“What different stuff?” He said it offhandedly, almost bored, finished his drink. It sounded like there was something of some importance here.
“More naval orders, I heard them talking. They were excited. Then they looked at me and laughed and didn’t say anything else.”
All of the military clerks were trusted, Paisley thought. But some were trusted more than the others. Clerks who worked in a locked room inside a locked room. And why had they laughed? A secret within a secret? Superiority? They knew something that the other clerks didn’t.
“I would like to know what it is that Anderton and Foyle are working at. You can find that out for me.”
“No, please don’t ask that!” Giorgio’s olive skin went quite pale.
“I’m not asking — Georgy — I’m telling you.”
“I can’t, really, you don’t know…”
“But I do know,” Paisley said, leaning his face close to the other’s, his voice thick with menace. “And what I know others would like to know. I’ve written a letter that lists a number of interesting facts that you have told me. Should I mail it? For you it will mean jail, disgrace, probably hanging. Isn’t treachery a hanging offense in wartime?”
Georgio was beyond speech, terrified and gasping for air.
“But I am a generous man.” He folded a ten dollar-bill and passed it over. “And another of the same when you find out what they are writing. There, that wasn’t too bad, was it?”
Paisley smiled broadly when the little man clutched the bill and staggered out into the street. He tapped on the table, ordered more to drink. This was proving to be a most satisfactory day.
A CLASH AT SEA
Ordinary Seaman Webb yawned widely, then stamped in a full circle on the metal deck. These night watches were difficult to get through without dropping off to sleep. Two hours on duty, four hours off. The four went by in a flash when he fell asleep — while the two hours on watch seemed to stretch forever. Overhead the stars were sparkling points of light against the darkness of the sky, the moon a thin sliver just above the western horizon. Was there a touch of brightness to the east? He raised his night glasses. Yes, it was brighter there already with the swift arrival of the tropical dawn. He squinted through his glasses again, then swept the horizon in the growing light, south all the way to the sharp outlines of the mountains where they met the sea. Then stopped — was that a tiny dark blob? He couldn’t tell. He rubbed his eyes, looked again — and yes, it certainly was.
“Bridge! Ship in sight — south-south-east!”
He heard his call repeated as the watch officer stepped out onto the flying bridge. He waited until the sky was brighter, the image clearer.
“Pass the word for the captain.”
The USS Avenger was stationed off the port of Coatzacoalcos for just this reason. To intercept any ships attempting to approach the enemy-occupied port. There was always the chance that this might be an American ship. But her sudden appearance at dawn, near the coast, made that highly improbable. Friendly ships would have come from the east in daylight. Whereas a British ship could have made a landfall to the south the night before, then slipped north along the coast to make this sudden appearance at dawn. This was not the first time that this had happened. The engine room had already raised steam and they were moving through the water when the captain made his appearance on deck.
They weren’t the only ones who had seen the newcomer. The two British ironclads, the Conqueror and the Intrepid, stationed just outside the harbor, had also raised steam. The three ships were now all heading south on parallel courses. But not quite parallel.
“The nearer one,” the watch officer said to Commander Goldsborough as he came on deck, “that will be Conqueror. Looks as though he is angling to forereach us.”
“By all means let him try. I would dearly love to see him in our gun sights.”
They had been weeks on this station without firing a shot. Every time Goldsborough approached the two British guard ships they would retreat until they were within range of the big guns ashore.
It was full daylight now and the approaching ship could be clearly seen. Clouds of smoke billowed behind her sails.
“Unarmored!” Goldsborough said with obvious relish. “One broadside — that’s all I want.”
The approaching British ironclad was aware of this danger as well, coming closer and closer, moving between the American ship and what surely must be one of their own vessels.
“He’ll pay dearly for this,” Goldsborough said fiercely, cut off from his prey. “Stand by the wheel. I want to change course the second that we fire.”
The two turrets fired their immense seven-hundred-pound guns at almost the same instant. Seconds later the enemy ironclad fired as well. The Avenger heeled with the recoil of the guns, shivered with the resounding clanging as the British shells struck her armor.
“Hard starboard!” the captain shouted and the ship heeled again as it turned away from its opponent — who was turning as well. Both ships seemed unharmed by this exchange.
“Damnation!” Command
er Goldsborough called out as the smoke was blown away. Their prey had slipped by, was past them, with the other ironclad shielding it from the enemy. Conqueror turned away from them as well and headed for port. Avenger turned in their wake but slowed when the first shells from the shore-mounted guns splashed into the ocean close to their bow.
“Well, one ship can’t make much of a difference,” Goldsborough said begrudgingly. “Take up station.”