CHAPTER NINETEEN
The Warning Note
The cook of the _S-18_ had been badly beaten and Tim realized that hewas in need of immediate medical attention. He managed to get theunconscious Hardy over his shoulders and he staggered down the blockuntil he was under the street light.
Glancing up and down the street, Tim saw that he was alone. He loweredthe cook from his shoulders and laid him on the walk under the light.Then he raced down the street toward a cluster of lights several blocksaway, where he was fortunate enough to find a night patrolman on dutythere and the officer summoned an ambulance.
When the ambulance reached the lonely street, they bundled the cookaboard and Tim climbed up in the front seat beside the driver while theinterne rode inside.
It was after midnight before the cook regained consciousness andanother two hours before he was strong enough to see Tim.
When the flying reporter entered the hospital room the cook looked outat him from beneath a mass of bandages.
"He's got lots of endurance," said the doctor on duty, "or he wouldn'thave been able to live through the terrific beating he got. Don't talkto him any longer than necessary."
Tim sat down by the bed.
"Tell me what happened, Al."
The cook's voice was little more than a whisper and Tim leaned over tocatch the words.
"I was on my way back to the wharf, when they ganged me and dragged meinto a deserted warehouse."
Even one sentence had visibly sapped his strength and the cook restedbefore continuing.
"They wanted to know our destination. When I wouldn't tell them theybeat me."
Tim's eyes blazed with anger. There was no question in his mind who the"they" Al was referring to meant. It was the boatload of ruffians heand Pat had seen rowing in from the open sea. Undoubtedly they werefrom the _Iron Mate_, Sladek's ship.
"I went almost crazy with the pain." There was a choked sob in thecook's voice. "They burned the bottom of my feet with cigarettes."
There was a long pause and Tim waited patiently, wondering whether AlHardy had finally given away the secret of their destination.
"They were going to kill me," the cook went on, each word an obviouseffort. "Finally, finally I told them it was an island off the coast ofYucatan, but no one but the commander knew what one."
"Did they believe you?" asked Tim.
"They must have. That's all I remember until I came to in the hospital.I'm sorry I talked."
"Don't worry about that, Al," said Tim, gripping the cook's handfirmly. "Any of the rest of us would have talked a lot sooner. I'mgoing to leave you now. I've got to contact the _S-18_ with theseaplane in the morning. I've made arrangements for them to take goodcare of you here. By the time you're well we'll be on our way back andyou'll have a good share of the treasure."
Before leaving the the floor, Tim stopped at the desk.
"Just how badly is he injured?" he asked the doctor.
"An average man would die from shock, but he looks like he has a fineconstitution. I believe he'll pull through."
"See that he has everything he needs," said Tim. "In case of anemergency you can communicate with Commander Ford's representative inNew York for further instructions."
The information Al Hardy had given made Tim change his planscompletely. Sladek and his crew knew the _S-18_ was bound for the coastof Yucatan and Tim felt sure they would abandon any attempt to followthe _S-18_ across the Caribbean. Instead they would use their ownseaplane to locate Commander Ford's expedition after it reached theisland which held the secret of the Southern Queen.
To Tim it seemed the most important thing was to get in touch withCommander Ford and appraise him of the sudden turn in events. Insteadof waiting to keep the rendezvous on the following day, he wouldattempt to overtake the _S-18_ as soon as dawn broke.
On his way back to the waterfront Tim stopped at an all-nightrestaurant and ate a hearty breakfast. The watchman at the dock lent awilling hand and by dawn Tim had the Sea King ready to take the air.
"I don't like the looks of the sky," said the watchman. "There's windand a nasty sea in them clouds."
"I'll risk it anyway," said Tim. "It's important."
"Then keep an eye on a handy cay where you can find shelter in thelee," advised the watchman as Tim started the motor of the Sea King.The powerful engine ran true and sweet and after getting it thoroughlywarmed up, Tim scudded across the gray water and lifted the drippingpontoons into the sky.
He knew the _S-18_ would be following the course to the rendezvous setfor the next day and he charted a compass path through the air.
Key West dropped from sight in the greyness of the morning and hewinged a solitary way out over the Caribbean. Below the swells weresharper. It wouldn't be easy landing and getting the Sea King aboardthe _S-18_.
For nearly an hour Tim bored into the west. He should be near the_S-18_ and he scanned the surface of the ocean with anxious eyes. Forhalf an hour he circled in wide swoops. The wind was freshening and thesea beneath him was choppy when he finally sighted the conning tower ofthe submarine.
Tim dropped down until he was just above the surface of the water. Thenose of the _S-18_ was plowing through the swells and there were onlytwo huddled figures in the conning tower. Tim recognized them as heflashed by, Commander Ford and Pat. They waved wildly as Tim gauged thestrength of wind and wave. It was too risky to attempt a landing and hescrawled a note on a sheet of paper and crammed it into an old tobaccocan he had found along the waterfront and brought along for just such apurpose.
With his motor almost idling, he swept down on the _S-18_ again.Watching his speed carefully, he hurled the tin can toward thesubmarine. It landed well in front and bobbed restless on the water.
Commander Ford and Pat had seen the can strike the surface and undertheir skillful hands the submarine was brought to a halt. A wave washedthe tin alongside where another member of the crew, who had emergedfrom the control room, retrieved it, and handed the can up to theconning tower.
Pat signalled that they understood the contents of Tim's message, andthe flying reporter zoomed the Sea King sharply in a farewell salute ashe opened the throttle and roared back toward Key West. On the way backhe sighted the _Iron Mate_ far to his right and a good thirty milesbehind the _S-18_. If anything, the submarine was a good two knots andhour faster than the _Iron Mate_ when it was running on the surface.
Tim reached Key West safely, saw that the Sea King was refueled andready to go on short notice, and then went to the hospital to see thecook. Al Hardy was sleeping soundly and Tim continued to a hotel wherehe went to bed to get some much needed rest.
It was late afternoon before he awoke. He made another call at thehospital, but was advised not to see the cook. After supper he went toa movie and then turned in early for with the dawn would come anotherlong flight.
During the night the wind subsided and ideal flying weather greeted Timwhen he reached the waterfront. The sun was casting a rosy hue overred-tiled roofs and Tim welcomed the chance to soar into the cool,sweet morning air.
The Sea King responded to the impulse of the starter with a roar andTim flashed across the surface of the bay and into the air. He made ahalf circle into the west and lined away for a fast flight to overhaulthe _S-18_.
It was better than two hours later and fifty miles beyond theirrendezvous when Tim finally sighted the submarine, sliding through thewater at a strong twelve knots an hour.
He brought the Sea King down to an easy landing and then taxiedalongside the _S-18_, which was now lying motionless. Willing handshelped fasten the crane and its rigging to the seaplane and the craftwas soon lodged safely on the deck of the submarine. Then they wereunder way again, the thin nose of the _S-18_ cleaving its way towardthe sunken treasure in the hold of the Southern Queen.