CHAPTER XXXI
The Capture of the Secret Base
"Yes, I'll admit that," conceded Captain Blair to Captain Davis, lateof the S.S. _Kittiwake_. "We've had bad weather. It blew like greatguns twelve hours after the life-boat got away from here. ButBurgoyne knows what he's about. He's used to small sailing craft andso are the other fellows. He'll win through."
"A good many days have passed since the boat left," remarked CaptainDavis. "He has had time to fetch the Marshall Islands and get awarship here long ago. Of course, he might have escaped the gale, oreven struck the tail end of it."
The two skippers were having their after-supper yarn, and as usualconversation turned upon the subject of Burgoyne's dash with thelife-boat. Both men had their doubts, but Captain Blair refused toadmit his. The skipper of the _Kittiwake_, sanguine for the firstfortnight, was beginning to express grave concern as to the possiblefate of the life-boat and her crew.
"That bilious-faced Strogoff isn't back yet," continued CaptainBlair. "There's no doubt about it, he's in pursuit of Burgoyne. Ifhe'd found him he'd be back before this, especially as the_Malfilio's_ expected back at any moment."
"Mind you, I'm only speculating on it," said Captain Davis. "But I'vea notion that Strogoff took that Canuk passenger of yours along withhim. When did you see the lubber last?"
"The night the life-boat got away," replied Captain Blair. "Or,rather, Mr. Tarrant saw him talking to Strogoff just before theevening muster."
"Pity you hadn't--" began Davis, then, clutching his companion's arm,he pointed to the two block-houses by the gate of the compound."Something up over there," he added.
In the light of a couple of portable petrol lanterns considerableactivity was observable amongst the guards. Their numbers were beingmuch diminished by the withdrawal of twenty armed and obviouslyexcited pirates, while the remainder were gesticulating violently,some pointing to the compound, others to the two machine-guns thatcommanded that far from delectable spot.
Presently the gate of the compound was unlocked, and Fernando,accompanied by half a dozen armed men, entered the enclosure. Awhistle sounded--the signal for the prisoners to assemble.
In five minutes every officer and man remaining out of the originalcrews of the three captured vessels turned out and fell in, taking uptheir allotted positions, and forming three sides of a hollowsquare.
Into the centre strode Fernando and his bodyguard, and withoutfurther ado, without even calling the roll, the half-caste beganreading in execrable English the orders for the night.
All lights and fires were to be extinguished. No one was to leave hishut until further notice. No shouting or demonstration of any sortwas to be permitted. Any breach of these regulations would bepunished by a heavy and prolonged burst of machine-gun fire upon theprisoners' camp.
"This looks like business, Angus," remarked Captain Blair to theChief Engineer, after the parade had been dismissed and Fernando hadleft the compound.
"Ay, sure," agreed Angus. "Weel, I doot we'd best bide the noo. I kenfine yon Porfirio person has took mair than he can abide by. We'll beseein' shot and shell flyin' come the morn."
The Chief Engineer's surmise was a correct one. A wireless messagefrom the _Malfilio's_ seaplane had just been picked up in which thepilot informed Porfirio of the disconcerting news that a couple oflarge cruisers, some destroyers, and a few aircraft were looking forhim.
The news was enough to strike terror into the hearts of the pirateswho formed the garrison of the secret base. They knew perfectly wellthat it mattered little as to whether the _Malfilio_ escaped,returned to the island, or was sunk. In any case they couldn't getaway, and before long they would have a powerful squadron tryingconclusions with them. They might fight to the last, but there was noescape. Surrender meant death, save for those who might obtainrespite by turning evidence against the others.
To increase their desperation was the belief that Porfirio,Henriques, and Black Strogoff had deliberately abandoned them totheir fate. The prolonged absence of the _Malfilio_ and thedisappearance of Strogoff with a band of boon companions seemed toconfirm this theory, and when rogues distrust each other their plansfall to the ground.
All that night the feeling that there was something in the air kepteveryone awake. The pirates were apprehensive and jumpy; theircaptives sanguine and excited, in spite of the tedious passage of thenight hours.
Just as dawn was breaking Phil Branscombe went to the open window ofhis hut and listened intently. Then he turned to Withers, his"cabin-mate".
"Old bird," he announced, "I hear an aeroplane."
"The _Malfilio's_ seaplane returning, I expect," rejoined Withers,stifling a yawn.
"Wrong, my festive!" exclaimed Phil ten seconds later. "They'reBritish seaplanes."
