CHAPTER XXX.
CAPTURED.
An hour after sunrise the "Aphrodite" came to the surface. The rain hadceased, the mists had rolled away, and the slanting rays of the sun,already powerful, beat fiercely down upon the coffee-coloured surface ofthe river. There was no sign of the "Pride of Rhodesia." She had takenherself off betimes.
"I hope she has continued her investigations down stream," said CaptainRestronguet. "It was a lucky chance that Jones mentioned to you aboutnot considering the Zampa worthy of his notice. We'll just have a lookround and see if the 'Vorwartz' has found room enough to stow herselfaway in that little ditch."
"A wireless message has just come through, sir," said Devoran. "The'Swallow,' 'Puffin,' and 'Sandpiper,' three stern-wheeler gunboats fromLake Nyassa, have descended the Shire and were reported to the Admiraltyas having reached Sena yesterday."
"The more the merrier," commented his superior grimly. "They ought tobe here this afternoon if they kept under way all last night. We mustbestir ourselves. I think before we do anything else we ought to putKenwyn ashore. You see that knoll on our left, Devoran? It standsfairly high, and should be pretty healthy; in daytime, at all events.We'll land him and his two nurses and pick them up on our return."
Captain Restronguet spoke as calmly as if he were going on an excursioninstead of about to engage in a desperate encounter with his implacablefoe. Hythe understood his manner better by this time. He knew thatwhen Captain Restronguet meant business he always adopted a resolutebearing. The magnetic personality of the man more than half won hisbattles.
An awning was rigged in the whaler, and under this, Kenwyn, lying in hiscot, was placed. Mylor and Lancarrow accompanied him, while the boat'screw, thoroughly disinfected to prevent contagion, rowed them to thesteep bank of the isolated hill the captain had pointed out. The ascenttook some time, and the boat's crew had received instructions to rig upa tent and make everything snug for the patient before returning.
Looking through their binoculars Captain Restronguet and Hythe watchedthe tedious procession. At length Kenwyn was carried to the summit andplaced in the shade of a solitary tree. Apparently this site did notsuit, for Mylor was observed to be pointing to a clump ofdensely-foliaged trees on the north side of the knoll. The boat's crewraised objections, since time was precious, and the argument ended byMylor and two others carrying the tent across to the clump and leavingthe others with the sick man. Before Mylor gained the desired positionthe rest picked up the cot and followed.
"I can see the objection to Mylor's plan," remarked Captain Restronguet."They will be hidden from the river everywhere except from this bearing.However, it is well to windward, and ought to be fairly pleasant underthe shade of the trees. But I wish those fellows would bestirthemselves a little more."
Presently Mylor disappeared from view behind the trees. He had not beengone very long before he returned to his companions running as hard ashe could go. A few words passed and the whole crowd, leaving Kenwynlying in the shade, doubled off behind the clump.
"Now what's up," muttered the captain impatiently. "I wish I had sentDevoran with them to keep them together. They are like a pack ofschoolboys out of bounds."
Back came the men, never pausing till they reached the brink of the hillon the river side. Here Mylor, standing well apart, began to "call-up"the "Aphrodite" by semaphore.
"Acknowledge, Mr. Devoran," said Captain Restronguet.
Clambering on to the top of the conning-tower the first officersignalled that attention was being paid to the message.
"'Vorwartz' is lying on the other side of the hill," semaphored Mylor.
"What's that? Impossible!" exclaimed the captain, for both he and Hythehad read the message correctly. "Ask them to explain more fully."
"'Vorwartz' is in a river flowing behind this hill."
"Boat's crew to return instantly," ordered Devoran at CaptainRestronguet's request. "Leave Kenwyn and his two men."
"I hope they didn't let those on the 'Vorwartz' see them," said CaptainRestronguet. "If it be the 'Vorwartz'--and I have no reason to supposethat there is another submarine beside her and the 'Aphrodite' on theZambezi--we have just saved ourselves from being nicely fooled. We mighthave been searching the tributaries on the right bank till Doomsday."
"And the 'Pride of Rhodesia' is devoting her attentions to the rightbank also," added the sub.
"Let her," said Captain Restronguet with a hearty laugh. "This seemsalmost too good to be true."
