The Yacht "Titania"
"I say, Sir Hugh is a thundering good sort, old man," observed
Beverley.
"Only just found that out, my dear old thing," rejoined Villiers.
"What's the wheeze now?" The two chums were "turning in". They shared
a room in Thalassa Towers, the rest of the members of the expedition
being accommodated in twos and threes in the spacious old building.
The appropriation of "cabins", as they preferred to call them, showed
Harborough's tact, the various members being invited to share their
sleeping-quarters with their special chums.
Claverhouse had elected to share a room with little Trevear on the
score that both were ex-members of that modern and glorious branch of
the service--the Royal Air Force. There they could talk unlimited
"shop ", and exchange reminiscences without feeling that the a-naval
men were being "bored stiff" with matters appertaining to aerial
navigation.
"The wheeze," replied Beverley, "concerns my young brother, Dick. Sir
Hugh suggested that I brought him along. He'd be handy," he added in
extenuation.
"Possibly," replied Villiers. "But if this is going to be a risky
business, is it fair on the lad? And, again, won't it cut into his
education?"
"We went into those questions," said Bobby. "As regards risk,
everything in life is a risk, isn't it? and, given reasonable
precautions, there appears to be little reason for anxiety on that
score. After all, we're on a cruise, not fighting Huns and doing a
one-step over mine-fields. And, concerning his education, I agreed
with Harborough that travel in itself is an education, and there is
no reason why Dick shouldn't keep up his studies. As a further
inducement Sir Hugh promised that whatever way the results of the
expedition went, he'd be responsible for giving Dick a twelvemonth's
course for Sandhurst."
"Jolly decent of him," remarked Villiers. "I wonder why he's going to
all this trouble. He doesn't know Dick."
"No," replied Beverley, "he doesn't. Dick's not a bad sort," he
added, which was the highest tribute Bobby dared pay his brother
before other people. Villiers grunted sleepily.
"In?" he inquired laconically, as he groped for the lanyard attached
to the electric-light switch--a device whereby he could turn off the
light without getting out of his cot. "My word! It's blowing. Glad
I'm not on an M.L. in the North Sea to-night."
"Hold on a minute," exclaimed Beverley. "I wanted to ask you
something. Is Harborough very worried about that stolen
attaché-case?"
"I don't know," replied Villiers. "I expect he is, but he doesn't say
much."
"There are the plans and charts relating to the _Fusi Yama_ in it,
aren't there?"
"B'lieve so," admitted Villiers. "Makes things a bit complicated.
However, I'll back Sir Hugh against Borgen any old time. Good night."
Next morning, according to previous arrangements, Harborough,
Villiers, and O'Loghlin motored to Southampton to inspect the
_Titania_.
At first sight the yacht did not convey a favourable impression. She
had only recently turned from Admiralty service, and looked very
dilapidated in her garb of grey, striped with innumerable
rust-stains. She was lying in a mud-berth, and, the tide being low, a
considerable part of her weed- and barnacle-covered bottom showed
above the mud. Her tapering pole-masts, once resplendent in all the
glories of varnish, were coated with battle-ship grey paint; her
standing rigging was in a deplorable condition. An unsightly
deck-house built above the original saloon added to the picture of
neglect, for most of the sheet-glass panes were broken. In her
present state no man intent upon the joys of yachting would have
looked at her twice.
But Harborough was nothing if not practical. Appearance mattered
little to him. In that neglected craft he saw seaworthiness and
utility. Paint and varnish might make a crank vessel smart, but they
would never make her seaworthy, but the _Titania_, despite her
woebegone appearance, gave indications of being a good, all-round,
hard-weather boat.
"A fairly flat bilge and a clean run aft," commented Sir Hugh. "If it
came to a push she'd take hard ground pretty comfortably. Let's get
aboard and see what she looks like 'tween decks."
The _Titania_ was not a modern vessel by any means. Her schooner bow
and rather long counter proclaimed her as a late Victorian. As a
matter of fact her papers showed that she had been built at Dumbarton
in 1900. The heavy oil-engines were fairly recent additions, or
rather a substitute for the triple-expansion engines with which she
was supplied immediately following her launch.
She was built of steel with teak decks, and twenty years had had very
little effect upon her structure. Apparently she had been used for
mine-laying during the war, for a steel trough had been built aft
projecting a couple of feet over her counter. Amidships were two
motor-driven winches, also added for war purposes, and evidently not
considered worth removing before she was handed back from service.
Right for'ard, in addition to the hand-operated capstan, was a
powerful steam-capstan, the engine and oil-fed boiler of which were
placed in the fo'c'sle.
"Rather cuts up the crew-space," commented Sir Hugh. "Fortunately,
that doesn't affect us. But these capstans and winches are the very
thing. What do you make of them, O'Loghlin?"
The engineering expert plunged into a maze of technical detail.