Of that there was no doubt. Flying high they were already in the raysof the sun, while the ground was yet in shadow--three large biplanesfitted with both floats and landing-wheels. Above the island theyseparated, one passing over the harbour, another circling above theObservation Hill, and the third, swooping down to within a couple ofhundred feet, described figures of eight above the prisoners' huts.
Presently a powerful Aldis light flashed from the third seaplane.Blinking rapidly it Morsed the following, "Are prisoners compelled toman batteries?"
Regardless of Fernando's warning, at least half a dozen men signalledreplies, using any fabric nearest to hand to "flag-wag" thereassuring message that all hands were within the limits of thefence.
"O.K." flashed the seaplane's lamp, and then the information waspromptly transmitted by wireless to the _Armadale_.
Meanwhile the second seaplane had dropped a message, with distinctivestreamers attached, close to the Observation Hill. It was anultimatum, ordering the garrison to surrender at discretion, andsignify the same by hoisting a white flag within thirty minutes ofthe receipt of the demand.
But the ill-advised action on the part of the machine-gunners in theblock-houses destroyed the chance of the pirates surrendering withoutbloodshed. The seaplane over the prisoners' camp offered anirresistible bait, and a burst of machine-gun fire was directed uponthe rapidly-moving aircraft.
Retribution came swiftly. The seaplane, absolutely untouched, rosesteeply until it was impossible for the pirates to elevate theirmachine-guns sufficiently to bear upon the aerial target. Then inquick succession it released four powerful bombs. One secured adirect hit, blowing a block-house to atoms, while the others, fallingclose to the second machine-gun post, damaged it so severely thatonly three badly-scared men emerged from the ruins, and fledpanic-stricken to a shelter of a more substantial nature.
Remaining aloft sufficiently long to wireless the news to theCommodore and to wind up her trailing aerial, the seaplane volplaneddown and made a faultless landing close to the huts occupied by the_Donibristle's_ crew.
"We'll hike you all out of this in another three or four hours,"declared the flight-lieutenant to the crowd of merchant seamengathered round the machine, "but you'll have to bear a hand. In casethe pirates start reprisals on you, take these."
He handed out canvas bags containing Service revolvers andammunition, sufficient to arm eighty men.
"Right-o!" he continued. "Our heavy guns will start firing in half ashake, but don't get the wind up. We've located your position allright. Your only danger is if these yellow blighters start runningamok this way. If they do, shoot hard and straight. Well, cheerio! Mywork's not done yet. I'm spotting for the _Armadale_--one of ourcrack cruisers."
"One moment," interposed Captain Blair. "Have you any news of myThird Officer, Mr. Burgoyne?"
The Flying Officer shook his head.
"Never heard of him," he replied. "What do you want?"
"He got away from here in a boat to obtain help," replied CaptainBlair. "We thought perhaps it was he who reported the existence ofthe pirate Porfirio."
"May have done," rejoined the Australian flying officer dubiously."I'm from the seaplane carrier _Murchison_, and all I know is
that wereceived sealed orders to proceed here. Well, s'long, and the verybest of everything."
The seaplane had barely risen a thousand feet, when with a shrillscream a heavy shell hurtled through the air from one of theinvisible warships. From a distance of twelve thousand yards the9.2-inch missile struck its objective with a precision that was theresult of the work of the highest scientific instruments purposelyconstructed for the destruction of mankind and mankind's defences.
Landing fairly upon the cup-shaped summit of the Observation Hill, itcompletely transformed the configuration of the landscape. Jaggedscraps of sheet-iron and splintered baulks of timber flew high in theair, accompanied by a cloud of black smoke and dust. In an instantthe pirates' carefully camouflaged observation post was wiped out,and with it the principal range-finding station of the secret base.
For the next half-hour the bombardment was hotly maintained. At firstthe pirates replied feebly, but by degrees they warmed to their task,working their 6-inch quick-firers well in spite of the numerousdisadvantages under which they were placed.
One by one the concealed guns on the edge of the cliff were knockedout by direct hits upon the concrete gun-pits. Occasionally a batterywould cease fire for about ten minutes; then the desperate gunners,who were fighting with halters round their necks, would re-man theirweapons in the faint hope of "getting one home" on the daringdestroyers which were rapidly approaching the island.
At length the 6-inchers of the secret base ceased to reply. Not apirate remained in the emplacements save the dead and dying. The resthad fled to their deep subterranean retreats, whence by bombs andmachine-gun bullets they still hoped to take a heavy toll of theinvaders.
