Wake of the Perdido Star (52 page)
Read Wake of the Perdido Star Online
Authors: Gene Hackman
“Good job, lad. You'll make a seaman yet!” Jack bellowed to Quince. The older man laughed.
“Mind your guns, nipper, and let me guide the ship.”
Jack looked at Hansumbob. “How far inshore do you think we've come?”
“I figure forty to sixty yards closer, Jack. Yep, that's what I figure. I figure fortyâ”
“Right.”
Paul shouted they were coming up on parallel, and Jack had his men crank down a half turn. Hansum fired his cannon, and Jack could see the shot explode in the center of the dry goods. The rest of the cannon followed suit, and the warehouses were all alight.
Jack turned to the first mate. “Mr. Quince, sir, I think it's time we found our way into open water.”
“Aye, Skipper. Open water she is.”
Quince turned the wheel 20 degrees to the north and made for the mouth of the harbor. Jack stood in the fantail, leaning against the rail, transfixed by the blazes. The warehouse fire had blocked his view of Count de Silva's hacienda. Jack wished he could have stayed and watched the count's home burn to the ground.
Quince turned the wheel over to Mentor, easing his bulk next to Jack.
“I should like a word with you.”
Jack nodded.
“You handled yourself well this past several hours, but let me tell you, lad: don't indulge yourself in anger.”
Jack said nothing.
“This last five minutes you've been standing here, talking to yourself, spewing venom at a city ablaze. You have a crew to tend to, guns to reload. Let's turn to.”
Jack glanced back at the bay. “The burning wasn't enough. I thought it would be, but it's not. I want him desperately, Quince.”
“All in good time, lad. If he has a way to retaliate, he will. If not, we'll lay off for a bit, then beat our way north for cooler climes.”
Jack turned to help the crew reload as the ship carved her path through the lightening red sky.
The
Star
hove to, riding the gentle swells of Habana's outer harbor, the sun just beginning to peek over the horizon. No active flames remained on the wharf as far as Jack could tell, but smoke hung as a thick cloud over the entire town. Most of the damage had been confined to de Silva's holdings, but merchants and town dignitaries mingled with the waterfront riffraff, obviously trying to make sense of it all. There had been no concerted attack on the town, just one ship on a rampage against certain propertiesâJack knew that Spaniards understood blood grudges.
Star
hove to, riding the gentle swells of Habana's outer harbor, the sun just beginning to peek over the horizon. No active flames remained on the wharf as far as Jack could tell, but smoke hung as a thick cloud over the entire town. Most of the damage had been confined to de Silva's holdings, but merchants and town dignitaries mingled with the waterfront riffraff, obviously trying to make sense of it all. There had been no concerted attack on the town, just one ship on a rampage against certain propertiesâJack knew that Spaniards understood blood grudges.
Crowds had gathered in the heights and on an unpopulated spit of land wide enough for traffic at low tide. Carriages were drawn up to the water's edge, their occupants staring at the sleek dark ship that had caused so much havoc.
Jack leaned on the rail of the quarterdeck with Quince, Mentor, and Paul. “They don't know what to think,” Paul said. “They realize somebody in their midst just heard a whisper from hell, but they're not sure if maybe he didn't deserve it.”
“Aye,” from Quince. “The buggers don't know if we're the instrument of the Lord or the devil.”
His comment was punctuated by report of a cannon from the castillo, then another. The fort would periodically let fly with shells from their longest distance ordnance, all falling far short of the
Star
.
Star
.
“Guess they feel like they ought to be doing something,” Jack said.
Some of the merchant vessels were pulling anchor and edging away from the
Star
, closer to the protection of the town's guns.
They flew white flags to emphasize that they were neutral regarding whatever the hell mayhem had torn the night asunder. The presence of the merchantmen played well into the plans of the Brotherhood; Quince and Jack had judged correctly that the castillo would prove ineffective against a single rogue ship plying its way quickly through a harborful of merchant ships, particularly at night.
Star
, closer to the protection of the town's guns.
They flew white flags to emphasize that they were neutral regarding whatever the hell mayhem had torn the night asunder. The presence of the merchantmen played well into the plans of the Brotherhood; Quince and Jack had judged correctly that the castillo would prove ineffective against a single rogue ship plying its way quickly through a harborful of merchant ships, particularly at night.
