"The under-mentioned officers of the Royal Navy have been placed on
half-pay and lent to the Imperial Chinese Government for special
services".
Down at the bottom of the list was "Midshipmen", and we nearly tore
Colonel Christie's paper in our excitement as we read, in very small
print and among a lot of other names, Arthur B. Christie, Harold S.
Glover (that was myself--hurrah!), and Thomas A. Foote.
Well, I can't tell you much of what happened after that, for we were
simply mad with delight; but I do remember that when I rushed off home
my father and mother rather threw a damper over it all.
And when my gear had been packed and driven down to the station, I felt
rather a brute because everyone cried, and even my father was a little
husky when I wished him good-bye. I think something must have got into
my eye too, a fly, probably, but it wasn't there when the train ran into
Portsmouth Harbour station, and Mellins and Toddles met me and dragged
me to the end of the pier to get our first view of our new ship, which
was lying at Spithead.
Now you will have to read how all these things came about, or you will
never properly understand them.
*CHAPTER II*
*Helston receives a Strange Letter*
Helston's Bad Luck--Ping Sang tells of Pirates--Ping Sang makes
an Offer--Helston Jubilant
In the year 1896 two naval officers were living a somewhat humdrum,
monotonous existence in the quiet little Hampshire village of Fareham,
which nestles under the fort-crowned Portsdown Hills, and is almost
within earshot of the ceaseless clatter of riveting and hammering in the
mighty dockyards of Portsmouth.
These two men had both served many years before in the small gun-boat
_Porcupine_ out in China, and their many escapades and adventures had
frequently drawn down on their heads the wrath of the Admiral commanding
that station. Wherever the _Porcupine_ went, trouble of some sort or
another was sure to follow. At one place an indignant Taotai[#]
complained that all the guns--obsolete old muzzle-loaders--in his fort
had been tumbled into the ditch one night; at another they only just
escaped with their lives from an infuriated mob whilst actually carrying
from the temple a highly grotesque, but still more highly revered, joss,
at which desecration they had cajoled and bribed the local priests to
wink.
[#] Taotai = military magistrate.
Comrades in every adventure, and mess-mates during these four exciting
years, they had ultimately drifted together on half-pay, and, with their
old marine servant Jenkins, a taciturn old man, to look after them, had
settled down in this village.
Both men were below the age of forty, though a more accurate estimate
would have been difficult, for the shorter of the two bore himself with
the vigour and alertness of thirty, yet his face was old with the lines
and furrows of care and sadness, whilst the tall, gaunt figure of the
second was not held so erect, nor were his actions so vigorous, yet the
youthful fire in his eyes gave to his sea-tanned face and his thin,
tight-drawn lips and prominent jaw the appearance of a man who had not
yet reached the zenith of his manhood.
The shorter man was named Fox, a doctor, who had left the service when
he married, only to lose his wife a year later, and with her his whole
joy of existence. Settling down in this village, near her grave, he had
worked up a small practice, which occupied but little of his time, and
lived a life from which his great grief seemed to have removed any trace
of his former ambition.
Not so the taller man, Helston, a commander, who had been invalided and
placed on half-pay, suffering from the effects of fevers picked up
whilst cruising off the West Coast of Africa, in China, and in the
Mediterranean. Though his body was weakened by disease, he was for ever
buoyant at the prospects of being restored to health and full-pay, and
dreamed eagerly of the time when once more he could go afloat and
eventually command his own ship.
He, however, generally found a most unsympathetic audience in the
Doctor, who listened, with ill-concealed boredom, to his rose-coloured
plans, and cynically would say, "Who goes to sea for enjoyment would go
to jail for a pastime. Take my advice and get a snug billet in the
coast-guard, and don't bother the sea any more. It's not done you much
good."
"It's all my bad luck, Doc, old chap," Helston would answer; "no fault
of the sea. I played the idiot when I was a youngster, was always in
disgrace up at the Admiralty, and now, with this rotten fever in me,
they won't employ me again."
But he would always finish with, "Well, I've waited patiently enough for
the last three years, and luck must turn soon".
On one such occasion, when the warmth and brightness of a May day had
made Helston more than usually enthusiastic as to his chances of
full-pay service, Dr. Fox, knocking the ashes out of his pipe, growled,
"Next ship, indeed! You talk of nothing but ships and sea, sea and
ships, when you ought to be buying a Bath chair to be wheeled about in."
"Never mind, old chap, I'm not as bad as that, and I'll bet you that
they give me a ship in less than six months!"
"If they do, I will come with you," jeered the Doctor, as he stalked
moodily to bed.
"That's a bargain," shouted Helston cheerfully after him.
Now one reason why Helston had settled down here with the Doctor, and
the great source of his ambitious dreams, was a certain lady named
Milly, who, with her father--his name is not necessary, for he was
always spoken of as "the Admiral", or "Miss Milly's father"--lived close
to the village. He had wooed her constantly for many years, and had
known her since she was born, but the somewhat disdainful little lady
had refused him many times, though not without giving him some slight
hope of better success if ever he were promoted to the rank of captain.
However, as Mistress Milly never personally enters this story, nothing
more need be said of her than that she was one of the most bewitching
little flirts who ever tyrannized over an old father, or played havoc
with the heart of every man she met.
A few weeks after this incident, and whilst the two were at breakfast,
the old village postman stumbled up the path leading to their house, and
Jenkins, a sombre, morose man of few words, brought in a big official
envelope.
"What did I say, old chap?" cried Helston excitedly, tearing it open.
