their construction, Mary questioned her captor as closely as she dared
regarding the details of the bombs. She was anxious to learn as much as
possible about them without appearing to be over-curious, or arousing
the suspicion of Levanter. At the time he showed her around his plant
there were none of the shells used in his cannon under construction
but only the bombs which were used to form a protective belt around
the island. Picking one up, Levanter explained it to her in detail.
He showed her where the liquid gas was placed and how it was put it.
Next he showed her the mechanism of the detonator and explained its
operation. It was extremely fortunate for Mary that this was the only
type under construction, as it suited her purpose admirably, if she
could but get possession of one of them.
While Levanter was showing her over the plant she had carefully noted
every detail of each room, the position of the doors, and the way in
which they swung open. She observed the position of the fixtures in
each room and the position of the clear spaces. She had made a complete
mental picture of the place, sufficient, she thought, to enable her
at any time to enter and find her way without difficulty and without
stumbling into anything in case it were necessary to go there at night.
In fact she had noted the place with such extreme care that she had
paid but little attention to Levanter while he was describing many of
the things to her, until she arrived in the bomb construction room.
There she gave her undivided attention to him, because of her desire to
learn just how to handle the dangerous things.
Immediately after Levanter had finished his description, Mary turned to
him with an assumed air of ignorant simplicity and asked:
“I don’t see how you dare carry those dreadful things around if they
are arranged to explode on contact. Aren’t you afraid that you might
press one of those contacts while you are carrying them?”
“There’s no danger of that,” replied Levanter laughing. “You see this
little gadget here on the side,” he asked pointing to a small switch
button, “well, when that is pushed over this way it locks the contact
studs, and they cannot be pressed inward. That button is really a
safety lock. When it’s in this position the studs can’t be pressed in,
and therefore the bomb cannot be exploded. That makes it absolutely
safe to carry around. When we are planting these mines in the sea we
have the safety button on, and take it off just as we lower the mine
into the sea.”
“That’s just what I didn’t understand,” said Mary. “What stops the
mines from being washed ashore?”
“We anchor them with a weight. You see, we haven’t got any real
anchors, because we haven’t got any metal to spare, but we get a great
big heavy rock and tie the mine to it and then drop it overboard.”
“But aren’t you afraid that two of the mines will hit each other? They
must sway about in the water.”
“Well, naturally the movement of the water does that,” replied
Levanter, “and the tides also move them, but we know the length of the
rope we use, and we make allowances for that. You see, we plant them so
far apart that no matter in what direction they move in, they cannot
hit one another. Then we make the whole field wide enough so that a
ship trying to come to the island would be bound to hit one of them.”
“How interesting,” said Mary, carefully concealing the horror she felt
at the diabolical plan unfolded by the man.
“Yes,” answered the pirate, “we are going to plant a few more of these
tomorrow. We are going out in the airplane and will cruise there on the
surface. Would you like to come along with us, and see how we do it?”
“Yes, indeed,” said Mary.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Over in Honolulu Howard Redmond had gradually become aware of a
feeling, more important but not nearly as thrilling as his adventure
on the sky pirate’s remarkable airplane. It was a feeling destined to
change the entire course of his life. It came during the period of
impatient waiting while trying to overcome red tape and get official
action that would help him to return to Patrocinio Island, and when it
became part and parcel of his consciousness he realized that a mighty
change had taken place in his whole being.
For the past three months he had led a life of such intense action and
adventure, that he had had no time for aught else. The delays he had
experienced in Honolulu had caused him to concentrate his thoughts upon
Mary Ingleton who was languishing in the power of the pirate Levanter
upon an island far removed from civilization, and had intensified his
desire to rescue her at all hazards. While dwelling upon this problem
the conviction suddenly came over him that his desire to rescue her
was not prompted by the mere sense of chivalry in aiding a woman in
distress, but that his feelings toward Mary were entirely above that.
For several days he was in a daze, trying to define these feelings.
He turned all the forces of his mind upon his problem in an effort
to analyze it, but failed; then in the very moment of failure a new
intuitive power he had suddenly gained spread before him the cause of
his new sensation. He was in love! In love with Mary Ingleton!
