CHAPTER XXX.
THE FALL OF NAOCUANHA.
"HEAVY firing, sir," remarked Commander Bourne to his superiorofficer.
"You're right," assented Captain and Acting Commodore Staggers. "It'sabout time we had a wireless report."
"Nothing has come through yet, sir," said Bourne.
Surrounded by a group of officers Captain Staggers stood upon thebattlements of Fort Belgrano, on the landward side of the town ofZandovar. Away to the eastward, and only just discernible in theheated atmosphere, was the city of Naocuanha. Beyond the capitalthere was nothing to be seen, save at sunset when the peaks of thefar-distant Sierras showed rosy-pink against the gloom of approachingnight.
"The seaplanes ought to be returning," remarked Captain Staggers forthe sixth time in half an hour. He was unable to conceal an anxietyfor the naval aircraft that, two hours previously, had proceeded tothe assistance of the handicapped "Meteor."
Drawn up just outside the fort was every available man who could belanded from the fleet: one thousand seamen and five hundred Marines,with the usual quota of light quick-firers and maxims. Why the menwere there under arms none of them knew; they could only conjecture.Once again there was work to be done and they meant to do it rightwell, to wipe off the slur upon British prestige caused by thecapture of Admiral Maynebrace and his staff.
"Speak to the 'Royal Oak,' Mr. Eccles, and ask if there's any news,"continued the Captain.
Away doubled the lieutenant to the signalling station, only to returnwithin five minutes with the disconcerting report that the battleshiphad not been able to "pick up" the "Meteor" by wireless.
"Seaplanes returning, sir!" announced the Commander, whose attentionhad been drawn to the fact by a petty officer.
"How many?" demanded the Captain abruptly, his anxiety causing him todrop his customary courtesy.
"Only three, sir."
"Only three? Good heavens! Only three."
Captain Staggers set his jaw firmly. Was he to hear of anotherreverse? Where was the "Meteor"--the Dreadnought of the Air? Had shefallen a victim to the fire of the batteries of Naocuanha?
Flying with mathematical precision the three seaplanes alightedpractically simultaneously upon a level expanse of ground on thelandward side of Fort Belgrano. Under ordinary circumstancesetiquette would demand that the subordinate should approach thesenior officer, but casting observances to the winds CaptainStaggers, holding his scabbard to prevent his sword from impeding hisprogress, ran towards the returned airmen.
"Five of the Valderian biplanes destroyed, sir." reported the seniorlieutenant of the air squadron. "All that opposed us. G1 and G3 ofours are done for. G4 is badly damaged, but her crew are safe."
"And the 'Meteor'?" asked the Captain anxiously.
"Is standing by to the east of Naocuanha, sir. I understand thatthere are some British subjects, assisted by a part of the airship'screw and some of the late President's adherents, holding theCavarale. Captain Whittinghame suggests that if an attack be made assoon as possible, while the Valderian troops are still demoralized bythe destruction of their aircraft, we may be able to capture thecapital without great loss."
"And where is Admiral Maynebrace?"
"I do not know, sir. Captain Whittinghame gave me no information onthat point, so I concluded that he is with the party holding theCavarale."
"Gentlemen," said Captain Staggers, turning to his officers whoaccompanied him, "I propose to make a reconnaissance in forceimmediately, and, if practicable, to deliver an assault upon Fort SanJosef. If our efforts in that direction are successful, we shall holdthe key of the position."
In spite of their protests the officers and crews of the seaplaneswere ordered to stand by. Their places were taken by others who werefresh to undergo the trying ordeal, and the hard-worked aircrafthaving been given a rapid overhaul, they set off on their task ofsearching the intervening country in case the Valderians should offerresistance to the advance of the Naval brigade.
In sections of fours the British force set out on its seven milemarch to Naocuanha, the advance covered by the seaplanes and wellflanked by strong parties of Marines. The railroad had been torn up,and the rolling-stock destroyed before the evacuation of Zandovar bythe Valderians, but the wide and fairly well-kept road rendered theadvance practicable and speedy.
"'Meteor' heading due north, sir," exclaimed Commander Bourne, as thehuge bulk of the airship, looking little larger than a needle, wasobserved to be making off at full speed in the direction theCommander had stated.
"What's the matter with her, I wonder?" asked Captain Staggers. "Ithought she was to operate on the east side of Naocuanha? By sheeringoff she leaves the Valderian troops free to devote the whole of theirattention to us."
"I don't know, sir," replied Bourne, "Perhaps----"
His surmise was never expressed in words, for even as he spoke, the"Meteor," having put a safe distance between her and the batteries ofthe capital, swung round and made for the town of Zandovar.