"Didn't I say my luck would change? Hullo! this isn't an ordinary
appointment. Whatever is it?" A large number of papers fell on the
table, and, the Doctor showing some signs of interest, the two men
hurriedly examined them, Jenkins standing behind at attention in order
to learn the news.
The first one was from the Admiralty, informing Helston that the
enclosures had been received through the Chinese Embassy, and ordering
him to report himself at Whitehall immediately. These enclosures were
lists of ships supposed to be wrecked on the Chinese coast during the
last few years, lists of Chinese men-of-war supposed to have been
destroyed during the Chino-Japanese war, and papers showing the gradual
rise in insurance rates for the Chinese coasting trade.
"Where's your appointment?" sneered the Doctor. "I'm off to see my
patients."
"I've got it, Doc; look here! Do you remember that old mandarin we got
out of a scrape at Cheefoo once? Well, here's a letter from him.
Listen!" Saying which, Helston sat on the table and read it aloud,
whilst the Doctor filled his pipe impatiently:--
"DEAR COMMANDER HELSTON,--Perhaps you remember saving my life at Cheefoo
many years ago? Now perhaps I can do you a good turn.
"For the last three or four years there has been a very large number of
steamers, ships, and junks employed on the coast trade which have left
port under favourable circumstances and apparently in good condition,
yet have never been heard of since. The number has rapidly become so
great, that myself and several friends interested in the shipping trade
have suspected that these disappearances were not due to natural causes.
This year, for instance, three of our newest steamers have left Nagasaki
full of valuable cargo, and, though none of them could have experienced
bad weather, yet none have been heard of since. All three, strangely
enough, carried a large quantity of military stores for Pekin, which had
been transhipped from German steamers, and all three left within three
weeks. The captains were Englishmen--very good men, too--and what adds
to the peculiarity of their disappearance is, that the captain of the
English mail-steamer which followed the last out of harbour, and should
have passed her eight hours later if she had been on her proper course,
never sighted her. We searched the coast ineffectually for any trace of
wreckage, and it is only within the last two months that we have
obtained a clue.
"One of our large junks from Formosa, being short of water, made for an
island, previously reported as being only occasionally inhabited by
Korean fishermen. A few men went ashore to fill the casks, found the
fishing-nets deserted and no water, so followed a path leading inland
and winding up a hill. When nearly at the top they came across four
dead Chinamen hanging from trees, and although very frightened, they
still pushed on until they came in sight of the natural harbour on the
other side of the island. They swear solemnly that, lying at anchor,
they saw twenty or thirty steamers and several men-of-war, and that on
shore there were many storehouses (go-downs) and huts, and a very large
number of natives. They were just going down for water when one of these
men, who fortunately had formerly been one of the crew of the
_Tslai-ming_, our crack steamer, recognized her lying there. He is a
cute fellow, and at once jumped to the conclusion that these were
pirates (you remember how terribly frightened they are of 'pilons'?),
and ran back with his fellows to their boat.
"They brought this news to us.
"Four years ago, when this island was last visited, it was reported as
uninhabited. Personally I did not doubt the men's tale. In fact, they
are so frightened, and have spread their story so freely, that it is
difficult to get a crew together for any port south of Amoy.
"I have made very careful enquiries to account for the presence of the
men-of-war, and have discovered that many of the war-ships, and nearly
all the torpedo-boats which were run ashore to escape capture during the
late war, had disappeared.
"The local mandarins and officials of course know nothing, but from the
natives living near I find that large ships came and stayed near the
stranded ships for some weeks, and finally towed them away. There is no
doubt that two, if not three, cruisers in bad plight have been sold to a
couple of Europeans, and have disappeared, where, no one knows. A
couple of the Yangtze corvettes have also mysteriously vanished.
"I memorialized the throne, but they would do nothing, and made fun of
my report. The mandarins got hold of my informants, tortured them till
they denied the truth of their story, and then of course laughed at me.
"Trade was practically at a stand-still, so we decided to send one of
our best captains, an Englishman, to see if the men's story was correct.
He landed at night from a junk, disguised as a native, and spent a day
on the island, running great risks of detection, and being taken off
next night. He reports that there are certainly three cruisers and
seven torpedo-boats anchored there, and at least twenty coasting
steamers, among them being the three that disappeared when laden with
military stores. Great numbers of coolies were working at the narrow
entrance to the harbour, and, as far as he could see, they were mounting
guns behind earthworks. He thought he could distinguish some Europeans,
but is not certain. He brought a rough plan of the harbour, marking the
positions of ships, buildings, and guns.
"I decided to take him next day to some of the ministers whom I knew
personally, thinking that they would pay more attention to the word of
an Englishman. I must tell you that the three natives who first brought
the news and were tortured to deny it, have disappeared, and as they
were very honest, faithful men, I suspected some underhanded dealing,
and, thinking to keep the Englishman safe made him sleep in my _yamen_
that night. Next morning he had disappeared, and his body was found two
days later in a low quarter of the town, stripped of all valuables
including the plan, which he had in his pocket-book, although this
itself was not taken. The gatekeeper saw him go out, and there is no
doubt his habits were unsteady, but for all that his death is very
suspicious.
"Naturally I had no proof good enough for the Government, but my friends
and myself subscribed ten million dollars, and asked the Government for
another five millions, to fit out an expedition and destroy these
pirates, offering to hand over to them the men-of-war we intended
buying, and also a percentage of our recaptures. They refused at first,
but thinking money was to be made out of it, promised us four millions,
the protection of the Imperial flag, and the use of their dockyards.
