"Bolitho 02 - Midshipman Bolitho & Avenger(txt)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kent Alexander)

far below, a boat drawn up on the beach.
How different it looked in daylight. He almost
expected to see some corpses, but the beach was
silky smooth, and beyond the cove the anchored Avenger tugged at her cable with barely a roll.
`Dick! Thank God you're safe!' Dancer ran to meet him and gripped his arm. `You look terrible!'
Bolitho gave a painful smile. `Thanks.'
Together they walked down that same steep path, and Bolitho saw several burly looking men examining the two lanterns and some discarded weapons. Excisemen, or merely Vyvyan's retainers it was hard to say.
Dancer said, `The captain sent us to get you, Dick.'
`How is his temper?'
`Surprisingly good. I think the vessel you warned away from the rocks had a lot to do with it. She's beached a mile or so from here. Your brother, er, induced her people to come off, then he put a prize crew aboard. I think her master was so glad to save his skin he forgot the matter of prize money!'
By the boat Bolitho saw some seamen replacing Pyke's centipedes in the sternsheets.
Dancer explained, `We made a drag along the seabed but found nothing. They must have come in the
night after Vyvyan's men had driven away the wreckers.'
Avenger's other boat was already alongside when Bolitho returned on board. The man he had chosen to warn the jolly boat had done well, he thought. Poor Trillo had been their one loss.
Hugh was watching him as he climbed up over the side, hands on hips, hat at the same rakish angle.
`Quite the little fire-brand, aren't you?' He strode across the broad deck and gripped his hand. `Young idiot. But I guessed you'd disobey my orders as soon as I heard that distress cannon. I had a prize crew aboard before they could say knife.' He smiled. `Nice little Dutch brig bound for Cork. Spirits and tobacco. Fetch a good price.'
`Sir Henry said the wreckers got away. All but one.'
`Wreckers, smugglers, I believe they're one and the same. Pyke-thinks he may have wounded a few with his pistol shots, so they may turn up somewhere. No Cornish jury will ever convict a smuggler, but a wrecker is something else.'
Bolitho faced his brother. `The loss of the smugglers' cargo was my fault. But I couldn't help myself. A few kegs of brandy against the value of a vessel and her people made me act as I did.'
Hugh nodded gravely. `As I knew it would. But brandy? I think not. My men found some oiled wrapping hidden away in one of the caves while they were looking for clues. That drop was not for drinking, my brother. It was made up of good French muskets, if I'm any judge.'
Bolitho stared at him. `Muskets?'
`Aye. For rebellion somewhere, who can say. Ireland, America, there's money a-plenty for anyone who can supply weapons in these troubled times.'
Bolitho shook his head and immediately regretted it. `It is beyond me.'
His brother rubbed his hands. `Mr Dancer! My compliments to the master, and tell him to get the vessel under way. If weapons are the bait we need, then weapons we will have.'
Dancer watched him warily. `And where are we bound, sir?'
`Bound? Falmouth of course. I'll not run back to the admiral now. This is getting interesting.' He paused beside the companionway. `Now get yourself washed and properly turned out, Mr Bolitho. I daresay you had a quieter night than some.'
Avenger returned to Falmouth without anything further unusual happening. Once at anchor, Hugh Bolitho went ashore, while Gloag and the midshipmen prepared to take on stores and ward off the curious and others who had obviously been sent out to discover as much information as they could.
Bolitho began to imagine a smuggler at each corner and behind every cask. The news of a shipwreck, and Vyvyan's chase of the would-be wreckers had preceded Avenger's arrival, and there would be plenty of speculation as to what would happen next.
When the cutter's young commander returned he was in unusual good humour.
In the cabin he said, `All done. I have had words with certain people in town. The story will be that Avenger is out searching for another arms runner in the channel. By this ruse, the smugglers on this side will know we have discovered about the muskets, even though we did not find any ourselves.' He looked cheerfully from Gloag to his brother and then to Dancer. `Well? Don't you see? It's almost perfect.'
Gloag rubbed his bald head as he always did when he was considering something doubtful, and answered, `I can well see that nobody'll know for certain about another cargo, sir. The Frenchies will keep sendin' 'em once they've a buyer. But where will we get such a haul?'
`We won't.' His smile grew, broader. `We'll sail into Penzance and land a cargo of our own. Load it into waggons and send it overland to Truro to the garrison there. The governor of Pendennis has agreed to lend us a tempting cargo of muskets, powder and shot. Along the way to Truro someone will attempt to seize the lot of it. With the roads as they are, how could they resist the temptation?'
Bolitho asked quietly, `Wouldn't it be wiser to tell the port admiral at Plymouth what you are about first?'
Hugh glared at him. `From you that is priceless! You know what would happen. He'd either say no, or take so long the whole country would know what we were doing. No, we'll do this quickly and do it well.' He smiled briefly. `This time.'
Bolitho looked at the deck. An ambush, the anticipation of quick spoils giving way to panic as the attackers realized they were the ones in the trap. And no escape into little caves this time.
Hugh said, `I have sent word to Truro. The dragoons will be back by now. The colonel is a friend of father's. He'll enjoy this sort of thing. Like pig-sticking!'
There was a sudden silence, and Bolitho found himself thinking of the dead Trillo. They were all here safe and busy. He was already buried and forgotten.
Dancer said, `I think it would work, sir. It would depend a lot on the people who were watching for an attack.'
`Quite. On a lot of luck too. But we'll have lost nothing by trying. If all else fails, we'll stir up such a hornets' nest that we may push somebody into laying information just to get rid of us!'
A boat grated alongside, and minutes later Pyke entered the cabin.
He took a goblet of brandy with an appreciative nod and said, `The prize is in the 'ands of the Chief Revenue Officer, sir. All taken care of.' He glanced at Bolitho and added, `That informer, Portlock. 'E's dead, by the way, sir. Somebody talked too loud.'
Hugh Bolitho asked, `Another .glass of brandy, anybody?'
Bolitho looked at him grimly. Hugh knew already. Must have known all along that the man would be killed.
He asked, `What of the girl?'
Pyke was still studying him. `Dawn. Good riddance too. Like I said. Scum breeds on scum.'
Hornets' nest, his brother had predicted. It was stirring already by the sound of it.
The bell chimed overhead and Hugh Bolitho said, `I'm for the, shore. I'll be dining at the house, Richard.'
He glanced at Dancer. `Care to join me? I think my brother had best remain aboard until he's free of that bandage. Mother will have vapours if she sees our hero like that!'
Dancer looked at Bolitho. `No, sir. I'll remain here.'
`Good. Stand a good watch at all times. There'll be quite a few tongues wagging in the Falmouth ale houses tonight, I shouldn't wonder.'