There was no wind. Overhead from a mirky, dark-grey sky the heavy drops were falling vertically3, thudding upon the corrugated4 iron sheets like the beating of a hundred kettle-drums and rebounding5 from the puddles6 already formed, until as far as the eye could see—a distance of less than fifty yards—everything appeared to be a confused blurr of moisture.
"There'll be wind behind this lot," remarked Captain Blair. "Let's hope it'll blow over before Thursday."
It was his first day outside the compound. Partly owing to the desire to share the discomforts7 with his men and also to make himself acquainted with the harbour, he had insisted upon taking charge of the working-party told off to proceed to the beach.
Ramon Porfirio was in a hurry to complete the operations hindered by the appearance of the Yosemite, which were to result in the blocking-up of the southern approach channel by sinking the Donibristle in about eight fathoms8 of water between the detached ridge9 and the southern arm of the cliff enclosing the harbour. It was for this purpose that buoys11 had been laid down in order to warp12 the Donibristle to the position chosen for the act of scuttling13.
Already the vessel14's masts and derricks had been taken out of her, and the wreckage15 of the funnels16 and bridge removed. Almost everything of a portable nature likely to be of use to the pirates had been landed, until with the exception of her engines and boilers17 very little remained but the hull18 and a few fittings considered of no value for removal.
Ill-equipped for the wet weather the Donibristle's company turned out and awaited the arrival of Fernando, who invariably superintended the calling of the roll. About fifty feet away and just visible through the rain were the Kittiwake's crew, who for the last week or more had been engaged in excavating19 dug-outs and trenches20 on the cliff through which the approach-tunnel had been driven. Farther away and lost to view, the remnants of the Alvarado's men were mustering21 for their daily toil22.
Presently the skipper of the Kittiwake, seeing Captain Blair with his men, strolled over to him.
"Mornin', Blair," said Captain Davis. "Not a nice sort of morning for you to be turning out. Feelin' fit?"
"Fairly," admitted Captain Blair. "Eh, what is it?"
For the Kittiwake's Old Man had taken the Donibristle's skipper by the arm, and was leading him away from the rest of the party.
"A word in your ear, Blair," replied Captain Davis, lowering his voice "You've got a young woman amongst your crowd, haven't you?"
"How on earth did you get to know that?" demanded the astounded23 skipper.
"'Taint24 a question of my knowing," rejoined Captain Davis. "There are others in the know also I'm just warning you, Blair; you can count on Captain Davis and the Kittiwakes to help you put up a fight if need be, although the lot of us don't stand a dog's chance."
"Thanks for the warning, Davis," replied Captain Blair grimly. "I'll act upon it."
The arrival of the half-caste overseer terminated the conversation. Captain Blair, greatly perturbed25, walked slowly back to his men.
An hour later the soaked and dispirited prisoners were launching several of the boats, amongst them the lifeboat that Burgoyne had definitely in view for the projected flight from the island. It was raining so heavily that by the time the boats ran alongside the Donibristle the bottom-boards were floating, in spite of the fact that the plugs had been withdrawn26 and the water allowed to drain out before launching.
Wearing an almost new dark blue bridge-coat that looked suspiciously like the skipper's, Black Strogoff was sheltering under the boat-deck when the working-party arrived. With him were half a dozen pirates armed with automatic pistols.
"You there!" shouted Black Strogoff on catching27 sight of Captain Blair. "Come you here. Do you know what is to be done? Run out warps28 ahead and astern, buoy10 and slip the cables to move the ship round that point. You understand? Good; then do it, and tell me when the work is finished."
There was no option but to obey. Calling Burgoyne and Branscombe Captain Blair allotted29 them their respective posts, sending the former away in a large pulling cutter to pass the bow warp to the nearmost buoy. He also took the opportunity of conferring hurriedly with Alwyn on another matter.