"We had thought of applying to some European power to take the matter
up; but you know the great tension of affairs out here at the present,
and the acute international jealousies; we therefore came to the
conclusion that it would take years to bring this about through the
ordinary diplomatic channels, and as every year's trade is worth from
L10,000,000 to L20,000,000 for us, we cannot afford to wait.
"I, therefore, as President of the China Trading Defence Committee, am
authorized to offer you the control of this money if you will accept the
responsibility of organizing a small expedition with the greatest
possible speed to rid us of this unbearable piracy which is destroying
our trade.
"You will get this letter and the enclosed lists and tables from our
Ambassador in London, who will give you every facility for granting
Imperial commissions for your ships and officers, and every information
he can.
"I know enough of your service to think that if you take command of this
expedition you will advance your prospects, and the opportunity of doing
this I have very great pleasure in giving you.
"Wire me your decision and plans; don't worry about money--haste is the
great thing.--Your sincere friend,
"PING SANG.
"TIENTSIN, _17th March._
"_P.S._--If you do not accept the command it will be offered to
Lieutenant Albrecht of the Imperial German Navy.
"I hope the Doctor with the broad shoulders and terrible fists is well.
Give him my 'chin chin', and bring him with you if you can."
Helston finished reading, and both men stared at each other in blank
amazement, whilst Jenkins commenced stealthily to remove the breakfast
things.
"Well, of all the hare-brained, foolish schemes I ever heard of!" gasped
the Doctor.
"There's something in it, old chap. Ping Sang was one of the richest
mandarins in China when we were out there many years ago. A splendid
chap, as you remember, and practically an Englishman in his ideas--he
went to Charterhouse when he was a boy--and besides, his Government has
taken it up, and I have to report myself to the Admiralty; so they
believe in it, evidently. Why, old man," continued Helston, "if this is
all true I shall get promotion out of it, and that means--you know as
well as I do--that means Milly." And he danced about the room as if he
never had had fever in his rheumatic legs.
"Stop that tomfoolery, and go off to London and find out whether it's
all a mare's nest or not," said the Doctor. "Jenkins, go and get the
Commander's things ready at once."
"For China, sir?"
"No. For London, you fool!"
"Very good, sir," and off went Jenkins.
"Well, good-bye, Helston, I'm off round the practice. Don't make an ass
of yourself, and let me know the result."
By the time the Doctor returned Helston had disappeared, and it was late
that evening when a telegram brought news of him. The Doctor hurriedly
opened it: "Job genuine--accepted command. Send all clothes--cannot
return--too busy."
Three days later he received a long letter. In it Helston wrote that he
had been backwards and forwards from the Admiralty, the Foreign Office,
and the Chinese Embassy the whole of the last few days settling
preliminary details. "The Bank of England has one and a half million to
my credit, on the advice of the Ambassador and Ping Sang, so the money
is safe enough, and I am trying to get hold of any ship which will be
ready in the next three months. Our Admiralty did not at first wish me
to take command, and wanted to give me some captains, just as advisers,
but I knew what that meant. They would get all the kudos; I should get
none. So I told them that if I did not take command, absolutely and
entirely, I would throw it up, and, of course, that meant that the
Germans would get a look in. That stuck in their gizzards, so they
piped down, and I am to be my own boss and have any officers I want, and
a large proportion of men, from the navy. They have given me an office
and a couple of clerks, and already I'm terribly busy.
"From what I can gather, their idea seems to be that a couple of
cruisers of the _Apollo_ type and two or three destroyers will be
sufficient for my purpose and well within my means; that if I find
myself unable to destroy the pirates, whose existence they still doubt,
I shall at least be able to blockade the island till the present tension
of political affairs is somewhat relaxed, when they hope to be able to
detach some ships from our fleet to help me, more especially if I prove
conclusively the existence of these pirates. You may bet your boots,"
Helston concluded, "if I can get away from England and past Hong-Kong
without interference, I sha'n't wait for other help. My luck is at the
top now, and if only it will remain there for eighteen months or so, I
shall be a made man. Will it? that is the question."
"Silly fool!" thought the Doctor; "he's always brooding on his ill-luck.
If people would only look more on the bright side of things, we should
hear less about this fatal ill-luck which they always fancy follows
them."
When he returned from the round of his very limited practice and opened
the London paper waiting for him, he swore angrily when he saw that two
columns were devoted to the proposed expedition. "Silly fool! giving
himself away to these interviewers. It may make him notorious, but the
Admiralty won't like it; and if there _are_ pirates, they will learn his
schemes and plans almost as soon as he knows them himself."
*CHAPTER III*
*The Fitting Out of a Squadron*
Helston Tricks the Doctor--Valuable Information--The Doctor
makes a Bargain--The Squadron Assembles
A month had passed by, during which time the Doctor saw by the papers
that Helston had acquired a cruiser at Elswick, built on "spec", an
armoured cruiser being built by Laird's, for a South American republic
which had waived its claim to her, and three destroyers which were being
completed at Yarrow's, Thorneycroft's, and Laird's works respectively.
At the end of the month he ran up to London, in response to a telegram,
and met Helston at Waterloo.
"I should hardly have known you," he said, grasping his hand; "you look
twice the man you did six weeks ago. What fool's errand have you brought
me here for?"
"Going to show you round my little fleet, old chap. How's Milly and her
old father?"
"She's all right. Asked after her Don Quixote the last time I saw her;
but confound you, I'm hungry, I don't want to see your ships. I've seen
enough in my lifetime; you ought to have known that."
"Come along then, old chap, we'll have some grub and put you in a better
temper," answered Helston, smiling, and took him to his hotel.
