Time flies, two months in a flash.

The Jackdaw's shadow appeared in Baltimore's harbor for the seventh time, and although it had not yet officially entered the almost exclusive No. 3 water tank, it had undoubtedly announced the first contract cycle of Lorraine's smuggling, with a total of two contract rounds and one additional round of smuggling activities officially ended.

The contract, which began in July and ended in September, lasted for three months, and Lorraine gave the Continental Army a total of 6,300 Charville rifles, 3,400 dragoon pistols, and 24 new light guns, enough to build two elite grenadier regiments and three standard line regiments.

The Americans paid 782,400 pounds for this, of which 186,480 pounds belonged to the Drake Chamber of Commerce, and after removing the expenses, Lorraine alone belonged to 108,000 pounds, which made his cash flow exceed 110,000 pounds, approaching 120,000.

This was the most cash-rich moment in Lorraine's business career, with controllable funds including 120,000 for himself, 20,000 for Pierce and 6,000 for Henna, totaling about 150,000 pounds, equivalent to more than a ton of gold.

The seafarers were also very rich, and like Henna, they each received a nine-third of the chamber's profit of £6,000, and an average monthly income of £2,000, far more than the Caribbean branch before the opening of the ocean.

Compared with the entire large-scale chamber of commerce with the power of individuals, the smuggling profits are breathtaking.

The sailors on board the Jackdaw, of course, were also sharers.

Carrying out the most dangerous work and receiving the highest salary was a promise made to them by Lorraine, and although he did not give the sailors special treatment in the contract, because of his deep pockets, the promised bonuses were never delayed.

The annual salary of each contract round is half a year, and the scale of the whole ship is 200 people, and the total amount is only more than 5,000 pounds.

This is a drop in the bucket compared to Lorraine and the seamen, but for these ordinary sailors, it is enough to make everyone's purse swell.

Historically, the thickness of a purse has been proportional to one's endurance.

One by one, the flatbread painted by Lorraine came to fruition, and the sailors were so energetic that they unconsciously forgot about the exhaustion accumulated in their bodies.

At first, the black-hearted capitalists were worried about the health of the crew, but over time, with the mountains of gold on the side, even Lorraine was in good spirits, and he was immersed in the joy of harvest.

It wasn't until the fifth round of smuggling, when the two sailors fainted and fell overboard, that Lorraine suddenly realized that the Jackdaw had unknowingly climbed to the tip of the knife.

The back is imprinted all over Lorraine's skull.

Since then, he has abandoned the principle of pure monetary incentives, and forcibly added rotations and rotations to the intervals, that is, one-fifth of the crew on each ship rests on shore, and the ship's operations are rotated in three shifts.

The reduction of companions and the movement of personnel made the Jackdaw clumsy for a certain period of time.

In the sixth round of smuggling, the captain of the Clen on duty, the Jackdaw made two mistakes in succession in the process of avoiding the circle, and almost activated the co-defense mechanism.

Thankfully, Lorraine had perhaps the most tactic against Shaq in the world, supplemented by Emmons' dedicated intelligence.

Moreover, since the Continental Detachment entered the rotation rest period, the operation of the formation has become lazy, and the level of assistance and defense has dropped significantly.

The Chesapeake Bay smuggling route is much more lively in August and September than in July. The clumsy Jackdaw, which was mixed in, rushed into the mouth of the bay with speed and experience, and successfully survived the pains of the new system without paying any price.

By the time of the seventh smuggling, the Jackdaw's movements were much smoother, and it finally crossed the mouth of the bay and sailed into the bustling docks of Baltimore.

Looking at the ships coming and going, which is completely different from July, Lorraine sighed: "In April, Galvez said that the return rate of this route was less than 20%, and I thought it was alarmist. Now that I think about it, April, July, and October, it was Shaq who guarded the door, and Galvez probably mixed it with water at a rate of 20% of the return voyages. ”

Caterina and Karen nodded in agreement.

Caterina said: "But thanks to that special period, otherwise with the current success rate of smuggling, it would not be so easy for the Earl to hand over the exclusive operation to us." ”

"Blessings and misfortunes depend on them, and misfortunes and blessings come to them, that's the truth."

Lorraine did not expect his two acting captains to understand Chinese, so he read a sentence to himself, turned his hand and handed them new information.

"Before going to sea, Bell got the Bermuda Patrol from October to December. Next month is Shaq's lockdown rotation, and I'm ready to suspend the rotation and only keep the job rotation. ”

He sighed.

"The Jackdaw's sailors are too far apart, and the Golden Deer is so far away that some of them can't even tie the basic knots, and the only two strengths are bravery and not getting seasick."

"Although after more than 20 days of rotation, they have barely been able to do their job when avoiding the circle, but when Shaq sits in the blockade formation, ......"

"Anyway, you have to think about the order of duty when you schedule your shifts. Remember that the best way to do this is to avoid the fight as much as possible, not to wait for the planes and seek victory. ”

The two nodded solemnly.

After a short time, the American escort ships came up from both sides, and the sailors and sailors stood on the side and greeted each other familiarly, attracting the sideways glances of the merchant ships.

In Baltimore, warship escorts have become a distinctive symbol of the Jackdaw. Even though smuggling has picked up in the past two months and ships have come and gone much more frequently in the port, the Jackdaw still enjoys the honor, looking less like a smuggler and more like a hero that Americans are obsessed with.

But the Jackdaw does look like a hero.

Seven calls in three months, stable and efficient, whether God favors the Americans or not, the Jackdaw can visit on time.

It has a monopoly on Baltimore's arms deal. It is obviously the most dangerous and irritable smuggling, but the hull of the ship that is not glamorous in the past will never be scarred.

Its sailors were vulgar, but they were all positive, and there was no despondency on other ships that did not know what was going on today.

Needless to say, the Jackdaw illuminated Baltimore's faith in victory. At a time when the entire thirteen continents were in a state of confusion and unable to find a way to win, only the Baltimoreans believed in victory and that the Americans would take the lead in their own future.

The Jackdaw deserves such an honor!

The three ships are parallel, the waterlines are intertwined, and the swaggering track goes from the harbor to the port area.

Lorraine saw the U.S. warship waving the "Welcome Home" flag, and immediately afterward, the sailors at the bow of the ship shouted.

"The pilotage docking is complete, and the channel is clear! Flags, old rules, No. 3 warehouse! ”

"Ten degrees to the left rudder, close the sails!"

"Distance 150, vertical!"

"The water gate confirms, and the water gate opens. The berth is confirmed, the berth is good! ”

"Cable set, anchor set ready! Emergency pole preparation! ”

"One minute of timer for entering the warehouse!"

"Pilot's flag: Today's dinner is potato beef stew, and the wine is enough. Welcome home, brother! ”

"The bow cuts into the dripping eaves, and the Jackdaw enters the warehouse!"

"Arrival!"