CHAPTER X.
THE STOLEN PLANS.
"RENO DURANGO is the culprit," said Dacres. "If you lay him by theheels the secret will be safe."
"But the fellow isn't in England," objected Hythe.
"Perhaps not," agreed Dacres. "But he was last night. I saw him inthe train."
"Then why on earth didn't you report the matter?"
"Simply because I had then no idea who or what he was. I know now."
"Come and see the Admiral," said the Commander, taking his friend bythe arm.
"One minute. Look here, old man, I'm in a bit of a fix. I'm not afree agent in the matter. Besides----"
"Can't be helped. This is a matter of national importance."
"Very well, then; only don't give the show away that I once held hisMajesty's commission."
Dacres found himself in the company of the Commander-in-Chief, theAdmiral Superintendent of the Dockyard, two naval secretaries, theSuperintendent of Police, and two high officials from Scotland Yard.
To these he related the circumstances under which he had met theMexican in the train, and that he had come purposely to warn hisfriend, Commander Hythe, that the plans of the submarines were indanger.
"Did you come here on your own initiative, sir?" asked one of theScotland Yard men.
"No," replied Dacres. "I was acting under instructions."
"Whose, might I ask?"
This was an awkward question. Dacres hesitated.
"One who has good reason to wish to see Durango arrested," he repliedguardedly. "I'm not at liberty at present to divulge his name."
"But suppose we insist?" asked the Commander-in-Chief bluntly.
"No useful purpose would result, sir," said Dacres boldly. "In fact,the chances of recovering the papers would be considerably retarded.I will return at once to my principal and inform him of the loss ofthe documents. No doubt he will act promptly and unreservedly inconjunction with you. Meanwhile, I would suggest that you ascertainwhat ships left Southampton between six o'clock yesterday and thepresent time. By giving a description of this Senor Durango you willpossibly be able to find out whether he has left the country."
"That we propose to do," said one of the Scotland Yard officials withowl-like wisdom. As a matter of fact, such an idea had not previouslyentered his head.
"Very well, gentlemen," said Dacres firmly, "I will now take myleave. I can assure you that at present I can be of no further use toyou. No doubt my principal will communicate with you in due course."
Dacres certainly held the whip hand. He was no longer a naval officersubject to the King's Regulations; there was not the faintest excusefor arresting him, while his vague hint as to what might happen if hewere detained could not be ignored.
Hythe followed him into the ante-room.
"I say, old man," he exclaimed, "what sort of enterprise have youembarked upon?"
"Something that will never cause me to regret leaving the Service,"replied Dacres. "You'll be surprised when you are told, but I cannotsay any more about it at present. Cheer up, old fellow! We'll getthose plans before there's any serious damage done."
"Stop at Southampton, Callaghan," ordered Dacres, as calmly as if hewere giving directions to a taxi-driver. "Somewhere as close to theshipping offices as you can."
The pilot was "all out" to break records, and within eight minutes ofthe time of rising from the ground he alighted at Southampton--adistance of sixteen miles as the crow flies.
Dacre's instincts prompted him first to visit the offices of aBrazilian steamship company. Fortune favoured him, for he made thediscovery that a man answering to his description of Senor Durangohad booked a passage on board the S.S "Maranhao." The ship hadcleared Southampton Docks at 10 a.m.
"She's well down Channel by this time," soliloquised Dacres. "Therogue is safe for the time being, for the authorities dare not arresthim on a vessel flying Brazilian colours."
"What is the speed of the 'Maranhao'?" he asked of the English clerkin the firm's office.
"She's a fairly slow boat, sir," replied the man apologetically. "Yousee, she's running a relief trip, because the 'Alagoas' has brokenher mainshaft. Twelve knots would be her average."
Dacres thanked him for the information and inquired when the"Maranhao" was likely to arrive at her destination--Pernambuco.
The man was unable to hazard an opinion, but in answer to furtherinquiries said that the distance from Southampton to Pernambuco was3920 seamiles.
Allowing for a stop at Cape Verde Islands, Dacres came to theconclusion that the "Maranhao" would take at least thirteen and ahalf days to reach Pernambuco. This was reassuring, and havingthanked the clerk for the trouble he had taken, he rejoined Callaghanand gave instructions to be whirled back to Whittinghame's retreat.
"We're too late," he announced as Vaughan Whittinghame came from thehouse to meet him. "Durango has contrived to get hold of the plans."
"Knowing the man I am not surprised," replied the owner of the"Meteor" calmly. "Have they collared him?"
"No; he's on the high seas. In another thirteen or fourteen dayshe'll land at Pernambuco--if he doesn't double on his tracks anddisembark at Las Palmas or Cape Verde."
"He won't," said Whittinghame. "He'll get across to Naocuanha assharp as he can possibly manage it. We'll try to nab him when heenters Valderian territory. It would be too risky to do so before."
As briefly as he could Dacres related the incidents of his aerialjourney and his interview with the authorities at Portsmouth.
"I told them that in the interests of the Empire you would doubtlesscommunicate with them direct," he added.
"I will," assented Whittinghame.
"When?" asked Dacres eagerly.
"Plenty of time. Let them have a chance to indulge in a mild panic.We will pay them an official visit at the end of the week--say onSaturday."
"We?" repeated Dacres.