This sudden realization had a profound effect upon Redmond. He was
in all respects a typical man of the air. Women had always played
a natural but quite incidental part in his existence. They were a
necessary part of his life and surroundings insofar as all human
association is necessary. His whole attention had always been
concentrated upon the details, both technical and practical, of his
chosen profession. He was a stolid individual, naturally shy and
bashful in the presence of the other sex. There was not the slightest
thing in his make-up that would suggest the “ladies man”, in fact he
was the very antithesis to all that is implied by the comprehensive
phrase.
His relationship with Mary Ingleton had been thrust upon him by the
force of circumstances, and his attitude toward her had always been
extremely diffident. He had made his perilous voyage on the Pacific
in the small open boat as a matter of duty. His anxiety to return and
assist her had at first been governed by the same feeling, but the
delay in getting started had rapidly developed the change that her
entry into his life had caused.
Now for the first time in his life he experienced the pangs and
pleasures of the feeling which he defined as love. It tempered his
impatience with tenderness while all the time growing in intensity. It
enthroned within his heart the picture of the girl he was anxious to
succor and cast about her the halo of purity and charm.
While he was still kicking his heels in the office of Captain Smith,
the naval commandant, waiting for the official action which would
send him back as fast as a cruiser could carry him to the woman whose
influence had worked such a wondrous change within him, in strolled
Kenneth Fitzgerald, who was just convalescing from the effects of the
battle with the pirate and the violent emotions which he experienced
during the period of the battle. It was his first day out of the
hospital. He had been informed of the arrival of Redmond in Honolulu
and of the manner in which the officer of the airship Wilbur Wright had
been picked up at sea. He had also been told in substance the story
Redmond had brought back from Levanter’s base.
As Fitzgerald entered the room, still feeble from the effects of his
lengthy illness, Captain Smith looked up and walked over to greet the
air commander. After a brief conversation he turned to Redmond and said:
“Redmond, I want you to meet Wing Commander Fitzgerald. He is the man
who commanded our air forces in the fight with Levanter.”
Then with a smile and knowing wink he added innocently enough:
“And I can whisper to you confidentially that he is madly in love with
the young lady you are anxious to rescue.”
It was then that jealousy laid its bitter grip upon Howard Redmond
for the first time in his eventful life. He grasped the hand that
Fitzgerald extended to him with such force that the latter winced with
pain.
“Good Lord!” he exclaimed weakly though smilingly, “you nearly broke my
hand,” then with an apologetic air he continued: “I’m still pretty sick
you know.”
It was several seconds before Redmond dared trust himself to speak.
During that brief period his mind was consumed with many bitter
thoughts. He knew that Fitzgerald had known Mary for a long time, that
they had been passengers together on the ill-fated Wilbur Wright, and
Mary had often spoken of him on the island. Now he had been told by
Captain Smith that Fitzgerald loved her. Apparently it was an open
secret and therefore Mary must know it too.
Did Mary love Fitzgerald? That was the question with which jealousy now
tortured him. As the thought entered his mind with the full force of
its possibilities he looked into the eyes of his unwitting rival and
then remembered what Fitzgerald had just said:
“Excuse me,” he replied, “I was so busy thinking of getting back to
assist Miss Ingleton that I didn’t realize what I was doing.”
As he spoke a momentary flush of red tinged Redmond’s tanned and
weather-beaten face. The suffusion was caused by his natural ingrained
honesty which rebelled at the untruth he was uttering. It was the first
time in his life he had ever dissembled his real feelings, and the
novelty caused him to blush with shame.
All this was unnoticed by Fitzgerald, who replied easily enough, “Oh,
that’s alright. I know how you feel. My God, I feel worse. I’m dying to
go with you, but the doctors here won’t let me. I’m not only anxious to
help Mary, but I have a great score to settle with Levanter, and by God
I intend to make him pay in full.”
“It’s just as well you can’t go,” said Redmond, “because it would only
add to our difficulties. I know the island thoroughly, and it would be
much better if I went alone. I’ve been trying to convince Mr. Ingleton
of this, but he will not listen to me, so I’ve got to take him along.
It will seriously handicap me.”
