Read Online The Bombay Marines by Porter Hill - Free Book Online Page A

‘They’re wreckers.’
    The four men looked from Horne down to the chart, and a silence fell over the cabin.
    Pilkington spoke first. ‘Wreckers, sir?’
    â€˜A trap I should have expected.’ Horne resumed drying his hair.
    Pilkington bent over the desk, careful not to drip any rainwater on the chart.
    Horne pointed towards the coastline. ‘See. By those tide markings. There’s a bank.’
    Confused, Pilkington raised his eyes from the chart. A few minutes ago, Horne had been pacing the quarterdeck in the storm, carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Now he was enthusiastic, confident, a completely different man.
    George Tandimmer looked to where Horne’s finger pointed on the chart. ‘Angria’s Reef.’
    Horne nodded, shooting a conspiratorial glance at his Sailing Master.
    Pilkington’s voice was cautious. ‘A reef stands between us and the coastline?’
    Horne’s excitement was growing. ‘Yes. There’s been a drift and we’re dead off what’s called Angria’s Reef. We usually make east of it. But whoever those pirates are, they lured us towards the coastline.’
    Pausing, Horne looked down and saw that he was using his new silk shirt for a towel.
    The four men waited for him to continue.
    Horne tossed the shirt into a corner. ‘We’re trapped. North and south. With Angria’s Reef between us and shore.’
    Dick Merlin’s ruddy face tightened with anger. ‘So that bloody pop-gun fight was nothing but a trick to lure us off course.’
    Horne looked at his gun captain. ‘That’s right, Merlin. They have us exactly where they want us.’
    â€˜But they caught some of our fire, sir.’ Merlin looked from Horne to Pilkington and Rajit. ‘They took two broadsides and a blast right up their arse. We can at least grin at that, can’t we?’
    Horne saw no reason to give any unrealistic hopes. ‘They’ll be the ones grinning, Merlin, when they gather our cannons from the wreckage on the reef.’
    Tandimmer moved forward. ‘Sir, should we forget about …’ He tapped the vellum, ‘… here?’
    Horne remained silent, keeping his eyes on Pilkington, Merlin and Rajit as they bent over the desk to study the point on the chart at which Tandimmer was pointing. Horne was pleased that at least one of his men had realized this possibility for movement.
    Pilkington looked from the map to Horne. He understood Tandimmer’s suggestion but disagreed. ‘Sir, that’s open sea! The storm’s from the west. That could be worse than the reef!’
    Horne shook his head. ‘At least we have a chance there, Lieutenant.’
    â€˜But the gale, sir.’ Pilkington looked to Merlin and Rajit for support. ‘The wind could drive us straight onto the reef.’
    â€˜Possibly, Lieutenant. But we have a better chance of escape if we beat to windward, trying to make board by board. The going will be slow and tedious. But we must try to make headway.’
    He scanned the faces of his men for their reaction. Pilkington’s thin eyebrows were knit, obviously still unconvinced by the plan. Merlin remained red with rage at the wreckers. Rajit showed no opinion one way or other, a true soldier. Tandimmer’s freckled face beamed with the possibility of tackling the challenge.
    â€˜We have no time to lose, men. We must all work in unison.’ Horne looked at Rajit. ‘Sergeant, detail the prisoners to the bilge pumps for the next watch.’
    Rajit stiffened to attention.
    â€˜All prisoners except for three, Sergeant. Leave Groot the Dutchman and Kiro the Japanese for the jib. And Jud the African for up top.’
    â€˜Suh!’
    Horne turned to the gunner. ‘Merlin, I want the blocks checked under all the trucks. We don’t need to be chasing twelve-pounders in a storm.’
    â€˜Aye, aye, sir.’
    Dismissing Rajit and Merlin,