A Midnight Expedition
"HEIGH-HO! So we are up against Johnny Turk at last," exclaimed Jack
Osborne. "And a jolly clean fighter too. A foeman one can admire."
"And treat with all proper respect," added Sub-lieutenant Haynes. "I
remember how in the earlier part of the war people at home used to
sneer at the lying Turkish _communiqués_, but, by Jove, they were
mighty close on the bull's-eye."
"Of course I haven't had any experience of Turkish ways," remarked
Webb, "but I know something of the dirty tricks of the Huns in the
North Sea and elsewhere. I used to be under the impression that the
Turks were an effete, lying nation, only permitted to retain a small
slice of Europe by the mutual consent of the Great Powers. See how
the Bulgarians and Serbs made them run only a few years ago. And now
they're putting up one of the toughest fights that ever figured in
history."
A fortnight had elapsed since the _Portchester Castle_ had left Gib.
for the second time. She was now cruising on outer patrol duty in the
AEgean Sea, her station being on the eastern or Asiatic shore of that
island-studded expanse of water.
"I suppose the Germans stiffen the Turks a bit," said Osborne. "For
one thing, the presence of Hun U-boats in these waters has hampered
our movements. I wonder what sort of a job ours will be to-night?"
The "job" to which the Lieutenant referred was the destruction of a
hitherto carefully concealed petrol depot on the shores of Asia
Minor, somewhere in the neighbourhood of Smyrna. It was from a Greek
member of a Turkish coasting vessel, captured a few hours previously,
that the information had been obtained of the precise position of the
depot; and, in spite of the fact that it is almost impossible to
trust a Greek, Captain M'Bride determined to put the information to
the test. For one thing he held the informer as a hostage, much to
the latter's undisguised alarm.
The discovery and destruction of these secret lairs of German
_unterseebooten_ in the Mediterranean was proceeding systematically,
yet there remained a lot of work in that direction. Once the hostile
submarines were deprived of the means of replenishing their stores of
fuel, the menace to the merchant shipping of the Allies in these
waters would cease to exist, and once more the Suez Canal could be
fully utilized as an artery of commerce. Hitherto the depredations of
modern pirates had succeeded in diverting a considerable portion of
Far East shipping round the Cape of Good Hope, thus increasing the
cost of freightage and the length of a voyage.
A messenger pattered along the deck and, approaching the three
officers, smartly saluted.
"Cap'n's compliments, sir," he said, addressing Lieutenant Osborne.
"He wants to see commanding officers of boats in his cabin."
"Now to business," exclaimed Osborne gleefully as, accompanied by
Webb and Haynes, he made his way aft. They found Captain M'Bride
leaning over the table, his head supported by his hands, and his
elbows planted upon a large-scale map.
"Good evening, gentlemen!" was his cheery greeting. "We may as well
go into final details of this little business. You, Mr. Osborne, will
be in charge of the boats. I am sending the steam cutter, the pulling
cutter, and the whaler. Now, here is your objective--Akhissareli.
According to this chart, there are four fathoms to within fifty yards
of the shore so long as you give that ledge of rocks a wide berth.
There is a sandy bottom, so you ought to have no difficulty in
getting ashore. My experience is that one usually finds soft mud in
the inlets in these parts, but this gives emphatic information to the
contrary. We'll take the ship in to within ten miles of the shore.
The steam cutter can then tow the other boats to save the men a long
and arduous pull. Use your discretion, Mr. Osborne, when to cast off
the tow, but for goodness' sake don't let the Turks have an inkling
of your approach. See that the leading stoker does not let even a
solitary spark escape through the funnels. By the Greek's account
there'll be a guard of fifteen men, so everything depends upon a
complete surprise. I'll leave you to make your own arrangements, but
at six bells I'll close with the shore and keep a bright look-out for
your signals, so as to pick you up without delay. The Admiral is
sending a couple of destroyers to keep an eye on the _Portchester
Castle_, so we ought to be fairly safe from submarine attack. Now,
Mr. Osborne, suppose you discuss your plans with your two
subordinates, and if I have any criticism to make I'll do so."
As a matter of fact the skipper listened in silence while Osborne
discussed the operations with the two sub-lieutenants. He had a high
opinion of the young officer's sound judgment, and, listening, had no
cause to alter his opinion.
"By the by," remarked Captain M'Bride when the council of war was
about to break up, "I suppose you'll see that that pet of yours is
left behind? Not that I have any complaint to make against him. He's
turned up trumps more than once; but I think it advisable to mention
the matter."
"Of course, sir," replied Osborne. "Laddie was hanging round the
cook's galley, so he won't know that we're going."
But Osborne was mistaken. The dog instinctively knew that something
was about to transpire. Possibly when the leading stoker of the steam
cutter, who was one of the animal's special pets, proceeded to raise
steam, Laddie spotted a chance of a run ashore.
So while in the darkness--for night had fallen--the landing party
mustered for inspection, the dog slipped quietly up the ladder to the
cutter on the booms, and concealed himself under one of the seats in
the cabin.
By the feeble glimmer of a hand lantern borne by one of the
quartermasters, Lieutenant Osborne made a critical inspection of the
men's arms and equipment. Then, the landing party having been
reported all correct, they were briefly addressed by the Captain,
who, having explained the nature of the operations, bade them good
luck and a safe return.
The men having embarked, the steam cutter took the two boats in tow
and steered solely on a compass course shaped in the direction of the
invisible Akhissareli. An hour later, for progress was slow, the loom
of the land became visible, while shortly afterwards the rugged
outlines of the mountains could be discerned silhouetted against the
starlit sky.
