Cain laughed there was a small victory he had seen "They will never do it my friend!" he yelled over the vast stretch of ocean separating the Marlin from the Peregrine. Then in much less excitable tone "They did not send up double preventer stays half an hour ago. They can not carry royals in this kind of wind." But he touched a belaying pin as he said this: royals or no, the situation was quite tricky. The Marlin was moving faster than he had expected, and the Dolly, whose earlier mistake had set her well to leeward, was nearer that Cain could wish. The Marlin and the Dolly were the danger; he had no chance at all against the Marlin, very little against the Dolly, and both these ships were fast trying to intercept the Peregrine. Each came on surrounded by an invisible ring two miles and more in diameter the range of their powerful guns. The Peregrine had to keep well out of these rings, above all out of the area where they would soon overlap: and the lane was closing fast.
Cain considered the Peregrines trim: it was possible that he was pressing her down a bit in the aft. that there was a little too much canvas aboard, driving her by force rather than by grace. "Haul up the weather skirt of the main course" Cain said. Just so: there was a distinctly sweeter motion after it was hauled up. His beautiful Peregrine had always loved her headsails, "Mr. Agon, jump forward and tell me weather the spritsail will stand."
"I doubt it sir" Replied Mr. Agon coming aft. "She already is throwing a mighty bow wave."
Cain nodded: he had thought as much "Sprit topsail then" he said and thank Goodness for a strong royal mast that would take the strain. How beautifully she answered. You could ask any thing of the Peregrine. Yet still the lane was narrow enough, in all conscience the Marlin was crowding sail, and the Peregrine was racing into the zone of high danger.
Cains mind was racing and he had to talk with Jack Stepping to the forcastle he nodded to his guest "I have an enormous favor to ask of you."
Jack looked up form his cannon and started off with "This is a fantastic action you have gotten us into sir." Jack had started beaming from ear to ear "How may I help you sir?"
Cain scratched his chin "I'm thinking that Evans will soon grow tired of chasing us and start hunting the Tradesmen fleet. But it requires me to do something that's illegal unless you can help."
The Post Captain cantered his head "What do you need?"
Cain got to the point "To keep Evan's interest I plan on hoisting the colors of the Republic Navy and making signals as if I were a Republic Navy ship signaling to a fleet. They'll want to catch me to get private signals and to prevent us from reporting to my imaginary fleet."
Jack nodded in agreement "That is highly illegal, and yes, I will grant you my leave to do so. Now it's legal" he smiled and winked and went back to the forecastles gun crews he was in command of giving them pointers on how to more effectively run them in and out.
Calling to MR. Grimand Cain ordered "Strike our Alerarian colors and raise the Republic Navy colors." The ensign broke out at the mizzen peak; the mark of a man of war and no other streamed from it. Now Cain was almost within random shot of the Marlin. If he edged way the Dolly and Grayling would gain on him. Could he afford to hold onto this present course? Cain ordered to a masters mate "Be so good to heave the log."
The masters mate stepped forward, paused a moment at the sloping lee quarter to see where he could toss it into a calm patch outside the mill race rushing along her side, flung the log widethrough the flying spray, and shouted "Turn!" The boy posted on the hammock nets with the reel held his; the line tore off and a moment later there was a scream. The quartermaster had the boy by one foot, dragging him inboard; and the reel, torn from his hand raced away.
"Fetch another log" Cain said happy with seeing the log spin out so quick "And use a fourteen second glass." Cain had only seen the whole line run off the reel a scant few times in his life. It became clear that the Peregrine would do it, that they would cross the Marlin and start to increase the distance with in a few minutes, yet nevertheless they were running towards the nearest point of convergence, and it was always possible to mistake by a few hundred yards. And some long brass eight pounders could throw a ball very far and true.
~Would Evans fire?~ Cain mused, yes there was the flash and puff of smoke. The ball fell short. The line was exact, but having skipped five times the ball sank three hundred yards away. So did the next two, and the fourth was even farther off. The Peregrine was through and now every minute saileed carried them farther out of range.