The lads followed Impey to the bridge, where Captain Bailey, the yacht’s sailing-master, was awaiting orders.
“These gentlemen will give you instructions, captain,” Impey ordered in a nervous voice, glancing at the dim hull of a Japanese ship scarcely a stone’s throw away.
“Get under way as quietly as possible,” Phil said eagerly. “Don’t start to heave the anchor chain in until the next rain squall. We want all speed possible. And steer for the entrance to the bay.”
Captain Bailey gave a silent nod of understanding, showing no apparent surprise at the dress of his employer or at the order directing him to take instructions from these two young naval men. His salary was large, and he thoroughly understood that he was expected to ask no questions.
While the midshipmen waited anxiously on the bridge, a sudden rain squall enveloped them. They heard, through the roar of the wind, a dull clanking of chain and immediately afterward a tremor shook the lightly-built yacht as the anchor let go its grip upon the harbor mud, and the triple engines were sent ahead at full speed. Phil peered through the driving rain in the direction where he knew the Japanese battle-ships were anchored. He could see their lights flickering dimly, and hoped that O’Neil was correct, and that a strict watch was not being kept. With rapidly beating hearts the two lads watched the lights dissolve in the darkness, while the little yacht cut swiftly through the troubled waters, throwing a shower of salty spray all about them.
“They haven’t seen us yet,” Sydney exclaimed in a much relieved whisper, and they were about to leave the bridge and seek shelter in the comfortable cabin below when from the gloom behind them a bright shaft of light appeared, and a dull boom of a gun awoke the echoes within the harbor.
“Keep going, captain,” Phil commanded hoarsely, “even if they try to sink us.”
“You can trust to me, young man,” Captain Bailey returned gruffly. “I am not anxious to sleep in a Japanese jail.”
The search-light made all possible effort to pierce the murky atmosphere, but failed dismally, and as they watched it, the bright light suddenly went out.
But as the midshipmen, drenched to the skin, were seeking shelter below, Sydney laid an excited hand on Phil’s arm.