"Stop her," ordered Osborne.
Still carrying way the two pulling boats ran close alongside, while
their crews silently dropped the heavy ash oars into the muffled
rowlocks. For the time being the steamboat was to "stand by", ready
to proceed to the assistance of her consorts, should aid be
necessary. It was upon the cutter and the whaler that the brunt of
the operations was to fall.
Armed with a pair of powerful night-glasses Osborne took up his post
on the cabin top and swept the distant shore. Everything appeared to
be quiet. Not a sound was to be heard save the distant roar of the
surf on a ledge of rocks well to windward of the inlet. Not a light
was visible on shore. The place seemed as deserted as the polar
regions.
"Sir," whispered a petty officer; "here's this dog of yours."
"How came he on board?" asked Osborne sternly.
"Dunno, sir; he's just come out of the cabin."
Osborne realized that he was on the horns of a dilemma. Unwittingly
he had disobeyed an indirect order from his skipper, since he was
responsible for the dog. Should Laddie bark or make a sound the
success of the enterprise would be jeopardized. Briefly, the
situation was this: everything depended upon the animal's behaviour.
In one scale of the balance were the lives and liberties of, perhaps,
fifty men; in the other the life of a dog.
Quickly the Lieutenant decided how to act.
"Now, Laddie," he said earnestly, "lie down and don't make a sound
until I give you permission. Be a good dog."
Then addressing one of the steamboat's crew he continued: "Get a
marline-spike from the tool-chest, Walters; that's right. Now listen.
I want you to stand by Laddie. Keep one hand in his collar. At the
first sign he makes of barking, hit him as hard as you can over the
head. You understand?"
"Yes, sir," replied the man. He was a trustworthy and thoroughly
steady-nerved bluejacket, who would not be likely to become "jumpy".
Laddie's life, then, was safe in his charge, provided Osborne's pet
obeyed his master's instructions.
The Lieutenant resumed his watch. By this time both pulling boats
were out of sight, swallowed up in the intense darkness. At intervals
he glanced at the luminous dial of his watch. The minutes seemed to
drag with a persistency hitherto unknown. Surely the two boats were
by this time close to their objective?
Suddenly a flash of reddish light stabbed the darkness, then a galaxy
of others--a regular blaze of rifle fires. As the report of the first
shot reached the Lieutenant's ears, Osborne leant over the edge of
the cabin top.
"You can put that marline-spike down, Walters," he said quietly.
Then, leaping into the stern-sheets and snatching up the voice-tube,
he gave the order "Full speed ahead".
Even as the steamboat gathered way, half a dozen search-lights were
unmasked ashore. Two of the giant beams swung seawards, the rest
being directed upon the enclosed water of the creek. At the same time
the rattle of musketry was augmented by the deeper bark of
quick-firers and the ominous tap-tap-tap of machine-guns.
Instinctively Osborne realized that, far from being a surprise, the
landing expedition had been properly ambushed. Treachery had been at
work. The Greek who, fortunately, was still detained on board the
_Portchester Castle_ had deliberately misled the British. Instead of
the operations being directed against a secret petrol depot, the
boats found themselves up against a powerful and well-organized
system of shore batteries and a strong force of troops to oppose
their landing.
Clearly Osborne knew his duty. At all costs the steamboat must dash
in and rescue her consorts or perish in the attempt.
Suddenly one of the seaward-directed searchlights swung rapidly past
the steam cutter and, hesitating, played fairly upon the hull of a
large torpedo-boat that was making at full speed in the direction of
Akhissareli.
For a brief instant Osborne hesitated. He knew that British
destroyers were in the vicinity, and possibly this was one tearing to
the assistance of the _Portchester Castle's_ boats. He dare not make
a private signal lest the shore batteries should spot the steamboat's
presence. On the other hand, there were two factors that tended to
upset the friendly destroyer theory. The Turks ashore had made no
attempt to fire upon the approaching craft; her outlines, as shown up
by the search-lights, were unfamiliar. As she drew nearer, Osborne
knew conclusively that it was a Turkish torpedo-boat, no doubt
attempting to run the gauntlet of the Allied fleets.
"Let her have it," shouted Osborne, at the same time ordering the
helm to be ported ten degrees, in order to bring the steamboat on a
slightly converging course with that of the Ottoman torpedo craft,
which, by reason of superior speed, was rapidly overtaking the
British boat.
The gun-layer of the quick-firer obeyed instantly. With a lurid
flash, accompanied by an ear-splitting detonation, the first shell
sped on its errand of destruction. Well and truly laid was the gun,
for the projectile, striking the lightly armoured conning-tower of
the torpedo-boat, literally pulverized it. Five seconds later a
second shell, hitting the Turkish craft just abaft the second funnel,
played havoc in the engine-room. Columns of steam, gleaming like
tarnished silver in the glare of the search-light, poured through the
shattered deck, as, listing heavily, the torpedo-boat circled to
starboard. Feebly she replied to the steamboat's fire. Momentarily
she lost way, for the lucky shot had crippled her engines; while the
survivors of her crew on deck, imagining that she was about to
founder, or else panic-stricken by the destruction wrought by the
shell, threw themselves overboard and began to swim for the shore.
That particular piece of work accomplished--the action had lasted
less than a minute--Osborne again steadied the steam cutter on her
course to the rescue of the trapped landing party.