THE "DUKE OF NEGROPONT"
BANG! went another quickfirer, and the accompanying screech denoted
the fact that the pirates had let loose a shell. Another and another,
followed by a couple of detonations and the rending of steel as the
powerful missile burst.
Then the _Independencia_ turned 45 degs. to port, and the object of
her unwelcome attentions came into the view of the prisoners in the
cabin.
"You're right, Cardyke," exclaimed the sub. "It's a West Indian
liner; I can see by her funnels."
"British," announced the mid., as a waft of air partially cleared the
smoke that was issuing from her steerage, revealing the red ensign
fluttering from her ensign-staff. "They've blown her bridge and
chart-house to smithereens."
"And planked a couple of shells through her quarters," added
Fielding. "I wonder she doesn't make a dash for it, instead of
slowing down."
Did the sub. but know it he might have realised the cause of the
British vessel's apparent lack of enterprise. The ship was the _Duke
of Negropont_, four days out from New Orleans. Lured by the display
of distress signals from the _Independencia_, the liner had altered
helm, and borne down upon the seemingly crippled cruiser. Then a shot
was fired across the liner's bows, while the white ensign fluttered
down from the cruiser's stern, and was replaced by the red flag of
anarchy.
The skipper of the _Duke of Negropont_ had received due warning of
the depredations of the _Independencia_, but since it was reported
that the pirate was seen in the vicinity of the Straits of Gibraltar
he never for one moment associated the vessel flying the white ensign
with the modern buccaneer. But directly the first shell whizzed
across the _Duke of Negropont's_ bows the captain of the liner
ordered full speed ahead, at the same time starboarding his helm.
The next two shots, fired in deadly earnest, completely demolished
the navigating bridge and chart-house, and wiped the skipper and the
chief officer out of existence. The concussion and the sweeping away
of the bridge brought the engine-room telegraph back to "stop," and
the liner, losing way, brought up within a hundred yards of her
aggressor.
Still covered by the _Independencia's_ guns, the prize was boarded by
two boats' crews, and the method of despoiling the liner was almost
identical with that of the two previous captures.
There was, however, one departure. The second officer of the
_Independencia_, a Spaniard who spoke English fairly well, gave
orders for the _Duke of Negropont's_ wireless operators to be brought
before him. The senior, a man of twenty-three years of age,
resolutely refused to transmit the message his captor dictated. Twice
Gonzales, the second officer, ordered him, using threats of instant
death should he refuse.
"No tricks," exclaimed Gonzales, menacingly. "I understand what you
telegraph, so do as I say."
Then it was that the owners of the _Duke of Negropont_ received the
message:--
"_Independencia_ in collision with unknown
vessel, 4.45 a.m. Lat. 40-22-10 N., Long.
22-9-16 W. Both sank; no survivors."
Directly this decoy message was sent, the wireless gear was
destroyed, and the pirates proceeded to loot the ship. But they had
reckoned without the British engineers and firemen, and some of the
junior officers and deck-hands who had taken refuge below.
Ignoring the indicator pointing to stop, the chief engineer restarted
the engines to full speed ahead, and simultaneously a swarm of men,
armed with cross-bars, shovels, and rakes, and led by their officers
with revolvers in their hands, rushed on deck. Taken by surprise, and
alarmed by the hitherto apparently motionless vessel gathering way,
the two boatloads of pirates were borne back. Men fell on both sides,
but British valour prevailed, and in less than five minutes the
survivors of the boarding-party were swimming for their lives in the
wake of the _Duke of Negropont_.
Through the scuttle Fielding and his companions watched with mingled
feelings the boarding and subsequent repulse of the pirates, and as
the liner forged ahead the two British officers gave vent to a cheer.
But their exultation was nipped in the bud, for Juan Cervillo, wild
with fury, ordered the quick-firers to hull the _Duke of Negropont_
between wind and water.
Three shots were sufficient. With an ever-growing list to port the
liner sank lower and lower by the stern, her speed grew less and
less, till a column of steam issuing amidships showed that the water
had entered her engine-room.
Suddenly Cervillo's attention was directed towards a large vessel
nearly hull down on the horizon. The look-out aloft reported that it
was a four-funnelled craft, with white hull and yellow
superstructure. Then the Spaniard realised that he was in a tight
corner, for the oncoming vessel was a United States cruiser.
Without waiting to pick up the survivors of the boarding party, he
ordered the _Independencia_ to be driven at full speed ahead, and was
soon in full flight in a southerly direction.
The cruiser flying the stars and stripes was the _West Virginia_,
whose captain had been warned to keep a look-out for a possible
encounter with the pirate cruiser _Independencia_, of a supposed
speed of twenty-two knots, but in reality doing a bare twenty.
