Sails on the Horizon: A Novel of the Napoleonic Wars Read Online Free PDF Page B

Your wounds are not serious, I trust?”
    “No, sir. I’ll be fine, thank you.”
    Nelson looked Charles straight in the eye and extended his hand. When Charles took it, the commodore said, “I came to congratulate you on your victory, Mr. Edgemont. It was most impressive and nobly won. I greatly admire such a display of tenacity and sheer bullheaded determination. I couldn’t have done more in your situation myself. If all England’s officers showed such selfless courage as you have displayed today, we would have no fear of any enemy.”
    “Thank you, sir, we were just doing our duty,” Charles answered, emphasizing the “we” in an attempt to include Bevan.
    “Nevertheless,” Nelson continued, his eyes keen, “uncommon heroism such as you have displayed must be recognized. If I may say so, I have some influence with the admiral, and I will press my recommendations to him on your behalf with as much determination as you have shown toward the Spanish fleet this day. England needs every fighting captain she can find.”
    “Thank you, sir,” Charles managed, swallowing hard. He knew he hadn’t done anything heroic or determined, but he was afraid that saying so would just be taken for false modesty. Searching for the right words, he came up with, “On behalf of Argonaut ’s officers and men, I am most grateful.”
    “And one more thing,” Nelson continued. “I was blessed this afternoon with the boarding of both the San Nicolás and San Josef. By rights San Nicolás is yours. She was already much reduced when I reached her, and in fact she surrendered as soon as our guns came to bear. We only boarded her in order to use her forecastle to reach the San Josef. You may count her as a prize to the Argonaut with my heartiest approval.”
    “Thank you, sir,” Charles said. He couldn’t think of anything else to add.
    “Duty calls,” Nelson concluded with a second round of handshakes, this time including Bevan, and a bow. “I salute you, sir, and look forward to serving with you in the future.” Commander Berry likewise shook both their hands and briefly offered his own congratulations. Then the two men were gone.
    Charles sat heavily back down on the hatch cover with a rising sense of anxiety. His superiors clearly thought he had done something out of the ordinary. What would happen when someone discovered he hadn’t?
    “A few more visitors like this and we’ll own half the Spanish navy,” Bevan beamed, not sounding anxious at all.
    Charles laughed weakly. Prize money. By God, he hadn’t thought about prize money. Even with a lieutenant’s share, three Spanish ships of the line would bring a pretty penny.
    “You’re a certifiable hero, Charlie,” Bevan said, turning to leave. “But one of us has to keep the old Argonaut from going under. I should get back to work.”
    “Just a minute,” Charles said. “How badly damaged is she, Daniel?”
    “Well,” Bevan answered, turning serious, “we’ve been hulled more than a few times; don’t know how many holes yet, but the carpenter and his crew are working on them now. We’re down by the head, and there’s about six feet of water in the well. I’ve got every man available on the pumps, and we’re almost holding our own. As the holes are plugged one by one, we’ll start to make some headway. You know about the helm and the masts. All in all, we’re in pitiful shape.”
    “The dead and wounded? How many do you reckon?”
    “I’m not sure yet, exactly. I’d guess about four score killed outright, and maybe a hundred and a quarter or more wounded. A fair proportion of those will die soon, of course.”
    Charles considered this. Argonaut had lost more than a third of her complement. But there were still enough to patch and man the ship if they didn’t have to fight her. “Two things,” he said carefully. “Heave the guns overboard; they’re no good to us now and the reduced weight will give us some grace with the pumps. You may also start