A Captains Life (Story One .5)

[Rosebud]

The door to Dupree’s quarters was tapped on lightly awaking him.

 

“Begging your pardon sir…a sail was spotted off the starboard bow.” said the voice from behind the hatch.

 

“And you woke me because…?” asked Dupree.

 

“Well sir she was sailing away and changed course to intercept us…sir.”

 

“Well” thought Dupree tiredly “that is a legitimate reason.” Rising he washed his face in a small bowl of water and put on his coat. “Tell the watch I’ll be topside in a moment.”

 

The yellow half-moon was just cresting over the horizon. Dupree put his glass next to his eye and surveyed the ship. She was a brig under full sail, beating upwind to narrow the distance between the Ricki Tiki and herself. From the looks of her she was an American trader running low in the water. Just as Dupree removed the telescope from his eye a call came from above.

 

“SAIL HO…STARBOARD BOW!”

 

Dupree raised the glass once again. Behind the Brig was a second set of full sails, a Snow. Flashes came from her bow chasers and splashes appeared around the Brig.

 

“All hands on deck Mr. Hamilton” ordered Dupree stabbing a glance to the rigging.

 

“Aye, aye sir…ALL HANDS ON DECK!” John yelled.

 

The Ricki Tiki was bustling with sailors in a very short period. Men aloft awaited orders as did those on deck manning the ropes or the not to be used cannons. All eyes were on the quarterdeck as Dupree gauged the situation. Hamilton had already made his decision as to how this situation should be handled, but kept his assessment smartly to himself. If he were in command, he would turn her sharply and run down wind, leaving the Brig to her fate. “Damn fool” he thought “just heave-to and give em what they want. Now your dragging us down with you…damn fools.”

 

More flashes from the Snow, this time finding their mark. Dupree weighed his options. A new crew, no crew trained in handling the cannons. He was sure that the Ricki Tiki could not outrun, out maneuver or out gun that Snow. Even if he added his guns to the Brigs they would most likely fail. On the other hand there was a fellow captain in trouble. What type of a man backs down from assisting a fellow captain in need?

 

“The type that needs to stay alive” he thought to himself. “Mr. Hamilton, have her brought to port and set her at west by northwest. Set the royals and prepare to heave those cannons overboard if needed.” He felt terrible about his cowardice, but also knew that assisting that Brig would have put his mission and his crew in very deep jeopardy. John Hamilton was just happy he didn’t have another fool as a captain.