CHAPTER XXIX
A Frustrated Escape
Having made this satisfying discovery, Villiers returned to thesurface and reported the good news.
There was, however, much work to be done before the rest of the goldcould be removed. The wreck of the _Fusi Yama_ had to be buoyed oncemore, for, amongst other damage, the former mark-buoys had beendestroyed by the explosion. Another guide-rope had to be establishedbetween the wreck and the shore, while, owing to the loss of theelectric submarine lamp and the generating plant, the remainder ofthe work under water had to be carried out by the relatively feeblelight afforded by the divers' electric lamps.
By the time these various preliminary tasks were completed Swaine hadrecovered from the effects of his perilous adventure. SiegfriedStrauss, too, was out of danger and gave but little trouble. His armwas healing slowly, and he seemed grateful to his rivals for theirkind and generous treatment.
Swaine bore him no ill will on account of the submarine fight. Hewillingly accepted Strauss' explanation that he thought Swaine wasabout to attack him and that he was obliged to take action. Strausswas the loser, and had paid the price for it. The matter was over anddone with: that was Swaine's summing up of the case.
On the other hand, every member of the _Titania's_ crew felt thatthey had an account to settle with Kaspar von Giespert. The fellowhadn't played the game from the very beginning, and his treachery indispatching a boat's crew to blow up the wreck, and, as he hoped,most of the members of Harborough's party as well, put him beyond thebounds of decency.
Strauss freely admitted that his employer had acted treacherously,and that von Giespert was filled with a mad rage for revenge at beingbaulked of his chance of getting the treasure. He also volunteeredthe information that von Giespert intended to take the _Zug_ back toEuropean waters directly the boat's crew returned. And, since theyweren't in a position to return, it was safe to assume that vonGiespert would not risk searching for them, but, after giving up allhope of their safety, would carry out his original programme ofleaving Ni Telang and making for home.
The two Germans captured by Dick Beverley did not take kindly totheir detention. Not from any sense of devotion to von Giespert didthey attempt to escape, but because they were under the erroneousimpression that their employer was on the right track after all andwas about to gain possession of the gold. They had heard von Giespertsay that he meant to sink the _Titania_ and gain possession of thebooty by force of arms, and, since they did not like the prospect ofbeing under lock and key on the yacht when she was attacked, theytook steps to regain their freedom.
It was a bright moonlight night when they put their crudely-formedplan into execution. Although Griffiths was on guard outside the doorof their cabin-cell, he heard no suspicious noises. Workingdesperately and silently, the Huns removed a portion of the inchmatch-boarding that separated their cabin from the one adjoining,which happened to be three cabins knocked into one and utilized as astore for hydroplanes. Since the two _Cormorants_ were no longer inexistence, the fairly-expansive compartment was empty save for a fewtools, coils of rope, and kegs of paint and varnish.
One of the doors leading to the alley-way was unlocked--unlockeddoors being the rule rather than the exception on board.
They waited until they heard the sentry go for'ard, for Griffiths waspacing up and down the whole length of the alley-way, then theysilently crept to the accommodation-ladder and gained the deck.
Merridew and Fontayne, the watch on deck, were at that moment pacingthe port side, conversing in low tones in order not to disturb theirsleeping mess-mates. Knowing that Griffiths was on duty below, theynever troubled about the prisoners--it was not their "pigeon". Theirparticular duty was to see that the _Zug_ didn't pay a nocturnalvisit with sinister intent to the lagoon at Nua Leha.
In the midst of Fontayne's elaborate description of his "castle inthe air", Merridew laid one hand firmly upon his companion'sshoulder.
"Go on talking--anything," he whispered. "These two Fritzes aretrying to do a bunk. Let 'em have a run for their money; we'll seesome fun."
Merridew and his companion waited until they saw the dark shadows ofthe Germans flat along the deck; then, each taking up a rifle, thewatchers followed, keeping under cover afforded by the chart-house.
Right aft crept the two Germans until they halted and peered over thetaffrail as if measuring the distance between them and the shore.Then, with a few coils of main-sheet, they took a turn round abelaying-pin and silently lowered the free end of the stout manillarope into the water.
Slowly one of the Huns wriggled on his stomach upon theslightly-rounded top of the taffrail, then, grasping the rope, hebegan to make his way down hand over hand, his companion watching hisprogress.
Merridew distinctly heard a splash in the water. It was not the noiseof a man swimming.
"Sharks!" he whispered, and opened the cut-off to the magazine of hisrifle.
The German dangling at the rope's end heard it too, for he uttered aguttural "Achtung!"
The other fell, just below the rail, tried to regain the deck, butthe task of swinging himself round and over the projecting taffrailwas beyond his powers. As he hung desperately to the rope heprevented his companion's efforts to climb back. Both started toshout for help.
Bawling for the rest of the duty watch to turn out, Merridew andFontayne ran aft. A strange sight met their eyes as they leapt overthe taffrail.
The Germans, gripping the rope with the tenacity of terror, wereswaying to and fro in their efforts to put as great a distance aspossible between them and the swirling water, while clearly visiblein the bright moonlight--as they darted in and out of the darkshadows cast by the _Titania's_ projecting counter--were two enormoussharks, their white bellies glistening in the silvery light as theyturned to snap at the tempting bait just above their reach.
Levelling his rifle, Merridew waited his opportunity. It was not longin coming. One of the sharks was on the point of turning over on itsback to attempt a ferocious snap with its tremendous jaws when therifle cracked. At close range the nickel bullet inflicted a large andmortal wound, and the monster, still writhing, sank out of sight.
Fontayne hit the other, but whether the shot was fatal or notremained an unsettled question to all concerned except the shark. Butthe main point was that it swam off as hard as it could go.
Meanwhile the rest of the duty-watch had come on deck. Curiosityprompted them to have a glimpse of the two thoroughly-scared Huns,then they proceeded to lower and man the gig--the only availableboat.
"There's no hurry," remarked Beverley. "Let 'em feel the breeze a bitlonger. It will teach them a lesson."
The sharks having been eliminated from the proposition, all danger tolife was at an end. But before the boat came under the _Titania's_counter the uppermost Hun released his hold. In his fall he tore hiscompanion's grasp from the rope, and the twain hit the water withtremendous force.
Winded and spluttering they rose to the surface, frantically grabbingat each other until they were unceremoniously hauled into thestern-sheets of the gig.
Next morning Harborough had the two Germans brought before him. Themen were thoroughly cowed, for that narrow escape from being seizedand devoured by sharks had knocked all the stuffing out of them.
Their punishment was solitary confinement, and they were also orderedto make good the damage done to the woodwork of the cabin.
"Strange," remarked the baronet, when the culprits had been removed."Up to the present we haven't seen a shark in the lagoon but that ithas done us a good turn. Now, then, fall in all hands. Another coupleof days' work will see the job finished, and then, yo ho, for OldEngland!"