CHAPTER XIX
THE FIRST CAPTURE
ATHERTON'S first impulse was to regain his feet and jump overboard.By so doing he knew that he would run no personal risks, since Billand his companion in crime could not possibly capture him, even ifthey went to the length of leaping into the sea dressed as they were,in their clothes and sea-boots. But, on the other hand, the Scoutrealised that, if discovered, the confederates of the rascally butlerwould make haste and clear off in the yacht, and the whole chance ofcapturing both the rogues and their booty would receive a serious setback.
With these thoughts flashing through his mind, Atherton pulledseveral folds of the staysail over his recumbent form, as,fortunately for him, the slothful crew had lowered the sail and hadneglected to stow or even secure it. His chief anxiety was thatPhillips, finding that his companion had not followed him, wouldclimb on board again, or, equally as bad, raise a premature alarm.
Second Phillips was made of the right stuff. Since Atherton had notcalled for aid he felt convinced that his Leader was still keepingBill under observation. Holding on to the bob-stay, and keeping closeto the bows of the yacht, Phillips waited, chin deep in water, eithertill the expected shout for assistance came or else till Atherton gotclear of the mysterious craft.
With many muttered curses the truculent Bill ascended the shortcompanion-ladder and gained the deck. Pulling back the hatch heremained by the companion, his gaze directed towards the frowningcliffs by the Tea Caves.
"Two more cursed hours!" muttered the man, loudly enough for theScout to overhear.
"Wot's 'e got to be afraid of I should like to know. Well, any'ow,to-night'll see the last o' the swag safe aboard."
Atherton felt a quiver of excitement pass through his frame. If thesilver were to be recovered the opportunity was at hand. There waslittle time to be lost. To send for the assistance of the localpolice and the coastguards might result in the scoundrels "gettingthe wind of it."
It must be the Scouts to whom the credit of recovering Sir SilasGwinnear's plate must fall.
The seaman was coming for'ard. From his place of concealment,Atherton could hear his heavy footfall upon the yielding deck. Wouldit be possible that the fellow had any suspicions that some one inaddition to his mate was on board?
In any case the Scout realised that he must evade capture. Nearer andnearer came the man. Atherton prepared to spring from hishiding-place arid leap into the sea, but to his great relief Billturned on his heel and retraced his footsteps.
"He's going to pace the deck for the next hour or so, I suppose,"thought Atherton. "A nice pickle we are in: Phillips shivering in thewater and I doing ditto under a damp sail."
But Atherton was wrong in his surmise. The fellow took two or threeturns up and down the deck, gave another glance shorewards and thenwhispered to his companion to "douse the glim again."
With the utmost satisfaction Atherton heard the seaman push back thehatch. His heavy sea-boots grated on the brass stair-treads; andthen, with a vicious bang, the hatch was shut once more.
Rising from his place of concealment, Atherton lowered himself intothe water, and the two lads began their shoreward swim; at first insilence, and then, as soon as a safe distance had been covered, theyconversed in low tones.
"We're in luck, Atherton."
"Yes, if things turn out all right. I wonder what Mr Buckley willsuggest?"
"No doubt he will order the boats to be manned, and we'll have to tryour chances with Bill and his pal. It's fortunate we know his gunisn't loaded. Here, Phillips, are we heading the right way? I don'tsee the place where we climbed down."
"The tide must be setting in by now," replied Phillips. "We're beingswept away to the west'ard. I vote we swim straight for shore andthen keep close to it until we come to the right spot. The tide won'trun so strong inshore."
"You lads have been a long time," remarked Mr Buckley, as the twoScouts, tired with their exertions, scrambled on to the ledge wherethe Scoutmaster had been anxiously awaiting their reappearance.
"It's all right, sir," exclaimed Atherton; "we've found outsomething": and as briefly and explicitly as he could the Scoutrelated what had occurred on board the yacht.
"You're quite right, Atherton," said Mr Buckley, when the Leader hadfinished his report. "Something must be done at once. It is now closeon twelve o'clock. You're both dressed? Good. Shin up the rope,Phillips; it will take three of you to haul me up, I am afraid."
As soon as the Scoutmaster and the two Scouts had reached the summitof the cliff, a hasty palaver was held and a rough plan of actiondecided upon. Green was despatched to the camp to turn out the"Wolves," who were to double to the place where the Scoutmasterawaited them.
"That's good, Simpson," said Mr Buckley, as the patrol turned up infine fettle. "You left the Tenderfoots in camp? Hayes and Coventry,take that flashing lamp and call up the coastguard at Refuge Point.Tell them that there's a yacht lying off the Tea Caves, and that hercrew are going to remove the stolen silver. The rest of us had bettermake tracks for the Tea Caves as soon as possible. Since Tassh isconcealed in the inner one--that is what you heard, I believe,Atherton?--we ought to nab him as he squeezes through the narrowpassage between the two divisions. Now, Scouts, silence is essentialas soon as we gain the ledge."
One by one the "Wolves" descended by means of the rope; then theScoutmaster was lowered by the "Otters," who brought up the rear ofthe expedition. Treading cautiously, the Scouts crept in single filetowards the rascally butler's lair.
Within the caves all was quiet. If Tassh lay concealed in theinnermost one he gave no sign of his presence. Apparently he hadlearnt a certain amount of caution, for all tracks between the mouthof the cave and the narrow "needle's-eye" communicating with the twodivisions were carefully obliterated.
