CHAPTER XXVIII
It was a curious sight that met Browne's gaze, when he entered the snuglittle cabin, in which he and his friends had spent so many happy hourstogether. The skipper was standing near the door, M'Cartney was nextto him, the second engineer in the corner opposite, and half-seated,half-forced down on the cushioned locker under the starboard port-holewas Maas, with MacAndrew, revolver in hand, leaning over him. Browneglanced from one to another of the group, but failed to take in thesituation.
"What does this mean?" he cried, and, as he did so, he looked at JimmyFoote, as if for explanation.
"It's a bad business, Browne, old chap," Jimmy replied; "a very badbusiness. I wish to goodness I had not to say anything to you aboutit. But it must be done, and there is very little time in which to doit. While you were away on shore a small incident occurred whicharoused my suspicions. I determined to watch, and did so, with theresult that they were confirmed. I saw that our friend Maas was a gooddeal more familiar with your officers and crew than I thought was good,either for them or for himself. I did not know he was the traitorouscur he is."
By this time Maas's usual sallow face was ashen pale. His lips seemedto be framing words which were never spoken.
"For heaven's sake, Foote," cried Browne, in an agony of impatience,"get on with what you have to say! What have you discovered?"
Jimmy turned to the second engineer, who was almost as pale as Maas."Tell him everything," he said; "and see that you speak the truth."
"I scarcely know how to tell you, sir," the young fellow answered. "Ionly wish I'd never lived to see this day. What made me do it I don'tknow; but he, Mr. Maas there, got round me, sir, and--well, the longand short of it is, I gave in to him, and did what you know."
"You mean, I suppose, that you and he between you are responsible forthis break-down in the engine-room this morning? Is this so?"
"Yes, sir," the man admitted.
"And, pray, what reason did Mr. Maas give you for desiring you to dothis?"
"He told me, sir," the young man continued, "that he had your interestsat heart. He said he happened to know that, if you had started forJapan at once, as you proposed, you would be running the yacht into acertain trap. He said that, though he had pleaded and argued with youin vain, you would not listen to him. You were bent on going on. Theonly way, he said, that he could stop you, was for me to do what I did."
"Surely, my dear Browne," interposed Maas, speaking for the first time,"you are not going to believe this cock-and-bull story, which is quitewithout corroboration. Your own common-sense should show you howabsurd it is. What can have induced this man to trump up this chargeagainst me I cannot say. Our friendship, however, should be proofagainst it. Knowing the amount of worry you have upon your shouldersat the present time, I have no desire to add to it; at the same time, Icannot permit your servant here to insult me before your face."
Browne took no notice of what he said. Turning to the engineer, hecontinued:--
"How much did Mr. Maas offer you, or what inducement did he bring tobear, to get you to do what you did?"
"He offered me five hundred pounds, sir," the other returned. "I toldhim, however, that I wouldn't take his money. You have been very goodto me, sir, and I did not want to be paid for doing, what I thought wasa kindness to you. It wasn't until Mr. M'Cartney told me about thatcruiser having put in an appearance, that I saw what I had been ledinto doing. Then I went straight to him and made a clean breast ofeverything."
"It was the best course you could have pursued," said Browne, "and Ishall remember it, when I come to deal with your case later on. In themeantime, gentlemen, what are we to do?"
As he spoke the second officer descended from the bridge and made hisappearance at the cabin door.
"The cruiser, sir, has signalled that she intends sending a boat," hereported, touching his cap.
"Very good," answered Browne; and when the officer had taken hisdeparture he turned to Maas.
"So it is as we suspected," he began, very slowly and deliberately."While we have been trusting you with our secret, you have been playingthe traitor all round. Maas, I can scarcely believe it. I did notthink a man could fall so low. However, there is no time to talk ofthat now. Come, gentlemen, what are we to do?"
Ever since the second officer had announced that the man-o'-war wasabout to send a boat, Maas had undergone a complete change. Though hehad been found out, he still felt himself to be master of thesituation; and with every minute's grace his pluck returned to him.Springing to his feet, he cried:--
"You ask what you should do, do you? Then I will tell you. You can donothing at all. You are in my power, one and all. Remember that Irepresent the Russian Government, and, if you attempt anything againstmy safety, I shall place myself in the hands of the commander of thecruiser you can see over there. You must surely see that the game ishopeless, and that further resistance would be as foolish as it wouldbe futile."
"Well, if anybody had told me----" Browne heard Jimmy remark; thenMacAndrew struck in:--
"I think I take in the position," he said. "I have met with a similarcase once before. Perhaps you would not mind leaving it in my hands,Mr. Browne?"
"What do you mean to do?" inquired Browne.
