Under the White Ensign: A Naval Story of the Great War

by Percy F. Westerman

The artist reluctantly admitted the force of the criticism, and proceeded to depict far more vapour than modern engagements with smokeless powder justified. Then, stepping up to one of the Bersagliere's officers, he tendered his handiwork.

The Italian took the drawing and examined it intently and sympathetically. He was obviously puzzled for some minutes. Then a smile lit up his olivine features, and he spoke a few words to one of his men.

"Guess he's off to explain to the skipper of this packet," declared Ginger's pal. "I knowed that 'ud do the trick."

But instead of making his way to the bridge the Italian seaman went below. The British tars regarded each other with feelings akin to consternation, nor was their surprise any the less when the man reappeared with a dish containing a "plum duff" liberally provided with currants.

The artistic idol of the Portchester Castle's ship's company was shattered.

"Arter all," decided the coxswain, "'tain't to be wondered at, Ginger. Those sand-dunes of yourn do look like the outlines of a 'spotted Dick', smoke an' all; but I guess the owner wouldn't be pleased to find he'd been mistaken for a bloomin' currant."

Almost immediately afterwards attention was directed in another direction, for a vessel was sighted on the starboard bow. In a few moments, for both craft were moving rapidly, the stranger was found to be the British destroyer Paradox.

An exchange of signals followed. The Paradox had been one of the vessels that had received the Bersagliere's wireless message, and it was with the intention of taking over the survivors of the Portchester Castle that she had made towards the Italian destroyer.

Once more Sub-lieutenant Webb trod the decks of a craft flying the white ensign; while the two destroyers, dipping their flags by way of a courteous international salute, proceeded on different courses the Bersagliere "holding on", while to her commander's astonishment he saw the British craft circle to port, and steam off at full speed in a south-easterly direction, instead of returning to her base at Suda Bay.

Webb had lost no time in explaining to the Lieutenant of the Paradox that Captain M'Bride and a considerable number of men were at bay on the Tripolitan coast; while to his surprise the Sub learnt of the inaccurate wireless message from the Bersagliere reporting the whaler's crew as sole survivors of the ill-fated Portchester Castle.