So unimportant was this case that none of the reporters in court troubled to record more than the fact that "a well-dressed man of foreign appearance was charged with loitering with intent."
Certainly nobody associated his arrest with the announcement that the Taglan Castle had left Cape Town, homeward bound.
It was an interesting voyage for the passengers of the Taglan Castle, which, by the way, carried specie to the amount of £600,000. She left Cape Town soon after dusk. The next morning, to the surprise of her captain, she fell in with a little British fleet—the Doris, the Philomel, and the St. George, flying a Commodore's flag.
Greatest surprise of all came to the captain of the Taglan Castle when he received the following signal:
"Slow down to thirteen knots, and do not part company."
To the captain's "I am carrying the mails," came the laconic message, "I know."
For ten days the four ships kept together, then came the sensation of the voyage. At dawn of the tenth day, a big steamer came into view over the horizon. She was in the direct path of the flotilla, and to all appearance she was stationary. Those who were on deck at that early hour heard shrill bugle sounds from the escorting warships, then suddenly the engines of the Taglan stopped, and a crowd of curious passengers came running up from below. The Taglan Castle had obeyed a peremptory order given by the St. George, and was hove-to.
The St. George and Doris went on; then, from the funnels of the stationary steamer, came clouds of smoke, and, through their telescope, the passengers saw her turn slowly and move.
Slowly, slowly she got under way, then——
"Bang!"