Tubbs shouted the command.
ThePearlveered, picking up speed.
While the corsair cruiser raced toward them.
Xavier estimated that she carried thirty-six guns. His jaw was tight. She outgunned thePearl.
“Haul out all sails,” he said.
Tubbs shouted the order.
The mainsail snapped up and billowed out. ThePearlbegan to run. The small entrance to the inlet was only two hundred yards distant. But the corsair cruiser was equally close, and under full sail.
“We’re gonna make it, Cap’n,” Tubbs said, his voice quivering with excitement, with hope.
Xavier did not reply. He saw the corsair captain standing at the bow with his own spyglass, which was trained steadily upon them.
This particular rais by now formed a familiar figure. The sunlight glinted off of his pale blond hair. Xavier’s heart jumped erratically.
Rais Jovar. Commander of the bashaw’s fleet. A Scotsman turned Turk. Rabidly anti-American, although no one had yet to learn why. His real name was Peter Cameron.
“Welcome back, Peter,” Xavier murmured.
“Cap’n?” Tubbs asked. ThePearlwas under full sail now, as well. The two ships appeared to be racing toward one another, destined for a head-on collision.
“Hold her steady,” Xavier said. And then he shouted, “Attack!”
For one moment, Tubb’s visage was comical in its complete shock. And then he shouted, “Attack!”
ThePearlspewed her first broadside even though she was still trapped in the inlet with no room to maneuver. The first cannon shot just missed the corsair cruiser. The Tripolitans did not return fire.
Xavier smiled. “Port cannons, fire!”
Four cannonballs arced out across the water. Xavier and his entire crew watched with bated breath. Three shots missed the ship, landing just shy of the bow, but the fourth scored a direct hit.
His crew cheered.
And the corsair began returning fire. Cannon shot narrowly missed the bow and mainsail of Xavier’s ship.
Xavier smiled tightly. “You’ve acquired better gunners since our last encounter, Peter.”
“Cap’n? Five degrees starboard?” Tubbs asked.
Only one hundred yards separated the bows of both ships. Clearly the corsair and the frigate would collide head-on if one of them did not change course. “Hold her steady,” Xavier said. “Hold all fire.”
“Cap’n, beg your pardon, but we’re gonna ram her,” Tubbs said, his voice very high. “An’ she’s gonna ram us.”
It was either that or be trapped inside the inlet. “Yes,” Xavier said. “And I imagine the cruiser shall suffer more than we ourselves shall.”
Tubbs was white, but his hands remained steady on the helm. An unnatural silence had descended upon the ship. The entire crew of thePearlwas white faced and frozen in their positions. The prow of thePearlslipped through the two black sentinel boulders marking the entrance to the inlet. The prow of the corsair ship was spewing white water as she raced toward them.
Xaviernolonger used his spyglass. From where he stood, he could see Jovar perfectly. Like Xavier, the Scot captain stood braced and intent and unmoving.
Shit,Xavier thought.
Eighty yards separated the two ships now as they raced directly toward one another.
Seventy-five.
