The Grimnal rode closer, the crash of its bow waves sounding louder.
Ship after ship was coasting past the hidden frigate. Ward's excitement
grew to a pounding thing. They would be able to get them all in range.
The sails towered over them. A hundred yards. Almost abreast; just at
the narrowest point. Ward took a deep breath, and said quietly:
"Now."
* * * * *
Resi turned and hissed. Steaming liquor trickled down hungry cannon
mouths. Lava balls were softly rammed home. Muzzles came down. Aimed.
The gunners tensed, raised their hammers--and swung.
The night came apart.
A crashing roar racketed through the Break. The walls blasted back
the echo. The _Windsong_ rocked and trembled. Smoke boiled into the
moonlight and dimmed the Grimnal ship. And that was only a small sound.
Over a mile of fire smashed from the shadow and for a quivering second,
it seemed the world had exploded. Then came the thunder, and Ward
flinched.
Waterspouts climbed in the moonlight. Wreckage spun from the Grimnal
ships. Holes splintered in their sides. The _Windsong_ roared again;
the bobbing corvettes answered. And a deafening, mind dulling thunder
covered the break.
And the Grimnal did not answer.
The lightning flared steady now from the Kali line. Resi climbed
halfway up the ratlines for a better look. And still the wounded giants
had not answered. Grimnal were running in all directions on their
decks. Resi let out a howl of sheer triumph.
"They do not have their liquor cooked!" he cried, swinging to the deck.
"We have them with cold guns!"
The Kali cheered, and the firing seemed to cease. Ward was shaking
again, but for a different reason.
"Hey, Resi," he bellowed. "Let's get in there closer."
Sails snapped and the _Windsong_ came alive. She seemed to leap into
the moonlight. Then a corvette appeared beside her, and another, then
two racing side by side into the smoke. And all the Kali were moving.
The _Windsong's_ men were laughing like children, and the water crews
had everything soaked halfway up the mainsails. What people! Ward
laughed, ducking another bucketful. Resi slid to a halt beside him.
"We fool them, ho? We fool them!"
"Closer," Ward yelled. "Under their guns!"
"But they are not firing."
"Under their guns anyway," Ward laughed, and added to himself--away
boarders! A few scattered shots were coming from the Grimnal, ripping
overhead. Ward stood a little taller. The _Windsong_ came about, her
starboard bow nearly slashing the looming first-liner. Ward felt Resi's
hand on his arm.
"It was really _you_ that fool them."
Ward grinned foolishly.
"But _we_ whip them, ho?"
Ward wanted to answer, but it was the starboard guns' turn to speak.