They visited Yarrow's yard that afternoon, and next day went up the
river to Chiswick, where Thorneycroft's destroyer lay almost ready for
launching, with her engines and boilers on board. "Funny state of
affairs, Doc, old boy," began Helston, as he patted her smooth sides,
"for me to be buying ships. Fancy imagining six weeks ago that I should
ever be signing cheques to the value of three-quarters of a million and
thinking nothing of it!"
"How much did this one cost you?" asked the Doctor grimly.
"Just over L40,000--a mere fleabite," laughed Helston; "and she's to do
her trials next week--a guaranteed thirty knots. That would shake up
your wretched liver, Doc, rushing along at more than thirty-five miles
an hour! It's a funny thing, but they have had several bids for her
during the last few days, so I wrote out a cheque on the spot and got
her. The others were a little doubtful about cash."
"Some of these smaller republics always are," laughed the manager, who
was standing near them.
"It was Patagonia, too, of all others," continued Helston. "She tried to
get all my ships, and, strangely enough, has never been in the market
before, and doesn't possess such a thing as a ship."
"I expect she wants to become as civilized as some of her neighbours,
and get up a rebellion against the army," added the manager.
After dinner that night Helston showed the Doctor a list of officers he
had chosen, among whom there were several they had known in the old
days. The Admiralty had put them all on half-pay and lent them to the
Chinese Government for eighteen months directly Helston had made out
their temporary commissions for the squadron he was fitting out. The
Chinese ambassador had been empowered to sign their commissions, and the
ships were to fly the Yellow Dragon.
"I see you have no doctors yet," said the Doctor. "I suppose no one has
been such a fool as to volunteer."
Helston opened a drawer in his desk.
"There you are, nearly five hundred of them, men in the navy, army, and
from every corner of the world."
"I didn't know there were so many fools on earth," growled the Doctor.
"To whom are you going to give the opportunity of being drowned or blown
up?"
"Oh, I'm not going to select them. I leave that job to my principal
medical officer."
"What idiot have you managed to get hold of to do that?"
"You, old chap," replied Helston, slapping him on the shoulder; "you
were the very first to volunteer."
"I!" said the Doctor angrily. "Why, I'd as soon think of volunteering
for a trip to the moon!"
"Can't help that, Doc; you told me that night at Fareham, when you were
in such a bad temper, that you would come with me if I got a ship, and
here's your commission made out--'all belong ploper, savez'. Come on,
old fellow, don't leave me in the lurch; come and have another look at
China. We will look in at our old places in Japan and fancy ourselves
young again. I'll make you as comfortable as you possibly can be on
board a ship."
"Well, you have played a trick on me," answered the Doctor, after he had
stamped and fumed about the room, "and if you were not steeped in fever
and ague, I would see you at Jericho first; but I'll see you safely
through this foolery--more for Milly's sake, though, than for yours, you
sly brute."
"I knew you'd come, Doc; you aren't doing yourself any good moping down
at Fareham, and the practice can manage itself pretty well, can't it?
You'll get fleet-surgeon's pay, and Jenkins will be able to look after
us both."
So this being settled, the two men discussed plans far into the night.
On the way to Newcastle next morning, and as the train was leaving
King's Cross, a man jumped hurriedly into their carriage, his bags were
thrown after him, and the door slammed violently.
"I'm sort of intruding," he said, by way of introduction and apology.
He was a young and very handsome man, typically American from the long
hair brushed off his forehead to his long pointed boots, his Western
accent very strong and nasal.
"Guess you two ain't lived all your lives on land. I've been six years
in the United States navy, and can spot a navy man like a pointer."
"Yes, we are both in the navy," answered Helston, smiling.
"There you are; you Britishers always call _your_ navy _the_ navy. Why,
our American ships--ship for ship--would give 'em all points and knock
spots out of them. We ain't got so many just now, but we're just
scurrying around, and we've got the iron and the brains, and Congress
will find the dollars. I'm quit of the navy. The guv'nor curled up and
left me a pile, so I just sent in my commission and been enjoying myself
ever since--that's four years ago next fall. Going out to China in a
few weeks--shake up the oil business. The old man was in oil--see!
Ever been in China--Asiatic station we call it--and met the old
_Monocacy_?"
"Twice," said Helston, much amused.
"Well, I was a cadet for two years in that old packet--Reginald S.
Hopkins, my tally--and I guess we have mutual acquaintances out there."
"My name is Helston."
"Helston!" ejaculated the American. "Why, I know your face--couldn't
guess where I'd seen it before seen your picture in every illustrated
journal I've taken up for the last ten days--shake, sir, shake," and he
grasped Helston's hand warmly. "Very pleased to make your acquaintance.
I reckon you're just about the most talked-of man walking the face of
this earth just now."
The conversation naturally turned on the approaching expedition, in
which Hopkins was keenly interested. "I guess I can give you some
middling-sized information about those ships the Chinese ran ashore. I
was out with the Japs at Wei-hai-wei, just looking round--kind of
correspondent for a Boston journal--and went on board some of them. I
reckon the silly idiot who bought that lot of scrap iron wished he had
left 'em there. There ain't a dockyard in the States that could make
'em keep pace with a funeral. Why, I went aboard one of the
torpedo-boats--high and dry she was--I'm mighty inquisitive, I tell
you--her boiler had burst and blown up her deck, when she went aground,
I reckon. I've never seen such a mess as the engines were--two horrid
staring corpses been there a week, too--ugh!"
"Very lucky that I met you," Helston said eagerly. "I've telegraphed to
a dozen men who were up there, and none know anything beyond doubtful
rumours."
