“This certainly is the most remarkable2 ship I’ve ever seen, or ever hope to see,” he exclaimed as they descended3 into the hull4 through the conning tower hatch.
“I designed most of these gadgets5 before the close of the last war,” replied the Baron6 in his usual pompous7 manner. “The armistice8 interrupted my experiments and as there was no government that amounted to anything in my country then, I kept the results of my work for myself. Some little time ago, speculation9 in your American stocks gave me sufficient capital to build that ship with added improvements. Now I am cashing in on her.”
110
The Diesel10 engines were drawing air from an intake11 valve just under the small bridge as they dropped into the control room where Bill and the Baron studied the charts for a while, and he was given the course he was to fly. They passed through the battery room where the walls were lined with the crews’ bunks12 and into the pilot’s glassed-in cockpit.
“Hello!” Osceola beamed at them from one of the pilot’s seats. “It’s sure good to see you again, Bill, old boy. How do you do, Baron?”
The Baron was annoyed.
“It is customary aboard my ships for a superior officer to receive a salute13 when spoken to. And the salute should be rendered standing15.”
Osceola smiled, stood up, clicked his heels together and brought the fingers of his right hand smartly to the edge of the soft helmet he wore.
111
“Thank you.” The Baron punctiliously16 returned the salute. “Good afternoon, Chief.”
“When the buzzer17 rings in here, Mr. Bolton, you will start idling your engines and take off as soon as possible immediately afterward18. You know your course and you have instructions with regard to landing. Further orders will be sent to you should I consider them necessary.”
“I understand, sir,” said Bill.
Both young fellows saluted19. The Baron returned their salutes20 and left the cockpit, sliding the door to behind him.
“Gosh!” exploded Osceola. “That lad gives me the jim-jams with his confounded bowing and saluting21. I’ll turn into a Prussian Yunker myself if we don’t get out of this soon!”
112
“Reckon you weren’t cut out for a Naval22 man,” laughed Bill, “I admit I’ve had my fill of that stuff at the Academy, but the Herr Baron certainly goes the whole hog23. Let’s see what kind of a crate24 I’ve got to run,” he mused—“ten motors—dual control—aeromarine inertia25 starter!”
He studied the layout thoughtfully and glanced at the instrument board. Then he turned to Osceola again.
“Thank heaven, they’ve fitted this bus with the wheel and column type of control. The clever bird has stolen some of the Fokker features. That worm gear, operated by a crank and shaft26 from the pilot’s seat to adjust the stabilizer in flight proves it.”
“Maybe,” grinned his friend. “That’s all Greek to me. The joke of it is that these bozos think I understand—that I’m an aviator27 like you!”
“Well, I’ve given you some pointers, haven’t I? You ought to recognize a few of these gadgets.”
The Chief snorted. “Few is right. Your amphibian28 is one thing—but this bus is fitted out like the engine room of an ocean liner!”
113
Bill laughed and picked up a soft helmet.
“Ever been in one?”
“An engine room?”
“Yes.”
“Not yet—and I hope never.”
“I thought so. Well, Mr. Assistant Pilot, get into your seat and look pretty. I’ll do the work. Confound, there goes the buzzer!”
He slipped into his seat and his hand sought the inertia starter. With her multiple engines roaring in deafening29 crescendo30, the Flying Fish leapt through the water and was jerked onto her step, quite as easily as the smallest seaplane. A few seconds later she was in the air, nosing upward into the ether.
Bill ran her up to thirty-five hundred feet, leveled off, did a sharp bank to port, then straightened out once more and spoke to Osceola.
“Some bus! Runs like a ladies’ wristwatch.”
“Aren’t you keeping pretty low?”
“There’s no sense climbing higher. The skipper wants to get there in a hurry.”
114
“I do, Osceola. But it’s a long chance—and a darned sight better for our plans than being cooped up in the brig. If I wasn’t driving this plane, the Baron would be. Friend von Hiemskirk is so sure of himself he says that we have his permission to escape—if we can. I’d like to give him a run, you know.”
“Yes, nice of him, isn’t it? Still, we got away from the Shell Island gang, didn’t we?”
