In the coming affray this man had command of a boat.
Well, the Breezy stole away in the evening, and those that watched her from cocoa-nut trees saw her heading south and went to bed contented. But after darkness, the Breezy put all lights out and passed Zanzibar once again.
There was another cruiser on this coast not far off, and to her Captain Breezy sent a wireless message to follow on after and assist.
Instead of landing his forces south of the Lamoo river at Durva, and proceeding thence to the interior to attack the brother of Abdularram with his wild hordes of Arabs and Somalis, the Commander of the Breezy ought to have awaited the arrival of the other cruiser, which had been hourly expected at Zanzibar, and gone north in her company.
McTavish had even proposed this to him, but he only laughed.
"No, Doctor, no," he said. "I won't wait. Do or die is my motto. You don't catch me sharing prize-money or honour and glory and hopes of promotion with any one. Not if I can help it."
They landed at night, and a dark and starless night it was, although towards morning the moon would sail silently up from the sea. But they did not wish for her light to guide them up the tree-shaded creek, for the presence of the moon might but serve to reveal their position to the eyes of a watchful foe.
They were all armed to the teeth; even Bungle had been entrusted with a cutlass and a revolver. They rowed silently and with muffled oars towards the shore, and no one spoke a word above his breath.
Their whole force consisted of but sixty blue-jackets and ten marines. Captain Breezy, their commander, being himself in charge, with Guilford and Fisher under him.
Bungle was their guide, and right faithfully and well he did his duty. It certainly was no fault of his that the expedition, which from the very beginning was one of great peril and danger, came to so disastrous an end. Nor was it from any lack of courage and daring on the part of the brave sailors and marines and those who led them.