Read Online Girl on the Orlop Deck by Beryl Kingston - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Beryl Kingston
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Captain Hardy had telescopes to their eyes, several midshipmen stood eagerly about waiting for orders. But they were looking the wrong way, surely. The fleet would be following them and they were training their telescopes on the seas ahead of them. Oh now what?
It wasn’t long before they all knew. The ship they were watching was a brig, small, two-masted, low in the water with the weight of her cargo and French. They were catching up with her fast and were going to take her. The excitement on board was palpable for this was a chance to earn some prize money. A brig was fair game and could be carrying valuable cargo.
Marianne was surprised to see what an easy capture it was. The little ship put up no resistance at all, hove to obediently so that the Amphion could come alongside, and surrendered her cargo without argument.
‘Fortunes a’ war, my sonny,’ Johnny Galley said, as they settled to supper. The brig had been stripped and was now sailing behind them towards Gibraltar. ‘They’re lucky they was took by a British frigate accordin’ to the articles a’ war. If we’d ha’ been pirates we’d ha’ killed ’em, every man jack.’
Which is all very well, Marianne thought, but where’s the fleet? That’s what I wants for to know. Where’s the fleet an’ where’s Jem?
He was in the middle of his first sea fight too and enjoying it hugely. During the last few days, he’d listened to his shipmates bragging of death and glory and been none too sure how he would react when he came under enemy fire himself, but from the moment all hands were piped and the gun crew began to clear the decks for action he was lifted into a state of such triumphant excitement he wanted to shout and cheer. He didn’t do either, of course. There were too many other things to attend to. But the joy of being in action was as strong as any emotion he’d ever felt in his life. It was three parts terror, he couldn’t deny that, but the remaining seven parts were sheer bloody-minded exhilaration.
Their enemy was a French frigate that had appeared over the horizonjust before six bells in the morning watch and, instead of taking flight, as they’d all expected, had sailed straight and aggressively towards them.
The gun crews were growlingly delighted. ‘Want a fight, do she?’ they said, grinning bravado at one another. ‘Well she’s come to the right shop, this time. We’ll blow her out the water, shan’t we, boys? Ho, there’ll be money in this.’
Once the decks had been cleared, Jem and Mr Turner went below to the orlop deck taking their bungs with them.
‘I doubt the beggars’ll hole us,’ the carpenter said. ‘We’re a deal too low in the water for that, but ’tis a heavy sea and I likes to be prepared.’
By that time the entire ship was prepared and prickly with tension, as if the very air was bristling. Bare feet pounded on the decks above their heads as the powder monkeys carried up shot, they could hear orders shouted sharp and quick, seven bells clanged, then there was a sudden lurch as they went about, turning broadside to their prey, and after that several long seconds when nothing happened at all. Jem held his breath until his throat ached and his heart was beating so wildly he was afraid Mr Turner would see it throbbing under the cotton of his jacket and tried to cover it with his hand. When the cannon were fired, the noise was so sudden and so shattering it made him jump. The air was instantly full of smoke and stink and unfamiliar sounds. He heard the whistle of approaching shot, the roar of the guns’ recoil, another set of thunderous explosions, another growling recoil, and then an unexpected cheer, which startled him almost as much as the first broadside had done. He wished he could be up on deck and could see what was going on instead of being stuck below in the darkness. And, as if in answer to his thoughts, Mr Turner spoke to him out of the gloom.
‘They’ve never took her so quick,’
It wasn’t long before they all knew. The ship they were watching was a brig, small, two-masted, low in the water with the weight of her cargo and French. They were catching up with her fast and were going to take her. The excitement on board was palpable for this was a chance to earn some prize money. A brig was fair game and could be carrying valuable cargo.
Marianne was surprised to see what an easy capture it was. The little ship put up no resistance at all, hove to obediently so that the Amphion could come alongside, and surrendered her cargo without argument.
‘Fortunes a’ war, my sonny,’ Johnny Galley said, as they settled to supper. The brig had been stripped and was now sailing behind them towards Gibraltar. ‘They’re lucky they was took by a British frigate accordin’ to the articles a’ war. If we’d ha’ been pirates we’d ha’ killed ’em, every man jack.’
Which is all very well, Marianne thought, but where’s the fleet? That’s what I wants for to know. Where’s the fleet an’ where’s Jem?
He was in the middle of his first sea fight too and enjoying it hugely. During the last few days, he’d listened to his shipmates bragging of death and glory and been none too sure how he would react when he came under enemy fire himself, but from the moment all hands were piped and the gun crew began to clear the decks for action he was lifted into a state of such triumphant excitement he wanted to shout and cheer. He didn’t do either, of course. There were too many other things to attend to. But the joy of being in action was as strong as any emotion he’d ever felt in his life. It was three parts terror, he couldn’t deny that, but the remaining seven parts were sheer bloody-minded exhilaration.
Their enemy was a French frigate that had appeared over the horizonjust before six bells in the morning watch and, instead of taking flight, as they’d all expected, had sailed straight and aggressively towards them.
The gun crews were growlingly delighted. ‘Want a fight, do she?’ they said, grinning bravado at one another. ‘Well she’s come to the right shop, this time. We’ll blow her out the water, shan’t we, boys? Ho, there’ll be money in this.’
Once the decks had been cleared, Jem and Mr Turner went below to the orlop deck taking their bungs with them.
‘I doubt the beggars’ll hole us,’ the carpenter said. ‘We’re a deal too low in the water for that, but ’tis a heavy sea and I likes to be prepared.’
By that time the entire ship was prepared and prickly with tension, as if the very air was bristling. Bare feet pounded on the decks above their heads as the powder monkeys carried up shot, they could hear orders shouted sharp and quick, seven bells clanged, then there was a sudden lurch as they went about, turning broadside to their prey, and after that several long seconds when nothing happened at all. Jem held his breath until his throat ached and his heart was beating so wildly he was afraid Mr Turner would see it throbbing under the cotton of his jacket and tried to cover it with his hand. When the cannon were fired, the noise was so sudden and so shattering it made him jump. The air was instantly full of smoke and stink and unfamiliar sounds. He heard the whistle of approaching shot, the roar of the guns’ recoil, another set of thunderous explosions, another growling recoil, and then an unexpected cheer, which startled him almost as much as the first broadside had done. He wished he could be up on deck and could see what was going on instead of being stuck below in the darkness. And, as if in answer to his thoughts, Mr Turner spoke to him out of the gloom.
‘They’ve never took her so quick,’
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