"I will very soon show you," replied MacAndrew. "Perhaps Mr. Footewill assist us?"
"I will do anything you like to be even with him," returned Jimmyvindictively.
"That's the sort of talk," answered MacAndrew. "Now let us make ourway to his cabin. Mr. Maas, I shall have to trouble you to accompanyus."
"I'll do nothing of the sort," responded Maas. "I decline to be leftalone with you."
"I'm very much afraid you've no option," remarked MacAndrew calmly; andas he spoke he gave a little significant twist to the revolver he heldin his hand. "Come, sir," he continued more sternly than he had yetspoken. "On to your feet, if you please. Remember you are playingwith desperate men. If by hesitating you get into trouble, you willhave only yourself to thank. Your friend, the cruiser, is still acouple of miles away, as you must be aware, and a revolver-shot wouldscarcely be heard as far."
Seeing that there was nothing for it but to obey, Maas rose to his feetand passed out of the smoking-room, along the deck, and down the salooncompanion-ladder to his own cabin. Once there, MacAndrew handed hisrevolver to Jimmy, with the request that he would be good enough towatch the prisoner during his absence, and to put a bullet through hisskull if he should attempt to escape or give the alarm.
"For my part," resumed MacAndrew, "I'm going to test the resources ofMr. Browne's medicine-chest."
Five minutes later he returned with an ounce or so of some dark fluidin a graduating-glass.
"Good heavens! You're surely not going to poison him," exclaimedBrowne; while Maas stared at the glass with frightened eyes.
"Poison him?" answered MacAndrew coolly. "My dear fellow, is it likelyI should do anything so absurd? No; I am simply going to place him ina position of safety, so that he cannot harm us during the time thewarship is in sight. Now, Mr. Maas, I shall have to trouble you toswallow this."
"I'll do nothing of the kind," asserted Maas sturdily. "You shall notpersuade me to put my lips to it."
"In that case, I'm afraid there will very probably be trouble," repliedMacAndrew. "If I were you, sir, I should make up my mind to theinevitable. Remember there are unpleasant arguments we could bring tobear, should you still remain obdurate."
Maas gasped for breath. He looked right and left, as if for someloophole of escape, but could find none. He was surrounded on everyside by inexorable faces, which gazed upon him without pity or remorse,while on the table before him stood the small glass half-full of thedark-coloured liquid.
"Come, sir," said MacAndrew, "I shall be glad if you would toast us.Let me remind you that there is no time to lose. It always pains me,in cases like the present, to have to apply physical argument whenmoral might produce the same result. In the ev
ent of your notdrinking, as I request, perhaps Mr. Browne will be kind enough topermit us the use of his galley fire. The method, I admit, isbarbarous; nevertheless it is occasionally effective."
The perspiration rolled down Maas's cheeks. Bantering as MacAndrew'stones were, he could still see that he was in deadly earnest.
Browne glanced out of the port-hole, and noticed that the man-o'-war'sboat had left its own vessel. In less than a quarter of an hour itwould be alongside, and then---- But he did not like to think of whatwould happen then.
"I will give you one more minute in which to drink it," rejoinedMacAndrew, taking his watch from his pocket. "If you do not do so thenyou must be prepared to take the consequences."
Silence fell upon the group for a space, during which a man mightperhaps have counted twenty.
"Half a minute," murmured MacAndrew, and Browne's heart beat soviolently that it almost choked him.
"Three-quarters of a minute," continued MacAndrew. "Mr. Foote, wouldyou mind giving me the revolver and standing by that door? I am afraidthat we shall be driven into a tussle."
Jimmy did as he was requested, and another pause ensued.
"Time's up," said MacAndrew, shutting his watch with a click. "Now wemust act. Mr. Browne, take his legs if you please."
They moved towards their victim, who shrank into a corner.
"I give in!" he cried at last, affecting a calmness he was far fromfeeling. "Since there is no other way out of it, I will do as youdesire, provided you will give me your assurance that the stuff isharmless."
"It is quite harmless," replied MacAndrew; and then, with an air ofbraggadocio that could be easily seen was assumed, Maas tossed off thedecoction, and, having done so, seated himself on the settee. Aquarter of an hour later he was in his bunk, fast asleep, and Jimmy wassitting by his side in the capacity of sick-nurse.
"You had better bear in mind the fact that he has been ill for the pastweek," MacAndrew remarked, before he left the cabin. "He caught achill through falling asleep on deck, and pneumonia has set in. Now Ishall retire to join my friend in the tunnel, and leave you to your owndevices. Don't forget to let me know, Mr. Browne, as soon as theRussian has bidden you farewell."
"You may depend on me," Browne answered; and, as he spoke, the captainhailed him from the deck above, to inform him that the boat was comingalongside.