“The Dons have agreed to a capitulation, sir.”
“Good! Those ships there?”
“They’ll be our prizes, sir.”
“Hurray!” yelled Berry, his arms in the air.
Five hundred pounds for Buckland, five shillings for Berry but prize money was something to cheer about in any case. And this was a victory, the destruction of a nest of privateers, the capture of a Spanish regiment, security for convoys going through the Mona Passage. It had only needed the mounting of the gun to search the anchorage to bring the Dons to their senses.
“Very good, Mr. Wellard, thank you,” said Bush.
So Wellard could step back and wipe the sweat out of his eyes, and Bush could wonder what item in the terms of the capitulation would be likely to rob him of his next night’s rest.
Chapter XIV
Bush stood on the quarterdeck of the Renown at Buckland’s side with his telescope trained on the fort.
“The party’s leaving there now, sir,” he said; and then, after an interval, “The boat’s putting off from the landing stage.”