CHAPTER XX
THE RECAPTURE OF THE "INDEPENDENCIA"
"They're about to abandon ship!" exclaimed Cardyke, when the first boat-load of treasure was taken off to the yacht. "It's no idle threat this time. They'll scuttle the cruiser."
"Guess you're about right, sonny," said Hiram B. Rutter. "We must look to ourselves, and Old Nick take the hindmost."
"Sh!" admonished Fielding. "There's no necessity to alarm the others just yet. As soon as we find the ship is actually sinking we'll get the others through the ports without any fuss. She won't sink in a minute."
"We can't stop her from sinking, so what's the use of going on deck," objected the American.
"No, we can't stop her from sinking," admitted the sub. "But if we can jump clear before the suction is too great we stand a fighting chance of swimming to the brigantine."
"Not a ghost of a chance. I guess the water's a sight too cold. We'd be frozen before we covered a quarter of the way," said Rutter, pessimistically.
"Don't meet trouble half-way," replied Fielding, stoutly. "I'll tell Oki the state of affairs, and you, Mr. Rutter, can let the Dutchmen and your fellow passengers on L'Égalité know. I would suggest that every man smother himself with oil and grease. Mukyima knew the value of oil when he went over the side."
When the news that the ship was about to be scuttled was told to the others there was very little excitement. Some of the Frenchmen proposed that an attempt should be made to take possession of the ship; but to this Fielding objected. The hatches were secured, and it would be better, under existing circumstances, not to offer any form of resistance to the pirates.
"If we did they would shoot us while we were in the water," concluded Fielding. "I don't think they would otherwise deny us a chance of swimming to yonder whaler."
Without any undue haste or excitement the imprisoned men made their preparations; then, taking up their positions at the ports, awaited Fielding's signal to throw themselves into the sea.
"There's the villain Cervillo putting off," exclaimed Rutter. "I'd just like to try this rifle, and put a bullet through his head."
"Don't, for your own sake," said Fielding. "Our opportunity to get even with him will come in due time, I feel certain."
"There's no time like the present," objected the American.
"Look!" ejaculated Cardyke. "They're sinking the boats."
The three boats belonging to the Independencia, having completed their work of transferring the men and stores from the cruiser to the yacht, were promptly stove in, pigs of ballast being dropped into them to send them to the bottom.
"They've found the yacht's boats are better than their own," said Fielding. "They'll be——"
"They're off—by Jove!"
"So they are; and there are nearly eighty men of the pirate crew still on board, I should imagine. What's the game?"
"Cervillo's done a bunk with the rest of the oof," said the mid.
"Guess you've hit it, sonny," exclaimed Hiram B. Rutter. "Reckon we may as well get rid of this grease; 'tisn't necessary."
"He's off," said Fielding. "The yacht's gathering way. Won't there be a rumpus when the others find it out? I wonder where their eyes are."
For fully ten minutes the English officers and their companions watched the disappearing vessel. Then a chorus of shouts and curses on deck announced that the abandoned pirates had discovered they were tricked.
Not until the Serena disappeared beneath the horizon did the excited crew calm down. The majority drowned their woes in drink, while a few, realising the importance of fuel supply, brought the cruiser alongside the Hetty and emptied her cargo of oil into the Independencia's tanks. There was now sufficient fuel to take the crippled cruiser a thousand miles. Tito, who had been chosen captain by his shipmates, resolved to stand south, fall in with another vessel, and save the remainder of the crew in a similar manner to that adopted by the recreant Cervillo.
Just before midnight the Independencia raised steam, and at a bare ten knots plugged laboriously through the water. The Hetty was left astern. The last Fielding saw of her was that the crew were engaged in setting the canvas that the gale had spared. It was not much of a spread, but with the wind in its present quarter there was every prospect of the whaler fetching the Gulf of St. Lawrence or one of the harbours on the Newfoundland coast.
The young officers realised that now was the opportunity to recapture the cruiser. Numerically the pirates were stronger, but by the noise on deck the Englishmen knew that they were for the most part indulging in a drunken orgy.
Just before dawn Mukyima and Hokosuka crept through the ports and hoisted themselves on deck. They were able to discern that most of the men were below, a few being on watch on the quarter-deck, two being stationed at the half-deck ladder; but so lax was their vigilance that the two Japs made a careful examination of the mode of securing the hatches. The only thing that prevented the steel hatches from being opened from the inside was an iron bar lashed at each end to massive ring-bolts in the deck. Lying prone by the side of the hatchway coamings the Japs quietly severed the ropes, then retraced their course, and, through General Oki's interpretation, announced that the hatches were ready to be forced open from the inside.
But Fielding hesitated to commence the attack by means of the companion ladders. The noise occasioned by the raising of the steel slabs would arouse their antagonists, and before a sufficient number of the attackers could emerge there was a strong possibility that the superior numbers of the crew would gain the day.
Accordingly he selected ten men, including the two Japs, who had just returned from their tour of investigation. These he was to lead out by the ports on to the deck, where they were to take cover until the main body of the attackers removed the hatches. The rest of the hostages were divided into two parties; one, under Cardyke, was to take the fore-ladder for the half-deck; the other, under Hiram B. Rutter, was detailed to the after-ladder. Both sections were to rush on deck simultaneously, Fielding and his men covering their advance by a rapid revolver fire.
Unseen and unheard Fielding's little band crept one by one through the port-hole and gained the deck. Abaft the rearmost turret the deck was deserted, the men detailed to guard the hatchways having strolled for'ard to smoke. A continuous roar of ribald laughter announced that the majority of the pirates still on board were trying to forget their desperate plight in grog.
Taking shelter behind cowls and coamings, the sub.'s division waited while their leader gave the pre-arranged signal—three slight taps upon the deck. Instantly the steel cover of the fore-companion was heaved back, and Cardyke at the head of his party dashed through the opening. The after-hatch was opened a bare quarter of a minute later; then with a united shout the whole band rushed forward.
Taken entirely by surprise the men on watch made but a feeble resistance. A few shots were fired without effect; two of the pirates were felled by successful blows of Fielding's hammer-like fists, and the rest broke and fled.
Disturbed at the carouse, the crew for'ard bolted, for the most part, like terrified sheep, with the victorious crowd at their heels.
Suddenly one of the fugitives wheeled, and, levelling a revolver, fired at the pursuers. Fielding pitched forward and lay writhing.
Cardyke was by his friend's side in an instant.
"All right, old man," exclaimed the sub., feebly. "Leave me alone. I'm done for, I fear."
"Don't say that, Fielding."
"It doesn't very much matter now; we've retaken the ship. You're in command now, Cardyke, so cut off and see that the hatchways are secured. Keep the stokers down below, and make them work. Don't wait, time's precious."
With a groan Fielding became unconscious.
The midshipman was torn by the call of duty to his companions and devotion to his brother officer; but duty came first.
As soon as the pirate seamen were secured under hatches Cardyke posted a strong guard over the engine-room and stokehold ladders. This done, the mid. led another party to the fore-bridge, fully anticipating resistance from the officer of the watch and his subordinates. But Tito, who happened to be on the bridge at the time of the attack, seeing things were faring badly, promptly jumped overboard to avoid an ignominious fate. The quartermasters bolted up the tripod mast, and sought refuge in the fire-control platform. Here, had they been armed, they might have been a source of danger, but being without weapons they kept quiet until hunger compelled them to give themselves up.