The crew of the gig had waited for the Jap that evening (the evening of Ned's departure) for more than two hours. The village was some little distance back from the shore and they allowed him ample time to go and return, considering the fact that a trolley2 line connected with the place.
When he did not return within that time, the coxswain ordered a return to the ship to receive further orders from Herc, acting3 commandant. Herc, in some perplexity as to the best course to[Pg 166] pursue, finally decided4 to order a picket5 party to find out what had become of the Oriental.
A thorough search of the village was made and at length, in a garage, they struck the trail of the yellow man. It appeared that he had rented a car there and departed for parts unknown.
Herc decided to wait for the return of the driver. He felt in a vague yet positive way that there was more underlying6 the disappearance7 of the Japanese than could be accounted for on the supposition that he had gone off on an undisciplined joy ride.
The chauffeur8 returned at last. He had taken Saki to a town where the Jap had boarded a train of the main line of the Long Island Railroad. That was all he knew. He had been well paid, he volunteered, and also added that the Jap had paid him from a roll that "would trip a greyhound."
[Pg 167]
"Now what would the steward9 of a gunboat be doing with all that money?" mused10 Herc.
He pondered for a time the advisability of trying to follow the trail of the Jap; but reflection convinced him that this would be useless.
Besides, the fact that he was responsible for the Seneca would have precluded11 the idea. He could not make it an excuse for deserting his post that he had been in pursuit of a mere12 steward; and they had not any actual proof against Saki to show that he was anything more than a deserter.
His description was, however, sent out broadcast, as a renegade from the navy. This done, Herc, feeling downcast and uneasy, returned to the ship. He felt depressed13. Influences of evil were at work, he felt sure of it. But the very indefiniteness of his suspicions made them the harder to bear.
"At least, I can find out if Saki was lying about being short of fresh vegetables," he said.
[Pg 168]
The assistant steward, a negro named after the ship where he had last served, Tennessee, was summoned. Herc made an inspection14 with him and found his worst suspicions verified. Far from being short of fresh provisions, the ship's refrigerators were amply stocked. There was no shortage anywhere that would justify15 the decamping steward's excuse to get ashore.
"Huh! if I'd only had horse sense enough to do this a while ago," mused Herc gloomily, "that fellow would have stood no more chance to get off this ship than a man would have to sell refrigerators at the North Pole. I'm a fine dunderhead, I am."
No wireless16 messages came that night, and the morning brought no news of Ned. Nor did Kenworth reappear at the appointed time.
Herc began to be seriously worried. What could have happened? The survey of the mine planting operations could not have taken more than a day. Ned should certainly have been[Pg 169] heard from. The silence and mystery that were closing in about Herc began to get on his nerves.
Still he attended dutifully to the routine of the ship, and Trevor, the operator, was under orders to report to him the instant anything came over the wireless. So the day wore away and with nightfall the wireless began to spit and splutter.
What Herc had dreaded17 had happened. The flagship was asking for Ned. Herc was in a terrible quandary18. He could not tell a lie and pretend that Ned was on board or had been heard from. Yet if he did not shield his comrade in some way, Ned was almost certain, unless he had an excellent excuse for his absence, to get into serious trouble. Even a courtmartial might result.
At length the wireless became imperative19.
"If Lieutenant20 Strong not on board, get in instant communication with him. Important.—Dunham."
[Pg 170]
"Try and get the flagship again," Herc ordered.
Trevor bent21 over his key. For a long time he kept sending his crackling waves out into space. But no answer came.
"Can't you get 'em?" demanded Herc impatiently.
The operator shook his head dismally22.
"No use trying. The air is full of messages. They're buzzing like flies round a honey-pot. I'll try again later on, sir."
Herc began to see that the command of the Seneca was not going to prove any bed of roses. Already he was plunged24 into the middle of a puzzle to which there appeared to be no key.
Not only had Kenworth and the Jap vanished, but Ned Strong was not to be found. Yet there were the orders: "Get in instant communication with him."
Herc gave a dismal23 groan25. The more he[Pg 171] thought matters over, the more complicated did they become.
"By the bald-headed American steer," he grunted26, in the seclusion27 of his cabin, "this beats anything I ever tackled. However, orders are orders and must be obeyed to the letter. I've got to get into communication with Ned. Just as if I wouldn't have done that long ago if I'd had the chance!"
Turning the command of the ship over to one of the warrant officers, Herc changed into plain clothes and then summoned the crew of his gig. He was rowed ashore and sought out the man from whom Ned had rented the gasoline craft which took him to Civic28 Island.
The man could shed no light on the matter, beyond saying that he had taken Ned to his destination. A sudden determination came over Herc.
Ned had, then, arrived at Civic Island. He must go there at once and take up the trail.
[Pg 172]
"It's a blind one," he muttered, "but I'll follow it to the end if it costs me my commission."
Some time later the same gasoline craft that had conveyed Ned, landed Herc at Civic Island. It had fought its way alongshore through the same storm that had brought disaster to Ned. Despite the idea he had formed of the difficulties of the task in front of him, Herc did not imagine, even in his more despondent29 moments, what a trail of trouble it was that he had set out upon.
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1
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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2
trolley
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| n.手推车，台车；无轨电车；有轨电车 | |
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3
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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4
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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5
picket
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| n.纠察队；警戒哨；v.设置纠察线；布置警卫 | |
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6
underlying
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| adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的 | |
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7
disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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8
chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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9
steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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10
mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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11
precluded
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| v.阻止( preclude的过去式和过去分词 )；排除；妨碍；使…行不通 | |
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12
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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13
depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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14
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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15
justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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16
wireless
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| adj.无线的；n.无线电 | |
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17
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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18
quandary
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| n.困惑，进迟两难之境 | |
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19
imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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20
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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21
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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22
dismally
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| adv.阴暗地，沉闷地 | |
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23
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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24
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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25
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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26
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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27
seclusion
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| n.隐遁，隔离 | |
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28
civic
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| adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的 | |
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29
despondent
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| adj.失望的，沮丧的，泄气的 | |
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