Captain Armstrong gave sharp orders, and the bell of the indicator clanged. The cruiser turned round and raced at full speed towards the mouth of the river.
CHAPTER XXXIX
The news came to the Baron de Croiseuil when he was lying in bed at his hotel. A long cable in cipher from Brussels told him what had happened, and wound up with instructions as to how he should act. By ten o’clock he was at the foreign office, but it was fully an hour before Sir Keith Hamilton arrived.
“Good-morning, Baron,” the latter remarked, when the Belgian came in; but his greeting was not returned.
“I have just heard from Brussels that a war-ship is holding up all ships that enter or endeavor to leave the Congo,” he announced dramatically.
It needed a long life training in diplomacy to give Sir Keith the strength to receive the news calmly. For a few moments he did not speak, but his mind was working rapidly.
“Give me all particulars,” he at last said curtly.
In answer, the Baron placed before him a copy of the cable, with his instructions omitted.
“Have you any idea what it means?” Sir Keith asked quickly.
“Yes—Gaunt.”