Shes running clean away from us again, My Lord, he said.
We know she can, Sir Thomas. We can only wait until she puts her helm up and sets her topsls.
As long as we can keep her in sight said Fell.
Clorinda was lying right over, fighting her way to the northward.
I can see that were doing all we can, Sir Thomas, said Hornblower, soothingly.
The morning was wearing on. Up spirits! was piped, and Fell agreed with the sailing master that it was noon, and the hands were sent to dinner. Now it was only when Clorinda lifted to a wave that a telescope, trained over the starboard bow from the quarterdeck, could detect the gleam of Estrella s sails over the horizon. She still had no topsails set; Gomez was acting on the knowledge that close-hauled his schooner behaved better without her square sailsunless he was merely playing with his pursuers. The hills of Puerto Rico had sunk out of sight below the horizon far, far astern. And the roast beef at dinner, roast fresh beef, had been most disappointing, tough and stringy and without any taste whatever.
Stuart said hed send me the best sirloin the island could produce, My Lord, said Gerard, in answer to Hornblowers expostulations.
I wish I had him here, said Hornblower. Id make him eat it, every bit, without salt. Sir Thomas, please accept my apologies.
Eryes, My Lord, said Fell, who had been invited to his Admirals table and who had been recalled from his own private thoughts by Hornblowers apologies. That drogue
Having said those wordsthat special word, ratherhe was unable to say more. He looked across the table at Hornblower. His lantern-jawed facethe brick-red cheeks always looked odd in that conformationshowed his anxiety, which was accentuated by the look in his eyes.
If we dont know all about it today, said Hornblower, well hear all about it at some later date.
It was the truth, even though it was not the kindest thing to say.
Well be the laughing-stock of the Islands, said Fell.
No one in the world could look more miserable than he did at that moment. Hornblower himself was inclined to give up hope, but the sight of that despair roused his contrary nature.
Theres all the difference in the world between six knots, which shes making now close-hauled, and twelve knots, which shell make when she puts up her helm, he said. Mr. Spendlove here will tell you that the water resistance is a function of the square of the speed. Isnt that so, Mr. Spendlove?
Perhaps a function
of the cube or even one of the higher powers, My Lord.
So we can still hope, Sir Thomas. That spun yarn will have eight times the pull upon it when she alters course.
Itll be chafing now, as well, My Lord, added Spendlove.
If they didnt see the thing last night and cast it off, said Fell, still gloomy.
When they reached the deck again the sun was inclining towards the west.
Masthead, there! hailed Fell. Is the chase still in sight?
Yes, sir. Hull down from here, sir, but plain in sight. Two points or thereabouts on the weather bow.
Shes made all the northing she needs, grumbled Fell. Why doesnt she alter course?
There was nothing to do except wait, to try and extract some pleasure from the clean wind and the blue and white sea; but the pleasure was only faint now, the sea did not seem so blue. Nothing to do except wait, with the minutes dragging like hours. Then it happened.
Deck, there! Chase is altering course to port. Shes running right before the wind.
Very well.
Fell looked round at all the faces of the crowd on the quarterdeck. His own was as tense as anyone elses.
Mr. Sefton, alter course four points to port.
He was going to play the game out to the bitter end, even though yesterdays experience, closely parallel to the present, had shown that Clorinda stood no chance in normal circumstances of intercepting.
Deck, there! Shes settin her topsls. Tgarnsls, too, sir!
Very well.
Well soon know now, said Spendlove. With the drogue in action she must lose speed. She must .
Deck, there! Capn, sir! The lookouts voice had risen to a scream of excitement. Shes flown up into the wind! Shes all aback! Fore topmasts gone, sir!
So have her rudder pintles, said Hornblower, grimly.
Fell was leaping on the deck, actually dancing with joy, his face radiant. But he re-collected himself with all speed.
Come two points to starboard, he ordered. Mr. James, get aloft with you and tell me how she bears.
Shes taking in her mainsl! shouted the lookout.
Trying to get before the wind again, commented Gerard.
Capn, sir! This was Jamess voice from the masthead. Youre heading a point to looard of her.
Very well.
Shes coming before the windno, shes all aback again, sir!
The Thing still had her by the tail, then; her struggles would be as unavailing as those of a deer in the claws of a lion.
Steer small, you said Fell, using a horrible word to the helmsman.
Everyone was excited, everyone seemed to be obsessed with the fear that Estrella would clear away the wreck and make her escape after all.
With her rudder gone shell never be able to hold a course, said Hornblower. And shes lost her fore-topmast, too.