Ramage’s Mutiny

 "We'll go alongside the Jocasta just as we pla

 "But, sir - but, brother Ramage: would they expect a gang of mutineers to do it perfectly ?"

 "The Spanish captain of the Jocasta is very proud of his new ship. He's ready to sail. All the paintwork is new. We want him coming on board us with a welcoming smile, not screaming with rage because we've just ripped out cha

 Aitken gri

 Ramage walked aft, giving orders as he went. Baker came hurrying up to supervise men preparing lines along the starboard side, ready for securing to the Jocasta; other seamen were placing loaded muskets out of sight under the carriages of the guns. All now had pistols stuck in their trousertops and cutlass belts over their shoulders, though the cutlasses were still scattered round the deck, apparently in random piles.

 As soon as he reached the quarterdeck Ramage told Southwick: "Have the yards braced sharp up so we don't hook up in the Jocasta; then make sure the topmen don't move five yards from the ratlines."

 "Brother Ramage, " Jackson called from abaft the wheel. "I've a pair of pistols here ready for you, sir."

 "I'll get them in a minute or two."

 Hell fire, it was getting dark quickly now. He looked aft along the cha

 He could smell the plants and shrubs growing on shore: the faint hint of spices. They were only a few hundred yards from the mangroves and he thought he smelled charcoal - a charcoal-burner at work, or someone preparing to cook his supper? And the curious high-pitched rattling of frogs, blurred by distance. And above him the creak of the great yards as they were braced round so that the outboard ends should not foul those of the Jocasta. Let's hope the Jocasta's captain remembers, too . . .

 Looking forward again he was startled to find that the Calypso had finally reached the end of the cha

 Now the Calypso was begi

 Jackson, walking from one side of the ship to the other to keep an eye on the edges of the cha

 Stafford, squatting on the breech of one of the aftermost of the quarterdeck guns with Rossi, felt uncomfortable. The long cha

 "Be glad to get out o' here, " he commented to Rossi.

 The Italian turned to look at him. "Oh? Is not so bad, you know; the French build a good ship."

 "I don't mean the Calypso" he said impatiently. "I mean this place, Santa Cruz."

 "Is quiet enough now, Staff, " Rossi said complacently. "Just like the Captain said."

 "He didn't say it'd be quiet going out, though. I'll take my oath on that! "

 "We'll soon know. Remember when we were in Cartagena?"

 "Aye, that's what I'm saying. Trapped. Same sort of place - Spanish, mountains, narrow entrance . . ."

 "We sailed out of Cartagena all right! "

 "But he'll chance 'is arm once too orfen, mark my words."

 Rossi spread both arms, palms upwards. "Always you get like this, Staff. For ten minutes you think of ways we can all get killed. Then you forget all about it."

 "'Ere! " Stafford exclaimed, jumping from the gun, "that bleedin' Jocasta's gettin' close. Come on, Rosey, time we got ready to invite the Dons on board."

 Ramage watched the Jocasta: she was a hundred yards ahead, fine on the starboard bow, but the men at the oars were getting tired now and the Calypso was slowing down, yet he wanted some way on her so that the rudder would have a bite on the water for the final slight turn that would bring the Calypso alongside.

 Suddenly he swung round: "Jackson, the signal lanterns: have you checked that they're ready?"

 "Just done it, sir. Slow matches too; I've got three of them going."

 "Very well." And keep control of your voice, he told himself; that all sounded rather agitated. A glance back at the cha

 Southwick was standing beside him muttering: "Not much breeze, sir. From the south, a soldier's wind for getting out of here down the cha