When they had passed within range of the castillo's cannon, they made sure to keep the lawful merchant vesselsâladen with goods from Spain and valuable human cargo from Africaâbetween them and the fort. Not one of the few desultory shots taken at them so much as nicked their ship's wood or canvas.
Jack felt it dreamlike, that tense but silent exit from the inner harbor. The
Star
passed one ship after another, their officers and crews commanding their men to keep clear of their deck guns and show no hostile intentions as the dark ship with an even darker flag swept by.
Star
passed one ship after another, their officers and crews commanding their men to keep clear of their deck guns and show no hostile intentions as the dark ship with an even darker flag swept by.
“Quite a few of those ships could have outgunned us,” Quince offered reflectively. “Only they had more to lose, to their way of thinking, and it wasn't their fight.”
“It was more than that,” said Paul, emerging from his self-absorption and casting a glance at the dark piece of cloth fluttering at the
Star'
s mainmast. “It never ceases to amaze me that once you identify yourself as a wolf, the sheep and cows back off, no matter how big they are.”
Star'
s mainmast. “It never ceases to amaze me that once you identify yourself as a wolf, the sheep and cows back off, no matter how big they are.”
“What? What are you blatherin' about, Paul?” Quince had that look of stolid forbearance he assumed when Le Maire was priming himself for one of his soliloquies.
“Just that, you knowâI mean, here Jack goes, asking all the proper officials for justice, and they smirk at him. Now that we've defied their laws, burnt their butts, and spit in their collective eyes, hell, they treat us with a measure of respect. I mean, look at them. They're not so haughty now.”
“Still surprises me they haven't come for us,” said Quince. “I thought the Dons was keeping at least two pickets around the
harbor . . . seemed like a fifth rate and a brig. They'd play hell catching us but could sure outgun us if they did.”
harbor . . . seemed like a fifth rate and a brig. They'd play hell catching us but could sure outgun us if they did.”
“Been wondering that myself,” remarked Jack. “Maybe they figured enough blood has been spilt over that murdering de Silva. Long as they can keep their damn slaves and make their damn money to keep their women in fancies, these righteous businessmen could care less for his poor fortune.”
The entire crew of the
Star
had left their posts and were gathered at various points along the starboard rail, savoring the moment.
Star
had left their posts and were gathered at various points along the starboard rail, savoring the moment.
“Ya aren't having second thoughts about going back after de Silva, are ya, Jack?” Mentor spoke in his usual measured tones.
“No. We can't go back in there without ending up dancing from a gibbet.... We've burnt his home to the ground and destroyed his businessâwe'll have to let things settle down before we show our faces again.”
“I believe we've done worse than kill him, tied as he is to everything he owns,” added Paul.
“But I do worry for Quen-Li. That concerns me even more right now than not having de Silva's head in a bag. I thought we'd rouse him with all the havoc we caused. I'm really worried something's happenedâI know he would have come back once the ruckus startedâif he was able.”
Others ayed to that, especially Hansumbob, particularly distraught that his “Chinee friend what had saved his life” was missing.
Paul took a deep breath. “I sure wishâ” he started, when suddenly the bulwark on the port side of the
Star
seemed to explode into a thousand pieces.
Star
seemed to explode into a thousand pieces.
“What in hell!”
The report of the cannon followed instantly, slightly behind the ball itself. Jack turned in time to see another puff of smoke from a ship bearing down on them from the east. With the sun at its back, the Spanish brig-of-war came out of the bright glare at full sail.
“All hands to quarters,” Quince bellowed instantly. Then to
Jack, “Caught us napping he did, right out o' the sun. That Spaniard's a clever one.”
Jack, “Caught us napping he did, right out o' the sun. That Spaniard's a clever one.”
Jack grimaced. He couldn't remember the last time he had let down his guard but vowed it would be an even longer time before it happened again. Then his instincts took over.
Seeing they were at a distinct positional disadvantageâand outgunnedâJack yelled to Red Dog, “Hard to port! All sails to the wind!”
Quince gave him a quizzical look. “That'll take us right under her guns.”
“That's what I'm counting on.”