"Pass the word for the men to halt," ordered the captain, who wasregarding the approaching mammoth with ill-disguised wonderment andadmiration, for in spite of the fact that two hundred odd feet hadbeen taken from her original length, she still appeared theembodiment of size, power and speed.
The seamen and Marines grounded arms and watched the Dreadnought ofthe Air with the deepest interest. She had spotted the advancingforce, and starboarding her helm was making in the direction of thecolumn.
Her propellers stopped; she lost way, then, slowly sinking, alightedon level ground at less than a hundred and fifty yards from the placewhere Captain Staggers and his staff were standing.
There was no wind, consequently there was no need to anchor. The"Meteor," now possessing a dead weight of ten or twelve tons, satfirmly upon Valderian soil.
"Captain Whittinghame, I presume?" asked the Commodore as heapproached within convenient talking distance of the airship.
"The same," answered Vaughan. "I am in a hurry, sir; I have leftseveral of my men in an exposed position at the Cavarale, so I mustquickly return. The city of Naocuanha ought to be taken with butlittle trouble. Meanwhile, sir, I shall be glad if you will receivesome of my passengers--Rear-Admiral Maynebrace, his staff andothers."
Captain Staggers literally gasped. The fact that his superior hadbeen rescued by the "Meteor" was quite unexpected news, for he hadmisinterpreted Whittinghame's appeal for the seaplanes to be sent tothe airship's aid. Before he could recover from his astonishment therope ladder was dropped from the entry-port and the Admiral's burlyform was seen to be slowly descending the swaying means ofcommunication with terra-firma.
A spontaneous cheer burst from the throats of the men as they sawtheir Admiral returned to them. In spite of the slight disappointmentthat they were not able to wipe off the slur and retrieve theircommanding officer, the seamen and marines were more than willing torecognize the excellent work accomplished by the Dreadnought of theAir.
"Will you continue the advance, sir?" asked Captain Staggers, afterthe Admiral and his staff, the two Frenchmen, and the two men of thetrader had descended.
"Certainly," replied Admiral Maynebrace. "There's nothing likestriking while the iron's hot. That airship wiped out Fort Volador bya single charge of explosive. And there's news, Staggers, but I'lltell you later. Look, the 'Meteor' is ascending."
With the least possible delay the airship returned to continue herself-imposed task of threatening the city on the eastern side; whilethe naval brigade resumed its march.
Having received from Captain Staggers the plan of operations and dulyapproved his subordinate's dispositions for the attack, Rear-AdmiralMaynebrace started a breezy narrative of his captivity in theCavarale.
"And one day I was surprised to see an Englishman enter my cell. Thatman was Dacres."
"Dacres?" echoed Captain Staggers, completely taken aback. "Dacres inthe Valderian service?" For, although the name of Captain VaughanWhittinghame had been communicated to the officers o
f the squadronoperating off the Valderian coast, the Admiralty had given noinformation to the effect that ex-Sub-lieutenant Dacres formed one ofthe "Meteor's" complement.
"Yes, Dacres," declared Admiral Maynebrace. But not in the Valderianservice--far from it. The youngster managed to get hold of anappointment under Captain Whittinghame. At considerable risk hemanaged to communicate with me. Later on the airship landed a handfulof her crew under Dacres' command in the Cavarale in the dead ofnight. They overpowered the garrison, rescued the British officersand sent them off in the 'Meteor'."
"Capital!" ejaculated the Captain.
"More than that--it shows Dacres' devotion--the 'Meteor' being unableto take us all, he volunteered to remain in the captured prison withhis men, and by a cool piece of work he made a prisoner of----"
"The commandante of the Cavarale?" hazarded Captain Staggers.
"Yes, and President Zaypuru as well," added Admiral Maynebraceenthusiastically. "Staggers, I made a great mistake when I told youngDacres to send in his papers. We must have him back."
"We must, sir," said the Captain of the "Royal Oak" wholeheartedly."That is, if he's agreeable. Dacres always appeared to me to berather independent."
"Wish to goodness he hadn't played that practical joke on mymidshipmen," growled Admiral Maynebrace.
Further conversation was for the time being out of the question, forthe brigade was now almost within range of the batteries ofNaocuanha.
A strange silence seemed to hang over the capital. There were nosigns of movement. Through the field-glasses of the British officersNaocuanha appeared to be a city of the dead. There was not theslightest indication of an attempt about to be made by the superiorlynumerical Valderian troops to dispute the advance.
"Wish those beggars would start firing," muttered the Admiral. "Asilence like that seems suggestive of an ambuscade. Any report fromthe seaplanes?"
"G2 and G6 both report no signs of the batteries being manned, sir,"announced Lieutenant Eccles.