Harborough listened as if he enjoyed it, but whether he did was a
debatable point.
"But will they work, do you think?" he inquired at last.
"Give me a week on them and they'll work," replied O'Loghlin
confidently.
The original engine-room had been gutted, and had been used as a
hold, although, when the yacht had been converted from steam to heavy
oil, the engine-space had been made into an additional saloon with
store-space below. The present propelling-machinery was well aft, and
in spite of their rusty condition the twin-motors were in serviceable
order. Not only were the original oil-tanks left, but there were two
large tanks, capable of taking a thousand gallons of fuel, installed
immediately for'ard of the engine-room.
"She's just the thing for an ocean voyage," declared Harborough.
"Don't you think so, Villiers?"
"Economical and easily handled, I should say," replied Jack. "I
believe she'd give a good account of herself in a seaway."
"Let's look at the accommodation aft," said Sir Hugh. "We've to berth
twenty without undue crowding, remember."
They made their way to the main saloon, which was lighted solely by
skylights during the day. It was in a deplorable state, the teak and
mahogany fittings being almost destitute of varnish and showing signs
of not only hard but rough usage. Hardly a glass panel remained.
"Someone's been turning the ship into a bear-garden," commented
Villiers.
"Fortunately, we're not sybarites," added Harborough. "Comfort's the
main thing. I don't suppose the absence of looking-glass panels on
the wall will worry us. She seems fairly dry, I think."
"Yes," agreed Jack. "Her decks are well laid, and that's a lot to be
thankful for. Haven't spotted a sign of moisture anywhere below."
Opening out of the saloon were eight cabins, four on either side,
each lighted by a port, which, when closed, was fitted with a glass
scuttle. From the saloon an alley-way ran right aft to a spacious
cabin, extending the extreme width of the ship under the poop. Four
cabins large enough for double berths opened out of the alley-way.
"She's like a young liner," commented Harborough. "Plenty of room for
the whole crowd of us. Well, that's about all. The sails and the rest
of the inventory are in the store. Now, candidly, what do you think
of her? Of course, she'll want a lot of refitting."
"She's just the thing, I think," declared Villiers.
"Yes," corroborated O'Loghlin. "There's precious little to find fault
with the engines, as far as I can see."
"As regards the refitting," continued Villiers, "we can do most of
that ourselves. We are all of us handy men. The only difficulty is
the docking."
"That will have to be done by professional hands," said the baronet.
"If we purchase the _Titania_, docking and coating the bottom with
anti-fouling will be the first job. Right-o; let's call on the agent
and prepare to haggle over terms."
The yacht's agent received them without emotion. He was so dubious
about selling the vessel, even when there was a "boom" in shipping,
that he made no attempt to sing the praises of the neglected maiden.
He had had dozens of prospective purchasers during the recent period
following the yacht's release from Admiralty service, and every one
had gone away without attempting to close with the deal.
"Well, Mr. Strangeways," began Sir Hugh, "you've brought us down here
to see a most disreputable old tub."
The agent shrugged his shoulders deprecatingly.
"You asked for particulars, sir, and we sent them," he replied.
"She's not like the _Asteria_ and the _Falala_, both of which are on
our books if you wish to inspect. But consider the price asked for
the _Titania_--a mere song."
"That's what I am considering," agreed Sir Hugh, grimly. "By the time
she's fitted out, taking into consideration present-day prices of
labour and material, she'll cost a small fortune. And even then she
won't be a modern vessel by any means. No, sorry to trouble you, but
I'm afraid there's nothing doing."
"Perhaps, sir," said Mr. Strangeways, metaphorically grasping at the
last straw, "you might care to make an offer?"
"My price is fifteen hundred," declared the baronet promptly. "Not a
penny more."
"Impossible, my dear sir," protested the agent, raising his hands in
mock dismay.
"Sorry, good morning," said Harborough. "Come along, you fellows;
we'll be late for lunch if we don't get a move on."
For the next two days Sir Hugh lay low; but he was far from inactive.
As for the agent, he was simply bombarded with applications to
inspect the dilapidated _Titania_, for during those two days fifteen
individuals called in person, and in every case they either declared
bluntly that they wouldn't touch the yacht at any price or else
offered various sums none of which exceeded thirteen hundred and
fifty pounds. Nor did they think fit to enlighten the now thoroughly
harassed Mr. Strangeways with the information that they were members
of a syndicate of which Sir Hugh Harborough was the head.
And since the reserve price of the _Titania_ was £1450, and Mr.
Strangeways had a reason for disposing of her promptly in order to
close an account with her present owner, Sir Hugh evinced no untoward
surprise when he received a prepaid wire:
"Does offer £1500 for _Titania_ still hold good? If so, will
accept."
Within three hours of the receipt of the telegram the "_Fusi Yama_
Syndicate" was in possession of sixty-four sixty-fourths shares of
the yacht _Titania_.