Redmond had scarcely finished talking when the door opened and Arthur
Ingleton entered.
“That’s funny,” said Fitzgerald to the newcomer, “we’ve just been
talking about you.”
“I hope it was nothing bad,” replied Ingleton laughingly. Then, before
he could say anything further, Captain Smith, who had been talking over
the telephone, came over and said:
“I’ve got some good news for you, gentlemen. I just got word from
the cable operator that he had received a message from Washington
authorizing me to send the cruiser Farragut to Patrocinio Island and
take both of you there.”
“Have they worked out a plan?” asked Redmond eagerly.
“Yes, the message
outlines the plan of action. Captain Moore has been chosen because he
is familiar with the waters around the island. He is to take you there
and arrange to arrive off the island at sundown, then row you ashore
and land you on the beach Redmond has described. Captain Moore is to
come within sight of the cove at a certain time each night that you and
he will arrange. Then if you have any information to give him, Redmond
can send it by means of a small portable reflected wave wireless set he
will give you. If it is important enough Captain Moore will send it to
us by wireless, using the special naval code. All the details you can
arrange with him.”
“You are not going to put a blockade around the island then, Captain?”
inquired Redmond.
“No,” replied Captain Smith, “it has been decided best not to do this
until everything is in readiness to attack the pirate with every
possibility of success. What do you propose to do after you get on the
island?”
“Well,” said Redmond, “I think it would be best to get Miss Ingleton
away from it the first possible chance we have. I think that I ought
to have a boat left at the cove where we land. There is plenty of
opportunity to hide it there in the vegetation, and the crew of the
cruiser can help us to drag it ashore. If the cruiser is going to
remain within steaming distance all the time, I would suggest that a
light boat be left with us, one that we could readily carry and launch.”
“Oh, certainly,” said Captain Smith, “everything possible will be done
to assist you. Captain Moore will be given instructions to give you
anything you need, and give you every possible assistance that he can.
I would suggest that you confer with him and arrange all your details
together. By the way, if you are successful in getting Miss Ingleton
off the island would you be willing to remain there afterwards and give
us whatever information you could gather about the pirate, until we
have captured him?”
“Why, I would be delighted to do that,” Redmond answered, “first
efforts, however, will be directed toward getting Miss Ingleton away
from the island. You can understand that, of course. After that I will
do everything that I possibly can to get information for you that may
be of use in your operations against him.”
“We appreciate your offer,” said Captain Smith. “We will keep in touch
with you at all times, and if it is necessary for you to remain on the
island after Miss Ingleton has been taken off, you may rest assured
that we will stand by you all the time.”
Immediately after this conference Redmond tried again to dissuade Mary
Ingleton’s father from accompanying him to the island. He brought every
argument that he could think of to bear in the attempt to discourage
the former secretary of the navy from making the trip.
“It would be just as well if you went with us on the cruiser and
remained aboard while I went ashore,” he said to Ingleton. “You would
be fully posted there as to what was taking place, and you could be
ready to come ashore at a moment’s notice if it were necessary for
me to have assistance. But don’t you see how much it will add to the
danger if you come ashore with me right away. It will make it so much
easier for the pirate or his men to discover us. Not only that, but
in case there is a chance of getting your daughter off the island, it
will add to the dangers of our trip in the small light boat, before the
cruiser picks us up.”
“I appreciate all your arguments,” replied Ingleton, “and in a way I am
convinced that you are right. But I can’t bring myself to stand idly by
while knowing that she is in danger. No, it is useless for you to plead
with me. My mind is fully made up, and I am going to the island with
you, or else I go there alone.”
Seeing the futility of further argument, Redmond dropped the entire
matter and began to make his own arrangements for the trip to
Patrocinio Island. He got into communication with Captain Moore and
discussed with him the details of the arrangements between them that
were to be carried out after Redmond had been landed on the island.
It was agreed that Redmond should be at the cove each evening at nine
o’clock and that he would rig up his portable wireless set and call
the cruiser with it until he got a response. This would only be done
in case he had a message of importance to deliver. Each evening at nine
o’clock the cruiser would steam within five miles of the island. At all
other times she would be just below the horizon but within a convenient
radius.
