"Looks like a bloomin' ghost, sir," remarked Jenkins to his superior. "Not doin' more'n six knots at the very outside, and as quiet as a corpse."
"We'll liven her up in due course," replied Drake. "Now, lads, no cheering or unnecessary noise. No shot to be fired till I give the word. Then a good old British cheer, and drive the rascals down below. Easy ahead, there!"
Without a sound, save the muffled pulsations of the motors and the rhythmical swish of the waves against the vessel's knife-like sterns, the four craft followed the huge cruiser, like a shoal of threshers after a whale. Not a light was visible on the Impregnable, not a sound of a human voice came from her decks. It was like a mountain of floating steel ploughing its way aimlessly through the waste of night-enshrouded sea.
Satisfied that there was no watch kept in the foremost part of the vessel, Drake ordered speed to be increased till the Mosquito lay alongside the cruiser's port bow, with the Tse-tse just astern. The Flea and the Gnat made fast to the Impregnable's starboard bow. There was just enough of the Tse-tse's and the Gnat's after ends projecting beyond the cruiser's stem to establish communication between the different aero-hydroplanes, while the cruiser's "overhang" for'ard prevented any possibility of their being seen from the Impregnable's fo'c'sle.
Drake gave the signal, and, revolver ready for instant use, led the way, clambering agilely up the steep steel sides by means of one of the torpedo-net booms. Unseen and unheard he gained the deck, followed by the rest of the boarders, till the thirty-two men formed up silently under the lee of the foremost barbette.
Going aft to reconnoitre Drake discovered a light on the after-bridge, for, since the cruiser was going stern foremost, she was being navigated from that position instead of from the fore-bridge.
A hasty examination of the fo'c'sle revealed two men stationed over the hatchway. These were sternly summoned to surrender, but not complying with sufficient alacrity to satisfy Drake, they were promptly thrown to the deck, gagged and secured.
This done, the lieutenant led his men aft. Twenty were detailed to secure the hatchways and companions; the rest, headed by Drake himself, made a sudden rush for the after-bridge.
There was now no need for silence. With a lusty cheer the British bluejackets tore up the steep ladder. The commotion brought two or three muffled figures from the shelter of the wheel-house.
"Surrender in the King's name!" shouted Drake.