Bending to their oars and heedless of the blazing sun the whaler's crewbrought the boat back at breakneck speed. Almost before her way waschecked as she came alongside Captain Restronguet, Hythe, and five ofthe crew leapt on board. They had taken the precaution to armthemselves, for it was quite possible that some of Karl von Harburg'smen had gone ashore and had already sighted the "Aphrodite" lying inmid-stream.
Up the hill the landing party toiled, and crossing the plateau gainedthe clump of trees on the landward side. Here they hid, while CaptainRestronguet and the sub reconnoitred by means of the binoculars.
Yes, there was no longer any cause for doubt. The twin conning-towersand a portion of the upper deck of the "Vorwartz" were just visibleabove the reeds that fringed the narrow river. She was floating high,all her ballast tanks having been started. Two of the hatches wereflung back but no signs of any of the crew were to be seen.
"She's hard aground, I think," observed Hythe. "The river has fallen inspite of the rains, and she's fairly caught."
"I wouldn't like to say that such is the case," replied CaptainRestronguet. "It seems to me that they are lying low: shifting some oftheir booty to a safe hiding-place. At all events I don't feel inclinedto take the 'Aphrodite' up the stream. I'll get Devoran to lie off thejunction of this river with the Zambezi. If the 'Vorwartz' attempts toescape he can easily sink her in shallow water. Meanwhile I'll have thefield gun landed. Firing capped shell she will be able to hull yondercraft through and through. All the same I cannot account for the lack ofsigns of life aboard."
Captain Restronguet left nothing to chance. In order to guard against apossible surprise he had outposts placed at proper distances from hismain body. Hythe volunteered to superintend the landing of thefield-gun, and in less than an hour that piece of ordnance was by dintof sheer hard work brought ashore and hauled to the top of the hill.Here it was placed in position, carefully screened by the trees, and itsmuzzle pointed menacingly upon the visible part of the "Vorwartz."
Another hour passed. Still no signs of activity were noticeable onboard the rival submarine.
"Would you mind taking two men with you and creeping down as near as youcan get to the 'Vorwartz,' Mr. Hythe?" asked the Captain, who wasbeginning to get impatient. "Take every precaution to keep hidden fromview and do not use your fire-arms save as a last resource."
"Very good, sir," replied Hythe.
"I need hardly remind you that I want evidence. Observe traces offootmarks on the banks. They ought to tell whether the crew have landed.If they have put their precious cargo ashore there must be traces ofwhere the heavy chests and bags were hauled over the banks; the reedswill be trampled down, and so on."
Had Hythe not been a sailor he would have made an excellentbackwoodsman. Knowing the risk of appearing on the skyline, he led hislittle band down by the remote side of the hill, and creeping throughthe bushes at the base gradually worked round in the direction of theriver in which the "Vorwartz" lay.
It was risky work, for the lower ground was marshy. Poisonous snakesdarted across their path, lizards, more repulsive than dangerous, laybasking in the sun right in their way, while myriads of flies of greatsize buzzed incessantly over the men's heads, till the tortured threecould scarce resist the temptation to raise their arms and beat offtheir unwelcome attendants. Once a heavy body crashed through thebrushwood, scattering the reeds in all directions and uprooting youngsaplings like ninep
ins. Hythe had just time to see that the creaturewas a huge rhinoceros.
Straight towards the "Vorwartz" the creature tore, then plunging intothe opposite stream swam boldly across to the opposite bank. Althoughit made enough noise to be heard for half a mile away the crew of the"Vorwartz" showed no sign of activity. The submarine lay as desertedand silent as the city of the dead.
"Steady, there," cautioned Hythe as one of his companions startedforward with disregard to caution. "They may be luring us on. We arenear enough at present."
Concealing themselves in the long grass fringing the river, even at therisk of fever, the three waited and watched. The "Vorwartz" was lyingclose to the bank, the channel evidently trending close to the easternside of the stream, and there being a total absence of mud in thevicinity, the submarine could not have found a better landing-place.
She was secured fore and aft with ropes made fast to the trunks of treesgrowing close to the water's edge. No anchor had been run out into thestream and consequently the submarine had swung well in. A fall in thelevel of the river had left her fairly hard aground with a slight listto port.
