CHAPTER XIX
THE CAPTAIN OF THE VOLHYNIA
The captain of the _Volhynia_ had just come from the bridge and wastaking a bite of late supper in his cabin when the orderly announcedNeeland. He rose at once, offering a friendly hand:
"Mr. Neeland, I am very glad to see you. I know you by name andreputation already. There were some excellent pictures by you in thelatest number of the _Midweek Magazine_."
"I'm so glad you liked them, Captain West."
"Yes, I did. There was a breeze in them--a gaiety. And such a fetchinggirl you drew for your heroine!"
"You think so! It's rather interesting. I met a young girl once--shecomes from up-state where I come from. There was a peculiar and rathersubtle attraction about her face. So I altered the features of thestudy I was making from my model, and put in hers as I rememberedthem."
"She must be beautiful, Mr. Neeland."
"It hadn't struck me so until I drew her from memory. And there's moreto the story. I never met her but twice in my life--the second timeunder exceedingly dramatic circumstances. And now I'm crossing theAtlantic at a day's notice to oblige her. It's an amusing story, isn'tit?"
"Mr. Neeland, I think it is going to be what you call a 'continued'story."
"No. Oh, no. It ought to be, considering its elements. But it isn't.There's no further romance in it, Captain West."
The captain's smile was pleasant but sceptical.
They seated themselves, Neeland declining an invitation to supper, andthe captain asking his indulgence if he talked while eating.
"Mr. Neeland," he said, "I'm about to talk rather frankly with you. Ihave had several messages by wireless today from British sources,concerning you."
Neeland, surprised, said nothing. Captain West finished his bite ofsupper; the steward removed the dishes and went out, closing the door.The captain glanced at the box which Neeland had set on the floor byhis chair.
"May I ask," he said, "why you brought your suitcase with you?"
"It's valuable."
The captain's keen eyes were on his.
"Why are you followed by spies?" he asked.
Neeland reddened.
"Yes," continued the captain of the _Volhynia_, "my Governmentinstructs me, by wireless, to offer you any aid and protection you maydesire. I am informed that you carry papers of military importance toa certain foreign nation with which neither England nor France are onwhat might be called cordial terms. I am told it is likely that agentsof this foreign country have followed you aboard my ship for thepurpose of robbing you of these papers. Now, Mr. Neeland, what do youknow about this business?"
"Very little," said Neeland.
"Have you had any trouble?"
"Oh, yes."
The captain smiled:
"Evidently you have wriggled out of it," he said.
"Yes, wriggled is the literal word."
"Then you do not think that you require any protection from me?"
"Perhaps I do. I've been a singularly innocent and lucky ass. It'smerely chance that my papers have not been stolen, even before Istarted in quest of them."
"Have you been troubled aboard my ship?"
Neeland waved his hand carelessly:
"Nothing to speak of, thank you."
"If you have any charge to make----"
"Oh, no."
The captain regarded him intently:
"Let me tell you something," he said. "Since we sailed, have younoticed the bulletins posted containing our wireless news?"
"Yes, I've read them."
"Did they interest you?"
"Yes. You mean that row between Austria and Servia over the Archduke'smurder?"
"I mean exactly that, Mr. Neeland. And now I am going to tell yousomething else. Tonight I had a radio message which I shall not poston the bulletins for various reasons. But I shall tell you under theseal of confidence."
"I give you my word of honour," said Neeland quietly.
"I accept it, Mr. Neeland. And this is what has happened: Austria hasdecided on an ultimatum to Servia. And probably will send it."
They remained silent for a moment, then the captain continued:
"Why should we deceive ourselves? This is the most serious thing thathas happened since the Hohenzollern incident which brought on theFranco-Prussian War."
Neeland nodded.
"You see?" insisted the captain. "Suppose the humiliation is toosevere for Servia to endure? Suppose she refuses the Austrian terms?Suppose Austria mobilises against her? What remains for Russia to doexcept to mobilise? And, if Russia does that, what is going to happenin Germany? And then, instantly and automatically, what will follow inFrance?" His mouth tightened grimly. "England," he said, "is the allyof France. Ask yourself, Mr. Neeland, what are the prospects of thisdeadly combination and deadlier situation."
After a few moments the young man looked up from his brown study:
"I'd like to ask you a question--perhaps not germane to the subject.May I?"
"Ask it."
"Then, of what interest are Turkish forts to any of the various alliednations--to the Triple Entente or the Triple Alliance?"
"Turkish fortifications?"
"Yes--plans for them."
The captain glanced instinctively at the box beside Neeland's chair,but his features remained incurious.
"Turkey is supposed to be the ally of Germany," he said.
"I've heard so. I know that the Turkish army is under German officers.But--if war should happen, is it likely that this ramshackle nationwhich was fought to a standstill by the Balkan Alliance only a fewmonths ago would be likely to take active sides?"
"Mr. Neeland, it is not only likely, it is absolutely certain."
"You believe Germany would count on her?"
"There is not a doubt of it. Enver Pasha holds the country in hisright hand; Enver Pasha is the Kaiser's jackal."
"But Turkey is a beaten, discredited nation. She has no modern guns.Her fleet is rusting in the Bosporus."
"The Dardanelles bristle with Krupp cannon, Mr. Neeland, manned byGerman gunners. Von der Goltz Pasha has made of a brave people asplendid army. As for ships, the ironclads and gunboats off SeraglioPoint are rusting at anchor, as you say; but there are today enoughGerman and Austrian armored ships within running distance of theDardanelles to make for Turkey a powerful defensive squadron. Didn'tyou know any of these facts?"
"No."
"Well, they _are_ facts.... You see, Mr. Neeland, we English sailorsof the merchant marine are also part of the naval reserve. And we aresupposed to know these things."
Neeland was silent.
"Mr. Neeland," he said, "in case of war between the various powers ofEurope as aligned today, where do you imagine your sympathy wouldlie--and the sympathies of America?"
"Both with France and England," said Neeland bluntly.
"You think so?"
"Yes, I do--unless they are the aggressors."
The captain nodded:
"I feel rather that way myself. I feel very sure of the friendlinessof your country. Because of course we--France and England--never woulddream of attacking the Central Powers unless first assailed." Hesmiled, nodded toward the box on the floor: "Don't you think, Mr.Neeland, that it might be safer to entrust those--that box, I mean--tothe captain of the Royal Mail steamer, _Volhynia_?"
"Yes, I do," said Neeland quietly.
"And--about these spies. Do you happen to entertain any particularsuspicions concerning any of the passengers on my ship?" urged thecaptain.
"Indeed, I entertain lively suspicions, and even a few certainties,"replied the young fellow, laughing.
"You appear to enjoy the affair?"
"I do. I've never had such a good time. I'm not going to spoil it bysuggesting that you lock up anybody, either."
"I'm sorry you feel that way," said the captain seriously.
"But I do. They're friends of mine. They've given me the time of mylife. A dirty trick I'd be serving myself as well as the
m if I came toyou and preferred charges against them!"
The captain inspected him curiously for a few moments, then, in a softvoice:
"By any chance, Mr. Neeland, have you any Irish blood in your veins?"
"Yes, thank God!" returned the young fellow, unable to control hislaughter. "And I'll bet there isn't a drop in you, Captain West."
"Not a drop, thank G--I'm sorry!--I ask your pardon, Mr. Neeland!"added the captain, very red in the face.
But Neeland laughed so hard that, after a moment, the red died out inthe captain's face and a faint grin came into it.
So they shook hands and said good night; and Neeland went away,leaving his box on the floor of the captain's cabin as certain of itsinviolability as he was of the Bank of England.