THROUGHOUT the three days during which the sea was raging furiously in the grip of the terrific gale1, the Alerte remained submerged. Occasionally the giant seas sweeping2 over the Stones rocked her ever so slightly. The noise of shingle3 carried over the rocky ledge4 to wind'ard could be distinctly heard like a continuous roll of distant thunder, but as far as actual danger went the Alerte was as safe as if she had been lying at heavy moorings in the most sheltered berth5 in Falmouth harbour.
The difficulty of maintaining a constant supply of pure air was overcome by means of chemicals; so much so, that there was a slight excess of oxygen that had a peculiarly exhilarating effect upon the crew. Even the usually morbid6 and pessimistic Pengelly began by attempting feeble jokes. He next became boisterous7 and excitable, while on the third day even the light-hearted crew looked askance at him, so erratic8 was his behaviour.
Several of the hands showed signs of excessive excitability. The epidemic9 was spreading. Had the Alerte remained submerged very much longer, all hands might have gone mad under the influence of the super-oxygen charged atmosphere.
Fortunately for them, Captain Cain noticed the symptoms. He decided10 to break surface and remain with the hatchways open for at least an hour, even at the risk of the heavy seas pouring inboard.
At two in the morning of the fourth day the Alerte was brought to the surface. Greatly to her skipper's surprise—for the glass had risen far too rapidly to prognosticate fine weather—the storm had blown itself out. Crested11 waves were surging over the Stones and thundering upon Godrevy Island, but the pirate submarine was in comparatively sheltered water, rolling sluggishly12 to the long Atlantic swell13.
Captain Cain's chief anxiety was now on account of the oil fuel. The gauges14 showed that there was only one ton left in the tank. By some means he must get into communication with Captain Silas Porthoustoc and arrange for the Fairy to proceed to a rendezvous15 with a cargo16 of liquid fuel.
For the present the Alerte rode to a single anchor, double watches being set to give the alarm should a vessel17 be sighted, although the position of the pirate submarine was well out of the way of traffic, owing to the proximity18 of the reef known as the Stones. At a few seconds' notice the Alerte could submerge. Meanwhile, the hull19 of the submarine was being swept by a current of pure, ozone-laden air.
"Mr. Pengelly!" shouted the skipper.
The second in command hurried along the alleyway, performing a fantastic two-step.
"Pull yourself together, man," exclaimed Captain Cain sternly. "We're in a bit of a fix."
Pengelly's light-hearted demeanour fell from him like a shedded garment.
"What is it now, sir?" he inquired anxiously.
"Precious little oil-fuel left," replied the captain. "Look here: do you know Portreath? What sort of a harbour is it?"
"Not enough water for us," replied Pengelly. "You're surely not going to take the ship into port?"
"No fear," responded Cain grimly. "But I want to send a boat ashore20. You'd better take her. We must arrange with Porthoustoc to supply us with oil. While you are ashore, you might get hold of a batch21 of newspapers. We don't appear to be getting much information by wireless22."
"There'll be a heavy breaking sea across the mouth of Portreath harbour," objected Pengelly.
"A chance for you to display your seamanship," added Cain, with grim humour. "We'll run up along before daybreak and then retrace23 our course. People ashore will think we're outward-bound. Pick your crew. I'll write a letter to Old Silas, giving him instructions."
Just before dawn the Alerte brought St. Agnes' Head broad on the starboard beam. Then she turned and ran leisurely24 down the coast, bringing up off the little harbour of Portreath just as the sun appeared above the gaunt and rugged25 Cornish hills.
To the coast-watching station she made a signal announcing herself as the s.s. Eldorado of Sunderland from Bristol to Whitby, following up with a request to know whether it was practicable to send a boat ashore.
Portreath station replied that it could be done, but care was necessary on account of the disturbed state of the bar.
"Carry on, Mr. Pengelly," ordered the inexorable Captain Cain.
