<strong>CAP'N BERT, STARTING THE ATTACK </strong><br/><br/>Torregas the freeloading freebooter was up nice and early today. Almost in a condition to make himself useful in naval combat, in fact. I borrowed a bucket of seawater from a deckhand swabbing the deck, and emptied it over his head to freshen him up.<strong>"Rise and shine, Ramon. You're needed on the gun deck. Remember, grapeshot only! We want to keep the prize in one piece. To your station, sailor!"</strong><br/><br/>We closed the distance between the ships fast. At about 200 yards from the target, I finally gave the order to run up the Jolly Roger Using the yardarm as a rough guide, I saw we were almost ready to fire the first broadside.<strong>"Fire at will!"</strong>I called down to the gundeck, and a second or two later the guns were run out and firing a full broadside of grapeshot, raking the deck of the merchantman and causing moderate casualties, as I saw through my spyglass.<br/><br/>I was just about to call for another broadside, a little faster this time, when a teenage powder monkey ran up to me from below.<strong>"Captain, the chief gunner's had a cannon run over his foot!"</strong><br/><br/><strong>"Damn it to hell. Have them take Conor to the workshop at the front of the ship and help him splint it. Tell Ramon Torregas he's in charge of the guns for now, and God help us all."</strong>The boy ran off, and I shouted to the marksmen in the rigging to lay down some more fire while they sorted out the chaos down below. We were crossing the merchantman's bows at 50 yards and only getting closer.<br/><br/><strong>"Fire another broadside and get on deck! ALL HANDS PREPARE FOR BOARDING!"</strong>I shouted, took a musket from the cabin behind me, loaded it quickly and shot the helmsman of the merchantman. Its crew started firing back, and I took cover behind the sandbags at the gunwale. The grappling hooks would be lying in seconds if the ladies got a move on.