CHAPTER XXI
DRAKE MEETS THE YACHT "SERENA"
Cardyke's first step in the navigation of the vessel was to get her on her proper course. When the quartermasters deserted their posts the vessel, left to her own devices, slowly headed to starboard, and by the time Cardyke could give his attention to the helm, she was pointing almost due north.
By this time twilight enabled the midshipman to see the state of affairs on deck. The Impregnable—she was the Independencia no longer—was driving her crumpled bows against the waves, the jagged mass of steel offering a tremendous resistance to the water.
Instead of turning the ship back till she pointed due south Cardyke rang down for half-speed astern. The order was obeyed with comparative celerity, and the cruiser, gathering sternway, made quite two knots an hour more than she had done when steaming ahead. The pressure upon the collision bulkhead was, in consequence, considerably reduced, and the leakage, instead of gaining, began to show signs of diminishing in volume.
Stalkart, the master of the Dutch tug, was placed in charge of the bridge, with two of his men to act as quartermasters. The rest of the Dutchmen were told off to various professional duties, while the passengers taken from L'Égalité, under Rutter's orders, were placed to guard the engine-room and stokehold hatchways. Implicitly the men obeyed Cardyke's orders.
As soon as the midshipman had completed the preliminary arrangements he hastened to the cabin where his wounded comrade was lying. Fielding had overrated the magnitude of his wound, which, though painful, and even dangerous, was by no means likely to prove mortal unless complications ensued. Mukyima had extracted the bullet and dressed the wound, and Fielding was sleeping comfortably. The Jap raised his fore-finger warningly as Cardyke entered. The mid. understood that absolute quietude was essential for his comrade's recovery; and, softly withdrawing, made his way towards the place where Hiram B. Rutter was keeping guard over the engine-room hatchways.
In a very short time the engineers and stokers, who were ignorant of the change of masters, would expect to be relieved.
Great was the surprise of one of them on gaining the head of the steel ladder to find himself confronted by a couple of armed men who he knew were not members of the pirate crew. Before he could utter a warning cry he was seized, and handed over to the others to be bound.
The man had come on deck to find out the reason why the watch below had not been relieved, and failing to return, another of the engine-room staff clambered up the ladder.
The two Frenchmen who were awaiting him showed themselves a fraction of a minute too soon. The pirate, guessing that something was amiss, ran down the ladder and informed his companions. Armed with knives, revolvers, spanners, and crowbars, the motley throng made a dash on deck.
The struggle at the hatchway was brief but desperate. The engineers and stokers were driven below. Then, as a protest, the engines were stopped.
"Awfully awkward," commented Cardyke, as Rutter sent for him and explained the situation. "We can't drift about here for another week or more."
"There are at least forty of the skunks below, but that don't signify," observed the American. "With a dozen men to back me up I guess I'd put the fear of Old Nick into their black hearts. Shall I whip up a crowd, and tackle the reptiles?"
Cardyke shook his head.
"It's too risky," he replied.
"Too risky, eh?" exclaimed the American. "I thought you chaps didn't count risks. But I'm willing to go, and I guess I stand the racket if I make a mess of this business."
"You misunderstand me, Mr. Rutter. I quite realise that you are capable of tackling these rascals. You might succeed; on the other hand, you might fail. By failing it is quite possible that you might be compelled to leave prisoners in their hands, and then, you see, they would have a hold over us."
"Didn't think of that," replied Hiram B. Rutter. "Of course they would. But what are we to do?"
"Summon them to surrender; if they don't, well, we'll starve them out. You speak their lingo, so you might let them know what we intend to do."
Accordingly Rutter shouted to the men that he wanted to say a few words. He told them what Cardyke had threatened to do, adding on his own responsibility the threat that should any man tamper with the machinery he would be treated to a liberal dose of the cat as soon as his capture was effected.
The men debated amongst themselves, and eventually promised to surrender. They were, they asserted, in a very different position from the rest of the pirate crew. For the most part Italians, they had been "signed on" in ignorance of the rôle the captured cruiser was to play; they had taken no active part in the deeds of violence, and were under compulsion to a certain extent. Cardyke promised that their plea would be given careful consideration at the trial that must inevitably ensue should the vessel reach port. He also agreed to segregate them from the rest of the pirates, lest the latter should intimidate or offer violence to their former comrades.
