A Jester’s Fortune

CHAPTER 3

Captain Benjamin Rodgers, too, was of the opinion of "God help the French," and agreed with Lewrie that "on their own heads be it" if an enemy merchantman escaped their clutches only to stagger into even greater harm among the savages of the coasts.

"Look at it this way, Alan," he said, chortling, as they put their heads together just shy of Corfu. "Its a bit less prize-money for us, but do th' damn pirates get her, she's a dead loss for th' Frogs just th' same. One less bloody cargo t'help 'em build their navy 'gainst us!"

"Just so long as they only take outward-bound ships, sir," Lewrie reluctantly agreed with him, leaning forward to snag the neck of the claret bottle on the table between them as they celebrated aboard Pylades in shirtsleeves and unbuttoned waistcoats, their neck-stocks undone and comfortable. "Oh, I'd 'How the locals as many of the timber or naval stores cargoes as they wish. Good huntin' to 'em, I say, but I'll-"

"Cargoes already bought and paid for, mind, so 'tis double their loss," Rodgers interrupted, as had ever been his energetic wont. "May e'en be triple th' loss… do th' Frogs still have a maritime insurance fund, like Mr. Lloyd at his coffeehouse in London. Or have a sou left in it? By God, sir… the grief! Their poor ships'-husbands an' owners… weepin' an' wailin' ev'rytime their little Lutine Bell rings! Haw!"

"But I'll fight tooth and nail for an inbound ship, sir," Lewrie persevered with a much-put-upon sigh well hidden from Rodgers. Falling back into old, forgotten habits, he consoled himself with a wry chuckle; it was difficult to get a word in edgewise when Benjamin Rodgers was full of himself and "chirping wordy"!

"Aye, poor wine 'board an outbound ship," Rodgers hooted, full of mirth, retrieving that bottle for his own enjoyment. "After they've drunk up all their 'bubbly' Mean t'deprive me, th' surly bastards."

"All their export goods, sir," Lewrie rejoined in good humour. "They don't have that good an economy, that much silver or gold specie with which to pay for-"

"Amen and amen t'that, Alan old son!" Rodgers guffawed, banging the bottle on the table in his exuberance. "Aye, short as they are for solid coin, why… an' how many other nations' bankers'll honour any o' their Letters of Exchange, 'cause they're paper promises… not worth th' paper they're written on!"

"Bills of credit, but based on what, sir?" Lewrie said quick as he could, before Rodgers went on another tear. "Redeemed when, if ever-"

"An' ev'ry inbound vessel we take, then, is another nail in th' coffin for 'em," Rodgers exulted, getting to his feet to pace. "They have t'buy grain or starve, from th' Barbary States or their old chums th' Americans. Must be in bad debt with them already! Most o' their merchant fleet already swept clean off th' seas, blockaded."

"A huge drain, sir… on an already thin-stretched economy. Or treasury. Worst drain may be right here in the Adriatic. Can't win a war without a navy… can't build or maintain their navy without stores from the Adriatic. And can't purchase-"

"That'll be something t'tell Captain Charlton, next time we cross his hawse, wouldn't it, Alan?" Rodgers speculated. "That we're doin' a power more t'hurt th' Frogs than anyone else at th' moment. Makin' 'em bleed through th' nose for want o' timber. Might bankrupt 'em. By God, we could! Bankrupt 'em… d'ye think?"

"Very possibly, sir." Lewrie grinned. "And make a tidy profit in prize-money, in captured silver and gold for ourselves, with every inbound ship we take. As for the outbound, we might as well let the pirates have 'em. Or burn 'em, since-"

"Hellish waste, though." Rodgers sobered for a moment. "So far, we've seen some damn' handsome ships, for th' most part. Worth a lot to the Austrian Prize-Court. Not a third th' value of th' inbound, but…"

"Word might get round, sir," Lewrie suggested. "Might give pause to Frog shipmasters… those neutrals, too, who'd profit by smuggling for 'em. Word of Dalmatian pirates takin' their ships'd put the fear of God in 'em, too, sir. Wonder if there's a way to start a rumour…"

"We'll find that out tomorrow, Alan," Rodgers stated levelly, with a cunning leer on his phyz. "When we put into Corfu. Or rather, when you put into Corfu, in my stead."

"Once burned, twice shy, sir?" Alan snickered. "Still holding Charleston 'gainst me?"

"A bit, I must own." Rodgers chuckled. Years before, Rodgers had come aboard Alacrity in the pursuit of a murderous pirate and criminal who'd fled the Bahamas in a swift three-masted lugger after looting a private bank of all its assets. They'd followed almost right into harbour I in the port of Charleston, South Carolina, where a Royal Navy ship wasn't exactly welcome so soon after the Revolution. They'd shot her to matchwood and taken her, right on the Charleston Bar, under the guns of the forts. And it had been Commander Rodgers who'd had to talk their way out and explain their doings, leaving Lieutenant Lewrie free to search their capture and arrest or kill the notorious John Finney. They'd gotten away by the skin of their teeth, without creating a diplomatic incident or starting a new war-but it had been a damn close affair.

"Just after dawn, Alan…" Rodgers decided. "We'll transfer all the foreign crews and prisoners to Jester. You take 'em into harbour an' land 'em. Into Venetian custody. They can't refuse you, bein' so bloody neutral an' all. Make it easier for us to safeguard th' prize ships, too. No sense in holdin' so-called 'neutral' Danes an' Dutch 'til we go back to Trieste. Nor reason t'hold French merchant sailors, either, who'd be set loose an' sent home sooner'r later, anyway."

"And should there be any smuggling vessels or French ships…"

"Aye, old son." Rodgers twinkled. "There's yer couriers f'r a damn' fine rumour o' piracy an' pillage. An' news o' Royal Navy ships sweepin' th' Adriatic clean as a tabletop. Make a sham o' waterin'… firewood an' water, th' usual sort o' port visit. No longer'n twenty-four hours, mind. Whilst I stay seaward t'guard th' prizes we have so far. Should there be a French warship in th' offin', my 5th Rate'd be more dauntin' than yer Jester. And with our prisoners gone, I reduce th' number o' hands needed to man th' prizes. Makin' Pylades almost up t'full complement again. An' my guns better served."

"Sure you don't relish a run ashore, sir?" Lewrie offered. "You didn't get your shot at Venice, and Trieste's a dead bore, so-"

"I'll get my quill dipped sooner'r later, no fear, Alan. Venice is still there for me," Rodgers countered, coming to pour them both up to brimming "bumpers." "From what you an' Charlton told me of it, it's not all it's reputed to be, though. Though th' sportin' ladies do sound fetchin'. Griggs?" He called to his manservant. "Trot out another o' this claret 'fore supper. You'll dine aboard, o' course, Alan?"

"Only if you swear you won't get me thunderin' drunk, Benjamin," Lewrie scoffed. "How could I start our rumour and do all you expect with a thick head tomorrow?"

"Seen you in action afore, sir. Thick head or no, you'll be up for it. Griggs, damn yer eyes? Smartly, now!"