As soon as the details of the trip had been completed the cruiser
Farragut left Honolulu with Redmond and Arthur Ingleton aboard as
passengers. It was decided to proceed to Patrocinio Island at cruising
speed, and it was estimated that the voyage would take about three
days. It was timed so that the cruiser should arrive off the southern
shores of the island after sunset. Captain Moore was then to take his
vessel within a mile of the beach, and a detachment from his crew in a
long boat would row Redmond and Ingleton ashore in a small light boat
and give them assistance in hiding the small boat in the vegetation
ashore, after which the crew would return to the cruiser. As soon as
the two men had landed they were to proceed to the little cave where
Redmond had lived during the period he was on the island and spend the
night there. The following morning they were to go to the meeting place
at the rock where Redmond had always met Mary Ingleton and wait there
for a possible chance of getting her attention again.
At five o’clock on the evening of the third day out from Honolulu
the engines of the cruiser Farragut suddenly slowed down and in a
few minutes stopped altogether. Redmond who was walking along the
quarterdeck with Arthur Ingleton immediately turned to his companion
and said:
“Well, I guess we are almost within sight of our destination. The
engines have just stopped, and I imagine that means Captain Moore is
going to wait for sundown before he proceeds any further.”
Ingleton’s face lit up with a greater animation than he had displayed
in months.
“Let’s go forward and see whether we can make the island out,” he said
eagerly.
Redmond assented to this, and the two made their way forward into the
sharp bows of the cruiser. After they got there both men strained their
eyes at the horizon. A few moments later Redmond, who had picked up a
pair of glasses, said:
“I can just see the island faintly. If you look through these glasses,
sir, you will observe what looks like a small cloud directly to the
north of us. That’s it.”
Ingleton took the proffered glasses and peered through them intently.
While he looked Redmond said:
“I’ll go aft and ask Captain Moore what his plans are. I guess he will
land us immediately after sundown, which will be in another hour’s
time. We’ll probably have dinner before he puts us ashore. I’ll be back
shortly if you want to remain here.”
“Alright,” replied Ingleton, “I think I’ll remain here for a while. I
am anxious to see what the island looks like as we get nearer to it
before dark.”
Redmond turned round and went aft, leaving his companion standing on
the quarter deck. The cruiser still had considerable way on and was
moving through the water at about ten knots an hour. No effort had
been made to check the vessel’s momentum, after the engines had been
stopped. Captain Moore had simply signalled down to stop the engines
and was now allowing the headway to carry his vessel forward.
In less than an hour the blazing sun would disappear below the western
horizon, and then night would descend over the sea with the suddenness
known only in tropical regions. As soon as darkness had cast its
obliterating mantle about them, Captain Moore planned to run his vessel
within a mile of the beach, which was now within sight through the
marine glasses. After that he would land his passengers.
As Redmond reached the companion-way leading to the bridge the roaring
crash of a mighty explosion rent the stillness of the summery sea
and arrested his progress. For one fleeting second a blinding flash
eclipsed the brilliance of the sun and illuminated the forward part
of the ship in its consuming rays. Pausing involuntarily upon the
stairway, Redmond looked toward the bows of the cruiser. As he turned
the vessel shook violently from stem to stern in a sickening, vicious
vibration, which seemed to wrench it plate from plate. It was as though
some volcanic agency had seized it in a destroying grip and was
rending it apart.
Stupefied by the very suddenness of the catastrophe, Redmond could not
remove his eyes from the deck before him. Automatically they recorded
upon his active brain a moving picture of the vivid scene that was
enacted within the brief measured space of two seconds. As he looked
he saw the figure of the former Secretary of the Navy outlined in
sharp contrast by the blinding rays of the flash which accompanied the
explosion. Then, before he could draw a breath, he saw Ingleton’s arms
shoot upwards involuntarily. He saw the figure of the man he had just
left sway unsteadily for a moment and then crash helplessly to the
deck. Then suddenly the spell that had held him in frozen immobility
ended, and he rushed forward blindly, to the man he had just seen fall.
