DRAKE MEETS THE YACHT "SERENA"
CARDYKE'S first step in the navigation of the vessel was to get her
on her proper course. When the quartermasters deserted their posts
the vessel, left to her own devices, slowly headed to starboard, and
by the time Cardyke could give his attention to the helm, she was
pointing almost due north.
By this time twilight enabled the midshipman to see the state of
affairs on deck. The _Impregnable_--she was the _Independencia_ no
longer--was driving her crumpled bows against the waves, the jagged
mass of steel offering a tremendous resistance to the water.
Instead of turning the ship back till she pointed due south Cardyke
rang down for half-speed astern. The order was obeyed with
comparative celerity, and the cruiser, gathering sternway, made quite
two knots an hour more than she had done when steaming ahead. The
pressure upon the collision bulkhead was, in consequence,
considerably reduced, and the leakage, instead of gaining, began to
show signs of diminishing in volume.
Stalkart, the master of the Dutch tug, was placed in charge of the
bridge, with two of his men to act as quartermasters. The rest of the
Dutchmen were told off to various professional duties, while the
passengers taken from _L'Égalité_, under Rutter's orders, were placed
to guard the engine-room and stokehold hatchways. Implicitly the men
obeyed Cardyke's orders.
As soon as the midshipman had completed the preliminary arrangements
he hastened to the cabin where his wounded comrade was lying.
Fielding had overrated the magnitude of his wound, which, though
painful, and even dangerous, was by no means likely to prove mortal
unless complications ensued. Mukyima had extracted the bullet and
dressed the wound, and Fielding was sleeping comfortably. The Jap
raised his fore-finger warningly as Cardyke entered. The mid.
understood that absolute quietude was essential for his comrade's
recovery; and, softly withdrawing, made his way towards the place
where Hiram B. Rutter was keeping guard over the engine-room
hatchways.
In a very short time the engineers and stokers, who were ignorant of
the change of masters, would expect to be relieved.
Great was the surprise of one of them on gaining the head of the
steel ladder to find himself confronted by a couple of armed men who
he knew were not members of the pirate crew. Before he could utter a
warning cry he was seized, and handed over to the others to be bound.
The man had come on deck to find out the reason why the watch below
had not been relieved, and failing to return, another of the
engine-room staff clambered up the ladder.
The two Frenchmen who were awaiting him showed themselves a fraction
of a minute too soon. The pirate, guessing that something was amiss,
ran down the ladder and informed his companions. Armed with knives,
revolvers, spanners, and crowbars, the motley throng made a dash on
deck.
The struggle at the hatchway was brief but desperate. The engineers
and stokers were driven below. Then, as a protest, the engines were
stopped.
"Awfully awkward," commented Cardyke, as Rutter sent for him and
explained the situation. "We can't drift about here for another week
or more."
"There are at least forty of the skunks below, but that don't
signify," observed the American. "With a dozen men to back me up I
guess I'd put the fear of Old Nick into their black hearts. Shall I
whip up a crowd, and tackle the reptiles?"
Cardyke shook his head.
"It's too risky," he replied.
"Too risky, eh?" exclaimed the American. "I thought you chaps didn't
count risks. But I'm willing to go, and I guess I stand the racket if
I make a mess of this business."
"You misunderstand me, Mr. Rutter. I quite realise that you are
capable of tackling these rascals. You might succeed; on the other
hand, you might fail. By failing it is quite possible that you might
be compelled to leave prisoners in their hands, and then, you see,
they would have a hold over us."
"Didn't think of that," replied Hiram B. Rutter. "Of course they
would. But what are we to do?"
"Summon them to surrender; if they don't, well, we'll starve them
out. You speak their lingo, so you might let them know what we intend
to do."
Accordingly Rutter shouted to the men that he wanted to say a few
words. He told them what Cardyke had threatened to do, adding on his
own responsibility the threat that should any man tamper with the
machinery he would be treated to a liberal dose of the cat as soon as
his capture was effected.
The men debated amongst themselves, and eventually promised to
surrender. They were, they asserted, in a very different position
from the rest of the pirate crew. For the most part Italians, they
had been "signed on" in ignorance of the _rôle_ the captured cruiser
was to play; they had taken no active part in the deeds of violence,
and were under compulsion to a certain extent. Cardyke promised that
their plea would be given careful consideration at the trial that
must inevitably ensue should the vessel reach port. He also agreed to
segregate them from the rest of the pirates, lest the latter should
intimidate or offer violence to their former comrades.