That men had landed during the heavy rains was quite evident by the factthat the stiff clay, now burned to the hardness of a brick, was coveredwith footprints pointing in all directions, but although Hythe made asemi-circular patrol almost from the brink of the stream past the"Vorwartz" and back to the river again he could find no trace of humanbeings having strayed more than fifty yards from the submarine.
"Strange," he muttered. "The craft looks deserted and there are nosigns of the rascals making off by land. They couldn't very well travelby air, so the only solution is, unless they are still on board, thatthey have gone by water. How? By boat or walking in their divingdresses? By boat, I suppose, since if they decided to abandon thevessel they would naturally take part if not all of their precious bootywith them."
At length so convinced did the sub become that the "Vorwartz" was intruth deserted that he felt sorely tempted to take possession of her.But his sense of discipline prevailed. He realized that temporarily hewas under Captain Restronguet's orders and to Captain Restronguet aloneought the honour to be given to be the first to board.
He was on the point of ordering the men to retire when a violentrustling in the reeds attracted his attention. Either a human being oran animal was approaching. He motioned to his companions to be on thealert. Holding their rifles at the ready the two men waited.
Suddenly a man lurched forward from the edge of the reeds. He wasliterally in rags, fragments of blue clothing scarcely concealing hismassive limbs. He was hatless, a strip of dirty white linen aloneprotecting his head from the pitiless rays of the sun. In the holsterof his belt was a revolver, while his right hand grasped a magazinecarbine.
"One of the villains; shall we nab him unawares, sir?" asked one ofHythe's men in a whisper.
The sub shook his head. The fellow was armed; he might not be alone,while the discharge of a fire-arm might give the alarm to a stillunsuspecting foe. Better to watch and see what the fellow was up to.
The new-comer lurched as if spent; but without any attempt to concealhis movements he made straight for the "Vorwartz." At the edge of thebank he hesitated, walked to and fro as if looking for a shallow spot ora means of clambering up the side of the vessel. Finding none he hurledhis carbine against the submarine's side, shivering the stock intofragments. Then uttering a demoniacal yell he broke into a ribald songin German.
The man was mad.
"Karl von Harburg?" whispered Hythe interrogatively.
The seaman nearest him shook his head. He knew the captain of the"Vorwartz" well by sight during his stay in Sumatra. This fellow was astranger.
"Heave a rope!" hailed the German in his native tongue. "Heave a rope!I want to get on board and fetch more gold. Yes, more gold, I say.I'll carry another load of it myself. Fritz took two shares; whyshouldn't I?"
Receiving no reply the maniac whipped out his revolver and emptied thecontents of the chambers against the metal plating. The noise of thefiring was heard by Captain Restronguet and the main body. They couldnot see the German's approach by reason of the intervening fringe oflong grass; but suspecting that Hythe had been attacked they raced downthe hill to his aid.
Springing to his feet Hythe signed to them to continue cautiously, butthe madman, although he must have heard the noise of the new arrivals,paid no attention. He was still cursing imaginary comrades for theirlaxity in not giving him a means of getting on board.
"What has happened?" asked Captain Restronguet breathlessly.
"One survivor only, I think," replied Hythe. "There he is. He'sabsolutely off his head."
"Are you sure there are no more on board?" asked the captain.
"Not certain, but I don't think there are. Do you wish me to make thatfellow a prisoner or wait till he's on board? He hasn't reloaded hisrevolver and he's thrown his carbine away."
"We'll wait," said Captain Restronguet decidedly. "Perhaps there areothers on board and they've quarrelled. That may be the reason why theyare lying low and won't let this fellow on board. Now look at him!"
The maniac put one foot in the water with the intention of wading closeto the submarine's side, but at the contact with the fluid he leaptback, held his foot with both hands and hopped about uttering discordantshouts as if the water pained him. Then, calming down a little, heseated himself on the shore and began to sob like a child.
"Now's our chance," whispered Captain Restronguet. "We must risk a fewrifle shots from on board. You three men--that will be enough. Nowfollow me and get him on his back before he's aware of it."
Noiselessly the three men followed their captain. Forty yards of openground separated them from their intended captive. Nearly half thisdistance was covered when the madman suddenly rose and looked over hisshoulder. His wild glance fell upon his would-be assailants.
"Bowl him over," shouted Captain Restronguet, breaking into a run.
