Since Cochranes recall, this traffic had met with hardly any interference from the British in the Mediterranean. When Hornblower first reached his rendezvous off Palamos Point he had been careful to disappear again over the horizon immediately, so as to give no warning of the approach of a British squadron. He had hoped that the French might grow careless. With the wind nearly in the east, and Cape Creux running out almost directly eastwards, there was a chance that some supply ship or other, compelled to stand far out from the land to weather the point, might be caught at dawn out of range of the shore batteries, having neglected to make this dangerous passage at night. And so it had proved.
Hoist the colours, Mr. Gerard, said Hornblower. And call all hands.
The brig has wore, sir, hailed the lookout. Shes running before the wind.
Head so as to cut her off, Mr. Gerard. Set stunsls both sides.
Before the wind, and with only the lightest of breezes blowing, was the Sutherlands best point of sailing, as might be expected of her shallow build and clumsy beam. In these ideal conditions she might easily have the heels of a deep-laden coasting brig.
Deck, there! hailed the lookout. The brigs come to the wind again, sir. Shes on her old course.
That was something very strange. If the chase had been a ship of the line, she might have been challenging battle. But a mere brig, even a brig of war, would be expected to fly to the shelter of the shore batteries.
Possibly she might be an English brig.
Here, Savage. Take your glass and tell me what you can see.
Savage dashed up the main rigging at the word.
Quite right, sir. Shes closehauled again on the starboard tack. Well pass her to leeward on this course. Shes wearing French national colours, sir. And shes signalling now, sir. Cant read the flags yet, sir, and shes nearly dead to leeward, now.
What the devil was the brig up to? She had settled her own fate by standing to windward again; if she had dashed for the land the moment she had sighted the Sutherland she might possibly have escaped. Now she was a certain capturebut why was the French brig signalling to a British ship of the line? Hornblower sprang up on to the rail; from there he could see the brigs topsails over the horizon, as she held her windward course.
I can read the signal now, sir. MV.
What the devil does MV mean? snapped Hornblower to Vincent, and then regretted that he had said it. A look would have done as well.
I dont know, sir, said Vincent, turning the pages of the signal book. Its not in the code.
Well know soon enough, said Bush. Were coming up to her fast. Hullo! Shes wearing round again. Shes come before the wind. But its no use now, Mongseer. Youre ours. A handsome bit of prize money there for us, my lads.
The excited chatter of the quarterdeck reached Hornblowers ears to be unheard. This last attempt at flight on the Frenchmans part had explained his previous movements. Bush, Gerard, Vincent, Crystal, were all too careless to have thought about it, too excited at the prospect of prize money. Hornblower could guess now what had happened. At first sight of the Sutherland, the brig had turned to fly. Then she had seen the red ensign which the Sutherland had hoisted, and misread it as the French coloursboth sides had made the same mistake before this, the red fly both of tricolour and of red ensign led easily to confusion.
It was fortunate this time that Leighton had been Rear-Admiral of the Red, so that the Sutherland had worn his colours. What was more, the Sutherland had the round bow given her by her Dutch builders, the same as nearly every French ship of the line, and unlike every English ship save three or four. So the brig had taken the Sutherland to be French, and as soon as she was sure of this had held to the wind again, anxious to make her offing so as to weather Cape Creux. Then the MV signal which she had flown had been the private French recognition signalthat was something well worth knowing. It was only when the Sutherland did not make the expected conventional reply that the French captain had realised his mistake, and made one last dash for liberty.
A quite unavailing dash, for the Sutherland had cut her off from all chance of escape to leeward. The ships were only two miles apart now, and converging. Once more the brig came round, this time with the very faint hope of clawing away out of range to windward. But the Sutherland was hurtling close upon her.
Fire a shot near him, snapped Hornblower.
At that threat the French captain yielded. The brig hove to, and the tricolour came down from her peak. A cheer went up from the Sutherlands main deck.
Silence, there! roared Hornblower. Mr. Bush, take a boat and board her. Mr. Clarke, youre prize-master. Take six hands with you and navigate her to Port Mahon.
Bush was all smiles on his return.
Brig Amelie, sir. Six days out from Marseilles for Barcelona. General cargo of military stores. Twenty-five tons powder. One hundred and twenty-five tons of biscuit. Beef and pork in casks. Brandy. Admiralty agent at Port Mahonll buy her, sure as a gun, ship, stores, and all. Bush rubbed his hands. And we the only ship in sight!