BOARDED.
WHILE von Eckenhardt was recovering consciousness and the two young
officers were pulling themselves together after their trying ordeal,
Captain Ramshaw, who had been informed of the successful issue of the
affair, proceeded to the cabin taken by the German under the name of
Duncan McDonald.
It was a single berth cabin, furnished in the luxuriant style that
the Red Band Line provided for their first-class passengers.
The "old man" first directed his attention to an unlocked
portmanteau. It was filled with clothes. Methodically the chief
steward, under Captain Ramshaw's supervision, went through the
pockets. He found nothing incriminating. There was some
correspondence in English of a commonplace order, which gave no rise
to suspicion.
A second portmanteau was doubly locked. The steward cut the Gordian
knot by ripping the cowhide with his pocket-knife. Inside the case
were more clothes, but between the folds was a metal case half filled
with phosphor-bronze filings. There were also a revolver and two
hundred rounds of ammunition, the presence of which in a passenger's
possession was in itself a breach of the Company's regulations.
"Now, that cabin trunk, Saunders," exclaimed Captain Ramshaw,
pointing to a large, strongly made box. "You won't open that with
your penknife, my man."
"One minute, sir," said the steward.
He left the cabin, returning in a very short space of time with a
heavy hammer and a cold chisel.
He was about to attack the lock when the "old man" interposed.
"Avast there, Saunders!" he ejaculated. "We'll have the job tackled a
little more quietly. Go and ask the doctor for a small bottle of the
strongest acid he has."
"That's good, Saunders," he remarked when the man returned. "Now lay
on the acid all round the lock. Mind your eyes: it will splash a bit.
We'll ruin the carpet, I fancy; but there'll be more serious damage
done to the Company's property before long, unless I'm much
mistaken."
Rapidly the powerful acid ate its way into the metal. The cabin
reeked with the pungent fumes.
Captain Ramshaw waited until he considered that the corrosive fluid
had sufficiently weakened the metal, then he soused the side of the
trunk with water.
A gentle pressure of his boot brought the lock clean away. He raised
the lid. The portmanteau was apparently full of clothes. Von
Eckenhardt evidently had an extensive wardrobe.
"There's a double bottom, sir," announced the steward.
"I thought so," replied the captain quietly. "Be careful, Saunders.
You will find a secret spring. Don't use unnecessary force."
Wondering why the skipper harped upon the necessity for caution the
steward continued his investigations. At length he discovered an
invisible push, close to the bottom of the trunk. As he pressed it,
the false bottom opened upon a pair of hinges. The space contained
several sealed envelopes and a tin case measuring about ten inches by
six, and two inches in depth.
"You might hand over those papers," said the captain. "Now, open
that tin."
"It's full of gummy string, sir ."
"Powerful explosive, Saunders, enough to blow a big hole in the old
'Saraband.' There are fuses and detonators, too. I wonder the fool
hadn't more sense than to stow this stuff in a cabin trunk."
"What shall I do with it, sir?" asked the steward, eyeing the box of
latent death and destruction with undisguised apprehension.
"Overboard with it," decided the "old man" promptly.
Before Captain Ramshaw could proceed further with his investigations
a messenger brought the news that a strange vessel, apparently a
warship, was bearing down in the direction of the "Saraband."
The skipper broke all records in his dash for the bridge. Bringing
his binoculars to bear in the direction indicated by the chief
officer he saw that a large grey-painted cruiser was shaping a course
to cut him off.
"If she's a German we're nabbed, Lymore," said the captain. "She's
heavily armed, and we are within range of her guns. Unless I'm much
mistaken, she can give us points in speed."
"Will you alter our course and run for it, sir?" asked the chief
officer.
"Useless," decided Captain Ramshaw, with a shrug of his shoulders.
"If she were a hostile armed merchantman I'd engage her in a running
fight, but she'd blow us out of the water in two minutes. There are
the passengers to consider."
Rapidly the cruiser approached. She made no attempt to communicate
with wireless, but when within signalling distance she hoisted the
letters E.C. meaning, in the International Code, "What ship is
that?"
The "Saraband" immediately "made her number" and hoisted her ensign.
By this time the approach of the cruiser had been noticed by the
passengers, whose interest became intense, although they were still
in ignorance of the fact that a state of war existed between Great
Britain and Germany.
"Thank Heaven!" ejaculated Lymore fervently, as the White Ensign was
hoisted to the masthead of the cruiser, which was, it was remarked,
fully cleared for action.
"Don't be too cocksure," remonstrated the "old man."
"She's a British cruiser, sir," protested the chief officer. "One of
the 'Town' class, that I'll swear. There she goes: code flag over
'H,' sir."
The signal to stop was quickly complied with. Orders were telegraphed
to the engine-room for half-speed astern until the "Saraband" lost
way. The cruiser swung round in a semi-circle and likewise stopped
within two cables' length. A boat was lowered, manned, and rowed
towards the "Saraband."
"Clear the promenade deck, Mr. Lymore," ordered the captain.
"Request the passengers to go below. Don't give them any reason--let
them think what they jolly well like. Mr. Aubyn, see that the
accommodation ladder is shipped. You will receive the naval officer
and pay him the proper compliments."
The boarding officer proved to be a youthful lieutenant. Terence
escorted him to the bridge, where he immediately subjected Captain
Ramshaw to a close examination.
