"Aye, cap'n."
"Get all the wounded together. We can put the privateer's men ashore. They can take their wounded with them."
"Lum?"
"Yes suh."
"Go gather up all the rags and things you can find and meet me at the magazine. Dagan, let's go check out the captain's cabin."
A through search of the captain's quarters turned up very little. A very nice set of dueling pistols in a box was tucked under Dagan's arm when they went topside. As they reached the main deck the ship gave a shudder, then a loud creaking of the timbers as the frigate grounded itself in a nearby mud bank. While the wounded men were being off-loaded Lum found a bale of rags and two barrels of coal oil. A barrel of linseed was also found. The rags were soaked in the coal oil then the ship was doused with the remainder. The linseed oil was in a huge barrel so Lum smashed the barrel with an axe sending the liquid gushing over the deck and down into the bowels of the ship.
A search of the magazine proved to be disappointing. Only two barrels of gunpowder was found.
"They were probably waiting on supplies," Dagan commented seeing the lack of powder.
"Well, we can use it to start the fire," Gabe said.
Back on the main deck everyone had been offloaded. Lavery and Davy had everything ready for departure. The gunpowder was strewn across the deck and a line was poured to the entry port. Dagan threw the powder barrel he had been using to create a fuse back to the center of the deck then used his pistol to ignite the powder. The men had barely cleared the ship when the dark sky lit up like an inferno. The men were pulling Barracuda 10
with all their might but the heat from the ship could be felt by the men in the boats, making them pull with an urgency.
"That'll bring out a crowd I'm thinking," Dagan said as they rowed toward the inlet.
Looking back a red glow was visible with sparks and embers filling the sky like fireworks.
"She'd made a fine prize," Gabe said, regret at having to burn the ship in his voice.
"Aye, my thoughts as well," Dagan replied. "What a waste," he continued, "but she'll never take another British ship."