By ten in the morning the heavy gun-fire had almost died down. Thecruisers had reduced distances to 2500 yards, and were occasionallyfiring mainly with the idea of keeping the pirates penned down totheir underground shelters.
A quarter of an hour later the crews of the captured merchantmen, whowere now able to roam at will over the north-western part of theisland, noticed a destroyer negotiating the intricate passage betweenthe reefs and the northern side of the secret base. She had run thegauntlet of the light quick-firers commanding the main approachchannel, and had not come off lightly, for the funnels were riddledin several places, while there was a gaping hole in her hull justabaft her after torpedo-tube. Although the damage was mainly abovethe water-line, her powerful steam-pumps were hard at work.
She was no longer in danger of being under fire, for not a gun couldbe brought to bear upon her now that she had rounded thenorth-eastern extremity of the island. Moving slowly, and with theleadsman in the chains continually sounding, she weathered thenorth-western end of the island, and, lowering boats, dropped anchoralmost directly abreast of the cave which Burgoyne had found sohelpful during his preparations for flight.
Presently a rocket soared from the destroyer's deck taking with it aline that fell well beyond the edge of the cliff.
Instantly there was a rush on the part of the merchant seamen, and intwenty minutes four stout rope ladders afforded communication betweenthe beach and the top of the cliff.
Up the ladders swarmed bluejackets, armed with rifles and bayonets,while boxes of smoke bombs, Lewis guns, and ammunition weredexterously hauled to the summit.
During these operations a second destroyer entered the lagoon andadded her quota to the landing-party. By noon the entire force ofthree hundred men, including a draft hastily transhipped from the_Rockhampton_, was ready to move forward.
One of the observation seaplanes gave a pre-arranged signal to thecruiser and the bombardment ceased. Simultaneously the landing-partyadvanced for a systematic searching of the pirates' subterraneanlairs.
Their method of working was simple and effective. At the entrance toeach dug-out they summoned the inmates to surrender. The invitationwas invariably declined with expressions of rage and defiance until asmoke bomb was neatly lobbed into the underground retreat. In a verybrief space of time a dozen or more half-suffocated rogues wouldappear staggering through the smoke, to be secured and bound almostwithout resistance by the burly Australian bluejackets.
Work over, the conquerors settled down to play. Their first effort inthat direction was to provide a sumptuous meal for all hands.
There was fresh meat in plenty, and ample stocks of flour, tea,sugar, and coffee. The bluejackets, taking possession of the galleys,soon had enormous fires going. Those not employed as cooks whiledaway the time in playing rounders, football, and leap-frog until abugle sounded for tea.
It was a joyous feast. The bluejackets enjoyed it with the zest ofmen having successfully accomplished a difficult task; the merchantseamen, because for the first time for many weeks they were revellingin the delights of freedom. Their irksome captivity was fast fadinginto the limbo of reminiscence. Once more they were at liberty to doalmost as they wished without the ever-present dread of their armedguards. No longer had they to toil under conditions approachingslavery at the behest of Ramon Porfirio and his minions.
Although Captain Blair and the remaining officers of the_Donibristle_ made many inquiries, no one seemed to be able to supplyany information concerning Burgoyne and his companions. None of thelanding-party was aware of the presence of two of the officers of thescuttled merchantman on board the _Armadale_. All they could say wasthat they sailed in execution of sealed orders, but as to whatprompted these orders they were entirely in the dark.
Amongst the hilarious throng there was one man who felt utterlydespondent. Although Colonel Vivian had borne up wonderfully from thetime Hilda had left the island, he was now overcome by the thoughtthat he had lost both wife and daughter. In the case of the latter hefelt sure that, had she survived, the story of her rescue would havebeen known throughout the length and breadth of Australia. He forgotthat the success of the expedition depended upon absolute secrecy,and from the fact that none of the men from the _Rockhampton_ and thetwo destroyers knew anything of the missing life-boat and her crew,he formed the conclusion that the boat had been overwhelmed by thefurious gale.
After the meal Captain Blair, in the course of conversation with theofficer commanding the landing-parties, asked what steps he proposedtaking with regard to the embarkation of the former captives.
"Sure, I don't know," replied the Commander "The Commodore will haveto settle that point. See, the _Armadale's_ making for theanchorage."