Without a word being spoken the Scouts took up their allottedpositions: Simpson and the 1st and 2nd class Scouts of his patrolstationed themselves on either side of the entrance to the innercave; Atherton and the available "Otters" hid in a deep recess justinside the outer entrance; while Mr Buckley remained without in orderto keep the yacht under observation.
Slowly, in utter silence, the hours passed. Although the Scoutmastercould not see the time by his watch, he felt fairly convinced that itcould not be much past midnight. To the waiting Scouts the period ofwaiting seemed interminable.
At length the Scouts pricked up their ears. From the depths of theinner cave came an uncanny sound. As Simpson afterwards described it,it was like the armoured body of an enormous crab grating over therocks. This was followed by the deep breathing of a man who had beenput to great physical strain. Then came the stealthy footfalls ofsome one walking over the dry sand that formed the floor of the cave.
Simpson and the "Wolves" were tingling with excitement.
It was Tassh.
The rascally butler began to crawl through the "needle's eye." Once ortwice he paused, as if scenting danger; then, drawing himself clear,he regained his feet.
It was as much as the "Wolves" could do to restrain themselves fromfalling upon and overpowering their quarry, since the man stoodalmost within arm's length of Simpson on the one hand and Neale onthe other. But to do this would be acting prematurely. Unlessotherwise compelled to tackle their man, the Scouts were content tolet him alone until he had lured Bill and his companions ashore. So,crouching behind the huge boulders that had at some time fallen fromthe roof of the cave, the lads watched Tassh stealthily make his waytowards the entrance.
"I wonder if he'll spot Mr Buckley," thought Simpson. But theScoutmaster was too wary for that. He had clambered upon a narrowledge seven feet above the main path, whence he could command a viewof the cave and the sea as well as the misty starlight would permit.
"Oh, there you are, my fine fellow," muttered Mr Buckley, as Tassh,looking anxiously along the main ledge that gave access to the caves,emerged into the open, utterly ignorant of the fact that seven of the"Otters" were within ten yards of him and that a few inches above hishea
d the Scoutmaster had him under observation.
Still Tassh hesitated. He even walked a few paces along the ledge,and scanned the rugged cliffs above his head. At length, drawing aportable electric lamp from his pocket, he flashed it twice in quicksuccession in the direction of the yacht.
This signal was instantly replied to by the light of a match. TheScoutmaster could see the gleam light up the features of the manBill. To guard against causing suspicion the fellow was pretending tolight a pipe, twice closing his fingers over the flickering match inorder to reassure the ex-butler that his message was understood.
Tassh waited no longer. He turned and literally sneaked back to hisden, none of the Scouts attempting to bar his passage.
Another ten minutes passed. There were no further signs of movementon the yacht. The Scoutmaster began to wonder whether 'Tassh's signalwas intended to mean that he was suspicious about something, to deferthe visit of Bill and his companion in crime until another night.
"I wish they'd hurry up," soliloquised Mr Buckley. "I shouldn'twonder if the coastguard boat doesn't turn up soon and nab them. It'sa pity. I wish I had told Hayes not to signal quite so soon. TheScouts will only share the fruits of victory, I am afraid."
Just then came the sound of a splash in the water. The crew of theyacht had dragged a collapsible boat from the cabin and had launchedit over the side.
The Scoutmaster waited till the boat was fairly close inshore, then,having made certain that only one man was on board, he silentlyslipped from his post of observation and rejoined Atherton and the"Otters" in the recess by the mouth of the cave.
Grasping Atherton's hand the Scoutmaster, by means of a series oflong and short grips, spelled out a message in Morse.
"Man coming: tackle him on entering cave."
The Leader signified that the message was understood, and passed iton to Phillips, who in turn communicated it to Green and Mayne.Before the remaining "Otters" could be informed, the man from theyacht was heard scaling the cliff between the water's edge and theledge.
With a strange sensation in his throat, Atherton braced himself forthe onslaught. He could hear the partially suppressed breathing ofhis companions and the rapidly approaching steps of Tassh's nocturnalvisitor. The patch of starlit sky at the mouth of the cave wasdarkened by the hulking figure of Bill.
Unhesitatingly the fellow advanced into the cave, then drawing anelectric torch from his pocket he flashed it ahead to guide hisfootsteps. The beam of light fell, not upon the sanded floor, butupon the figure of the Scoutmaster standing full in his path.
With a muttered oath, Bill threw down the canvas bag, hurled his lampat Mr Buckley, and turned to seek safety in flight.
Up from their hiding-place the "Otters" ran as one man and threwthemselves upon the rogue. Bill's fist shot out straight atAtherton's chin, but luckily for the Scout it was light enough forhim to see to parry the blow. Down went Bill, struggling and ravinglike a madman, with his six youthful yet active assailants on to himlike a pack of bulldogs.
"Chuck it," growled Bill sullenly, as Atherton applied an arm-lock."Chuck it orl you'll break my bloomin' arm. I gives in."
Securely bound hand and foot the prisoner was carried out into theopen. The first phase of the capture of the robbers of Sir SilasGwinnear's silver was effected.
"Now, lads!" exclaimed Mr Buckley, "that's number one. 'Wolves'! Keepwatch over the inner cave; we'll rout out Mr Tassh later on. Everestand Baker stand by the prisoner. The rest of the 'Otters' follow me.We must board the yacht and capture the remaining member of thecrew."