The Moghul Page 21

  The longboat scraped crazily across the deck and into the surf. Thenanother wave washed over the deck, chilling the half-naked seamen whostruggled to secure the longboat's line. Two chests of silver bullion,newly hoisted from the hold, were now wedged against the mainmast.Elkington clung to their handles, shouting between waves for the seamento lower them into the longboat.

  Mackintosh ignored him.

  "Hoist the line to the poop. We'll board her from the stern gallery.Take the longboat under and drop a ladder. You and you, Garway andDavies, bring the line about, to the gallery rail."

  The current tugged at the longboat, but its line held secure and theseamen passed the end up the companionway and toward the stern gallery,where the rope ladder was being played out.

  "The longboat'll not take all the men and the silver. Blessed Jesus,there's ten thousand pound sterling in these chests." Elkington gaspedas another wave washed over him, sending his hat into the surf. Heseized a running seaman by the neck and yanked him toward the chests."Take one end, you whoreson bastard, and help hoist it through thecompanionway to the poop."

  But the man twisted free and disappeared toward the stem. With an oath,Elkington began dragging the chest across the deck and down thecompanionway. By the time he reached the gallery, the ladder hadalready been dropped into the longboat.

  And five seamen were waiting with half-pikes.

  "I'll send you to hell if you try loadin' that chest." Bosun's mateJohn Garway held his pike in Elkington's face. "We'll all not make itas 'tis."

  Then Thomas Davies, acting on the thought in every man's mind, thrusthis pike through the lock hinge on the chest and wrenched it off with asingle powerful twist. "Who needs the money more, say I, the bleedin'Worshipful Company, or a man who knows how to spend it?"

  In moments a dozen hands had ripped away the lid of the chest, andseamen began shoveling coins into their pockets. Elkington was pushedsprawling into the companionway. Other seamen ran to begin rifling thesecond chest. Silver spilled from their pockets as the men poured downthe swaying ladder into the longboat. As Elkington fought his way backtoward the stem, he took a long last look at the half-empty chests,then began stuffing the pockets of his own doublet.

  Mackintosh emerged from the Great Cabin holding the ship's log. As hewaited for the last seaman to board the longboat, he too lightened the_Resolve _of a pocketful of silver.

  With all men on board the longboat's gunwales rode a scant three inchesabove waterline. Bailing began after the first wave washed over her.Then they hoisted sail and began to row for the dark shore.