Slowly, and with just sufficient way to enable her to answer to thehelm, the cruiser, flying the Broad Pennant of the Commodore of thesquadron, approached the deep channel through the reef. Men were inthe chains, heaving the lead, but she came in with a decidedassurance as if her navigating officers were well acquainted with theintricate passage. Two cables astern came the _Rockhampton_,followed by a destroyer, while in the rear of the procession steamedthe seaplane carrier, which had already received all the members ofher aerial brood.
Splendidly handled, although the bend in the approach channel was soacute that the helm had to be supplemented by reverse action of theirtwin propellors, the cruisers gained the inner harbour of the secretbase, where they moored with ample room in the spacious land-lockedbasin, amidst the cheers of the men lining the lofty cliffs.
Suddenly Phil Branscombe gripped Captain Blair's arm.
"Look, sir!" he exclaimed. "On the after-bridge of the nearestcruiser. Yes, by Jove! it's old Burgoyne and our wireless merchant.They're waving to us."
"So they are, by thunder!" almost yelled the excited Old Man. "Lads!There's Burgoyne and Mostyn. Give them a loud one."
And for once not in accordance with the accepted ideas of Britishreserve, the survivors of the _Donibristle_ let themselves go. Theirenthusiasm was caught up by their former comrades in adversity, andthe cliffs echoed and re-echoed to the stentorian cheer.
CHAPTER XXXII
And Last
The Commodore received a rousing reception when he landed to inspectthe captured island, but his welcome was completely outclassed by thefrantic demonstrat
ion that greeted Burgoyne, Mostyn, and Minalto. Thethree well-groomed, clean-shaven men were almost swept off their feetby the excited mob of ragged, bearded scarecrows who had been theirshipmates.
Waist deep in water the seamen had waded out to greet the heroes ofthe moment. Shoulder high they bore their three comrades through theshelving tunnel, making the confined space ring with cheers andshouts of boisterous delight.
At the upper entrance Burgoyne and his companions were met by CaptainBlair.
"So you pulled it off all right," exclaimed the Old Man.
"Yes, sir," replied Alwyn.
"And Miss Vivian?"
"Safe in Sydney," declared Burgoyne. "But where's Colonel Vivian?"
"Here I am, Mr. Burgoyne," replied the Colonel, making his waythrough the press. He seized the Third Officer's hand and wrung it.He could say no more.
"Miss Vivian is quite all right, sir," reported Burgoyne. "She is nowwith relations of mine at Sydney."
Very briefly Burgoyne related the story of the adventures of thelife-boat and their rescue by the _Titania_. Mostyn, surrounded byanother mob, was similarly engaged, while Minalto was holding forthto a group of eager listeners as he sung the praises of AlwynBurgoyne and his companions, while Swayne and O'Loghlin came in for afull share of appreciation and attention on the part of the formercaptives of the secret base.
The appearance of a lieutenant of the _Armadale_ interrupted thedemonstrations.
"When you've finished with your jamboree, gentlemen," he observedpleasantly, "the Commodore would like to see the officers of thethree captured ships."
"Say!" exclaimed Captain Davis, "can't he give us time to have ahair-cut and shave?"
The lieutenant laughed.
"He won't mind," he replied. "'Sides, you might catch cold, skipper,if you took all that lot off at once."
The conference was of a brief yet important nature. The captains ofthe three merchantmen were asked where they wished to betaken--whether to Honolulu or to Sydney. Captain Blair and most ofthe officers of the _Donibristle_ chose Honolulu, whence they couldobtain a passage to Esquimalt, and from there to Vancouver. Theskipper of the _Kittiwake_ declined both offers, saying that hepreferred to sail in his own craft, and Angus and Withers offered tofill vacancies in the _Kittiwake's_ engine-room staff. Finally the_Alvarado's_ Old Man expressed a belief that he, too, couldrecondition his ship and take her back to 'Frisco.
"Good man!" exclaimed the Commodore. "If I were in your place, byJove! I'd do the same. We'll be here for another six or seven days,so if you want any assistance my artificers are at your disposal."
"And if--" added Captain Davis to the skipper of the _Alvarado_. "Andif you aren't ready by that time I'll tow you across to Hilo orHonolulu."
When the conference was over the Commodore asked Burgoyne to remain.
"Mr. Burgoyne," he began without any preliminaries, "are you fond ofthe Merchant Service?"
"I am, sir," replied Alwyn. "It's a life afloat."
"You would prefer the Navy, I take it?"
"Yes, sir; but that is----". He broke off, unable to express histhoughts.
"Out of the question, eh?" added the Commodore. "I think not. Howwould a commission in the Australian Navy appeal to you?"
