FORESTALLED
"STEADY on your helm!" exclaimed Drake. "There's a man in the
water--two, by Jove!"
The _Mosquito_ was moving slowly under the action of her aerial
propeller towards the scene of the catastrophe. The lieutenant
decided to make a search for any possible survivors, then take the
boats of the _Cerberus_ back to their parent. Should there be any
members of the pirate crew still alive they might be able to give
valuable information respecting the fate of Fielding and Cardyke
--and here they were: two scorched and blackened men, clinging in a
half-dazed manner to a fragment of wreckage.
"Steady on your helm," repeated Drake. "Stand by with a boathook,
there. Well done, Jenkins!"
[Illustration: HE STRUGGLED DESPERATELY TO THROW HIMSELF ONCE MORE
INTO THE SEA.
[_Page_ 267
]
Jenkins by a dexterous movement succeeded in lifting one of the
survivors on board--a man almost destitute of clothing, and without
hair left on his head. It was Da Silva.
The Spaniard was just able to realise that he was in the hands of his
foes. He struggled desperately to throw himself once more into the
sea. The effort was too much for his weakened energies, and, uttering
a malediction, he expired in the arms of his rescuer.
The second pirate was one of the ordinary seamen, a massive-framed
Catalonian, who, having an inkling of Cervillo's desperate resolve,
had jumped overboard a few seconds before the explosion took place.
Ere he regained the surface the worst of the disaster was past, but
the concussion temporarily deprived him of his senses. At length,
practically blind and deaf, he struck out feebly until his hands
encountered the piece of floating wreckage. Here he clung till
rescued by the crew of the _Mosquito_.
In vain Drake cruised over the fatal scene in search of more
survivors. There were none. "Easy ahead," he ordered, and the little
craft headed towards the boats, whose crews, now recovering from the
effects of the terrible detonation, were proceeding to pull back to
the _Cerberus_.
"Any casualties?" asked Drake, anxiously.
"None, thank Heaven," replied Lieutenant Thompson, who was in charge
of the expedition. "All pretty well shaken up though, by Jove!"
"Stand by for a tow," continued Drake, and a minute later the boats
were sedately following the _Mosquito_.
"One survivor, sir," replied Drake as he came alongside the scout.
"He's pretty bad; but we can question him later. He's only fit for
the sick-bay at present."
"That rascal Cervillo has saved us a nasty job," remarked the
captain. "But what's become of the _Impregnable_, I wonder?"
"We'll find out later, sir," replied Drake, confidently. "This rascal
will be glad to save his hide."
The _Mosquito_ was soon hoisted on board. Signals of recall were sent
to the other aero-hydroplanes, and within half-an-hour the little
craft were snugly housed on the deck of their parent ship. For the
present there was nothing to be done; everything depended upon the
information that might be forthcoming from the rescued pirate. Until
this was obtained the captain of the _Cerberus_ refrained from
announcing by wireless the destruction of Cervillo and his rascally
companions, otherwise there might be an unwelcome order to rejoin the
commodore, or else return to port.
At length the pirate recovered sufficiently to be questioned. For
some time he stubbornly refused to speak, until it was pointed out to
him that it would be a decided point in his favour at the trial that
was bound to ensue should he give all the information in his power.
Then it was that he related the circumstances of the abandoning of
the pirate-cruiser with the greater portion of the crew and the
hostages still on board.
The Spaniard was quite unable to give the position of the cruiser
when the _Serena_ steamed away. All he could give was the number of
days that had elapsed and the yacht's rate of speed.
Promptly the _Cerberus_ headed northwards on the look-out for the
stolen cruiser, and Drake obtained his commanding officer's
permission to take out the four aero-hydroplanes for reconnoitring
purposes at day break on the following morning.
"I've had permission, Thompson!" he exclaimed, gleefully. "I feel
confident that I'll pick up Fielding and young Cardyke before another
twelve hours are up. If I don't capture the old _Impregnable_ I'll
eat my----"
"Steady, old man," remonstrated Thompson. "Remember you're already
pledged to eat one. Don't forget the cricket match."
Long before the bos'un's mate's whistle piped "Clear lower deck" the
four aerial craft were spreading fanwise in a northerly direction in
search of the elusive _Impregnable_; but although a wide "field" was
kept under the closest observation, and constant messages were
exchanged between the _Mosquito_ and her consorts, the operations
were futile. Shortly after midday the aero-hydroplanes were recalled
in order to recharge accumulators and replenish petrol tanks, and
also to give the wearied though enthusiastic men a well-earned rest.
But Drake and slumber were not good messmates when work was to be
done. Something kept on prompting him to persevere with his quest;
the self-confidence that was so characteristic of his personality
urged him on--to him was to be the honour of solving the mystery of
the missing cruiser.
In answer to Drake's earnest representations the captain of the
_Cerberus_ consented to another flight with the aero-hydroplanes that
evening, on the understanding that volunteers only should be taken to
comprise the crews of the aerial scouts.