"Yes--in the 'Meteor' There are times when dramatic moments aredesirable, and this is one of them. I'll write to theCommander-in-Chief and inform him that the airship that has caused somuch stir in official circles will appear at Portsmouth at 10 a.m. onthe 9th instant, and that her commander will, in support of hisdeputy's assurances, communicate an important announcement to therepresentatives of My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty--soundsimposing, eh? Well, let's have lunch, and then I'll introduce you tothe 'Meteor.'"
During the meal Whittinghame studiously avoided talking "shop." Hediscussed topics of ordinary interest with consummate ease, hisknowledge of all branches of sport being especially profound. He hadall the noteworthy records of athletics at his fingers' ends, and hadthe happy knack of imparting his knowledge without conveying the ideathat he was trying to be pedantic.
"Before we go outside," he said, after lunch was over, "suppose wehave a look at the workshops?"
"I should be delighted," assented his guest.
"This is my private entrance," announced Whittinghame, touching analmost invisible projection on the wall and causing a secret panel toopen. "At one time it was a boast that an Englishman's house was hiscastle, but that is no longer true. Since I cannot prevent theminions of the Government from entering my house and taking animmense amount of data for some useless purpose, I must protect myown interests by this means. I discovered the secret panel after theunder-ground cellars had been opened up from outside. Evidently itwas a 'Priest's hole,' or refuge in troublous times. This is aseventeenth century house built over cellars of a much older date.Mind the steps; they are a lot worn in places."
At the lowermost step Whittinghame stopped and unlocked abaize-covered door. A faint buzz greeted Dacre's ears.
"The doors are almost sound-proof," continued his guide. "Wait whileI switch on a light."
The brilliant glow from an electric lamp revealed the fact that theywere standing in a long narrow passage, with a door at the far endsimilar to the one that had just been opened.
"You wonder why I use lamps in a house when there is electriclighting in
the cellars?" asked Whittinghame, noting the look ofsurprise on his companion's face. "It's easy to explain. If I hadelectric fittings installed in the house they would cause comment. Byretaining the old-fashioned system of lighting it helps to keep upthe deception that this is a remote country house and the home of asimple country gentleman of limited means. This is the retort room,"he added, opening the second sound-proof door.
The place reeked of gas. Dacres felt somewhat apprehensive, for therewere no visible means of ventilation.
"Quite harmless," said Whittinghame reassuringly. "We use electricityfor producing the gas ultra-hydrogen we term it. I had the secretfrom a German scientist who was unable to sell his priceless formulain his own country. He was regarded as a lunatic, poor fellow. Thisultra-hydrogen has, under equal conditions of density and capacity,three times the lifting-power of ordinary hydrogen. Nor is that all:it is absolutely non-inflammable."
"By Jove!" ejaculated Dacres, too surprised to say anything else.
"Yes," continued his companion. "You may well express astonishment.Just think: nine-tenths of the dangers to which an airship is exposedare by this stupendous discovery. Thanks to the practicalnon-porosity of the ballonettes of the 'Meteor' we have not yet foundit necessary to recharge them. We are, however, laying in a reservesupply of ultra-hydrogen and storing it under pressure in cast-steelcylinders."
"Then, what happens when you want to descend?" asked Dacres. "Has notthe gas to be released?"
"No, otherwise we should have to continually rely upon our reserve ofultra-hydrogen. It is six weeks since the 'Meteor' made her firstflight, by the by."
"Then, how do you manage to husband the supply of gas in theballonettes?"
"There are no less than a hundred of these sub-divisions. Eachconsists of two skins, the outer one of rigid aluminium, the inner offlexible non-porous fabric. When we wish to descend--apart from theaction of the horizontal planes--the ultra-hydrogen is exhausted fromthe required number of ballonettes and forced under great pressureinto steel cylinders similar to those you see here. Air at the normalatmospheric pressure is then introduced into the ballonettes untilthe weight of the airship is slightly heavier than air.
"These men you see working here also form part of the crew of the'Meteor.' In due course I shall muster them and give them propernotice of your appointment as navigating officer to the vessel. Imight mention, however, that every one of them has seen service inthe Royal Navy. They are all trained men, who, under the rotten shortservice system, have been cast aside by the Admiralty when they mightbe of the best possible use."
"Aren't you afraid that some of them might betray your secret?"
Whittinghame laughed.
"No," he replied emphatically, "I am not. Many people imagine thatnowadays there is not such a thing as honour. Government officialswonder why important secrets leak out. They threaten their employeeswith dire pains and penalties, instead of paying them decent wagesand appealing to their sense of honour. I know that for a fact. Myexperience teaches me that so long as you pick your men carefully inthe first instance, pay them adequately, and treat themconsiderately, they'll stick to you through thick and thin withunswerving loyalty. Now let us visit the workshops. There is not muchto be seen, for all the constructive work is now completed, but youwill be able to form some idea of how an airship of over one thousandfeet in length was constructed in secret."
The next cellar was about fifty feet in length and twenty-five inbreadth, and practically bare.
"This is our mould loft," explained Whittinghame. "Through direnecessity we were compelled to make the work in comparatively smallsections. Each subdivision was assembled here before taken into theopen air. I might add that the whole work of finally assembling theparts was done without the use of a hammer. Over thirty thousandbolts and nuts were used in setting up the completed craft. In thenext room are the lathes and fitters' benches; beyond that are theelectric rolls for making the aluminium sheets, and the hydraulicpresses for moulding them into shape. But I do not think we needwaste time there; suppose we devote our attention to an inspection ofthe 'Meteor'?"