CHAPTER XVI
The Wrong Island
"Putting in there, sir?" asked Beverley, finding his chief inclinedto become communicative.
"I was debating," replied Harborough. "I want to, and yet I don'twant to. Fact is, I can't make up my mind."
Villiers, Beverley, and Claverhouse, who with the skipper formed theparty on deck, gazed steadfastly upon the distant peaks of Ni Telang.Each man wanted to study the expressions on his companions' faces,but somehow every one hesitated to do so. The admission of indecisioncoming from the hitherto somewhat despotic skipper of the _Titania_rather took the wind out of their sails.
"What's your opinion on the matter, Villiers?" inquired Harboroughabruptly.
"You wish to satisfy yourself that our rivals are slogging away onthe wrong spot?"
"Exactly," replied the baronet. "I suppose it's rather childish, butsomehow I want to enjoy the spectacle of seeing the _Zug's_ crewfiguratively tumble into the pit they suppose they've dug for others.On the other hand, we are anxious to get to work, and on that accountperhaps it would be as well to slip past Ni Telang unobserved andcarry on to Nua Leha. It will take us some time, I fancy, to locatethe wreck."
"I would suggest, sir," remarked Claverhouse, "that we make straightfor Nua Leha and get to work. Trevear and I could have a joy-rideover to Ni Telang and see what sort of game the Huns are up to."
"They'd spot the sea-plane," objected Bobby Beverley. "That wouldn'tbe advisable in the initial stages of the salvage operations."
"Then what is your scheme, Beverley?" asked Harborough, reaching downfor a large-scale chart of the islands that lay in a locker under thechart-house table.
"We could make a trip in one of our boats," replied Beverley. "Youcouldn't, Villiers, old son; they know you already. We could pitch upa yarn that we are on a fishing expedition and have got blown awayfrom our ship. For that purpose we would be Yanks from the U.S. yacht_Narrunga_. No doubt friend Strauss would bluff us, but he daren'trefuse to let us land for fresh water."
"Quite a sound scheme, Beverley," agreed Harborough. "I think we'llact upon it when we get to Nua Leha.... A couple of points to thesouth'ard for the present, quartermaster. East-a-half-south will do."
"East-a-half-south, sir," intoned Merridew in professional style.
Keeping to the new course, the _Titania_ passed a good ten miles fromthe island of Ni Telang. At that distance, although the peaks wereplainly visible in the clear atmosphere, the low-lying land and thesurrounding barrier of coral reefs were below the horizon. There wasa strong temptation to ascertain whether the _Zug_ had alreadyarrived, but, once a decision was arrived at, Harborough put thequestion firmly from his mind.
Almost before the peaks of Ni Telang dipped below the horizon otherland appeared above the skyline, bearing E by N.1/2N.
"We'll broach that case of champagne to-night, all being well,"declared Harborough, whose fit of indecision had now passed. He gaveanother glance at the chart. Almost daily for the last three monthshe had studied that canvas-backed sea-map of the approaches to NuaLeha; and now the vision of tomorrow had become the reality ofto-day.
"Keep her as she is," he continued. "There's plenty of water for abit. I'm going to turn in. If I'm not awake by one bell in the firstdog watch turn me out."
"Very good, sir," replied Villiers.
The _Titania_ was bowling along under canvas at a good seven knots.It was one of those rather exceptional days when the breeze held trueand the vessel was able to cut through the clear blue water withoutany necessity on the part of the crew either to increase or reducecanvas, or to touch a sheet. The weather-shrouds were tautened likeharp strings as the yacht lay over at an almost constant angle ofthirty degrees from the perpendicular. The spray hissed from hercutwater, and burbled pleasantly past her sides, leaving a clean wakeastern.
All hands, including Pete, who was now entirely "in the know", weretremendously excited as the distance between the _Titania_ and hergoal decreased.
Yet the island appeared to rise above the blue horizon with provokingslowness. By noon it was just possible to discern three jagged peaksthat rose to a height of two thousand five hundred feet above thesea-level, the intervening valleys being a good thousand feet lower.To the northward the ground sloped gradually until it vanished in thehaze of mingled sea and sky.
By four o'clock the white line marking the surf upon the outer reefwas visible. By the aid of glasses it could be seen that the lowerportion of the island was much-wooded, coco-nut palms predominating.The upper land was well covered with grass, but the higher peaks werebare and rugged, indicating their volcanic origin.
