CHAPTER V.
BOARDED.
While von Eckenhardt was recovering consciousness and the two young officers were pulling themselves together after their trying ordeal, Captain Ramshaw, who had been informed of the successful issue of the affair, proceeded to the cabin taken by the German under the name of Duncan McDonald.
It was a single berth cabin, furnished in the luxuriant style that the Red Band Line provided for their first-class passengers.
The "old man" first directed his attention to an unlocked portmanteau. It was filled with clothes. Methodically the chief steward, under Captain Ramshaw's supervision, went through the pockets. He found nothing incriminating. There was some correspondence in English of a commonplace order, which gave no rise to suspicion.
A second portmanteau was doubly locked. The steward cut the Gordian knot by ripping the cowhide with his pocket-knife. Inside the case were more clothes, but between the folds was a metal case half filled with phosphor-bronze filings. There were also a revolver and two hundred rounds of ammunition, the presence of which in a passenger's possession was in itself a breach of the Company's regulations.
"Now, that cabin trunk, Saunders," exclaimed Captain Ramshaw, pointing to a large, strongly made box. "You won't open that with your penknife, my man."
"One minute, sir," said the steward.
He left the cabin, returning in a very short space of time with a heavy hammer and a cold chisel.
He was about to attack the lock when the "old man" interposed.
"Avast there, Saunders!" he ejaculated. "We'll have the job tackled a little more quietly. Go and ask the doctor for a small bottle of the strongest acid he has."
"That's good, Saunders," he remarked when the man returned. "Now lay on the acid all round the lock. Mind your eyes: it will splash a bit. We'll ruin the carpet, I fancy; but there'll be more serious damage done to the Company's property before long, unless I'm much mistaken."
Rapidly the powerful acid ate its way into the metal. The cabin reeked with the pungent fumes.
Captain Ramshaw waited until he considered that the corrosive fluid had sufficiently weakened the metal, then he soused the side of the trunk with water.
A gentle pressure of his boot brought the lock clean away. He raised the lid. The portmanteau was apparently full of clothes. Von Eckenhardt evidently had an extensive wardrobe.
"There's a double bottom, sir," announced the steward.
"I thought so," replied the captain quietly. "Be careful, Saunders. You will find a secret spring. Don't use unnecessary force."
Wondering why the skipper harped upon the necessity for caution the steward continued his investigations. At length he discovered an invisible push, close to the bottom of the trunk. As he pressed it, the false bottom opened upon a pair of hinges. The space contained several sealed envelopes and a tin case measuring about ten inches by six, and two inches in depth.
"You might hand over those papers," said the captain. "Now, open that tin."
"It's full of gummy string, sir ."
"Powerful explosive, Saunders, enough to blow a big hole in the old 'Saraband.' There are fuses and detonators, too. I wonder the fool hadn't more sense than to stow this stuff in a cabin trunk."
"What shall I do with it, sir?" asked the steward, eyeing the box of latent death and destruction with undisguised apprehension.
"Overboard with it," decided the "old man" promptly.
Before Captain Ramshaw could proceed further with his investigations a messenger brought the news that a strange vessel, apparently a warship, was bearing down in the direction of the "Saraband."
The skipper broke all records in his dash for the bridge. Bringing his binoculars to bear in the direction indicated by the chief officer he saw that a large grey-painted cruiser was shaping a course to cut him off.
"If she's a German we're nabbed, Lymore," said the captain. "She's heavily armed, and we are within range of her guns. Unless I'm much mistaken, she can give us points in speed."
"Will you alter our course and run for it, sir?" asked the chief officer.
"Useless," decided Captain Ramshaw, with a shrug of his shoulders. "If she were a hostile armed merchantman I'd engage her in a running fight, but she'd blow us out of the water in two minutes. There are the passengers to consider."
Rapidly the cruiser approached. She made no attempt to communicate with wireless, but when within signalling distance she hoisted the letters E.C. meaning, in the International Code, "What ship is that?"
The "Saraband" immediately "made her number" and hoisted her ensign. By this time the approach of the cruiser had been noticed by the passengers, whose interest became intense, although they were still in ignorance of the fact that a state of war existed between Great Britain and Germany.
"Thank Heaven!" ejaculated Lymore fervently, as the White Ensign was hoisted to the masthead of the cruiser, which was, it was remarked, fully cleared for action.
"Don't be too cocksure," remonstrated the "old man."
"She's a British cruiser, sir," protested the chief officer. "One of the 'Town' class, that I'll swear. There she goes: code flag over 'H,' sir."
The signal to stop was quickly complied with. Orders were telegraphed to the engine-room for half-speed astern until the "Saraband" lost way. The cruiser swung round in a semi-circle and likewise stopped within two cables' length. A boat was lowered, manned, and rowed towards the "Saraband."
"Clear the promenade deck, Mr. Lymore," ordered the captain. "Request the passengers to go below. Don't give them any reason—let them think what they jolly well like. Mr. Aubyn, see that the accommodation ladder is shipped. You will receive the naval officer and pay him the proper compliments."
The boarding officer proved to be a youthful lieutenant. Terence escorted him to the bridge, where he immediately subjected Captain Ramshaw to a close examination.