The German waited apathetically till the nearest of his foes was withinten yards. Then, uttering a wild unearthly laugh, he turned and dashedheadlong into the river. Half a dozen strokes brought him to the sternof the submarine. Here he tried to haul himself up, clinging tenaciouslyto the slight support afforded by the upper edge of the propellerbrackets. Baulked in this direction he slipped back into the water andswam to the other side of the "Vorwartz."
By this time the whole of the landing party arrived on the scene. Halfa dozen powerful men tailed on to the stern warp till it was almost astaut as a bar of steel. Two others, one being O'Shaunessey, graspingthe rope with both hands and throwing their legs round it began to maketheir way towards the submarine; but before they had swung themselvesover half the distance the maniac appeared on deck.
Once more drawing his revolver, from which the moisture drippedcopiously, he steadied it in the crook of his arm and pressed thetrigger. The hammer clicked harmlessly on the empty chambers. With asnarl of rage the German hurled the useless weapon not at the two menhanging on to the rope, but at the group ashore. It whizzed perilouslyclose to Captain Restronguet's head, bouncing on the sun-baked mud.
"Attract his attention," ordered Captain Restronguet. "Try to enticehim towards the bows and give those fellows a chance to board."
Picking up lumps of hard mud the "Aphrodite's" men opened a heavy yetcomparatively harmless fusillade upon the solitary figure upon the deckof the "Vorwartz." Still keeping up his discordant yells the madmanstooped and picked up an object at his feet. With wellnigh superhumanforce he hurled it at his assailants. The missile fell at Hythe's feet.Something prompted him to stoop and examine it. It was an ingot of puregold.
"By Jove!" he exclaimed. "I never had gold thrown at me before!"
His remark attracted the attention of the men nearest to him.
"Keep it up, old sport," shouted Carclew. "We don't mind."
The next instant he had cause to regret his words, for a lump
of theprecious metal, hurtling through the air with tremendous force, hit himfairly in that part of his anatomy commonly known as "the wind." Forthe next ten minutes Carclew lost all interest in the proceedings.
Meanwhile O'Shaunessey, unobserved by the madman, succeeded inclambering over the stern of the "Vorwartz." Here he waited till hiscomrade rejoined him, and together they stealthily crept towards theGerman.
The fellow was in the act of hurtling another missile when O'Shaunesseysprang on him from behind, flung his powerful arms round the madman'shead and pressed his right knee into the small of the man's back.Simultaneously the Irishman's comrade grasped the astonished German justbelow the knees, and with a tremendous crash the captured man fell uponthe metal deck. Even then his captors had no easy task, for the maniac,powerful under ordinary circumstances, now possessed the strength often. His right hand gripped O'Shaunessey's calf till the Irishmanbellowed with pain. For a few moments it looked as if the madman wouldbe more than a match for his two antagonists till O'Shaunessey'scompanion, loth to run any unnecessary risk, planted a heavy blow on thepoint of the madman's chin. The fellow's resistance ceased. He lay onhis back groaning dismally, while the Irishman deftly bound him hand andfoot with a couple of silk handkerchiefs.
"All clear now, sorr," shouted O'Shaunessey. "Sure, you can come aboardaisy and comfortable. We'll heave a line."
Looking about the Irishman discovered a wire ladder and a couple of longboat-hook staves. Lowering the former he swarmed down and succeeded inpassing the end of one of the boat-hooks ashore, keeping the other endon the bottom rung of the ladder. The second one formed a handrail, andalong this precarious bridge, which sagged to such an extent that thosemaking use of it were ankle deep in water, Captain Restronguet, Hythe,and four of the "Aphrodite's" crew made their way.
"At last, sir," exclaimed Hythe.
"It is yet too early for congratulations, Mr. Hythe," replied thecaptain. "We have made an easy capture, but until I am face to facewith my enemy, Karl von Harburg, my mission is not at an end.Nevertheless, we have much to be thankful for. Polglaze, bring thatboat-hook aft."
The man did as he was ordered. Drawing from his pocket a smallneatly-rolled bundle of silk Captain Restronguet unfolded it. It washis white and green ensign with the initials "J. R." upon it. For wantof halliards the flag had to be lashed to the stave, which was thereuponset up on the stern of the "Vorwartz"--a visible token that the rivalsubmarine was now in the possession of the captain of the "Aphrodite."