THE APPROACH OF THE "VORWARTZ."
Beyond muttering "Well, I'm dashed!" the aviator relapsed into silence.
In vain Captain Restronguet and Hythe looked for a trace of the
"Aphrodite." As a last resource the former produced a silk green and
white flag from his pocket and lashed it to one of the vertical stays in
the hope that the submarine might locate it by means of her periscope.
"They're carrying out orders," said Captain Restronguet at length. "I
told Devoran to dive if he saw any vessel approaching. He spotted the
'Topaze' and immediately descended. It's awkward, because the secret is
bound to leak out. But after all it is rather remarkable that it didn't
become common property hours ago."
"How shall we get on board the 'Aphrodite,' sir?" asked the sub.
"We'll manage it sooner or later, but there's valuable time lost. Ha,
there's the 'Topaze' altering helm. She's sighted us."
A quarter of an hour later the cruiser's gig picked up the three unlucky
aviators, while the aero-hydroplane was secured and towed alongside
before she sank, and was hoisted on board by means of a boat's davit.
Dry clothing was immediately forthcoming, and clad in borrowed garments
the rescued men were taken aft to be introduced and interviewed by the
Hon. Charles Sedgwyke, captain of H.M.S. "Topaze."
Realizing that it would be useless to attempt to conceal anything
Captain Restronguet made a full report of all that had occurred, and
requested that he and his companions might be taken back to Zanzibar,
whence the "Aphrodite" might be communicated with by wireless.
"I am afraid that it is at present impossible, Captain Restronguet,"
said the Hon. Sedgwyke. "We are under urgent orders to proceed to
Delagoa Bay, for there that villainous von Harburg has been making
himself particularly objectionable. We are to meet and co-operate with
the 'Pique,' and should our efforts meet with success we are to carry on
to Table Bay. There is, I am afraid, no option. You must accompany us,
and no doubt, your valuable experience in connection with the affair
will enable us to settle with the 'Vorwartz.'"
"I would much rather settle with her myself," replied Captain
Restronguet.
"That I can quite understand. I can also safely assert that Captain
Restronguet will not prevent the 'Topaze' from distinguishing herself by
standing aloof when he might otherwise render us good service."
Captain Restronguet bowed. "Naturally," he added. "Our interests in
the business lies in the same direction."
"Anything I can do to aid you I will most willingly do," continued
Captain Sedgwyke. "I might suggest that the wireless of this vessel is
at your disposal, and by sending a message to the Admiralty you could
have it re-transmitted through your agent to the 'Aphrodite.'"
"An excellent arrangement," said Captain Restronguet, "only it is
certain that the news will reach Karl von Harburg, and that is what I
particularly wish to avoid."
"I trust that within the next few days Karl von Harburg will be totally
indifferent to news of any description," remarked the captain of the
"Topaze" drily. "But in the meanwhile make yourselves comfortable on
board. You will, I hope, do us the honour of being a temporary member
of the Ward Room. Mr. Hythe, who is still under the Naval Discipline
Act, must, of course, mess in the Gun Room. I am still slightly hazy as
to the exact official and social status of the aviator-in-chief to His
Highness the Sultan of Zanzibar."
Three days later the "Topaze" was threshing her way southward at a good
twenty-two knots and was approaching the rendezvous. It was now night,
but the moon, shining with all the lustre that only the tropics can
enjoy, made everything on deck quite discernible.
Surrounded by a group of officers, all of whom were most anxious to
gather particulars of the rival submarines from two of the principal
characters, Captain Restronguet and Hythe had to exercise their
ingenuity to prevent themselves being "pumped," for even to their kind
hosts it was not advisable to give themselves away. Nevertheless the
time passed pleasantly. The paymaster's cigars were excellent, the
surgeon was a lively raconteur, and the first lieutenant was kindness
personified; but at length Captain Restronguet contrived to draw Hythe
aside to the lee of the after nine-point-two-inch gun turret.
"No doubt you wondered why that fellow Jenkins addressed me as Hugh
Tretheway," he began. "Well, it certainly was strange running across
him in far-off Zanzibar. You may remember I told you that for some
months, when down on my luck, I worked as an electrical fitter in
Devonport Dockyard? That man Jenkins was in the same shop. He isn't a
bad fellow by any means, though somewhat of a rough diamond. Hugh
Tretheway is my baptismal name, but for certain reasons I preferred to
drop it and assume the name of John Restronguet. I hope that for the
present at all events you will keep that information a secret. I have
already had a quiet talk with Jenkins on the matter, and from what I
already know of him, he will be as silent as the dead."
"Of course I will carry out your wishes, sir," said the sub.
"Thank you. But to change the subject: what do you think of the chances
of the 'Topaze' against the 'Vorwartz'?"
"She has her work cut out," replied the sub. "But I feel certain that
every man on board will do his best."
"They cannot do more," added Captain Restronguet earnestly. "At the
same time they are running needless risks when, once I locate the
'Vorwartz,' I could destroy her without a quarter of the danger.
Suppose, now, that the Delagoa Bay report was false and Karl von Harburg
is knocking about in these waters: what is there to prevent her from
torpedoing the ship and sending her to the bottom?"
"That is a risk that every ship must run in naval warfare," replied
Hythe. "Ever since the invention of torpedoes that risk has increased,
and now that submarines form a formidable arm of the Naval Service there
is still the greater possibilities of a ship being sent to the bottom
without a shot in self-defence."
Before Captain Restronguet could say another word a hoarse order came
from the fore bridge, followed by a shrill bugle-call for "General
Quarters" and the long-drawn notes of the bo's'un's-mates' whistles.