"Have you sighted any German armed merchantmen?" asked the officer, whose ship, it transpired, was the light cruiser "Padstow."
"The 'Hertzolf:' that was before war was declared."
"Have you communicated by wireless with any craft?"
"Only your ship," replied Captain Ramshaw. "You may remember you requested us to alter our course and fall in with you in a certain latitude and longitude."
"Rather lucky for you that you didn't, then," rejoined the lieutenant. "We sent out no wireless message. We had good reason to keep the knowledge of our presence south of Las Palmas a secret. Do you remember the position?"
Captain Ramshaw gave the desired information, Chief Officer Lymore corroborating the statement by a reference to the log-book.
"It's a decoy message from the 'Hertzolf,'" announced the naval officer, "she's been particularly active. Sunk the 'Walrus' and 'The Star of Hope,' and captured two colliers. We're on her track now. If I were you, Captain Ramshaw, I'd give Las Palmas a wide berth. Coal at Gib., if you can fetch there with what coal you've on board."
"Very good, I will," answered the master of the "Saraband."
Courteously declining an offer of refreshments the lieutenant went over the side and was rowed back to the "Padstow." Almost before the boat was hoisted up the cruiser pelted off at twenty-five knots to attempt to intercept the already too active "Hertzolf."
It was now no longer necessary in the interests of the ship to withhold the momentous news of the outbreak of war from the passengers. Notices were posted on the various saloons, their appearance being hailed by rousing cheers. Instructions were also given that in the event of the "Saraband" being chased, the passengers were to assemble for'ard in such places as would be pointed out, in order to be as safe as possible from shells from the pursuing vessel.
At two bells in the second dog watch the ship's doctor reported to the captain that von Eckenhardt was sufficiently recovered to be interrogated. Accordingly Captain Ramshaw, Aubyn, Raeburn, and the two quartermasters proceeded to the cabin in which the German had been kept a prisoner.
"Now, von Eckenhardt, what have you to say in answer to the charge of conspiring to cripple the vessel?" demanded Captain Ramshaw.
At the name von Eckenhardt the Teuton started wildly. He had, like his companion in the outrageous attempt, been completely taken aback.
"So Slieber has given me away," he exclaimed passionately. "I am not surprised. Slieber is not a true German. He worked for money. I did what I could for the sake of the Fatherland. Remember I demand to be treated as a prisoner of war."
Captain Ramshaw did not immediately reply. He, too, was taken by surprise. Von Eckenhardt had blundered badly. He had revealed the fact that the real name of the greaser who passed under the name of Stone was Slieber. Also von Eckenhardt was fully aware that a state of war existed between Great Britain and Germany. He claimed a similar privilege to that demanded by Slieber, yet the passengers had been kept in ignorance of the news until half an hour ago. In the captain's mind there was no doubt that both Germans had received information from official sources that a rupture was planned to occur on or about the 4th day of August; and that, even had Great Britain not delivered her ultimatum, the German Empire would have taken the initiative almost at the same time as she threw down the gauntlet to France and Russia.
"The pair of you have quaint notions concerning the rights of prisoners of war," remarked Captain Ramshaw. "No doubt they are perfectly in accord with the views of the German Government, but unfortunately for you, you are not in uniform. In that case you are liable to be placed upon your trial as a spy."
Von Eckenhardt shrugged his shoulders. Although at the moment of detection he had attempted to put an end to his existence by throwing himself into the engine-room, it was because he feared summary vengeance on the part of the officers and men of the "Saraband." Now that that immediate danger was over he took a calm view of the situation. Previous experience told him that German spies brought to trial in England were treated lightly as compared with the severe punishment meted out in the Fatherland to Englishmen accused of espionage.
"I am not a spy," he declared vehemently.
"That remains to be proved, Major von Eckenhardt," rejoined the "old man," in his cool, deliberate manner. "At the same time I may as well express my opinion that, with these documents in the hands of the public prosecutor, you will have some difficulty to prove to the contrary," and he held up the bundle of papers he had removed from the German's cabin.
Von Eckenhardt's jaw dropped, but only for a moment. Then his teeth closed together with a snap like those of a rat-trap. He seemed to be on the point of hurling himself upon the skipper. Then, controlling himself with an effort:—
"There is nothing more for me to say at present," he remarked with a slight inclination of his head.
"Very well. You will be under close arrest till we arrive at Southampton."
The German smiled sarcastically. Under his breath, just loud enough for his captor to hear, he muttered "Perhaps."
Captain Ramshaw resisted the inclination to answer. Obviously the taunt was meant as an insult. More, it suggested the possibility that hostile commerce destroyers had marked the "Saraband" with her precious cargo as a most desirable prey. Without another word he left the cabin, signing to the quartermasters to double-lock the steel door.
The captain was convinced that he had made an important capture. From the documents found in von Eckenhardt's cabin it was clear that the prisoner was a major in the Prussian Guards, and that he had been detailed for secret service to report upon the military and political situation in South Africa. Von Eckenhardt's instructions were written in guarded language and signed by the initial X. Captain Ramshaw had yet to learn who the mysterious X was, and the most important part he played in the extensive and highly active espionage system fostered by the Government of the German Empire.