"Have you sighted any German armed merchantmen?" asked the officer,
whose ship, it transpired, was the light cruiser "Padstow."
"The 'Hertzolf:' that was before war was declared."
"Have you communicated by wireless with any craft?"
"Only your ship," replied Captain Ramshaw. "You may remember you
requested us to alter our course and fall in with you in a certain
latitude and longitude."
"Rather lucky for you that you didn't, then," rejoined the
lieutenant. "We sent out no wireless message. We had good reason to
keep the knowledge of our presence south of Las Palmas a secret. Do
you remember the position?"
Captain Ramshaw gave the desired information, Chief Officer Lymore
corroborating the statement by a reference to the log-book.
"It's a decoy message from the 'Hertzolf,'" announced the naval
officer, "she's been particularly active. Sunk the 'Walrus' and 'The
Star of Hope,' and captured two colliers. We're on her track now. If
I were you, Captain Ramshaw, I'd give Las Palmas a wide berth. Coal
at Gib., if you can fetch there with what coal you've on board."
"Very good, I will," answered the master of the "Saraband."
Courteously declining an offer of refreshments the lieutenant went
over the side and was rowed back to the "Padstow." Almost before the
boat was hoisted up the cruiser pelted off at twenty-five knots to
attempt to intercept the already too active "Hertzolf."
It was now no longer necessary in the interests of the ship to
withhold the momentous news of the outbreak of war from the
passengers. Notices were posted on the various saloons, their
appearance being hailed by rousing cheers. Instructions were also
given that in the event of the "Saraband" being chased, the
passengers were to assemble for'ard in such places as would be
pointed out, in order to be as safe as possible from shells from the
pursuing vessel.
At two bells in the second dog watch the ship's doctor reported to
the captain that von Eckenhardt was sufficiently recovered to be
interrogated. Accordingly Captain Ramshaw, Aubyn, Raeburn, and the
two quartermasters proceeded to the cabin in which the German had
been kept a prisoner.
"Now, von Eckenhardt, what have you to say in answer to the charge of
conspiring to cripple the vessel?" demanded Captain Ramshaw.
At the name von Eckenhardt the Teuton started wildly. He had, like
his companion in the outrageous attempt, been completely taken aback.
"So Slieber has given me away," he exclaimed passionately. "I am not
surprised. Slieber is not a true German. He worked for money. I did
what I could for the sake of the Fatherland. Remember I demand to be
treated as a prisoner of war."
Captain Ramshaw did not immediately reply. He, too, was taken by
surprise. Von Eckenhardt had blundered badly. He had revealed the
fact that the real name of the greaser who passed under the name of
Stone was Slieber. Also von Eckenhardt was fully aware that a state
of war existed between Great Britain and Germany. He claimed a
similar privilege to that demanded by Slieber, yet the passengers had
been kept in ignorance of the news until half an hour ago. In the
captain's mind there was no doubt that both Germans had received
information from official sources that a rupture was planned to occur
on or about the 4th day of August; and that, even had Great Britain
not delivered her ultimatum, the German Empire would have taken the
initiative almost at the same time as she threw down the gauntlet to
France and Russia.
"The pair of you have quaint notions concerning the rights of
prisoners of war," remarked Captain Ramshaw. "No doubt they are
perfectly in accord with the views of the German Government, but
unfortunately for you, you are not in uniform. In that case you are
liable to be placed upon your trial as a spy."
Von Eckenhardt shrugged his shoulders. Although at the moment of
detection he had attempted to put an end to his existence by throwing
himself into the engine-room, it was because he feared summary
vengeance on the part of the officers and men of the "Saraband." Now
that that immediate danger was over he took a calm view of the
situation. Previous experience told him that German spies brought to
trial in England were treated lightly as compared with the severe
punishment meted out in the Fatherland to Englishmen accused of
espionage.
"I am not a spy," he declared vehemently.
"That remains to be proved, Major von Eckenhardt," rejoined the "old
man," in his cool, deliberate manner. "At the same time I may as well
express my opinion that, with these documents in the hands of the
public prosecutor, you will have some difficulty to prove to the
contrary," and he held up the bundle of papers he had removed from
the German's cabin.
Von Eckenhardt's jaw dropped, but only for a moment. Then his teeth
closed together with a snap like those of a rat-trap. He seemed to be
on the point of hurling himself upon the skipper. Then, controlling
himself with an effort:--
"There is nothing more for me to say at present," he remarked with a
slight inclination of his head.
"Very well. You will be under close arrest till we arrive at
Southampton."
The German smiled sarcastically. Under his breath, just loud enough
for his captor to hear, he muttered "Perhaps."
Captain Ramshaw resisted the inclination to answer. Obviously the
taunt was meant as an insult. More, it suggested the possibility that
hostile commerce destroyers had marked the "Saraband" with her
precious cargo as a most desirable prey. Without another word he left
the cabin, signing to the quartermasters to double-lock the steel
door.
The captain was convinced that he had made an important capture. From
the documents found in von Eckenhardt's cabin it was clear that the
prisoner was a major in the Prussian Guards, and that he had been
detailed for secret service to report upon the military and political
situation in South Africa. Von Eckenhardt's instructions were written
in guarded language and signed by the initial X. Captain Ramshaw had
yet to learn who the mysterious X was, and the most important part he
played in the extensive and highly active espionage system fostered
by the Government of the German Empire.