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is special charge。 He wondered what his midshipman thought he could achieve against a war…galley with a twelve…foot boat and a crew of six。
'We can pull to one of the convoy and reinforce the crew； sir；' said Hornblower。
'Oh； very well then； carry on。 I'll trust to your good sense； even though that's a broken reed。'
'Good on you； sir！' said Jackson ecstatically； as the jolly boat shoved off from the frigate。 'Good on you！ No one else wouldn't never have thought of that。'
Jackson； the coxswain of the jolly boat； obviously thought that Hornblower had no intention of carrying out his suggestion to reinforce the crew of one of the merchant ships。
'Those stinking Dagoes；' said stroke oar； between his teeth。
Hornblower was conscious of the presence in his crew of the same feeling of violent hostility toward the Spanish galleys as he felt within himself。 In a fleeting moment of analysis； he attributed it to the circumstances in which they had first made the galleys' acquaintance； as well as to the stench which the galleys trailed after them。 He had never known this feeling of personal hatred before； when previously he had fought it had been as a servant of the King； not out of personal animosity。 Yet here he was gripping the tiller under the scorching sky and leaning forward in his eagerness to be at actual gaps with his enemy。
The longboat and cutter had a long start of them； and even though they were manned by crews who had already served a spell at the oars they were skimming over the water at such a speed that the jolly boat with all the advantage of the glassy…smooth water only slowly caught up to them。 Overside the sea was of the bluest； deepest blue until the oar blades churned it white。 Ahead of them the vessels of the convoy lay scattered where the sudden calm had caught them； and just beyond them Hornblower caught sight of the flash of oar blades as the galleys came sweeping down on their prey。 Longboat and cutter were diverging in an endeavour to cover as many vessels as possible； and the gig was still far astern。 There would hardly be time to board a ship even if Hornblower should wish to。 He put the tiller over to incline his course after the cutter； one of the galleys at that moment abruptly made its appearance in the gap between two of the merchant ships。 Hornblower saw the cutter saving round to point her six…pounder carronade at the advancing bows。
'Pull； you men！ Pull！' he shrieked mad with excitement。
He could not imagine what was going to happen； but he wanted to be in the fray。 That six…pounder popgun was grossly inaccurate at any range longer than musket shot。 It would serve to hurl a mass of grape into a crowd of men； but its ball would have small effect on the strengthened bows of a war galley。
'Pull！' shrieked Hornblower again。 He was nearly up to them； wide on the cutter's quarter。
The carronade boomed out。 Hornblower thought he saw the splinters fly from the galley's bow； but the shot had no more effect on deterring her than a peashooter could stop a charging bull。 The galley turned a little； getting exactly into line； and then her oars' beat quickened。 She was ing down to ram； like the Greeks at Salamis。
'Pull！' shrieked Hornblower。
Instinctively； he gave the tiller a touch to take the jolly boat out into a flanking position。
'Easy！'
The jolly boat's oars stilled； as their way carried them past the cutter。 Hornblower could see Soames standing up in the sternsheets looking at the death which was cleaving the blue water towards him。 Bow to bow the cutter might have stood a chance； but too late the cutter tried to evade the blow altogether。 Hornblower saw her turn； presenting her vulnerable side to the galley's stem。 That was all he could see； for the next moment the galley herself hid from him the final act of the tragedy。 The jolly boat's starboard side oars only just cleared the galley's starboard oars as she swept by。 Hornblower heard a shriek and a crash； saw the galley's forward motion almost cease at the collision。 He was mad with the lust of fighting； quite insane； and his mind was working with the rapidity of insanity。
'Give way； port！' he yelled； and the jolly boat swung round under the galley's stern。 'Give way all！'
The jolly boat leaped after the galley like a terrier after a bull。
'Grapple them； damn you； Jackson！'
Jackson shouted an oath in reply； as he leaped forward； seemingly hurdling the men at the oars without breaking their stroke。 In the bows Jackson seized the boat's grapnel on its long line and flung it hard and true。 It caught somewhere in the elaborate gilt rail on the galley's quarter。 Jackson hauled on the line； the oars tugged madly in the effort to carry the jolly boat up to the galley's stern。 At that moment Hornblower saw it； the sight which would long haunt his dreams…up from under the galley's stern came the shattered forepart of the cutter； still with men clinging to it who had survived the long passage under the whole length of the galley which had overrun them。 There were straining faces； empurpled faces； faces already relaxing in death。 But in a moment it was past and gone； and Hornblower felt the jerk transmitted through the line to the jolly boat as the galley leaped forward。
'I can't hold her！' shouted Jackson。
'Take a turn round the cleat； you fool！'
The galley was towing the jolly boat now； dragging her along at the end of a twenty…foot line close on her quarter just clear of the arc of her rudder。 The white water bubbled all around her； her bows were cocked up with the strain。 It was a mad moment； as though they had harpooned a whale。 Some one came running aft on the Spaniard's poop； knife in hand to cut the line。
'Shoot him； Jackson！' shrieked Hornblower again。
Jackson's pistol cracked； and the Spaniard fell to the deck out of sight…a good shot。 Despite his fighting madness despite the turmoil of rushing water and glaring sun； Hornblower tried to think out his next move。 Inclination and mon sense alike told him that the best plan was to close with the enemy despite the odds。
'Pull up to them； there！' he shouted…everyone in the boat was shouting and yelling。 The men in the bows of the jolly boat faced forward and took the grapnel line and began to haul in on it； but the speed of the boat through the water made any progress difficult； and after a yard or so had been gained the difficulty became insurmountable； for the grapnel was caught in the poop rail ten or eleven feet above water； and the angle of pull became progressively steeper as the jolly boat neared the stern of the galley。 The boat's bow cocked higher out of the water than ever。
'Belay！' said Hornblower； and then； his voice rising again； 'Out pistols； lads！'
A row of four or five swarthy faces had appeared at the stern of the galley。 Muskets were pointing into the jolly boat； and there was a brief but furious exchange of shots。 One man fell groaning into the bottom of the jolly boat； but the row of faces disappeared。 Standing up precariously in the swaying sternsheets； Hornblower could still see nothing of the galley's poop deck save for the tops of two heads； belonging； it was clear； to the men at the tiller。
'Reload；' he said to his men； remembering by a miracle to give the order。 The ramrods went down the pistol barrels。
'Do that carefully if you ever want to see Pompey again；' said Hornblower。
He was shaking with excitement and mad with the fury of fighting； and it was the automatic； drilled part of him which was giving these level…headed orders。 His higher faculties were quite negatived by his lust for blood。 He was seeing things through a pink mist…that was how he remembered it when he looked back upon it later。 There was a sudden crash of glass。 Someone had thrust a musket barrel through the big stern window of the galley's after cabin。 Luckily having thrust it through he had to recover himself to take aim。 An irregular volley of pistols almost coincided with the report of the musket。 Where the Spaniard's bullet went no one knew； but the Spaniard fell back from the window。
'By God！ That's our way！' screamed Hornblower； and then； steadying himself； 'Reload。'
As the bullets were being spat into the barrels he stood