“Sure did—and put those guys in a place where they belong.”
“Well, I’m entirely32 willing to try it with this bunch—but between you and me, I’m almost inclined to agree with the Baron—I don’t think we’ve the ghost of a show.”
“Maybe not. But we’ll make a good stab at it, just the same. First of all, we’ve got to know how they work their game. That’s the principal reason why I took over this job. It’s not only escape I’m after, but it’s busting33 up this organized piracy, as well.”
115
“Ambitious, aren’t you?”
“Well—hello! there’s smoke on the horizon!”
“Oh, yes, I see it. Dead ahead. Think she’s the ship we want?”
“Hope so. We’re following the course. Herr Pomposo plotted it himself, so he can’t strafe us if it isn’t.”
Osceola clapped a pair of glasses to his eyes and studied the distant smudge of black that was curling up a blue horizon.
“The Orleans is a three-stacker. Also, she’s plenty big and fast. Push that button on the instrument board marked ‘C.R.’, will you?”
Osceola complied. “What’s C.R. mean?”
“This,” said Osceola, “begins to get exciting.”
116
“It will,” said Bill, “get a good deal more exciting than we bargained for unless you pipe down, old man. There’s some ticklish36 business ahead of us and I can’t afford to crack it. Now—get these instructions, and get ’em right. That handle yonder works the bomb release. When I say the word, take hold of it—but don’t pull until I tell you to.”
“But—Bill!” protested the Seminole. “You surely aren’t taking orders from von Hiemskirk or anyone else to bomb that liner!”
“Not if I know it,” Bill answered curtly37. “Get your mind on the job. When I say NOW—you pull. Not one instant sooner, or an instant later. It’s a matter of life and death—so be careful.”
“Trust me,” said his mystified friend, lifting a nervous gaze to stare at the great steamer they were approaching so swiftly.
The Orleans was a beautiful sight; a racing38 greyhound of the seas, tearing through a glassy ocean, bound for Europe with mail and passengers.
117
The Flying Fish came upon her from the south. As he drew nearer the leviathan, Bill decreased the plane’s altitude to a meager39 five hundred feet. Below the belching40 funnels he could see passengers and crew crowding the starboard rails, for even the most blasé traveler is still thrilled by the sight of an airplane in mid-ocean.
The great plane circled the ship. Then Bill dropped behind for a moment, did a flipper41 turn to port, levelled off and came racing up from the rear. When the Flying Fish was directly over the steamer’s stern, Bill spoke to Osceola.
“Get ready!” he said.
“Good Lord! You can’t do it, Bill. It’s murder!”
“Shut up—and obey orders!” commanded his pilot. “This is my funeral—not yours.”
Osceola grasped the bomb release, his brain whirling in consternation42 and confusion.
118
Slowly they forged ahead, over the stacks, the foremast, the bow, and on until they had gained a lead of possibly two hundred yards on the Orleans.
“NOW!”
Back came Osceola’s hand, yanking the handle and at the same time Bill banked the plane in a sharp left turn. Osceola descried43 an object darting44 seaward beneath them. He glimpsed it strike the water and a geyser shot upward in front of the racing liner. Then as the Flying Fish came about and landed, he saw that the Orleans was slowing down. By the time their own craft was moored45 to a sea anchor, the liner’s propellers46 no longer turned and she lay like a “painted ship upon a painted ocean.”
Both lads stripped off their headgear as the Baron walked into the cockpit.
119
“I am about to board the Orleans,” he stated in that overbearing tone that was so irritating to Osceola. “You young gentlemen will accompany me. We leave directly. Once aboard, it will be your duty to make note of the quantity of gasoline and lubricating oils carried by the liner and render a report to me. I shall probably be found in the First Class dining salon47, where passengers will be interviewed. Come now, it is time we were off.”
When Bill and Osceola came out on deck they saw that a three-inch gun had been brought topside and was trained on the Orleans. Signals had evidently passed between the Flying Fish and the liner, which lay motionless a few hundred yards off their port quarter. Even as the boarding party, armed to the teeth, stepped into a small launch, a gangway was let down from the side of the leviathan.