"I guess most of the Europeans were just searching around about that
particular time, and looting or getting quit of the place, if they'd
been aiding the Pigtails," drawled the stranger.
"You didn't hear anything about the cruisers which went ashore, I
suppose?" asked Helston.
"Didn't I! Didn't I! I knocked up against a little Scotchman--chief
engineer aboard the _Mao Yuen_ when her old skipper shoved her nose on
shore and cut. He was just about in a hair-raising funk, for the
mandarins wanted his head, and the Japs his body. I packed him off in a
steamer, and he was mighty glad to take his head with him, you bet!"
"Did he tell you anything of the condition of his ship?" asked Helston,
"for she is one of those which have disappeared."
"Didn't he!" roared the American, smacking his thigh. "Why, all the time
he was under my wing he kept shouting out, 'Oh God! Oh God!--two
hundred dead bodies on board, burning fore and aft--they'll kill me if I
go on deck--the boilers won't stand the pressure, and my home's in
Glasgy'. He was just on being properly crazed, and during the night
woke me by shrieking, 'We're on the rocks, we're on the rocks--the
steam-pipe's burst, and I can't get on deck--the steam, the steam', and
I found him trying to climb up the wall."
"She must have damaged herself very badly if the shock smashed her main
steam-pipe," said Helston; "and they tell me at the Embassy that the
_Yao Yuen_, her sister ship, which was also reported refloated, was
completely gutted. It seems to me that any amount of patching up won't
make these two much of fighting ships."
"You've just hit it, Captain. Give me the old _Monocacy_--you remember
the old tub--and I reckon I'd wash out the whole crowd."
He left the carriage at their first stopping-place.
"Lucky we met him, Doc," said Helston; "his information may be very
valuable, and he seems a fine type of an American naval officer."
"They are all tarred with the same brush," growled the Doctor--"think
their own country the only one in the world, and they themselves its
brightest ornament. A conceited, bragging liar I should call him."
"Liver bad this morning," thought Helston.
They went down to Elswick that afternoon and inspected the cruiser which
Armstrong's had almost completed. She was, in fact, preparing for her
engine and gun trials. She had been built as a speculation, and Helston
had eagerly snapped her up for a trifle of L290,000. "We should have
made another L20,000 if you hadn't settled at once," said the manager
ruefully, "for the Patagonian agent offered us L310,000 next morning."
They next travelled to Birkenhead and saw Laird's destroyer, which was
nearly ready for sea, and the armoured cruiser which was to be Helston's
flagship, and had been promised in two months.
They were inspecting the cabins aft.
"If I'm coming with you, you'll have to knock those two into one," said
the Doctor. "I'm not going to be cramped up in the ordinary cabin at my
time of life."
"All right, old chap," replied Helston, giving the necessary directions,
"what will happen if you don't get your own way?"
"Invalid myself home," answered the Doctor, with a twinkle in his eye.
"Did the Patagonians want this one?"
"Did their best," smiled Helston, "but ready money did the trick."
"It seems to me that someone is very anxious you should not buy your
ships, Helston. Somewhat fishy, isn't it?" suggested the Doctor, on
their way back to London.
Two days later the papers published lists of temporary commissions
granted by the Chinese Government to officers in the Royal Navy lent to
a squadron now fitting out in England.
To Helston the Admiralty had granted leave to assume the rank of captain
whilst he was in command of his squadron.
The rest of the officers, commanders, lieutenants, doctors, engineers,
paymasters, marines, and warrant officers were all detailed for various
duties--fitting out the ships, buying and supervising stores and
provisions, and recruiting the crews.
The Admiralty lent the entire crews for the three destroyers and
skeleton crews for the two cruisers, consisting of petty officers,
seamen gunners, engine-room artificers, armourers, and also a small
detachment of marines, whilst, acting on the advice of the Foreign
Office and the Chinese Embassy, both of which threw out hints of the
possibility of treachery, the remainder of the crews were taken
exclusively from Naval Reserve men of known good character.
During the following three weeks several suspicious incidents occurred
which suggested that influences were at work to retard or damage the
expedition.
Thorneycroft's destroyer broke down on two occasions. On the second
trial the finding of a loose nut in the high-pressure cylinder whilst
the engines were being preliminarily turned, averted a terrible
catastrophe. It was highly probable that it had been placed there
intentionally.
Laird's cruiser developed several small break-downs, attributed to
improperly fastened locking nuts, whilst the main bearings of one of her
screw shafts became almost red-hot, and it was found that sand had been
mixed with the water that was pumped over it during the full speed
trial. This alone delayed the departure of the expedition for a month,
as the huge casting had to be removed. Laird's destroyer was also run
down one night by a tug-boat whilst lying anchored off Birkenhead, and
as it was a perfectly clear night, and she was not in the usual course
of tugs, this was very suspicious. Fortunately the damage was not
serious.
Most serious of all was the discovery of a man, dressed as a dockyard
labourer, tampering with the magazine locks of Armstrong's cruiser, with
many yards of fuse and a dynamite cartridge in his pocket, which
naturally he could not account for.
However, three months after the receipt of Ping Sang's letter,
Armstrong's cruiser, named by Helston the _Strong Arm_, the three
destroyers "No. 1", "No. 2", and "No. 3", and a stout little merchant
steamer, the _Sylvia_, to be used as store-ship, were lying at Spithead,
gaily flying the Yellow Dragon at their ensign staffs, and only awaiting
the completion of the repairs to Laird's ship, which Helston named the
_Laird_.