In the absence of steam the work of warping30 out had to be carried out by hand. The cable was slipped, and, under the united efforts of the score of men walking away with the bow warp, the Donibristle moved slowly, almost reluctantly, through the rain-beaten waters of the harbour.
As the battered31 hulk passed within a cable's length of the pirate cruiser, Ramon Porfirio stepped to the rail of the Malfilio and shouted a curt32 order to the sheltering Strogoff. Apparently33 the command was to the effect that the work must be hurried up, for the pirate lieutenant34, emerging from his retreat, gave a brief and surly reply. Then, bawling35 to Captain Blair to tell the men to haul away quicker, he retired36 to his temporary den37.
"Meaning, I suppose," observed Captain Blair to Branscombe, "that the Malfilio is about to sail and that Porfirio wants the job finished before he weighs. How is that fractured steam-pipe getting on, by the by, Angus?"
"It's patched up," reported the Chief Engineer with a dry chuckle38. "She'll be raising steam I've nae doot, but she'll blaw yon patch clean out when they wark up tae onything like a pressure."
Captain Blair's surmise39 was a correct one. Porfirio, having picked up the wireless40 messages exchanged between the British, American, and Japanese cruisers engaged in searching for the missing merchant vessels41, was aware that they had given up hope of finding the survivors42 and were returning to their respective bases. He was a believer in the old adage43 "Men and ships rot in port ", and was loth to keep the Malfilio and her polyglot44 crew in harbour any longer. Inactivity not only meant no prizes; the pirates, lawless except for the iron rule of their captain, were particularly apt to get out of hand when their enthusiasm flagged by standing45 idle.
But before he set sail he wanted to see the Donibristle sunk in the South Approach Channel. That entrance, he considered, was a weak spot in the natural defences of the secret base, and by sealing it against the passage of all but the smaller craft he would be able to devote all his resources to the defence of the sole remaining approach. Not that Ramon Porfirio had any desire to pit the guns of the island against a squadron of warships46. He hoped to be able to disappear decently long before the secret was out, leaving Henriques and Strogoff to shift for themselves. Similarly Black Strogoff was fostering a plan to get away from the island with the bulk of the booty in specie, and, once clear, obtain his revenge on Porfirio by denouncing him to the British Admiralty or the U.S. Navy Board.
At length the Donibristle was warped47 out until her bows nearly touched the sheer face of the cliff that formed the detached screen to the anchorage. Hawsers48 were then led from her port quarter and starboard bow, until she swung straight up and down the Southern Approach Channel. A cable's length more and the ship arrived at the scene of her watery49 grave.
Captain Blair, looking much like a parent would when called upon to sacrifice a child—for the idea of scuttling his ship was hateful to him in the extreme—shouted for the boats to be recalled. The life-boat, in which Burgoyne and half a dozen men had been working, ranged alongside under the Donibristle's port quarter. Astern of the life-boat was a gig; while a couple of cutters and another gig—the latter only manned by pirates—came alongside the starboard accommodation ladder.
"We're in eight fathoms of water, Mr. Burgoyne," sang out the Old Man.
"Ay, ay, sir," replied the Third Officer.
Captain Blair turned and made his way to the spot where Black Strogoff was standing.
"We are in position," he reported gruffly.
"And about time, too," was the ungracious response. "All right, tell your men to push off."
The skipper of the Donibristle then crossed to the starboard rail, and leaning over the side ordered the men to lay off at a distance of about half a dozen boats' lengths. Then, calling to everyone of his party on board to abandon ship, he waited until the deck was clear of all but Black Strogoff and two or three of his followers50, and lowering himself by a rope gained the gig on the port side.
The scuttling was quickly accomplished51. In order to prevent the vessel from being raised at any future date the Kingston Valves were not employed to flood the ship, but in each of the holds and in the engine-room explosive charges had been placed in position ready to be electrically fired from the deck.
