had the speed to overcome the disadvantage of being so tight to the wind compared to one slightly fuller, and thus claw back some distance into the breeze. It would take longer to overhaul