Pelting along as hard as her 23,000 horse-power engines could drive
her, she was just in time to rescue the survivors of the _Duke of
Negropont's_ passengers and crew who had taken to the boats. Ten men
of the pirate cruiser were also picked up.
The delay in performing the work of rescue saved the _Independencia_
from capture, and although the _West Virginia_ hung on doggedly in
pursuit, and sent off wireless calls for assistance, daylight found
the American cruiser alone in a waste of waters, with never so much
as a trail of oil from the fugitive ship to indicate her position.
It was a near shave for Juan Cervillo. Not for one instant did he
expect to fall in with a cruiser so far from the shores of Florida,
and had it not been for a seaman giving a casual glance round, the
_West Virginia_ might have approached within range of her 8 in. guns
before being discovered. The last venture had failed disastrously.
The prize had slipped through his fingers without so much as one
ounce of bullion being taken from her. Forty of his men were lost--a
serious item--although, as their comrades remarked with callous
indifference, there were fewer left to share the booty. Worst of all
the United States cruiser would proclaim it far and wide that the
pirate ship was on the fringe of West India waters.
The management of the _Independencia_ was practically in Juan
Cervillo's hands. It was he who decided what was to be done, and in
which direction the course was to be. He rarely consulted with his
subordinates as to the plan of action. In this case he acted
independently. He resolved to steer eastward for twelve hours, then
head northward to the Arctic Circle, where he would be comparatively
secure till the vigilant watch was relaxed. If he could cross the
steamship tracks betwixt the Old and New Worlds without being
discovered, well and good. If tackled by a man-of-war he must
exercise trickery in order to escape. If he should fall in with a
liner he would capture her, taking good care that she left no trace
behind her.
Having laid his plans Cervillo retired to his cabin, and touched a
bell. In response to the summons a petty officer appeared.
"Take a guard with you, and bring the English officer here," he
ordered. "See that he is properly secured, and that the fellow does
not have the least chance to do mischief."
Five minutes later Fielding, with his hands securely fastened behind
his back, was led into the Spaniard's presence. For a few moments
neither man spoke, but stood looking at each other as if to detect a
weak spot in their respective armour.
"Señor officer," began Cervillo, languidly resting himself and
lighting a cigar, "the time is for explanation. I hold you prisoner
--you and the other I took from the captured ships. If men-of-war
come, then I place you on deck so they no can fire--see? Good! Now I
tell you fair, we go north to sea of ice. P'r'aps we fall in with
English or American warship. If not, den no necessity for you to
stop--unless you 'gree to pay ransom."
"Precious little ransom you'll get out of me, you rogue!" interrupted
the sub.
"Precious little?" repeated Cervillo, arching his eyebrows. "We see
soon. No can keep without pay; no pay, den we put you and your
comrades ashore. Cold, señor; no food--all ice and snow--die
miserably. That I swear."
"Carry on, then," remarked Fielding, coolly.
"What you mean--carry on?" demanded Cervillo.
"Do your worst, you white-livered sweep. There's a hangman's rope
waiting for you, sure enough. Already you're a doomed man.
"_Quien sabe?_" said the Spaniard. "But be assured, señor, you will
not be there to see the spectacle. I say no more. Tink over my words,
and if you no write promise to pay thirty hundred English pounds--an'
your companions, they, too, will pay--then I will do what they call
maroon--eh?"
The interview was at an end. The guard closed around the young
sub-lieutenant, and walking as firmly as he could--for Fielding was
somewhat hampered by the muzzle of a revolver being jammed into his
boot--he passed disdainfully out of Cervillo's cabin.
The Spaniard meant to keep his word this time. Although he realised
that an order on a British banker might in all probability be
difficult to convert into ready money, there was a chance that his
agents might be able to realise on the draft. Should the order be
forthcoming, Cervillo would be willing to spare the lives of his
hostages, although, once in the almost deserted Arctic, they would be
of no use as deterrents to gun-fire. On the other hand Cervillo knew
that he had already been guilty, not merely of piracy, but of murder
on the high seas, and one or two more crimes would make very little
difference. He would either bend or break the Englishman's stubborn
character.
But there were more important matters for the pirate captain's
attention. Within the next forty-eight hours the _Independencia_
would be in the thick of the liner-track across the Atlantic. Without
doubt a chain of cruisers would by this time be stationed at
comparatively close intervals between Cape Clear and Cape Race. The
risks of detection were great; but should the gauntlet be run in
safety the wily Spaniard would have plenty of opportunity of devising
a means whereby he could save himself and the rich booty at the
expense of his rascally crew.