"You know what to do, Perez?" inquired Black Strogoff, addressing an olive-featured ruffian whose costume consisted of a pair of canvas trousers, a poncho52 made of pampas grass, and a cork53 lifebelt.
The man nodded. He had no great liking54 for the task, and was wondering what would happen to him if the charge was sufficiently55 powerful to blow up the decks as well as shattering the keel plates.
"You will feel only a slight shock," declared Strogoff reassuringly56, but Perez noted57 that the lieutenant showed no inclination58 to remain. In point of fact Strogoff hurried down the accommodation ladder, jumped into the gig, and ordered the men to row twice the distance of the other boats from the ship before he signed to Perez to depress the firing-key.
Simultaneously59 with a muffled60 report the charges burst. Without waiting for the good ship Donibristle to sink under him the operator took a flying leap over the side, hit the water with a tremendous splash, and struck out frantically61, swimming as fast as the huge cork lifebelt permitted.
The Donibristle, her keel-plates rent asunder62, sank rapidly, with a slight list to port. Amidst a smother63 of foam64 caused by the escaping of the confined air, she settled on the bed of the channel, with about five or six feet of her upperworks showing on the starboard, and less than one foot clear on the port side.
Above the hiss65 of escaping air and the turmoil66 of the agitated67 water came the voices of a dozen men shouting at once:
"The life-boat's taken under."
The gig containing Black Strogoff appeared on the scene, just as five or six men forming the life-boat's crew were scrambling68 over the gunwales of the boats nearest them.
"What game of fools is this?" demanded the lieutenant angrily.
"Life-boat's sunk. Pinned down by the foot of one of the davits," announced one of the men.
"Sunk like a stone, with her sides crushed like an egg-shell," added another.
"Just about as much as we could do to get clear," declared a third. "She was gone in a brace69 of shakes. An' where's Mr. Burgoyne?"
"Anyone seen Mr. Burgoyne?" inquired Captain Blair loudly.
"I seed 'im in the boat, sir," declared the bowman of the lost life-boat.
"So did I, sir," volunteered another seaman70. "He was a-holdin' on the yoke-lines, and was goin' to tell us to——"
"He was a blamed idiot," declared Strogoff. "What did he mean by hanging on alongside when the ship was sinking?"
"She went that sudden-like," explained the bowman.
"Didn't give us no chance no-how."
"Anyone else missing?" demanded Captain Blair.
There was a pause, then half a dozen voices replied in unison71:
"Yes, sir, Minalto, the quartermaster of the port watch."
"No sign of them?"
Several of the men peered into the now transparent72 water, for the sand disturbed by the sinking vessel had now settled. Twenty feet below the surface, pinned down by something engaging the starboard gunwale, the life-boat could be seen with fair distinctness. She was lying on her beam ends with her bows slightly lower than her stern.
"Can't see 'em, sir," replied one of the men. "P'raps they're trapped between the boat and the side of the ship."
"You might have given us more warning," said Captain Blair addressing the taciturn lieutenant. "If you had I should not have lost a promising73 officer and a smart seaman."
"Imbeciles, both of them," snapped Black Strogoff. "They have themselves only to blame. It is none of my affair."
"Now I come to think on it," resumed the irresponsible bowman. "I think I saw Mr. Burgoyne mixed up wi' some gear as we dipped. An'——"
Captain Blair held up his hand to enjoin74 silence. Having succeeded in bluffing75 Black Strogoff he considered it high time for the mendacious76 recital77 to terminate. He was too good an actor to risk wrecking78 the piece by an excess of "gagging".
