A SURPRISE--AND AN ARREST
IT was late in the afternoon when the boats of the s.s. _Getalong_
reached the beach seven miles to the east of Aberstour. Captain
Quelch had set the course calculating upon the tide being slack, but
he was ignorant of the fact that on that part of the coast the tide
sets two hours later on shore than it does in the offing.
Consequently instead of making Aberstour, he and his crew found
themselves, much to their disgust, seven miles from the town and the
nearest railway station.
Leaving the boats in charge of a fisherman, Captain Quelch inquired
the way to the nearest village which boasted an inland telegraph
office.
From the latter the Old Man dispatched a wire to Mr. Fiandersole:--
"S.S. _Getalong_ foundered ten miles from Oldbury Head. All hands
saved.--Quelch, Master."
Then, having refreshed themselves, the shipless mariners set out to
trudge to Aberstour. Footsore and hungry they arrived at the
outskirts of the town, their appearance attracting a considerable
amount of attention.
"Where's the harbour master's office, mate?" inquired Captain Quelch
of a fisherman. "And the Sailors' Home, too."
"Up along the quay," was the reply, accompanied by a jerk of a tarry
thumb.
"You can't miss either of 'em."
But, unfortunately for him, Captain Quelch was fated to miss both;
for, on turning the corner of the street leading to the quay he
stood stock still, his eyes nearly leaping out of his head in sheer
amazement.
Nor was the astonishment of his companions much less, for within
fifty yards of them, securely moored, lay the s.s. _Getalong_.
The skipper turned to his partner in crime, the chief engineer.
"You've mucked it, you fool!" he hissed.
"'Pears ye're richt," admitted the still fuddled Aberdonian, as if
it were beneath his dignity to argue over what was an apparent and
obvious fact.
"I'll send the men aboard," continued Quelch. "You an' me had best
hook it. Where's a railway station, my man?" he added, addressing a
clean-shaven man in a blue reefer suit and bowler hat.
"Police station, you mean," was the reply. "This way, Captain
Quelch. I've been looking for you. Let me caution you; any statement
you may make will be used as evidence against you. Are you coming
quietly?"
The procession was reformed. Captain Quelch and the detective led
the way, followed by the chief engineer and another representative
of the law.
The rest of the officers and the crew formed the main body, although
they had no idea why they were invited to inspect the inside of the
Aberstour police station. Three uniformed policemen brought up the
rear, while ahead and on both flanks were dozens of curious
townsfolk.
Once on his way along the quay the arrested captain looked seaward.
A little cutter, outward bound, was passing between the pier-heads.
To a seaman who, more than likely, was to spend the next few years
of his life between stone walls, the sight of that little yacht
raised envious regrets.
"Lucky beggars!" he muttered.
But possibly his benediction would have taken a different form had
he but known that it was through the agency of the _Puffin_ and her
crew of Sea Scouts that the s.s. _Getalong_ was not lying fathoms deep
on the bed of the English Channel.