Hornblower: The Even Chance Page #4

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you made

on Davey's part, sir.

That was all.

Styles!

Please convey my thanks to the men.

Their conduct in this afternoon's

action was exemplary.

Aye, aye, sir.

A salute.

Well, it's a start,

I suppose.

Bay of Biscay

"Indefatigable" attacks

a French food convoy.

Quel bateau?

Claudette, de Marseilles.

Qu'est-ce-que vous emportez?

Molasse

Trois cent tons.

- Claudette of Marseilles, sir.

- Cargo?

- Molasses, 300 tons.

- Lt. Chadd!

- Sir.

- Take 6 men,board that vessel,take her

into any English port you can

make and report there for orders.

Aye, aye, sir.

Mr. Bowles, the schooner

to starboard, if you please.

Aye, sir.

Brace hard to larboard!

She's still running under

colours, sir.

It's not my intention to chase him

across the Seven Seas.

He's asked for it, Mr. Eccleston.

Let him have it.

Starboard bow chaser, fire!

Silence!

Not into the hull, darn it.

Cripple her!

That's better. More like it.

She's hauling down her colours,sir.

Well Mr. Eccleston?

Marie Galante of Bordeaux, sir.

Twenty-four days out of New Orleans

with rice.

About 200 tons, I should say.

She'll sell for a pretty penny when

we get her home.

- How many of her crew?

- Twelve at most.

A prize crew of four then, I should

say. Midshipman's command

- Mr. Hornblower!

- Sir!

Take 4 men, board her. Mr. Bowles

will give you our position.

Take her into any English

port you can

- make and report there for orders.

- Aye, aye, sir.

Your first command.

My congratulations.

Today, if you please, Mr. Hornblower.

I don't intend to lose any more

of this convoy

through your dawdling, sir!

Aye, aye, sir.

They've made best use of

their time, sir.

- Drunk as lords.

- Wish we were as happy, eh?

Where is your officer?

Midshipman Hornblower,

of His Britannic Majesty's frigate,

Indefatigable. Good-day.

This vessel is now a prize of war,

Captain, under my command.

A midshipman?

You have no officer more senior?

Sir, to the British Navy, a schooner

such as

this warrants no more than

a midshipman's command.

But you are no more than a boy!

You will find, sir, that even a boy

in His Majesty's Navy

is capable of an easy two-day

run to England.

Put that down, Styles.

At once, do you hear?

And take these men for'ard.

Throw them into the fos'cle.

Come along, you Frenchie.

This way. Come on.

- Right, move!

- I am an officer. I do not go with the men.

- Sir?

- He goes with the rest.

You, come on!

The prisoners are secure, sir.

Matthews, you've the longest service,

I believe.

- Aye sir, 18 years.

- Very well. I'll rate you petty officer.

Aye, aye, sir.

Thank-you, sir.

Get to work and clear that raffle

away for-ard

so we can sling the topsail yard in.

- Aye, aye, sir.

- Haul in the fos'cle sheets.

- Aye, aye, sir. Styles, Oldroyd.

- All right, all right!

I'll be busy aft.

And get that staysail in before

it flogs itself to pieces.

Well, what are you waiting for?

Those were my orders.

Beg 'pardon sir, but if we're to

sling that yard again,

- we'll need to use the jeers, Sir.

- Yes?

Well sir, we'll need more hands than

we have

to use the jeers, sir.

Can I put some of those

Frenchies to work?

That was my intention, of course

if any of them

- are sober enough.

- I think we can get them to work,sir.

drunk or sober.

Oh boy, what do I do now?

Dammed.

- Matthews!

- Aye, aye, sir.

We'll square away.Then return the

prisoners to the foc'scle.

Aye, aye, sir.

Square away!

Return the prisoners to the foc'scle.

- Matthews, take the wheel.

- Aye, aye, sir.

- What course, sir?

- Norwest by west a quarter west.

Norwest by west a quarter

west, it is sir.

Not into the hull, darn it!

Cripple her!

By God! She's holed!

She's holed all right.

About 2 feet below the waterline.

Thank-you, Styles.

She was close hauled and heeling

right over when we hit her.

Her bows must have lifted just

as the Indy fired.

And of course, she's lower in

the water now, sir.

At least, on this tack, the hole

is not so deep under, sir.

On this tack, we're headed

for France.

We must further a sail and get it

over that hole.

Use an old t'gallant.

Get the Frenchmen to help.

She is riding a bit heavily, now.

She's taking a little water, yes.

A foul wind for England, monsieur.

- Winds may change, monsieur.

- So they say.

Sir, she's riding a bit heavily now.

- Yes, thank-you, Matthews.

- I just said so to your captain.

Well, so much then for your easy

2- days run to England.

- Sir!

- What is it?

The deck seam is opening up!

- I've never seen anything like it,sir.

- It's the rice.

The cargo, Matthews.

We're carrying rice.

The water has got into

it and it's swelling.

The sooner we get a sail over

that hole the better.

Hurry these darn Frenchmen up!

Come on mesdemoiselles.

We're not sewing petticoats!

I told you I thought

she was riding heavily.

Go to the devil.

Another few feet.

There!

All right, sir.

Right, lay her back on the

larboard tack.

This is folly, monsieur.

On this tack, we could easily

make Bordeaux.

You're risking all our lives.

Look! The rats!

I don't think our problem

is the hole, sir.

The rice must have forced her seams

open under the water.

We must jettison the cargo.

Get the sails in and rig a tackle

from that yard.

We'll sway it up.

Madness, this is madness.

We must have moved about 50 tons.

My men are exhausted.

She's lower in the water, sir.

Settling fast.

Another hour we'll be swimming.

It's no go, sir. Sorry.

I shall make preparations for

abandoning the ship.

- Sir?

- You heard me.

Get water and bread into the

ship's boat

and get everyone aboard.

- We shall abandon the ship, Monsieur.

- Enfin!

- Ready to shove off, sir.

- Very good. I'll be up presently.

Beggin' your pardon, sir,

but you should see as you have

some warm clothes, sir.

I've been in an open boat

10 days once, sir.

- It can get darn cold.

- Yes, thank-you, Matthews.

- Is everyone off?

- All save yourself, sir.

Come aboard sir, she's done for.

Matthews, take the tiller.

Get off!

Bear off!

She is going down, sir.

- Breakfast, sir.

- Thank-you, Matthews.

The wind's backing a

little westerly today, sir.

That's so.

There's a chance we might find

the Indefatigable again.

This is her hunting ground, afterall.

- We'll make sail.

- Very good, sir.

Finch, take the sheet.

Styles, take the tiller.

Keep her close hauled on

the larboard tack.

Close haul on the larboard tack, sir.

The wind is still fair for Bordeaux.

We could be there by tomorrow.

- Why do we sail northwest?

- We go to England.

But,this is going to take us a week,

even if the wind is still fair.

The boat is too crowded.

Should there be a storm,

you are risking all our lives.

I insist

that you head towards Bordeaux.

Matthews, take this.

Beggin your pardon,sir,but hadn't

you better cock your pistol?

Monsieur, I was in a stinking

English prison for 5 years,

so let's make an agreement.

Let's go to France.

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