Helston, the Doctor, and two or three officers were still remaining in
London completing the work of fitting out the squadron.
*CHAPTER IV*
*The Pirates are not Idle*
A Disaster--"The Mysterious Three"--Suspicions Confirmed--Three
Chinamen--Helston Desperate
One night after dinner, whilst they were playing billiards, the folding
doors were flung open and Hopkins, whom Helston had not seen since he
had first met him on his way to Newcastle, rushed in, nearly upsetting
the waiter.
"Excuse me, Captain," he said, as he warmly gripped Helston's hand.
"I'm always just busting with energy; only landed on the Island three
hours gone; tracked you here, and now mighty glad to meet you again.
Been bustling round Europe for the last two months; done the capitals
and the crowned heads and other sights; and now come here to pack my
traps and off again. Say, Captain, how's your picnic progressing; just
booming, I reckon?"
"Oh, fairly well," answered Helston, pleased to see him and introducing
him to the others. "There have been several strange mishaps lately,
which look suspiciously as if somebody was already working against us,
but I think we shall be off in a week or two."
"Well, I call that just prompt; couldn't do it slicker in the United
States. Maybe those accidents are simple coincidences."
"They may be, but they are very worrying, all the same," replied
Helston, opening a telegram a waiter had brought him. He scanned it
carelessly, but his jaw dropped. It was from the captain of the _Strong
Arm_: "Regret to report Government powder barge fouled ram 8.15
to-night; drifted astern and sank, blowing up as she went down. Ship
making water and down by the head. Must dock for examination.
Explosion caused minor damages after-part of ship and stove in starboard
plates of 'No. 1' destroyer. Regret report three men 'No. 1' killed.
Crew of barge took to dinghy and pulled ashore."
Helston read it aloud, to the consternation of the others. "That means
our departure delayed indefinitely," he said bitterly. "I must be off
to Portsmouth at once." He went up to his room to pack a bag.
Presently there was a knock at the door and Hopkins came in.
"Excuse me bothering you just now, Captain, but I've gotten an idea that
this explosion ain't all fair and square, and I just want to fix up a
contract with you."
"Well, what is it?" asked Helston, amused at his earnestness.
"Well, I reckoned this affair was going to be a simple slap-up picnic,
and if there's devilry about now there will be a jolly sight more before
you've squared yards, and I'm just keen to be in it. I'm a bit of a
sailor and picked up a bit of the lingo, so I should be worth my
nose-bag. Will you take me on, sir, if you find this explosion was due
to treachery?"
"I'll see about it when I come back," replied Helston.
"Thank you, sir. Good-night;" and Hopkins disappeared.
"I don't care for that man," said the Doctor, as he saw Helston off to
Portsmouth (they were talking of Hopkins). "He talks too much, and I
hate foreigners. I hope you won't take him."
However, Hopkins himself was apparently confident that he would be
taken, for next morning at breakfast he joined their table, quite
unasked, and kept forcing his conversation on the Doctor. Now there was
one thing the Doctor would never do, and that was, talk at breakfast;
not even till he had had his after-breakfast pipe was it safe to address
him, and he happened to be especially "livery" that morning. He was
boiling over with wrath when the meal was over.
"Bad temper, I suppose it is," growled the Doctor, as, later, he jumped
into a hansom and drove to the U.S. Legation; "a villainous liver that
makes me dislike that fellow. At any rate, if he comes with us we had
better know all about him."
At the Embassy he managed to get hold of several old navy lists, and
found the name Reginald S. Hopkins given as a cadet on board the
_Monocacy_ in 1885, but no mention of it in later years.
He enquired whether the Naval Attache was in the building, and, as luck
would have it, he was, and could give the Doctor more information.
"A naval officer yourself, Doctor?" said the Attache, looking at his
card.
"Yes; belong to the 'pirate-catchers', as we are called, and this man
Hopkins is very anxious to join us."
"Well, I see by my books that he retired, by permission, from the
_Monocacy_ in 1885."
"I found that out down below; but you know nothing more about him, I
suppose?"
"Well, not officially, you know; but three or four years ago I was Flag
Lieutenant of our Asiatic squadron, and we heard that he had been mixed
up with the China-Japanese war, was in a Chinese ship at the battle of
Yalu, and was afterwards said to have made a pile of money by buying the
wrecked ships and selling them as old iron. He'd probably be a useful
man for you to get hold of, I should think."
"I think he would," said the Doctor gravely. "I suppose you never met
him?"
"No, never; but there were rumours that he led a wild kind of
adventurous life among the Chinese with two partners, an Englishman and
a German, prospecting for mines or running expeditions against
rebellious provincial rebels. They used to be called the 'Mysterious
Three' at the Tientsin Club, if I remember rightly, and were said to be
hand in glove with many of the highest officials."
"It was a bad temper and a worse liver before," muttered the Doctor, as
he drove away and directed the cab to a well-known detective agent, "but
after hearing this--whether it's curiosity or suspicion, I'm going to
find out more about that young man."
Next morning he received a letter from Helston at Portsmouth, which
confirmed his fears that another and successful attempt had been made to
damage the expedition. What was left of the powder barge had been
examined by divers, who had reported that it certainly was not like the
usual Government barges. The crew of three had disappeared, though they
must have landed safely, as their dinghy had been hauled up the beach at
Southsea, and this fact enhanced suspicions. Both "No. 1" and the
_Strong Arm_ had been docked by Admiralty permission at Portsmouth, and
the repairs, which were being pushed forward night and day, would take
at least six weeks in the case of "No. 1", though the cruiser was found
to have suffered but minor damage.
