CHAPTER XXV.
THE APPROACH OF THE "VORWARTZ."
Beyond muttering "Well, I'm dashed!" the aviator relapsed into silence.In vain Captain Restronguet and Hythe looked for a trace of the"Aphrodite." As a last resource the former produced a silk green andwhite flag from his pocket and lashed it to one of the vertical stays inthe hope that the submarine might locate it by means of her periscope.
"They're carrying out orders," said Captain Restronguet at length. "Itold Devoran to dive if he saw any vessel approaching. He spotted the'Topaze' and immediately descended. It's awkward, because the secret isbound to leak out. But after all it is rather remarkable that it didn'tbecome common property hours ago."
"How shall we get on board the 'Aphrodite,' sir?" asked the sub.
"We'll manage it sooner or later, but there's valuable time lost. Ha,there's the 'Topaze' altering helm. She's sighted us."
A quarter of an hour later the cruiser's gig picked up the three unluckyaviators, while the aero-hydroplane was secured and towed alongsidebefore she sank, and was hoisted on board by means of a boat's davit.Dry clothing was immediately forthcoming, and clad in borrowed garmentsthe rescued men were taken aft to be introduced and interviewed by theHon. Charles Sedgwyke, captain of H.M.S. "Topaze."
Realizing that it would be useless to attempt to conceal anythingCaptain Restronguet made a full report of all that had occurred, andrequested that he and his companions might be taken back to Zanzibar,whence the "Aphrodite" might be communicated with by wireless.
"I am afraid that it is at present impossible, Captain Restronguet,"said the Hon. Sedgwyke. "We are under urgent orders to proceed toDelagoa Bay, for there that villainous von Harburg has been makinghimself particularly objectionable. We are to meet and co-operate withthe 'Pique,' and should our efforts meet with success we are to carry onto Table Bay. There is, I am afraid, no option. You must accompany us,and no doubt, your valuable experience in connection with the affairwill enable us to settle with the 'Vorwartz.'"
"I would much rather settle with her myself," replied CaptainRestronguet.
"That I can quite understand. I can also safely assert that CaptainRestronguet will not prevent the 'Topaze' from distinguishing herself bystanding aloof when he might otherwise render us good service."
Captain Restronguet bowed. "Naturally," he added. "Our interests inthe business lies in the same direction."
"Anything I can do to aid you I will most willingly do," continuedCaptain Sedgwyke. "I might suggest that the wireless of this vessel isat your disposal, and by sending a message to the Admiralty you couldhave it re-transmitted through your agent to the 'Aphrodite.'"
"An excellent arrangement," said Captain Restronguet, "only it iscertain that the news will reach Karl von Harburg, and that is what Iparticularly wish to avoid."
"I trust that within the next few days Karl von Harburg will be totallyindifferent to news of any description," remarked the captain of the"Topaze" drily. "But in the meanwhile make yourselves comfortable onboard. You will, I hope, do us the honour of being a temporary memberof the Ward Room. Mr. Hythe, who is still under the Naval DisciplineAct, must, of course, mess in the Gun Room. I am still slightly hazy asto the exact official and social status of the aviator-in-chief to HisHighness the Sultan of Zanzibar."
Three days later the "Topaze" was threshing her way southward at a goodtwenty-two knots and was approaching the rendezvous. It was now night,but the moon, shining with all the lustre that only the tropics canenjoy, made everything on deck quite discernible.
Surrounded by a group of officers, all of whom were most anxious togather particulars of the rival submarines from two of the principalcharacters, Captain Restronguet and Hythe had to exercise theiringenuity to prevent themselves being "pumped," for even to their kindhosts it was not advisable to give themselves away. Nevertheless thetime passed pleasantly. The paymaster's cigars were excellent, thesurgeon was a lively raconteur, and the first lieutenant was kindnesspersonified; but at length Captain Restronguet contrived to draw Hytheaside to the lee of the after nine-point-two-inch gun turret.
"No doubt you wondered why that fellow Jenkins addressed me as HughTretheway," he began. "Well, it certainly was strange running acrosshim in far-off Zanzibar. You may remember I told you that for somemonths, when down on my luck, I worked as an electrical fitter inDevonport Dockyard? That man Jenkins was in the same shop. He isn't abad fellow by any means, though somewhat of a rough diamond. HughTretheway is my baptismal name, but for certain reasons I preferred todrop it and assume the name of John Restronguet. I hope that for thepresent at all events you will keep that information a secret. I havealready had a quiet talk with Jenkins on the matter, and from what Ialready know of him, he will be as silent as the dead."
"Of course I will carry out your wishes, sir," said the sub.
"Thank you. But to change the subject: what do you think of the chancesof the 'Topaze' against the 'Vorwartz'?"
"She has her work cut out," replied the sub. "But I feel certain thatevery man on board will do his best."
"They cannot do more," added Captain Restronguet earnestly. "At thesame time they are running needless risks when, once I locate the'Vorwartz,' I could destroy her without a quarter of the danger.Suppose, now, that the Delagoa Bay report was false and Karl von Harburgis knocking about in these waters: what is there to prevent her fromtorpedoing the ship and sending her to the bottom?"
"That is a risk that every ship must run in naval warfare," repliedHythe. "Ever since the invention of torpedoes that risk has increased,and now that submarines form a formidable arm of the Naval Service thereis still the greater possibilities of a ship being sent to the bottomwithout a shot in self-defence."
Before Captain Restronguet could say another word a hoarse order camefrom the fore bridge, followed by a shrill bugle-call for "GeneralQuarters" and the long-drawn notes of the bo's'un's-mates' whistles.