"Then continue the advance in open order. Maxims in the centre, andquick-firers to cover the advance on either flank. What a rottencountry, Staggers! Not a particle of cover."
Silently the attackers extended, then with six feet separating oneman from another, the bluejackets and marines approached the frowningwalls of Fort San Josef.
Suddenly a succession of short reports burst from seaplane G5. Shehad opened fire upon some object, still invisible to the attackers onthe remote side of the fort.
For quite half a minute there was no reply from the Valderianposition; then right and left came the sharp crackle of musketrypunctuated by the bark of quick-firers.
Taking a prone position on the grass the British seamen and marinesopened a steady fire upon their unseen foes, while the covering gunssent shell after shell into Fort San Josef, over which floated theflag of the republic.
"What's that?" asked Admiral Maynebrace as a report received from G6was handed to him. "Fort San Josef evacuated? Tell the quick-firersto search the ground to the right and left and not waste time andammunition on an empty building. By Jove! what's the matter with G5?"
He might well ask that question, for the seaplane was descending withalarming rapidity and apparently right upon the Valderian position.The attackers, seeing her glide earthwards, promptly directed theirfire elsewhere, but the devoted G5 was plunging through the zone offire of the enemy.
"She's disabled, sir," exclaimed Captain Staggers. "Look, there shegoes."
The seaplane disappeared behind Fort San Josef. Her two consorts,disdainful of the fate which had overtaken her, still flew serenelyover the Valderian lines, occasionally dropping bombs, but morefrequently reporting the effect of the fire of the Britishfield-guns.
"What's that?" demanded Captain Staggers, grasping his superiorofficer's arm in his eagerness. "Look, sir, at the fort."
Standing upon the ramparts and showing clearly against the skylinewas a man in naval uniform. Rapidly he uncleated the halliards of theflagstaff and hauled down the Valderian flag. Then, even as he wavedhis white-covered cap in triumph, he suddenly pitched forward on hisface and rolled inertly down the steep face of the earthworks.
"It's Vine, the pilot of G5, sir," said Bourne.
Enraged by the lieutenant's fall the attackers implored the officersto be allowed to storm the position. The men were like hounds inleash, eager to vent their fury upon their foes.
But Admiral Maynebrace hesitated. The significance of Fort San Josefoffering no active resistance was ominous.
Up dashed a sub-lieutenant.
"G2 reports safe to advance, sir," he said.
"Fort San Josef is mined, but G5 destroyed the firing station and hascut the wires."
The Admiral hesitated no longer. Along the line the officers'whistles sounded the advance. Up from the cover afforded by the grasssprang hundreds of figures in khaki and blue. A regular clatterfollowed the order to fix bayonets, and at the double the gallant menraced towards their goal.
In spite of the covering fire from the British guns the Valderiantroops to the right and left of the deserted fort maintained a hotfusillade. Enfiladed by the converging volleys the British sufferedseverely, the ground being dotted with dead and dying. Yet,undaunted, the stormers passed on, threw themselves into the dryditch, and clambered up the steep ramp beyond. The more active of theattackers assisted those who experienced difficulty in negotiatingthe slippery slope. Marines and bluejackets, without any apparentsemblance of order, vied with each other in the race to gainpossession of the coveted position, till a ringing British cheerannounced to the Admiral and his staff that Fort San Josef was in theoccupation of his gallant men.
While the Union Jack was hoisted over the captured position, thebluejackets rushed to the guns to turn them upon the Valderian troopswho had so severely galled the advance; but to their disappointmentand rage they discovered that the breech-blocks had previously beenremoved.
In spite of the danger from the hostile bullets that were singingover the earthworks a signalman stood erect and semaphored for theguns to be brought up.
Two brawny bluejackets, each staggering under the weight of a Maxim,successfully crossed the danger-zone, while four man-hauledquick-firers were ordered to the fort.
At the double the guns were dragged across the open plain. Several ofthe men at the drag-ropes fell, but, undaunted, their comradesmaintained the hot pace. The dry-ditch they made light of. In twentyseconds each gun was unlimbered and dismantled. The lighter parts,passed from hand to hand, were taken up the ramp; the heavier gear,hauled by willing hands, quickly followed.
To the tap, tap, tap of the Maxims was added the sharp bark of thequick-firers, and, swept by the hail of projectiles, the Valderiantroops bolted precipitately. Outside the city they could not go, forhovering overhead was the "Meteor," and the fate of Fort Volador wasstill fresh in the minds of the beaten side.
At exactly three o'clock--one hour and twenty minutes from theopening of the assault--the city of Naocuanha surrendered atdiscretion.