Since there was little current in the inlet it was impossible to recharge the accumulators, and the reserve of electricity had to be carefully husbanded. Fortunately fairly fresh water for drinking purposes could be obtained on shore, and thus the necessity of using the condensers was for the time being no longer urgent.
After the storm the tide fell short of its customary height, for the gale occurring at the time of spring tides, there had been an abnormal rise on the bar. Careful soundings revealed the unpleasant fact that at the top of the tide there would be only a few inches under the keel of the submarine, while, with the ground swell still breaking, this margin was quite insufficient to attempt the passage with any chance of safety.
Then news arrived by wireless that the "Vorwartz" had been operating in the Mozambique Channel, a French liner bound for the ports on the west coast of Madagascar being ruthlessly sunk. In this instance there was no attempt by the modern buccaneer to plunder his prize. Without attempting to take possession of her he had sunk her in deep water, there being barely time for the passengers and crew to take to the boats.
Furthermore, it was announced that rewards totaling nearly a hundred and forty thousand pounds had been offered to whoever succeeded in capturing or destroying the "Vorwartz." Of this amount Lloyd's--already a heavy sufferer by these depredations--had guaranteed thirty thousand, the remainder being provided by the Governments of Great Britain, France, Germany and the United States of America.
Captain Restronguet fumed at the delay. It was not on account of the bounteous guerdon, but because he was unable to put a stop once and for all to his rival's insane acts, for without doubt Karl von Harburg was now nothing less than a dangerous maniac, who possessed sufficient cunning and authority to bend the will of his crew to suit his own aims. It seemed hard indeed that a vessel like the "Aphrodite," equipped with every appliance that human ingenuity could contrive, should be penned in by a narrow strip of sand and shingle on which the surf rolled incessantly.
"I'll have a shot at it at next high water," announced Captain Restronguet to his officers. "That will be at three o'clock! It is high water full and change on this part of the coast at a quarter past four, and as there is a new moon the day after to-morrow each tide until that day ought to be higher than the preceding one."
"Unless influenced by the wind, sir," added Hythe. "That is a great consideration."
"Undoubtedly," admitted the captain. "But the sooner we make our preparations the better. Pass the word for Captain Rees, and ask him to warn his men to bear a hand. Unless every one works with a will our chances of success will be severely threatened."
The sunken boats of the "Iticaba" were raised, baled out, and laden with movable stores from the submarine. Everything that could possibly be taken from the "Aphrodite" to lessen her already diminished draught was hoisted out, till the boats were laden as deeply as they could be in view of the fact that they would also have to pass the dangerous bar.
"We had a matter of three hundred barrels of heavy oil in the old 'Iticaba,' sir," announced Captain Rees. "It's just possible that those murdering rascals have not stove in the heads of every barrel that came ashore. They might be of service in keeping down the broken water."