"What's that?" demanded Captain Restronguet.
"'Clear for action'--a test order perhaps," replied Hythe. "See howthose fellows get to work."
Up the companion-ladders officers hurriedly appeared, still fumblingwith the buckles of their sword-belts. From for'ard tumbled a swarm ofhefty bluejackets, who, invading the sacred precincts of thequarter-deck, began to unship stanchions, davits, ventilating-cowls, andother impedimenta; steel covers were lowered over skylights andcompanion-hatchways. The securing bolts of the after nine-point-two gunturrets were cast loose, and the long muzzle swung round, causingCaptain Restronguet to hurriedly duck his head. In five minutes thequarter-deck of the "Topaze" was deserted, as were the other exposedparts of the ship, every man being at his station behind the armouredportions of the vessel.
Another bugle-call.
"As you were," exclaimed Hythe. "Suppose we go up on the after-bridge.They are exercising. Perhaps the next evolution will be 'Out collisionmats.'"
"Hope they won't have to do it in real earnest," remarked his companionas the two men ascended to their coign of vantage.
Once more the bo's'un's-mates' whistles sounded while the bo's'unshouted in stentorian tones "Out nets." The cry was repeated in half adozen different parts of the ship, and the hither-to deserted decksbecame a scene of disorder and chaos: at least that's what it seemed toCaptain Restronguet, who was for the time being a stranger in a strangeland.
Instinctively Hythe pulled out his watch, which once more had stedfastlyresisted the assaults of the sea water. Captain Restronguet, grippingthe rail, leant over and watched the scene of activity upon the moon-litdeck. Over the side of the gently-rolling craft active seamen slid downupon the apparently insecure net-shelves, and by a series of gymnasticfeats succeeded in rolling ten tons of close-meshed steel netting overthe side, to the accompaniment of shouts of "Look alive there!" fromtheir officers. Hardly had the last man regained the deck ere the motorcapstans of the fo'c'sle began to clank. Seamen armed with spars thru
stat the ends of the torpedo booms to give the motor-worked wire rope achance; then slowly yet surely the twenty hollow steel booms were swungoutwards till the "Topaze" was encircled with a "crinoline" of nets atsufficient distance from the ship to stop a deadly torpedo. Backdoubled the men to their stations for action.
The sub glanced at his watch. The evolution had taken only forty-fiveseconds.
"Smart work!" ejaculated Captain Restronguet.
"Yes," assented Hythe. "But we did it in forty seconds on the oldflagship. Apparently Captain Sedgwyke is not satisfied for I can hearhim storming to some one."
"It is hardly my place to offer suggestions," said Captain Restronguet,"but I think it would be advisable if they kept the nets in position. Itmight save the 'Topaze' from being torpedoed, although I know that thespeed is greatly diminished by the drag in the water."
"We never do," replied the sub. "It is the first time I have seen 'Outnets' performed with the ship underway. It is essentially a defencewhen lying at anchor. There: 'In net defence,' they are going to stowthe nets."
In the midst of the scramble that ensued the bugle suddenly sounded"General Quarters." To leave an evolution half completed was a veryunusual thing.
Something prompted Hythe to look seaward. At less than a cable'sdistance the two conning-towers of a submarine had just appeared abovethe surface of the moon-lit sea, a smother of foam making them stillmore conspicuous. The sub gripped his companion's arm and pointed.
"The 'Vorwartz!'" he exclaimed.
Several of the officers of the "Topaze" had observed the suddenappearance of the sinister craft, and hence the call to GeneralQuarters. The light quick-firers were manned, their muzzles swung roundtill they pointed full at the submarine's conning-towers, which,proceeding at nearly the same rate and in a similar direction to that ofthe cruiser, presented an easy target.
Captain Sedgwyke was puzzled. It was inexplicable that the submarineshould show herself when she might have let loose a torpedo whilecompletely submerged. Nevertheless he was on the point of giving theorder to open fire when Captain Restronguet, in a voice that could beheard from one end of the ship to the other, shouted:--
"Don't fire, it is the 'Aphrodite.'"
Something in the captain of the "Aphrodite's" words prompted CaptainSedgwyke to issue a confirmatory order. Hythe was astonished--evendoubtful. He could not be certain as to whether it was the "Aphrodite"or her counter-felt rival; but the inventor and constructor had made noerror. It was the "Aphrodite."
Thirty feet in front of the fore conning-tower the sharp bows of thesubmarine appeared above the water, followed by the whole length of herdecks, from which the water poured in silvery cascades.
Then a hatch was thrown open and a figure that Hythe recognized as thatof the first officer appeared. Raising a megaphone Devoran shouted:--
"Is Captain Restronguet on board?"
"Ay, ay," replied a voice from the fore-bridge. "What submarine isthat?"
"The 'Aphrodite,'," replied Devoran, merely as a matter of form, sincehis identity was now established. "Can you send a boat? We haveimportant intelligence to communicate."
At that moment a petty officer ran up the ladder of the after-bridge andrequested Captain Restronguet to speak to Captain Sedgwyke.
"I suppose you wish to board your craft," said the Captain of thecruiser. "We will lower a boat as soon as we get a bit shipshape."
"If you will kindly do so I will rejoin the 'Aphrodite,'" repliedCaptain Restronguet. "At the same time I think the information isurgent. Shall I ask my first officer to deliver it verbally to savetime?"
"Very good," assented Captain Sedgwyke.
The information was indeed startling. The electric detector of the"Aphrodite" had picked up the position of the "Vorwartz." Karl vonHarburg's submarine was proceeding northwards, and was even now withintwenty miles of the British cruiser.