"The bill will be tremendous," wrote Helston, rather despairingly, "not
so much for the actual repairs, but it means keeping and feeding all the
crews for six weeks more than I had calculated. At any rate they are, I
am glad to say, all the keener after this affair to get to close
quarters with the scoundrels, who have hit them below the belt. After
the funeral of the three men of the destroyer who were killed, I went
aboard each ship, fell the men in aft, and told them that any man who
wished to back out of the job could give in his name to the
master-at-arms. They broke out into cheers, and not a man has done so."
"Foul play after all, Hopkins," said the Doctor later, when he met the
American.
"Well, I can't say I'm sorry about it," he answered frankly, "if it
gives me a chance of a look in at the game."
Every day the detectives employed by the Doctor reported to him
Hopkins's movements, but nothing suspicious whatever occurred for some
days. He spent his time visiting business houses especially connected
with the China trade, and in the evenings was either at the hotel or a
theatre. Then, however, he was reported to have visited, the previous
evening, after dark, a large "doss-house" near the Millwall docks, a
place kept by a Chinaman for the use of the Chinese firemen and the deck
hands employed in the ships trading to the East. He had stayed there
nearly two hours, shoved several papers into his pocket as he came out,
and was accompanied to the door by two Chinese, who appeared to treat
him with the greatest respect.
It happened that he had hurried away from dinner that night on the
pretence of going to a theatre.
"He's a liar, at any rate," thought the Doctor, but his suspicions
turned into a different and more startling channel before the morning
was over.
There were two little American boys staying in the hotel who had struck
up a great friendship with Hopkins. Going down the main staircase he
came upon these two--fighting as usual. "Clear out of this, you young
rascals!" growled the Doctor, and the two boys ran away. Two steps
lower down the Doctor noticed a brightly coloured stamp on the carpet,
stooped down, and found it was one of a new issue of the Patagonian
Republic. "Please, sir," said one of the boys coming back, "that's
ours. Mr. Hopkins, the big man who sits at your table, gave it us this
morning--tore it off a big envelope."
"I've never seen one before," said the Doctor, thinking of the strange
coincidence.
"Mr. Hopkins has a big crackly paper with an enormous green sealing-wax
seal just like it," chimed in the boy. "You ought to see it--it's
lovely!"
"Phew! that's odd," he muttered. "What's Hopkins doing with Patagonian
letters? And a 'big crackly paper with an enormous green seal' means an
official document, so I should think. I hardly heard of the name till
Helston told me they were trying to buy his ships. Phew! I wonder if
he had anything to do with that? I'll find out."
But the Patagonian agency knew nothing of Hopkins. An Austrian by the
name of Von Grootze had been engaged in the negotiations for ships, so
the Doctor returned puzzled.
A few days later the detectives reported that Hopkins had again visited
the "doss-house" in Millwall, and that next day a very large number of
Chinese had shipped for Antwerp.
"Well, he seems to have something to do with these Chinese, receives
communications from Patagonia, is a known adventurer, and, perhaps most
convincing of all, I don't like him," thought the Doctor. "Helston is
coming back to-morrow, and I'll have a long yarn with him about this
business."
So next day he told Helston all the details that were arousing his
suspicions, adding, "I don't suppose there is much in it, but I am a
beastly suspicious fellow and don't like him."
"Well," answered Helston very gravely, "do you know what was found in
that powder barge? A dead Chinaman!--unrecognizable except for his
pigtail. We've managed to keep the fact very quiet, but this somehow
seems to connect things, doesn't it?"
The best thing to be done, they both agreed, was to keep their eye on
Hopkins, and to do that more easily Helston decided to make out his
commission as secretary to himself. Later, when he gave it to Hopkins,
no one could deny that his expressions of extreme pleasure were genuine.
Two nights later, however, the Doctor, coming back to the hotel at
midnight, went up to Helston's room with a very grave face.
"Pretty late to turn a fellow out," said Helston, switching on the
light. "Hullo, man, you look pretty scared! What's in the wind now?"
"I've just come from that doss-house of which I told you. I pretended
to the boss that I wanted a Chinese cook to take out with me. He was an
ugly old Cantonese, and took me into his little room--pugh! how the
place did reek of garlic and stale clothes--and went off to try and find
one. Whilst I was waiting I heard a shrill argument going on in the
next room--there was only a wooden partition between--and presently I
heard a voice, which I would swear anywhere was Hopkins's, ordering
silence."
"He told us he was off to the theatre," interposed Helston, now
thoroughly awake.
"You can imagine I was on the qui vive then, and did my best to hear
what was going on. Two Chinamen were evidently trying to extort money
from him, but they were talking so shrilly and so fast--you know how
they talk when they are excited--that I could not make out much of it
till another voice chimed in, and I distinctly heard: 'He smokee too
muchee opium, massa. Me go shakee him--no can move--vely big man--no
can wait--go topside plenty quick--jump in boat--all plenty chop,
chop--then makee blow up. Ah Tung belong dead man--you pay blother
fifty dollars can do--all belong ploper.' You know their
pidgin-English?"
"Can you swear it was Hopkins's voice?" asked Helston. "That must have
been the brother of the man killed in the powder barge."
"I would swear to that beastly nasal twang anywhere."
It was early next morning when the two separated, and then they had
decided not to let Hopkins suspect that they knew his treachery, and
still to allow him to reckon on joining the expedition.
"In fact," said Helston, "to have him on board will be our best
safeguard, and we must see that he does not give us the slip."