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1
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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2
torrents
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| n.倾注；奔流( torrent的名词复数 )；急流；爆发；连续不断 | |
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3
vertically
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| adv.垂直地 | |
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corrugated
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| adj.波纹的；缩成皱纹的；波纹面的；波纹状的v.（使某物）起皱褶(corrugate的过去式和过去分词) | |
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5
rebounding
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| 蹦跳运动 | |
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puddles
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| n.水坑， （尤指道路上的）雨水坑( puddle的名词复数 ) | |
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7
discomforts
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| n.不舒适( discomfort的名词复数 )；不愉快，苦恼 | |
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8
fathoms
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| 英寻( fathom的名词复数 ) | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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buoy
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| n.浮标；救生圈；v.支持，鼓励 | |
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buoys
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| n.浮标( buoy的名词复数 )；航标；救生圈；救生衣v.使浮起( buoy的第三人称单数 )；支持；为…设浮标；振奋…的精神 | |
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12
warp
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| vt.弄歪，使翘曲，使不正常，歪曲，使有偏见 | |
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13
scuttling
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| n.船底穿孔，打开通海阀（沉船用）v.使船沉没( scuttle的现在分词 )；快跑，急走 | |
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14
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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15
wreckage
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| n.（失事飞机等的）残骸，破坏，毁坏 | |
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funnels
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| 漏斗( funnel的名词复数 )； （轮船，火车等的）烟囱 | |
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17
boilers
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| 锅炉，烧水器，水壶( boiler的名词复数 ) | |
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18
hull
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| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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19
excavating
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| v.挖掘( excavate的现在分词 )；开凿；挖出；发掘 | |
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trenches
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| 深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕 | |
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21
mustering
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| v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的现在分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发 | |
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22
toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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23
astounded
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| v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶 | |
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24
taint
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| n.污点；感染；腐坏；v.使感染；污染 | |
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25
perturbed
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| adj.烦燥不安的v.使（某人）烦恼，不安( perturb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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26
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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27
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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28
warps
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| n.弯曲( warp的名词复数 )；歪斜；经线；经纱v.弄弯，变歪( warp的第三人称单数 )；使（行为等）不合情理，使乖戾， | |
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29
allotted
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| 分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30
warping
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| n.翘面，扭曲，变形v.弄弯，变歪( warp的现在分词 )；使（行为等）不合情理，使乖戾， | |
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31
battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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32
curt
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| adj.简短的，草率的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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35
bawling
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| v.大叫，大喊( bawl的现在分词 )；放声大哭；大声叫出；叫卖（货物） | |
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36
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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37
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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38
chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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39
surmise
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| v./n.猜想，推测 | |
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40
wireless
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| adj.无线的；n.无线电 | |
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41
vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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42
survivors
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| 幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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43
adage
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| n.格言，古训 | |
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44
polyglot
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| adj.通晓数种语言的；n.通晓多种语言的人 | |
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45
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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46
warships
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| 军舰，战舰( warship的名词复数 )； 舰只 | |
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47
warped
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| adj.反常的；乖戾的；（变）弯曲的；变形的v.弄弯，变歪( warp的过去式和过去分词 )；使（行为等）不合情理，使乖戾， | |
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48
hawsers
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| n.（供系船或下锚用的）缆索，锚链( hawser的名词复数 ) | |
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49
watery
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| adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的 | |
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50
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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51
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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52
poncho
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| n.斗篷，雨衣 | |
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53
cork
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| n.软木，软木塞 | |
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54
liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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55
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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56
reassuringly
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| ad.安心，可靠 | |
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57
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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58
inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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59
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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60
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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61
frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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62
asunder
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| adj.分离的，化为碎片 | |
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63
smother
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| vt./vi.使窒息；抑制；闷死；n.浓烟；窒息 | |
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64
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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65
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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66
turmoil
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| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
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67
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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68
scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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69
brace
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| n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备 | |
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70
seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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71
unison
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| n.步调一致，行动一致 | |
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72
transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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73
promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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74
enjoin
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| v.命令；吩咐；禁止 | |
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75
bluffing
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| n. 威吓，唬人 动词bluff的现在分词形式 | |
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76
mendacious
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| adj.不真的，撒谎的 | |
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77
recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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78
wrecking
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| 破坏 | |
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