A second shot from the picket's bow chaser hissed harmlessly through a low piece of sail and on over the side, where it splashed and skipped in the bay several times before sinking.
The
Star'
s sails caught wind as soon as they unfurled, and the vessel was transformed from a floating hulk into a sleek sea wolf. Even caught off guard by a larger vessel, she had the lines of a predator, not a victim. And by God she would act like one.
Star'
s sails caught wind as soon as they unfurled, and the vessel was transformed from a floating hulk into a sleek sea wolf. Even caught off guard by a larger vessel, she had the lines of a predator, not a victim. And by God she would act like one.
“Head for the Spaniard!” Jack shouted. “Collision course!”
All eyes fixed on the fast-approaching brig. With a smile, Jack yelled to Quince, “Are you thinking I'm daft?”
“Aye, like a fox.”
Jack knew Quince now understood that his daring move had taken the advantage from the attacking ship by putting both at equal risk. With one gut-level order, the young skipper had evened the odds.
With a sense of satisfaction, Jack watched the Spanish captain hesitate. The unexpected maneuver seemed to have totally thrown him. The brig heeled to starboard to avoid collision, which allowed it only an ineffectual broadside at the
Star
on the turn. Though the
Star
had no time to return fire, no projectile from the brig found its mark.
Star
on the turn. Though the
Star
had no time to return fire, no projectile from the brig found its mark.
“They've dropped the wind from their sails,” yelled Jack. “Lay it on, every strip of canvas.”
“Great bollocks of the papist prince, 'at was friggin' beautiful!” Coop couldn't contain himself.
The
Star
fairly leapt through the water as the Spaniard was forced to come about and resume pursuit after losing all her momentum.
Star
fairly leapt through the water as the Spaniard was forced to come about and resume pursuit after losing all her momentum.
“Remember that cove to the west?” Jack said.
“Aye,” Quince replied.
“Let's make for it. It's out of view of the harbor and we'll settle with the Spaniard on our own terms.”
“She outguns us!” yelled Paul. “Even if we win, we'll suffer heavy losses. Why not make for open sea?”
“The cove. Make for it!” Jack turned Paul aside and said in a low voice, “I've no intention of engaging her. She has four times our complement and I don't fancy dying in a death grip with some poor bastards just doing their duty. But I don't fancy chasing around the ocean trying to get away from her, either.” Then to Coop, “Get Jacob and the Belaurans and start making fast our biggest length of chain to any barrels you have big enough to float one end of it.”
The brig entered the cove under reduced sail. The skipper had obviously developed a new respect for his adversary and was wary of approaching too close to a lee shore. Jack, placing himself in the man's head, knew the Spaniard wondered why the sleek raider had allowed itself to be cornered so easily. The
Star
was facing out of the cove from the windward side, but had reefed sail and to all appearances seemed to have dropped an anchor from the stern. Jack knew the men on the brig could, through a spyglass, see the heavy hawser trailing into water aft of the
Star
and trace it up to where it played through an aft fairlead and was secured to heavy mooring bitts. The drag of the line did serve somewhat as an anchor, with the
Star
stationary.
Star
was facing out of the cove from the windward side, but had reefed sail and to all appearances seemed to have dropped an anchor from the stern. Jack knew the men on the brig could, through a spyglass, see the heavy hawser trailing into water aft of the
Star
and trace it up to where it played through an aft fairlead and was secured to heavy mooring bitts. The drag of the line did serve somewhat as an anchor, with the
Star
stationary.
“I'd pay a king's ransom to see the look on that captain's face if he knew that anchor line we're trailin' runs all the way across the cove to them barrels his men are pointing to off his lee side,” said Quince.
True, the pirate ship now had an angle on the wind that would allow it to clear the cove on one sharp tack, but it would have to pass within easy range of the brig's broadside, which was being cleared for action.
“He knows, he just bloody knows something's wrong,” said Peters.
Jack had all the cannon on the port side prepared for firing but then pulled everyone except Mentor off the guns to handle lines and man the crow's nests with long rifles. Between them, Yanoo and Matoo carried two blankets soaked with seawater into the rigging. They draped it over the perches, set for marksmen in the nests. Between the lead sheathing patches and the wet blankets, the crow's nests had become impregnable perches for expert riflemen.
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