“Perhaps not. And then? After you were in the water? Were you pursued?”
“As far as I can tell, Your Excellency, I was not. Perhaps it was some time before they noticed my absence. Even then they would have to let down the ladder and climb down it. I heard nothing as I made off.”
“Which way did you go?” asked Hornblower.
“I kept to the river, My Lord, making my way downstream. It reaches the sea at Montego Bay, as we decided, if you remember, My Lord, when we were making our first observations.”
“Was it an easy journey?” asked Hornblower. Something was stirring in his mind, demanding his attention despite the strong emotions he was experiencing.
“Not easy in the dark, My Lord. There were rapids in places, and the boulders were slippery. I fancy the main pass is narrow, although I could not see it.”
“And at Montego Bay?” asked Hooper.
“There was the guard over the fishing boats, a half-company of the West Indian Regiment, Your Excellency. I had their officer awakened, and he found me a horse, and I took the road through Cambridge and Ipswich.”
“You got yourself remounts on the way?”
“I claimed I was on a mission of the greatest importance, Your Excellency.”
“You made good time, even then.”
“The patrol at Mandeville told me His Lordship was on his way to Your Excellency, and so I rode straight to Government House.”
“Very sensible.”
To the picture in Hornblower’s mind of the leap In the darkness were now added others, of a nightmare journey down the river, falling over slippery boulders, rumbling into unexpected pools, struggling along invisible banks; then the endless, weary ride.
“I shall represent your conduct to the Lords Commissioners, Mr Spendlove,” he said, formally.
“I must thank Your Lordship.”
“And I shall represent it to the Secretary of State,” added Hooper.
“Your Excellency is too kind.”
To Hornblower it was not the least of Spendlove’s achievements (guessed at from a glance at his plate) that Spendlove had contrived somehow to gulp down a whole plateful of steak and onions while making his report. The man must have learned to dispense with chewing.
“Enough of compliments,” said Hooper, mopping up his gravy with a piece of bread. “Now we have to destroy these pirates. This lair of theirs – you say it is strong?”
Hornblower let Spendlove answer.
“Impregnable to direct assault, Your Excellency.”
“M’m. D’ye think they’ll make a stand there?”
For the past several minutes Hornblower had been debating this point with himself. Those leaderless men, dazed now by the complete failure of their scheme – what would they do?
“They could scatter all over the island, Your Excellency,” said Spendlove.
“So they could. Then I’ll have to hunt them down. Patrols on every road, movable columns in the mountains. And the sick-list is high already.”
Troops exposed to the weather and the night air for long in the West Indies died like flies, and it might well take weeks to run the outlaws down.
“Maybe they’ll scatter,” said Hornblower, and then he committed himself, “but in my opinion, Your Excellency, they will not.”
Hooper looked at him sharply.
“You think not?”
“I think not, Your Excellency.”
That gang had been despairing as well as desperate when he had been among them. There was something childlike about them, leaderless as they were. On the cliff they had shelter, food – they had a home, if the expression could be tolerated. They would not readily leave it.
“And you say this place is impregnable? It would mean a long siege?”
“I might reduce them quickly with a naval force, Your Excellency, if Your Excellency would give me leave to try.”
“Your Lordship is welcome to try anything that will save lives.”
Hooper was looking at him curiously.
“Then I’ll make my arrangements,” said Hornblower.
“You’ll go round to Montego Bay by sea?”
“Yes.”
Hornblower restrained himself from saying ‘of course”.
Soldiers always found it hard to realise the convenience of the sea for rapid and secret movements.
“I’ll maintain my patrols in case they bolt while you smoke out the nest,” said Hooper.
“I think Your Excellency would be taking a wise precaution in doing so. I trust my plan will not take long in execution. With Your Excellency’s leave -“