"I could answer for my men," continued the old skipper, and a lusty chorus of "Ay, ay," that had a ring of sincerity in it, came from the survivors of the ill-fated tramp. "But, you see, sir, it's a ticklish business trying to bamboozle the Board."
"If I were to write a letter to the President of the Consular Court--no, I'll tell you what I'll do; I'll go myself," declared Captain Restronguet. "Mr. Devoran, keep an offing, will you? I'm going ashore in the 'Iticaba's' boat; I'll hire some sort of craft to get back, so keep a sharp look-out for me on the west side of Bawi Island, that's over yonder. It is on the north side of the Western Pass, as the approach of Zanzibar Town is called. Should any large craft come in sight, don't hesitate to dive. We must preserve our secret at all costs."
"Are you going alone, sir?" asked Hythe.
"I did think of so doing; but why? Would you like to accompany me ashore?"
"I should, sir. You see, I know the place fairly well. Spent three months in the East Indies flagship in these waters when I was a midshipman."
The whaler was manned, Captain Restronguet, the skipper of the "Iticaba," and Hythe sitting in the stern sheets. There was no wind, so the men had recourse to their oars, and a five mile pull under a blazing sun was no light task. Nevertheless, within an hour and a quarter of leaving the "Aphrodite" the whaler ran alongside the landing-slips at Zanzibar.
A crowd of Arabs, Zanzibaris, and negroes, with a sprinkling of Europeans, awaited the arrival of the boat, for since there was no large vessel lying outside the Western Pass, it was rightly conjectured that the men were survivors from some disaster.
Loyally the seamen maintained silence, and stolidly refused to be questioned by several of the seamen from other ships that happened to be lying in the roadstead, and in a body they marched to the British Consulate, where Captain Restronguet asked to be shown into the presence of His Majesty's representative.
"What name, sir?" asked the stalwart sergeant of marines, who was in charge of the guard.
"That I wish to withhold," replied the Captain. "At the same time I am convinced that the Consul will be more than willing to see me."