Until sunset the work progressed. Under threats from their captors the British crew were turned up from below and compelled to assist in handing and stowing the gear, for it was von Riesser's intention to lighten his vessel as much as possible, so as to attempt the inner bar at least a couple of days before the new moon.
Night put an end to the day's work, for not a light that could be visible from seaward was shown.
The two subs slept badly. Their cabin accommodation was indifferent compared with that on board the Pelikan, for Unter-leutnant Klick had appropriated the skipper's quarters, and Pennington and his chief engineer were obliged to share the small space that had been the mate's cabin, while that officer was told to occupy the same cabin in which Denbigh and O'Hara were placed.
They lacked the ventilating fan and the liberal air space. The cabin was low and stuffy. It had no direct communication with the outside air, as it opened into the state-room, where in normal times the Myra's officers used to have their meals. At present that limited space was still further restricted by the huge cases of military stores removed from the Pelikan. These had been struck down the hatchway and carried aft, where they remained under the charge of an armed sentry.
"Those fellows think they've got us safely under lock and key," said the mate, a burly North-countryman of the name of Armstrong. "They don't know that each officer of this hooker has a duplicate key to his cabin. I took jolly good care to keep mine, and I know where to put my hand on the key to this one. To-morrow, now I know how we're berthed, I'll get that key."
At daybreak the work of transhipping the cargo was proceeded with before the miasmic mists that hid the shore had dispersed. Two boats were dispatched from the Pelikan to the shore and returned laden with tops of coco-nut trees. Before noon the foliage was stowed below out of sight.
Just before high water the Myra, being loaded far below her Plimsoll mark, prepared to weigh and ascend the river. Even in her deeply laden condition she drew a good nine feet less than the Pelikan, and could negotiate the bar without much risk.
The cable was almost "up and down" and the anchor on the point of "breaking-out" when a warning shout came from one of the look-out men on the Pelikan. A bugle call for "General Quarters" followed in quick succession.
"Hulloa, that's great!" ejaculated Denbigh excitedly. He pointed in the direction of the passage through the reef. Heading for it was a small gunboat. Although the distance was too great for the British officers on the Myra to distinguish her ensign they had no doubts as to her nationality.
"She's one of our gunboats," announced O'Hara.