And Last
The Commodore received a rousing reception when he landed to inspect
the captured island, but his welcome was completely outclassed by the
frantic demonstration that greeted Burgoyne, Mostyn, and Minalto. The
three well-groomed, clean-shaven men were almost swept off their feet
by the excited mob of ragged, bearded scarecrows who had been their
shipmates.
Waist deep in water the seamen had waded out to greet the heroes of
the moment. Shoulder high they bore their three comrades through the
shelving tunnel, making the confined space ring with cheers and
shouts of boisterous delight.
At the upper entrance Burgoyne and his companions were met by Captain
Blair.
"So you pulled it off all right," exclaimed the Old Man.
"Yes, sir," replied Alwyn.
"And Miss Vivian?"
"Safe in Sydney," declared Burgoyne. "But where's Colonel Vivian?"
"Here I am, Mr. Burgoyne," replied the Colonel, making his way
through the press. He seized the Third Officer's hand and wrung it.
He could say no more.
"Miss Vivian is quite all right, sir," reported Burgoyne. "She is now
with relations of mine at Sydney."
Very briefly Burgoyne related the story of the adventures of the
life-boat and their rescue by the _Titania_. Mostyn, surrounded by
another mob, was similarly engaged, while Minalto was holding forth
to a group of eager listeners as he sung the praises of Alwyn
Burgoyne and his companions, while Swayne and O'Loghlin came in for a
full share of appreciation and attention on the part of the former
captives of the secret base.
The appearance of a lieutenant of the _Armadale_ interrupted the
demonstrations.
"When you've finished with your jamboree, gentlemen," he observed
pleasantly, "the Commodore would like to see the officers of the
three captured ships."
"Say!" exclaimed Captain Davis, "can't he give us time to have a
hair-cut and shave?"
The lieutenant laughed.
"He won't mind," he replied. "'Sides, you might catch cold, skipper,
if you took all that lot off at once."
The conference was of a brief yet important nature. The captains of
the three merchantmen were asked where they wished to be
taken--whether to Honolulu or to Sydney. Captain Blair and most of
the officers of the _Donibristle_ chose Honolulu, whence they could
obtain a passage to Esquimalt, and from there to Vancouver. The
skipper of the _Kittiwake_ declined both offers, saying that he
preferred to sail in his own craft, and Angus and Withers offered to
fill vacancies in the _Kittiwake's_ engine-room staff. Finally the
_Alvarado's_ Old Man expressed a belief that he, too, could
recondition his ship and take her back to 'Frisco.
"Good man!" exclaimed the Commodore. "If I were in your place, by
Jove! I'd do the same. We'll be here for another six or seven days,
so if you want any assistance my artificers are at your disposal."
"And if--" added Captain Davis to the skipper of the _Alvarado_. "And
if you aren't ready by that time I'll tow you across to Hilo or
Honolulu."
When the conference was over the Commodore asked Burgoyne to remain.
"Mr. Burgoyne," he began without any preliminaries, "are you fond of
the Merchant Service?"
"I am, sir," replied Alwyn. "It's a life afloat."
"You would prefer the Navy, I take it?"
"Yes, sir; but that is----". He broke off, unable to express his
thoughts.
"Out of the question, eh?" added the Commodore. "I think not. How
would a commission in the Australian Navy appeal to you?"
Burgoyne's eyes sparkled.
"If it could be managed, sir," he replied.
"I think it can be," said the Commodore. "We'll leave it at that for
the present. I can offer you a passage back to Sydney, and I think
you will do well to accept."
"Then you think there is a chance, sir?"
"Most certainly. Apart from the valuable services you have rendered
to the expedition, the fact that you have been trained for the
British Navy is in your favour."
Burgoyne thanked the Commodore and withdrew, feeling as if he were
walking on air. If the "stunt" came off he would be once more an
officer of the Royal Navy, although in a branch that displays on its
ensign the Southern Cross.