The journey across took but a very few minutes. Bill had only time to note that the Orleans no longer flew her colors and that the decks were still crowded with passengers, when the seaman48 in the bow of their launch caught the grating at the bottom of the steep flight of steps with his boathook.
120
The Baron immediately sprang onto the grating and, followed by another officer, Bill, Osceola and four seamen49 bearing rifles, mounted the gangway. The launch in the meantime hastened back toward the Flying Fish to pick up another load of men.
An indignant officer, whose uniform proclaimed him to be the ship’s captain, met them as they stepped on deck.
“This is an outrage50!” he thundered, addressing the Baron. “By what right do you threaten my ship and board her?”
Von Hiemskirk smiled cynically51 at the scowling52 captain, and bowed, including the row of ship’s officers and men who stood close behind him, in his salutation.
“You make a mistake, Captain,” he replied affably, “when you say ‘my ship.’ Allow me to inform you that she is no longer yours—but mine—by right of conquest!”
“But this is—piracy!”
121
“I am glad,” said the Baron, “that you realize the fact.” He changed his tone abruptly53. “Permit me to inform you also that unless my orders are obeyed—obeyed on the instant,—it will be my unpleasant duty to sink this ship.”
A man in the uniform of the ship’s wireless54 operator pushed his way through the crowd of protesting passengers and saluting the Orleans captain, whispered a few words in his ear.
“No secrets,” snapped the Baron. “Operator, what message have you brought?”
It was now the captain’s turn to smile.
“I will answer your question,” he returned. “We have been in touch with the United States Cruiser Stamford. At the present moment, she is steaming at full speed to this spot!”
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1
conning
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| v.诈骗，哄骗( con的现在分词 )；指挥操舵( conn的现在分词 ) | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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hull
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| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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gadgets
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| n.小机械，小器具（ gadget的名词复数 ） | |
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baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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pompous
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的 | |
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armistice
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| n.休战，停战协定 | |
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speculation
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| n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机 | |
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diesel
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| n.柴油发动机，内燃机 | |
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intake
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| n.吸入，纳入；进气口，入口 | |
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bunks
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| n.（车、船等倚壁而设的）铺位( bunk的名词复数 )；空话，废话v.（车、船等倚壁而设的）铺位( bunk的第三人称单数 )；空话，废话 | |
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13
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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14
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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15
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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punctiliously
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buzzer
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| n.蜂鸣器；汽笛 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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salutes
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| n.致敬，欢迎，敬礼( salute的名词复数 )v.欢迎，致敬( salute的第三人称单数 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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saluting
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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hog
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| n.猪；馋嘴贪吃的人；vt.把…占为己有，独占 | |
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24
crate
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| vt.(up)把…装入箱中；n.板条箱，装货箱 | |
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inertia
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| adj.惰性，惯性，懒惰，迟钝 | |
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shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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aviator
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| n.飞行家，飞行员 | |
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amphibian
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| n.两栖动物；水陆两用飞机和车辆 | |
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deafening
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| adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式 | |
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crescendo
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| n.(音乐)渐强，高潮 | |
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piracy
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| n.海盗行为，剽窃，著作权侵害 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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busting
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| 打破，打碎( bust的现在分词 )； 突击搜查（或搜捕）； （使）降级，降低军阶 | |
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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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35
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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ticklish
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| adj.怕痒的；问题棘手的；adv.怕痒地；n.怕痒，小心处理 | |
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curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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meager
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| adj.缺乏的，不足的，瘦的 | |
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40
belching
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| n. 喷出，打嗝 动词belch的现在分词形式 | |
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41
flipper
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| n. 鳍状肢，潜水用橡皮制鳍状肢 | |
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42
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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43
descried
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| adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的 | |
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44
darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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45
moored
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| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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46
propellers
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| n.螺旋桨，推进器( propeller的名词复数 ) | |
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47
salon
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| n.[法]沙龙；客厅；营业性的高级服务室 | |
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48
seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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49
seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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50
outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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51
cynically
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| adv.爱嘲笑地，冷笑地 | |
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52
scowling
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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53
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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54
wireless
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| adj.无线的；n.无线电 | |
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