Burgoyne's eyes sparkled.
"If it could be managed, sir," he replied.
"I think it can be," said the Commodore. "We'll leave it at that forthe present. I can offer you a passage back to Sydney, and I thinkyou will do well to accept."
"Then you think there is a chance, sir?"
"Most certainly. Apart from the valuable services you have renderedto the expedition, the fact that you have been trained for theBritish Navy is in your favour."
Burgoyne thanked the Commodore and withdrew, feeling as if he werewalking on air. If the "stunt" came off he would be once more anofficer of the Royal Navy, although in a branch that displays on itsensign the Southern Cross.
During the next few days the utmost activity prevailed on the island.Demolition parties blew up the gun-pits and levelled the defences.The store-houses were overhauled, and the plunder carefully examinedand labelled with a view to restoring it to its lawful owners. Work,too, proceeded at high pressure on the _Kittiwake_ and _Alvarado_,and both vessels soon looked like being able to get away under theirown steam.
At length the day fixed for the departure of the Australian Squadronarrived. In the morning there was a ceremonial parade ashore,attended by every available man of the warships backed up by thecrews of the three merchant vessels.
Amidst the ringing cheers of the officers and men, the Union Jack washoisted, and the secret base taken over as a dependency of theCommonwealth of Australia.
The few surviving members of Ramon Porfirio's mob were then embarkedon board the seaplane carrier. A garrison of fifty volunteers fromthe squadron was left to take charge of the new acquisition, togetherwith a few of the merchant seamen, who, curiously enough, showed noimmediate desire to quit the island.
One of the destroyers was ordered to Honolulu to take the survivorsof the _Donibristle's_ crew. Colonel Vivian and Mr. Tarrant hadaccepted the Commodore's offer to give them a passage to Australia.
Phil Branscombe eyed his chum curiously when Burgoyne told him of hisintention to return to Sydney.
"I think I know why you're shaping that course, old bird," heremarked sagely.
"I bet you don't, any old way," rejoined Alwyn.
"Oh, anyone would know that," continued Phil. "There's a lady in thecase. Look here, I'll bet you a hundred Havanas that you'll beengaged to Miss Vivian within the next three months?"
"Done," agreed Burgoyne. He was none too certain that Phil wouldlose; on the other hand if Branscombe won, he, Alwyn, would pay upmost cheerfully.
"Right-o!" exclaimed Branscombe. "And the best of luck to you, oldbird. Send 'em along to me care of the Company's agent at Vancouver."
At noon the _Kittiwake_ and the _Alvarado_, having raised steam,weighed anchor and proceeded, escorted by a destroyer conveying themajority of the _Donibristle's_ crew.
An hour later the _Armadale_ and the rest of the squadron got underway, and soon the island--the secret base no longer--vanished beneaththe horizon.
During the voyage Colonel Vivian mentioned to Alwyn that he had hadenough of the sea to last him for a good many years, and that heproposed buying a property somewhere in the neighbourhood of Sydney.
"Quite a sound scheme, that, sir," observed Burgoyne.
"I think so," agreed the Colonel. "And, of course, we may see a gooddeal of you, especially if you get a berth on a liner calling at theprincipal Australian ports."
Three weeks after the _Armadale's_ arrival at Port Jackson, AlwynBurgoyne received his papers appointing him, as a full-blownlieutenant of the Royal Australian Navy, to the light cruiser_Brisbane_.
He received the official notification at 11 a.m. At once he proceededto Penrith, where Colonel Vivian had purchased a small butpicturesque house. At ten in the evening, looking absolutely pleasedwith himself and the world at large, Burgoyne was writing an orderfor a hundred choice Havanas to be sent per registered post to anaddress in far-off Vancouver.
[Transcriber's Notes:
This book contains a number of misprints. The following misprints have been corrected:
[the stacatto sound] -> [the staccato sound]
[minature rainbows] -> [miniature rainbows]
[was blockhouse on a] -> [was a blockhouse on a]
[declared Branscombe sentitiously.] -> [declared Branscombe sententiously.]
[Christmas dinne] -> [Christmas dinner]
An inconsequent spelling is used for a shortened version of the word [suppose]: ['spose] and [s'pose]. Because they are equal in number of occurrence they have been left unchanged.
[when Robert was lost overboard]. Earlier this man was called "Andrew Roberts", therefore "Robert" is probably not correct, b
ut this has not been corrected.
A few cases of punctuation errors were corrected, but are not mentioned here.
]
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