During the next few days the utmost activity prevailed on the island.
Demolition parties blew up the gun-pits and levelled the defences.
The store-houses were overhauled, and the plunder carefully examined
and labelled with a view to restoring it to its lawful owners. Work,
too, proceeded at high pressure on the _Kittiwake_ and _Alvarado_,
and both vessels soon looked like being able to get away under their
own steam.
At length the day fixed for the departure of the Australian Squadron
arrived. In the morning there was a ceremonial parade ashore,
attended by every available man of the warships backed up by the
crews of the three merchant vessels.
Amidst the ringing cheers of the officers and men, the Union Jack was
hoisted, and the secret base taken over as a dependency of the
Commonwealth of Australia.
The few surviving members of Ramon Porfirio's mob were then embarked
on board the seaplane carrier. A garrison of fifty volunteers from
the squadron was left to take charge of the new acquisition, together
with a few of the merchant seamen, who, curiously enough, showed no
immediate desire to quit the island.
One of the destroyers was ordered to Honolulu to take the survivors
of the _Donibristle's_ crew. Colonel Vivian and Mr. Tarrant had
accepted the Commodore's offer to give them a passage to Australia.
Phil Branscombe eyed his chum curiously when Burgoyne told him of his
intention to return to Sydney.
"I think I know why you're shaping that course, old bird," he
remarked sagely.
"I bet you don't, any old way," rejoined Alwyn.
"Oh, anyone would know that," continued Phil. "There's a lady in the
case. Look here, I'll bet you a hundred Havanas that you'll be
engaged to Miss Vivian within the next three months?"
"Done," agreed Burgoyne. He was none too certain that Phil would
lose; on the other hand if Branscombe won, he, Alwyn, would pay up
most cheerfully.
"Right-o!" exclaimed Branscombe. "And the best of luck to you, old
bird. Send 'em along to me care of the Company's agent at Vancouver."
At noon the _Kittiwake_ and the _Alvarado_, having raised steam,
weighed anchor and proceeded, escorted by a destroyer conveying the
majority of the _Donibristle's_ crew.
An hour later the _Armadale_ and the rest of the squadron got under
way, and soon the island--the secret base no longer--vanished beneath
the horizon.
During the voyage Colonel Vivian mentioned to Alwyn that he had had
enough of the sea to last him for a good many years, and that he
proposed buying a property somewhere in the neighbourhood of Sydney.
"Quite a sound scheme, that, sir," observed Burgoyne.
"I think so," agreed the Colonel. "And, of course, we may see a good
deal of you, especially if you get a berth on a liner calling at the
principal Australian ports."
Three weeks after the _Armadale's_ arrival at Port Jackson, Alwyn
Burgoyne received his papers appointing him, as a full-blown
lieutenant of the Royal Australian Navy, to the light cruiser
_Brisbane_.
He received the official notification at 11 a.m. At once he proceeded
to Penrith, where Colonel Vivian had purchased a small but
picturesque house. At ten in the evening, looking absolutely pleased
with himself and the world at large, Burgoyne was writing an order
for a hundred choice Havanas to be sent per registered post to an
address in far-off Vancouver.
[Transcriber's Notes:
This book contains a number of misprints.
The following misprints have been corrected:
[the stacatto sound] ->
[the staccato sound]
[minature rainbows] ->
[miniature rainbows]
[was blockhouse on a] ->
[was a blockhouse on a]
[declared Branscombe sentitiously.] ->
[declared Branscombe sententiously.]
[Christmas dinne] ->
[Christmas dinner]
An inconsequent spelling is used for a
shortened version of the word [suppose]:
['spose] and [s'pose]. Because they are equal in
number of occurrence they have been left unchanged.
[when Robert was lost overboard]. Earlier this man
was called "Andrew Roberts", therefore "Robert" is
probably not correct, but this has not been corrected.
A few cases of punctuation errors were corrected, but are not
mentioned here.
]