The boat made the harbour safely. Pengelly, on stepping ashore, was met by one of the Customs men.
"Hello!" remarked the latter. "Rather unusual you coming in here, isn't it?"
"I have to post important letters," replied Pengelly.
"Lucky you didn't bring up off here a week or so ago," commented the official. "We'd have to have searched you."
"'Cause of that pirate what was knocking about. Well, she's gone, thank goodness! I wasn't none too keen myself, putting off to a vessel that might have been manned by cutthroats."
"She blew herself up over t'other side of Godrevy Island," announced the man, with a sweep of his hand in the direction of St. Ives Bay. "Just as the Windrush—destroyer, she be—was about to nab her. They'll be starting salvage28 operations when the swell settles—maybe to-morrow."
"That's something to be thankful for," said Pengelly sententiously. "Not that they'd have got much out of the old Eldorado out yonder. There are enough risks at sea without the chance of being scuppered by a bloomin' pirate.... Where's the post office, mate?"
The Customs man gave the required information. Pengelly walked away, posted Silas Porthoustoc's instructions and purchased a quantity of provisions and a big budget of newspapers.
He returned to the harbour and found that none of the boat's crew had deserted29. He would not have been greatly surprised if some of them had made themselves scarce. He himself felt tempted30 to clear out, when his feet touched honest Cornish soil. It would be an easy matter to make his way to Penzance and arrange with Old Silas to share the plunder31. But there were difficulties. He might betray Cain and obtain King's pardon, but what would happen to the booty then? Its secret hiding-place would be divulged32. He would not be a penny the better. And, if Cain evaded33 capture, his—Pengelly's—life would not be worth a moment's purchase. Possibly, similar fears had exercised a restraining influence on the boat's crew. Once "in the swim" it was a difficult matter to escape the whirlpool.
"Better look alive," cautioned the Customs man, looking down from the lofty quay-side. "There's a nasty sea-fog banking34 up."
The boat shipped a considerable amount of water in clearing the harbour, and by the time she ran alongside the Alerte the fog was so thick that the shore was entirely35 blotted36 out.
"Well, what's the news?" demanded Captain Cain.
"Haven't looked, sir," replied Pengelly, tossing the bundle from the boat to the deck of the Alerte. "From what I've heard, they think us properly scuppered."
The boat was hoisted37 up and secured. At slow speed the pirate submarine nosed her way through the fog, intending to make for a certain secluded38 "sound" in the Scillies, there to await the arrival of the Fairy with the oil.
Having given the quartermaster the course, Cain selected a couple of newspapers and told the bo's'un to pass a number of them for'ard for the hands not on duty.
One of the newspapers was the Western Gazette. This the captain handed to Pengelly, knowing that the latter would derive39 interesting local information from it. The Times Cain retained and figuratively proceeded to devour40 with the avidity of a man who has for days been cut off from all accounts of the world's doings.
"'Tany rate," resumed Cain, "there's a warrant out for the arrest of Thomas Trevorrick and Paul Pengelly for fraud in connection with the Polkyll Shipbreaking Company. We're assumed to have absconded43 and to be hiding on the Continent. There's two hundred pounds reward."
Both men smiled grimly at each other. Evidently there was no connection in the minds of the authorities between Trevorrick and the pirate Captain Cain.
"And the Memnon is officially reported as being destroyed," continued Captain Cain. "The Admiralty state emphatically that she is the vessel that attacked the Cap Hoorn. They weren't far out there, Pengelly, but listen! This is a gem44! 'In consequence of the destruction of the Memnon, all danger to shipping45 through piratical action is now considered at an end. Accordingly orders have been issued to the naval46 patrols engaged in hunting down the pirate to return to their respective bases.' Well, that's given us a new lease of life. Wait till we replenish47 our fuel tanks and we'll give My Lords a nasty eye-opener." This time both men laughed boisterously48. Fickle49 Fortune was treating them with lavish50 favour.
For some minutes there was silence, each reader deep in his paper.