The terms were accepted, and the engineers and stokers were marched aft and confined on the orlop-deck, stringent precautions being taken to prevent treachery. Thus all resistance was at an end. The Dutch engineers and firemen from the Vulkan and her consort were sent below in watches, and although short-handed and unused to the turbine engines and the oil-fed furnaces, stuck bravely to their task. Then, at a speed of twelve knots, the Impregnable steamed stern-foremost towards the port of Halifax.
* * * * *
Although nothing had been heard of the pirate-cruiser for several days, the British vessels engaged in patrolling the Atlantic did not relax their vigilance.
The captain of the scout Cerberus was of opinion that the quarry had gone north, and Drake was also of the same mind. Accordingly, having obtained permission from the commander of the cruiser squadron to take an independent course, the Cerberus pelted northwards.
Every day the four aero-hydroplanes were exercised, the little craft often making extended passages and ascending to a great height. Being fitted with wireless and taking different directions, they were able to keep observation over a wide area, returning every night to their parent ship.
Flight after flight was made, but nothing to break the vast circle of open sea was visible. Nevertheless Drake, always optimistic, felt confident of success. He had a presentiment that he was destined to bring the pirate cruiser to book.
"If that's not a vessel, I'm a Dutchman!" he exclaimed, lapsing into his favourite expression. He pointed to a faint blur on the horizon fully forty miles off. The atmosphere was exceptionally clear, and at the elevation of 1,000 ft. at which the Mosquito flew, the cloud of distant vapour was bound to attract the crew's attention.
"Yes, sir, it's a craft of some sorts," replied the chief petty officer who was responsible for the working of the planes and rudders. "But 'tisn't to say it's the pirate."
"We'll soon see," said Drake, cheerfully, and at a speed of fifty knots the aero-hydroplane dashed on her errand of investigation.
Drake had definite orders not to attack—he was merely to locate the much-looked-for cruiser and summon the Cerberus by wireless. This done the scout was to take possession of the pirate-cruiser by a plan that had been carefully worked out beforehand.
But in less than a quarter of an hour the lieutenant's hopes were dashed to the ground, for instead of the Impregnable the stranger proved to be a steam yacht.
"May as well hail her; she might give us some information," muttered Drake, and turning to the chief petty officer he ordered the Mosquito to descend to within 50 ft. of the surface of the sea.
Gracefully the aerial craft swept towards the approaching yacht. Drake kept the latter well under observation with his glasses, looking so intently that the petty officer wondered what possessed him to take such an interest in a craft that certainly was not the pirate cruiser.
"By Jove!" thought the lieutenant. "I don't think I'm mistaken. That's the Serena."
During a previous commission on the North American station Drake had made the acquaintance of Mr. Rignold, and had frequently been his guest upon the yacht.
"If it is the Serena I'll have a yarn with Rignold for the sake of old times," he continued, then aloud he gave the order to bring the Mosquito down to the surface of the water.
The aero-hydroplane rested on the sea at a distance of about three hundred yards from the yacht's port bow. The Serena made no attempt to slow down, but her bulwarks were lined with men, who regarded the marine novelty with considerable interest. Drake noticed that in spite of the cold atmosphere the men were rigged out in canvas suits and red jersey caps, but by the aid of his glasses he discovered that the crew had donned the white suits over their thick clothing.
"Distinctly funny. Rignold never used to rig his men out like that," commented the lieutenant, "and he's got a pretty large crew on board. But perhaps the yacht's changed hands. I'll soon find out."
Meanwhile the Mosquito's aerial planes had been folded, and gliding rapidly through the water the little craft overhauled and gradually converged upon the stately yacht.
"Yacht ahoy!" bawled Drake. "Is that the Serena?"
"Yes," was the reply. "What do you want?"
"Is Mr. Charles Rignold on board?"
"Yes; do you want him? We'll slow down and you can come alongside."
This reply added to Drake's perplexity. The accent of the speaker was not British, and the "Yes" instead of the nautical "Ay, ay, sir!" was somewhat suspicious.
Cervillo, on sighting the aero-hydroplane, was thrown into a state of terror. He was afraid that the little craft would immediately call upon its parent ship for assistance; but when the Mosquito—which was evidently operating unsupported by her consorts—descended to the surface of the sea, he took courage. If he could but lure the Mosquito alongside, he might be able to repeat his tactics by having hostages on board. To his surprise and delight the little craft was coming unsuspiciously under his lee, like a bird to the fowler's net.
Under the Serena's bulwarks crouched half-a-dozen men with pigs of ballast ready to drop into the frail craft, and ropes to rescue the English officer and his crew.