The detective reported that Hopkins had been to the "doss-house" the
night before, adding, with a smile, "which you probably know already,
sir, for you were there too".
As the Doctor and Helston were leaving the hotel--Helston going to his
office and the Doctor for a walk--Hopkins joined them. "Any work for
your secretary, Captain?" he asked good-humouredly. "I guess I'm just
aching for a bit of quill-driving. I'm just about the cut of a
secretary, am I not?" and he opened out his broad shoulders and smacked
his chest vigorously.
"Not till we get afloat, thanks," said Helston.
"All right; I'll just come along with you to the corner, and then I'll
be off. Have to make a few dollars--you Britishers aren't half
smart--before I go sailoring again."
As they came to the end of the street they saw a small crowd curiously
gazing at three Chinamen looking in at an A.B.C. shop.
"I'll pull those three fellows' legs," said the American, and, as they
forced their way through the little crowd, he whistled the first line of
"Chin, Chin, Chinaman".
The crowd recognized the tune at once, and there were shouts of "Chin,
Chin, Chinaman!"
The Chinese turned round with fury in their eyes, whilst the crowd
jeered at them.
The Yankee, laughing loudly, wished his friends good-bye. "Guess a
Chinaman won't learn manners in London, anyhow."
"Well, he's not a gentleman, at any rate," said Helston, when he had
gone. "Funny those three being there; you don't often see them so far
from the docks."
"My blessed aunt!" said the Doctor excitedly, "it was a put-up job. I
see it clearly. Hopkins wanted them to be able to recognize us again.
Didn't you notice that they looked at us and no one else; and, now I
think of it, he put his arm through yours just at the time--that was to
point you out more particularly."
"Stuff and nonsense, Doc! You must not jump to conclusions like that.
It was all done too naturally; I can't believe it."
"You always were an idiot," growled the Doctor. "I'd bet you anything
I'm right."
However, every day after this, Helston met these Chinese--not always the
same, he felt sure--and they always gave him a cold, impassive stare
from under their slit-like lids as they passed him going to or coming
from the office. Did he go round a back, unfrequented way, they were
waiting for him outside his office when he left it. Did he walk on the
other side of the road, they crossed over to gaze at him. There was no
doubt left in Helston's or in the Doctor's mind that these men were in
Hopkins's pay, and were being made familiar with Helston's appearance,
in order to be able to kidnap or kill him when Hopkins gave the signal.
Naturally it was exceedingly difficult to remain on friendly terms with
this man, whose presence seemed to make their flesh creep, but outwardly
there was no change in their relationship, or, if there was, Hopkins did
not seem to notice it.
A month later and the incessant strain of being constantly watched
wherever he went, and the endless worries and delays attending the
expedition, began to have their effect on Helston, who was visibly
losing the vigour his new appointment had first given him.
"Let us get out of this, old chap," he almost gasped one day when,
coming back to the hotel, they had been met by three more villainous
Chinese standing almost inside the door.
"Pour me out something to drink, Doc, to take the taste of the ugly
brutes out of my mouth. If I don't get away soon my luck will desert me
again, and they will murder me somehow or other. I can't stand them
much longer."
Helston paced up and down in a very agitated manner, and it was very
evident that the strain of the last few weeks was wearing him to a
shadow.
"Look here, old chap," he said, coming to a halt, and turning abruptly
to Dr. Fox, "it's my idea that if Hopkins intends mischief he will wait
till the last few days before either disappearing himself or setting
those sneaking Chinese dogs on to me. If we can only get him aboard and
start several days before he expects the expedition to sail, his
treacherous schemes may fail.
"Now, my idea is this. The _Laird_ runs her after-repair trials
to-morrow, and I will telegraph to her Captain and order him to report
defects requiring twelve days to repair, and make arrangements as if our
departure would be delayed till then, and give the information to the
Press.
"The scheme is this, Doc," he continued excitedly. "'No. 1' destroyer
runs her trials on Saturday next after coming out of dock. My idea is
for us to go down to Portsmouth, take Hopkins with us--as if only for
the trial, you understand--and, when we are out at Spithead, signal to
the remainder of the squadron to prepare for sea, and to send a telegram
to the _Laird_ at Birkenhead ordering her to meet me at a certain
rendezvous."
"That fellow Hopkins is a greater fool than I take him for if he is
deceived by that," growled Dr. Fox.
"Perhaps you are right, but I will try; and I will wire to Cummins of
the _Laird_ at once."
"You had better use the cipher code," Dr. Fox suggested.
The twenty-four hours which followed the despatch of this telegram
seemed like the same number of days.
Helston could not sleep. Twice during the night he came to Dr. Fox's
room, with wild suggestions for warding off the blow he now felt certain
was impending, and haggard and irresolute he paced to and fro in the
smoking-room after breakfast next morning.
At one moment he would decide to rush off to Birkenhead himself; at
another, that he would pack up and go aboard the _Strong Arm_ at
Spithead and await results there. Finally, he did not stir from the
hotel till the evening, when the reply to his telegram arrived.
"Full-speed trial successful; sundry small defects; condenser-tubes
require fourteen days to repair."
It was Hopkins who brought in the telegram.
"Confound him!" cried Helston, with well simulated wrath. "We shall
never get to sea at this rate."
Orders were made out that the squadron would sail from Spithead in
fifteen days' time, and the date of sailing was communicated to the
Press.
It was only Helston and Dr. Fox who knew that it would actually sail a
week earlier.
"Thank God," exclaimed Helston, "there are only a few more days of these
hateful Chinese!"
*CHAPTER V*
*The Squadron leaves hurriedly*