"Sir,
"Your obedient Servant,
"CYRUS P. CONSETT,
"Captain, U.S.N."
CHAPTER XVII
The Scuttling of the "Donibristle"
On the morning following the departure of the U.S.S. Yosemite from the vicinity of the secret base the forced labour parties turned out to find the rain descending in torrents. It was the first rainy day since the arrival of the Donibristle's crew, and they viewed the climatic conditions with marked disfavour.
There was no wind. Overhead from a mirky, dark-grey sky the heavy drops were falling vertically, thudding upon the corrugated iron sheets like the beating of a hundred kettle-drums and rebounding from the puddles already formed, until as far as the eye could see—a distance of less than fifty yards—everything appeared to be a confused blurr of moisture.
"There'll be wind behind this lot," remarked Captain Blair. "Let's hope it'll blow over before Thursday."