"By Jove!" suddenly ejaculated Pengelly. "Listen to this, sir: 'An inquest was held——'"
"Don't want to hear about inquests," interrupted Captain Cain. "Don't suppose mine will worry me. Why should I trouble about other people's?"
"You will about this one," persisted Pengelly doggedly51. "It's Silas Porthoustoc. He was found dead in his garden. Heart disease, they say. The inquest was held in the Keigwin Arms last Monday."
"Confound the fellow!" almost shouted Captain Cain angrily. "What possessed52 him to shuffle53 off this mortal coil at this time above all others, and to leave us in the lurch54? Ten thousand thunders! Think of the oil-fuel we'll have to whistle for!"
"And I've only just posted his orders," added Pengelly. "What did you tell him? Will that give us away?"
"No, it won't," declared the skipper. "It will convey nothing to outsiders. 'Scilly blooms' and 'Jersey55 potatoes' won't give them a clue, Trust me for that. All the same, it's infernally annoying."
"It is," agreed Pengelly.
Both men relapsed into silence.
"I hope Porthoustoc got that Abrahams fellow down from London to dispose of the booty before he turned up his toes?" mused56 Cain.
"Wonder if Silas hid the stuff where I told him to?" soliloquised Pengelly. "Well, it's all or nothing as far as I am concerned."
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1
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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3
shingle
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| n.木瓦板；小招牌(尤指医生或律师挂的营业招牌)；v.用木瓦板盖（屋顶）；把（女子头发）剪短 | |
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ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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berth
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| n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊 | |
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morbid
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| adj.病的；致病的；病态的；可怕的 | |
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7
boisterous
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| adj.喧闹的，欢闹的 | |
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8
erratic
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| adj.古怪的，反复无常的，不稳定的 | |
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epidemic
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| n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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crested
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| adj.有顶饰的，有纹章的，有冠毛的v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的过去式和过去分词 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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sluggishly
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| adv.懒惰地；缓慢地 | |
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13
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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gauges
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| n.规格( gauge的名词复数 )；厚度；宽度；标准尺寸v.（用仪器）测量( gauge的第三人称单数 )；估计；计量；划分 | |
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15
rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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16
cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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17
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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proximity
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| n.接近，邻近 | |
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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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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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21
batch
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| n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量 | |
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22
wireless
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| adj.无线的；n.无线电 | |
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23
retrace
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| v.折回；追溯，探源 | |
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24
leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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rumours
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| n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传 | |
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28
salvage
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| v.救助，营救，援救；n.救助，营救 | |
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29
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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30
tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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31
plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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32
divulged
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| v.吐露，泄露( divulge的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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33
evaded
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| 逃避( evade的过去式和过去分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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34
banking
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| n.银行业，银行学，金融业 | |
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35
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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36
blotted
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| 涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干 | |
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37
hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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39
derive
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| v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自 | |
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40
devour
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| v.吞没；贪婪地注视或谛听，贪读；使着迷 | |
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41
fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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42
asperity
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| n.粗鲁，艰苦 | |
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43
absconded
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| v.（尤指逃避逮捕）潜逃，逃跑( abscond的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
gem
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| n.宝石，珠宝；受爱戴的人 [同]jewel | |
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45
shipping
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| n.船运（发货，运输，乘船） | |
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46
naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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47
replenish
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| vt.补充；(把…)装满；(再)填满 | |
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48
boisterously
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| adv.喧闹地，吵闹地 | |
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49
fickle
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| adj.(爱情或友谊上)易变的，不坚定的 | |
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50
lavish
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| adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍 | |
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51
doggedly
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| adv.顽强地，固执地 | |
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52
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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53
shuffle
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| n.拖著脚走，洗纸牌；v.拖曳，慢吞吞地走 | |
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54
lurch
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| n.突然向前或旁边倒；v.蹒跚而行 | |
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55
jersey
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| n.运动衫 | |
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56
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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