"What's that?" demanded Captain Restronguet.
"'Clear for action'--a test order perhaps," replied Hythe. "See how
those fellows get to work."
Up the companion-ladders officers hurriedly appeared, still fumbling
with the buckles of their sword-belts. From for'ard tumbled a swarm of
hefty bluejackets, who, invading the sacred precincts of the
quarter-deck, began to unship stanchions, davits, ventilating-cowls, and
other impedimenta; steel covers were lowered over skylights and
companion-hatchways. The securing bolts of the after nine-point-two gun
turrets were cast loose, and the long muzzle swung round, causing
Captain Restronguet to hurriedly duck his head. In five minutes the
quarter-deck of the "Topaze" was deserted, as were the other exposed
parts of the ship, every man being at his station behind the armoured
portions of the vessel.
Another bugle-call.
"As you were," exclaimed Hythe. "Suppose we go up on the after-bridge.
They are exercising. Perhaps the next evolution will be 'Out collision
mats.'"
"Hope they won't have to do it in real earnest," remarked his companion
as the two men ascended to their coign of vantage.
Once more the bo's'un's-mates' whistles sounded while the bo's'un
shouted in stentorian tones "Out nets." The cry was repeated in half a
dozen different parts of the ship, and the hither-to deserted decks
became a scene of disorder and chaos: at least that's what it seemed to
Captain Restronguet, who was for the time being a stranger in a strange
land.
Instinctively Hythe pulled out his watch, which once more had stedfastly
resisted the assaults of the sea water. Captain Restronguet, gripping
the rail, leant over and watched the scene of activity upon the moon-lit
deck. Over the side of the gently-rolling craft active seamen slid down
upon the apparently insecure net-shelves, and by a series of gymnastic
feats succeeded in rolling ten tons of close-meshed steel netting over
the side, to the accompaniment of shouts of "Look alive there!" from
their officers. Hardly had the last man regained the deck ere the motor
capstans of the fo'c'sle began to clank. Seamen armed with spars thrust
at the ends of the torpedo booms to give the motor-worked wire rope a
chance; then slowly yet surely the twenty hollow steel booms were swung
outwards till the "Topaze" was encircled with a "crinoline" of nets at
sufficient distance from the ship to stop a deadly torpedo. Back
doubled the men to their stations for action.
The sub glanced at his watch. The evolution had taken only forty-five
seconds.
"Smart work!" ejaculated Captain Restronguet.
"Yes," assented Hythe. "But we did it in forty seconds on the old
flagship. Apparently Captain Sedgwyke is not satisfied for I can hear
him storming to some one."
"It is hardly my place to offer suggestions," said Captain Restronguet,
"but I think it would be advisable if they kept the nets in position. It
might save the 'Topaze' from being torpedoed, although I know that the
speed is greatly diminished by the drag in the water."
"We never do," replied the sub. "It is the first time I have seen 'Out
nets' performed with the ship underway. It is essentially a defence
when lying at anchor. There: 'In net defence,' they are going to stow
the nets."
In the midst of the scramble that ensued the bugle suddenly sounded
"General Quarters." To leave an evolution half completed was a very
unusual thing.
Something prompted Hythe to look seaward. At less than a cable's
distance the two conning-towers of a submarine had just appeared above
the surface of the moon-lit sea, a smother of foam making them still
more conspicuous. The sub gripped his companion's arm and pointed.
"The 'Vorwartz!'" he exclaimed.
Several of the officers of the "Topaze" had observed the sudden
appearance of the sinister craft, and hence the call to General
Quarters. The light quick-firers were manned, their muzzles swung round
till they pointed full at the submarine's conning-towers, which,
proceeding at nearly the same rate and in a similar direction to that of
the cruiser, presented an easy target.
Captain Sedgwyke was puzzled. It was inexplicable that the submarine
should show herself when she might have let loose a torpedo while
completely submerged. Nevertheless he was on the point of giving the
order to open fire when Captain Restronguet, in a voice that could be
heard from one end of the ship to the other, shouted:--
"Don't fire, it is the 'Aphrodite.'"
Something in the captain of the "Aphrodite's" words prompted Captain
Sedgwyke to issue a confirmatory order. Hythe was astonished--even
doubtful. He could not be certain as to whether it was the "Aphrodite"
or her counter-felt rival; but the inventor and constructor had made no
error. It was the "Aphrodite."
Thirty feet in front of the fore conning-tower the sharp bows of the
submarine appeared above the water, followed by the whole length of her
decks, from which the water poured in silvery cascades.
Then a hatch was thrown open and a figure that Hythe recognized as that
of the first officer appeared. Raising a megaphone Devoran shouted:--
"Is Captain Restronguet on board?"
"Ay, ay," replied a voice from the fore-bridge. "What submarine is
that?"
"The 'Aphrodite,'," replied Devoran, merely as a matter of form, since
his identity was now established. "Can you send a boat? We have
important intelligence to communicate."
At that moment a petty officer ran up the ladder of the after-bridge and
requested Captain Restronguet to speak to Captain Sedgwyke.
"I suppose you wish to board your craft," said the Captain of the
cruiser. "We will lower a boat as soon as we get a bit shipshape."
"If you will kindly do so I will rejoin the 'Aphrodite,'" replied
Captain Restronguet. "At the same time I think the information is
urgent. Shall I ask my first officer to deliver it verbally to save
time?"
"Very good," assented Captain Sedgwyke.
The information was indeed startling. The electric detector of the
"Aphrodite" had picked up the position of the "Vorwartz." Karl von
Harburg's submarine was proceeding northwards, and was even now within
twenty miles of the British cruiser.