For a few moments chaos reigned upon the war-vessel. Upon the bridge
Captain Moore had been struck in the arm by a piece of flying metal
and painfully injured. Ignoring this, he remained at his post, and
with trained calmness of a naval officer and leader, quietly ordered
the bugler to sound the call “Collision quarters.” Like magic the
discipline of the navy exerted itself and quickly brought order out of
the chaos. Rapidly and steadily each man went to his station, while
officers who were detailed by the commander went forward to ascertain
the cause and effect of the explosion.
Before they had received their orders, however, Redmond had reached
the bows of the ship and was bending over the prostrate form of Arthur
Ingleton. He raised the head of the former naval chief in his arms and
did the best he could to restore consciousness. While he worked, the
ship’s surgeon arrived and quickly examined the injured man. Redmond
watched him a few moments and then said:
“Is he badly hurt, Sir?”
“So far as I can see,” replied the medical officer, “he has not been
seriously injured. He was knocked unconscious by the shock of the
explosion. That in itself is pretty bad and will take a long time for
recovery, but I don’t think he has got any broken bones or internal
injuries. It’s too soon to tell though. I’ll have him removed to the
sick bay right away.”
While this was being done the officers who had been examining the
bows of the cruiser to find out the nature and extent of the damage
completed their task and returned to the bridge where they reported the
result of their examination to the captain.
“It looks as though we had struck a mine, sir, there’s a big hole in
the bows,” the senior officer reported.
“It must be one of that pirate’s mines,” exclaimed the captain. Then he
cried: “Where’s the bo’s’n? Send him here.”
“Here, sir!” replied the bo’s’n, saluting as he came upon the bridge.
“Have you taken any soundings for’ard?” asked Captain Moore.
“Yes, sir!” answered the bo’s’n.
“What do you find?”
“Number one compartment is flooded, sir. Water is pouring into number
two, but we can’t find at what rate yet.”
“Will she stand up?” queried the captain sharply.
“Don’t know yet, sir. The men are taking soundings again now. We are
watching number three. The water’s pouring in very rapidly, and she’s
down by the head.”
“Alright,” added the captain, “report back to me as soon as you find
out at what rate it’s coming in.”
Then turning to the chief executive officer, he ordered:
“Put out the lifeboats and have the crew stand by. Order the fires shut
off down below. Have everything in readiness in case she shows signs
of going down, and wait for further orders, in case we have to abandon
ship.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
The day after Levanter had showed her through his manufacturing plant
dawned fraught with grave possibilities for Mary. It was the day set
for laying the mine bombs in the sea on the western side of the island.
Now or never was her chance! She was to get a first hand demonstration
in the manner of handling the bombs; and after that she must carry out
her dangerous plan immediately, as the repairs to the airplane were now
completed, and there was no telling when Levanter might stroll over to
the beach near the Hilo and discover that the lifeboat was missing.
True he did not go in that direction often, but there was no way of
knowing how soon he might.
As soon as she was dressed Mary went down to the dining room that
had been built in the house where they all lived. Levanter and his
crew were all seated at the table, eating the breakfast that had been
prepared by the Kanaka cook of the schooner. As she sat down the sky
pirate said to her:
“We are going to set out immediately after breakfast, Mary. Will you be
ready then?”
“Yes,” she replied.
She was far too excited to eat much, although she made an ostensible
effort to do so, as she did not wish the men in front of her to suspect
that her feelings were anything but normal. Immediately after the
meal, the men went outside and began to load the bombs which had been
completed on the airplane. Mary went out with them. She noted that they
had carefully observed whether the safety lock was in before picking
up the dangerous things. There were too many to carry on one trip, and
it was decided to make two voyages to the place where they were to be
submerged.
When the task of loading the bombs on the airplane had been completed
Mary went aboard with Levanter and the rest of the crew. The airplane
was released from its mooring to the ringbolt on the jutting rock, and
the marine screw was started. It took about an hour to make the voyage
to the destination because the airplane, although only of shallow
draft, was compelled to cruise well within the mine belt and go slowly.
Its retractible wings were drawn up close to the side of the fuselage
cabin. Only in the harbor itself had sufficient room been left free
from mines for the airplane to land upon and take off from the water.