"I can rely upon enough men to make one crew at least, sir," replied
Drake; but to his astonishment and immense satisfaction not only did
every member of the complements of the four aero-hydroplanes signify
their willingness to forgo their "stand-easy," but every seaman on
board qualified as airmen literally clamoured to take part in the
search.
Just before three bells in the second dog-watch (7.30 p.m.) the
_Mosquito_ was hoisted out; the _Gnat_, _Tse-tse_, and _Flea_
followed in quick succession, and, rising gracefully from the
surface, glided on their renewed quest.
Anxiously Drake scanned the horizon. Nothing except a waste of grey
water, flicked here and there by white foam, was to be seen. The sun,
low in the heavens, shone from a cloudless sky. There was every
indication of a spell of fine but cold weather.
Five miles on the _Mosquito's_ port hand the _Gnat_ was flying
steadily at an immense height, the other two aerial craft being a
considerable distance on the _Mosquito's_ starboard quarter. If
anything, Drake's craft was well in advance of the rest of the little
flotilla. With monotonous regularity the wireless reported "Nothing
in sight" till the sun was on the point of setting.
"There she is, by Jove!" exclaimed Drake suddenly, pointing to a mere
dot on the horizon.
"You're right, sir," replied the chief petty officer. "Leastways 'tis
a lump of a ship, and we don't look to see big craft in these parts."
Ordering the rest of the flotilla to concentrate and follow the
_Mosquito_, Drake headed "all out" towards the distant vessel, and
before another quarter of an hour had passed he was able to announce
that it was the _Impregnable_, and that she was steaming slowly stern
foremost, evidently badly damaged.
In obedience to signals the three aero-hydroplanes followed the
movements of their leader, and came to rest on the surface of the
sea. Bearings were taken of the position of the oncoming cruiser, and
the four amphibians lay close till darkness set in.
Under ordinary circumstances Drake ought to have immediately reported
the discovery of the _Impregnable_ to his commanding officer, and
wait till the _Cerberus_ came up to take possession of the
pirate-cruiser. But Drake had confidence in his ability to achieve
his object. Each of the aero-hydroplanes carried ten men. Allowing
two to remain on board there were thirty-two available for the task
of capturing the much-sought-after prize. Drake realised that the
business would be a comparatively simple matter, since only a small
percentage of the original crew of the cruiser remained, and that
they were without officers and greatly demoralised by the hardships
and perils they had undergone.
As soon as darkness set in, the four vessels, with their air-planes
securely folded alongside, formed up in line-ahead, and stole
cautiously towards the oncoming ship. To Drake's surprise, the
_Impregnable_ was showing steaming-lights, a circumstance quite
contrary to the procedure hitherto followed by the modern buccaneer.
Turning hard-a-port the flotilla eased down, and waited for the giant
cruiser to pass.
"Looks like a bloomin' ghost, sir," remarked Jenkins to his superior.
"Not doin' more'n six knots at the very outside, and as quiet as a
corpse."
"We'll liven her up in due course," replied Drake. "Now, lads, no
cheering or unnecessary noise. No shot to be fired till I give the
word. Then a good old British cheer, and drive the rascals down
below. Easy ahead, there!"
Without a sound, save the muffled pulsations of the motors and the
rhythmical swish of the waves against the vessel's knife-like sterns,
the four craft followed the huge cruiser, like a shoal of threshers
after a whale. Not a light was visible on the _Impregnable_, not a
sound of a human voice came from her decks. It was like a mountain of
floating steel ploughing its way aimlessly through the waste of
night-enshrouded sea.
Satisfied that there was no watch kept in the foremost part of the
vessel, Drake ordered speed to be increased till the _Mosquito_ lay
alongside the cruiser's port bow, with the _Tse-tse_ just astern. The
_Flea_ and the _Gnat_ made fast to the _Impregnable's_ starboard bow.
There was just enough of the _Tse-tse's_ and the _Gnat's_ after ends
projecting beyond the cruiser's stem to establish communication
between the different aero-hydroplanes, while the cruiser's
"overhang" for'ard prevented any possibility of their being seen from
the _Impregnable's_ fo'c'sle.
Drake gave the signal, and, revolver ready for instant use, led the
way, clambering agilely up the steep steel sides by means of one of
the torpedo-net booms. Unseen and unheard he gained the deck,
followed by the rest of the boarders, till the thirty-two men formed
up silently under the lee of the foremost barbette.
Going aft to reconnoitre Drake discovered a light on the
after-bridge, for, since the cruiser was going stern foremost, she
was being navigated from that position instead of from the
fore-bridge.
A hasty examination of the fo'c'sle revealed two men stationed over
the hatchway. These were sternly summoned to surrender, but not
complying with sufficient alacrity to satisfy Drake, they were
promptly thrown to the deck, gagged and secured.
This done, the lieutenant led his men aft. Twenty were detailed to
secure the hatchways and companions; the rest, headed by Drake
himself, made a sudden rush for the after-bridge.
There was now no need for silence. With a lusty cheer the British
bluejackets tore up the steep ladder. The commotion brought two or
three muffled figures from the shelter of the wheel-house.
"Surrender in the King's name!" shouted Drake.
"I beg your pardon, sir?" replied Cardyke's well-known voice.