The terms were accepted, and the engineers and stokers were marched
aft and confined on the orlop-deck, stringent precautions being taken
to prevent treachery. Thus all resistance was at an end. The Dutch
engineers and firemen from the _Vulkan_ and her consort were sent
below in watches, and although short-handed and unused to the turbine
engines and the oil-fed furnaces, stuck bravely to their task. Then,
at a speed of twelve knots, the _Impregnable_ steamed stern-foremost
towards the port of Halifax.
* * * * *
Although nothing had been heard of the pirate-cruiser for several
days, the British vessels engaged in patrolling the Atlantic did not
relax their vigilance.
The captain of the scout _Cerberus_ was of opinion that the quarry
had gone north, and Drake was also of the same mind. Accordingly,
having obtained permission from the commander of the cruiser squadron
to take an independent course, the _Cerberus_ pelted northwards.
Every day the four aero-hydroplanes were exercised, the little craft
often making extended passages and ascending to a great height. Being
fitted with wireless and taking different directions, they were able
to keep observation over a wide area, returning every night to their
parent ship.
Flight after flight was made, but nothing to break the vast circle of
open sea was visible. Nevertheless Drake, always optimistic, felt
confident of success. He had a presentiment that he was destined to
bring the pirate cruiser to book.
"If that's not a vessel, I'm a Dutchman!" he exclaimed, lapsing into
his favourite expression. He pointed to a faint blur on the horizon
fully forty miles off. The atmosphere was exceptionally clear, and at
the elevation of 1,000 ft. at which the _Mosquito_ flew, the cloud of
distant vapour was bound to attract the crew's attention.
"Yes, sir, it's a craft of some sorts," replied the chief petty
officer who was responsible for the working of the planes and
rudders. "But 'tisn't to say it's the pirate."
"We'll soon see," said Drake, cheerfully, and at a speed of fifty
knots the aero-hydroplane dashed on her errand of investigation.
Drake had definite orders not to attack--he was merely to locate the
much-looked-for cruiser and summon the _Cerberus_ by wireless. This
done the scout was to take possession of the pirate-cruiser by a plan
that had been carefully worked out beforehand.
But in less than a quarter of an hour the lieutenant's hopes were
dashed to the ground, for instead of the _Impregnable_ the stranger
proved to be a steam yacht.
"May as well hail her; she might give us some information," muttered
Drake, and turning to the chief petty officer he ordered the
_Mosquito_ to descend to within 50 ft. of the surface of the sea.
Gracefully the aerial craft swept towards the approaching yacht.
Drake kept the latter well under observation with his glasses,
looking so intently that the petty officer wondered what possessed
him to take such an interest in a craft that certainly was not the
pirate cruiser.
"By Jove!" thought the lieutenant. "I don't think I'm mistaken.
That's the _Serena_."
During a previous commission on the North American station Drake had
made the acquaintance of Mr. Rignold, and had frequently been his
guest upon the yacht.
"If it is the _Serena_ I'll have a yarn with Rignold for the sake of
old times," he continued, then aloud he gave the order to bring the
_Mosquito_ down to the surface of the water.
The aero-hydroplane rested on the sea at a distance of about three
hundred yards from the yacht's port bow. The _Serena_ made no attempt
to slow down, but her bulwarks were lined with men, who regarded the
marine novelty with considerable interest. Drake noticed that in
spite of the cold atmosphere the men were rigged out in canvas suits
and red jersey caps, but by the aid of his glasses he discovered that
the crew had donned the white suits over their thick clothing.
"Distinctly funny. Rignold never used to rig his men out like that,"
commented the lieutenant, "and he's got a pretty large crew on board.
But perhaps the yacht's changed hands. I'll soon find out."
Meanwhile the _Mosquito's_ aerial planes had been folded, and gliding
rapidly through the water the little craft overhauled and gradually
converged upon the stately yacht.
"Yacht ahoy!" bawled Drake. "Is that the _Serena?_"
"Yes," was the reply. "What do you want?"
"Is Mr. Charles Rignold on board?"
"Yes; do you want him? We'll slow down and you can come alongside."
This reply added to Drake's perplexity. The accent of the speaker was
not British, and the "Yes" instead of the nautical "Ay, ay, sir!" was
somewhat suspicious.
Cervillo, on sighting the aero-hydroplane, was thrown into a state of
terror. He was afraid that the little craft would immediately call
upon its parent ship for assistance; but when the _Mosquito_--which
was evidently operating unsupported by her consorts--descended to the
surface of the sea, he took courage. If he could but lure the
_Mosquito_ alongside, he might be able to repeat his tactics by
having hostages on board. To his surprise and delight the little
craft was coming unsuspiciously under his lee, like a bird to the
fowler's net.
Under the _Serena's_ bulwarks crouched half-a-dozen men with pigs of
ballast ready to drop into the frail craft, and ropes to rescue the
English officer and his crew.