Five minutes later Harborough anticipated himself by coming on deck.He had slept the sleep of mental and bodily exhaustion, and althoughhe still looked tired he had lost the grey, haggard expression thathad been his constant companion for the last ten days.
"We'll have to approach from the eastern side," he remarked. "Thereis a passage on this side, but I don't care to risk it. The lead'sprecious little use in these parts."
He swept the island with his binoculars, and then turned abruptlyupon Bobby Beverley.
"Tell Swaine to go aloft," he ordered. "Conning the ship from thecross-trees is the best means of getting across the bar. Mr.Villiers, see that there's a kedge aft ready to let go. You might aswell stow canvas. The wind will be heading us round the corner."
While these orders were being executed O'Loghlin went below to startup his beloved motors. He usually spent the greater part of hiswaking hours below tinkering with the engines. Even in the Red Seaand in the sweltering heat of the Malacca Straits he kept up theperformance, and the hitherto-neglected engines were now a picture ofpolished and easy-running mechanism.
Keeping within a distance of two miles from the reef, the _Titania_skirted the south-eastern sides of the island. Although a carefulwatch was maintained there were no signs of human habitation ashore,except a ruined hut that might have been built by the crew of atrading-vessel during their search for b?che-de-mer.
"Good thing there are no natives," remarked Harborough "They'd onlytend to complicate matters. We wouldn't dare leave any stores on thebeach; they'd vanish. Right-o, Swaine; up aloft with you."
Like a cat Swaine swarmed up aloft, hand over hand, by means of thethroat-halyards, for the _Titania_ was not fitted with ratlines.Barely had he settled himself on the cross-trees when he shouted:
"Vessel at anchor in the lagoon, sir!"
"By Jove!" ejaculated Villiers, and without expressing his thoughtshe, too, went aloft.
Beyond a low-lying spur of land fringed with an irregular line ofcoco-nut palms, he could discern the upper parts of the hull and themast and funnel of a steamer. She had evidently only recentlyarrived, for smoke was issuing from her funnel.
"It's the _Zug_, sir," he announced.
The explosion of a 42-centimetre shell could hardly have producedgreater surprise. Beating her rival only by a few hours, the _Zug_had dropped anchor not at Ni Telang but at Nua Leha, and almost overthe spot where the wreck of the _Fusi Yama_ was supposed to be lying.By what freak of fortune had von Giespert's minions chosen that spot,when, had they acted upon instructions given in the false chart, theyshould have been fifty miles to the west'ard?
"That's a nasty one, sir," remarked Villiers, as he gained the deck.
"It is," agreed Harborough briefly. He was rapidly forming a plan ofaction rendered necessary by the totally unexpected turn of events.
To enter the lagoon and dispute the right of possession with therival expedition would almost certainly end in bloodshed, and thisHarborough was loth to provoke. Nor was he willing to come to termswith them. On the other hand, he was not going to give up his chancesand those of his fellow-adventurers. Something had to be done andthat quickly, for in another five minutes the _Titania_ would bevisible from the _Zug's_ decks.
"Make all plain sail," ordered Harborough. "We'll beat back to NiTelang. It's possible that we may lure 'em out."
Q
uickly fore and aft canvas was set, and, close-hauled on the porttack, the _Titania_ skirted the western side of the island. It wassoon evident that her presence was observed, for with true Hunnisheffrontery the _Zug_ gave a long blast on her syren and hoisted theGerman colours.
"So much for the Swedish myth," commented Harborough. "Fritz likes tocrow when he thinks he's on top. Now we'll see if the fish willbite."
Apparently the _Zug's_ crew were puzzled when the approaching Britishvessel, instead of turning and entering the lagoon, held on a courseparallel to the reef. As a matter of fact, owing to a miscalculationon the part of Captain Siegfried Strauss, the steamer had anchoredoff Nua Leha, under the impression that she was at Ni Telang. Themerest fluke prevented this error from leading to the accidentaldiscovery of the sunken treasure of the _Fusi Yama_.
But when the _Titania_ held on, Strauss began to puzzle his brains.If this were the island he could not understand why the Englishmenshould admit defeat so tamely. Something was wrong somewhere.
He checked his chronometer and sextant readings and revised hisfigures. Suddenly he gave a howl of angry astonishment. There was anerror making a difference of fifty-five minutes of longitude.
With an oath he shouted for the cable to be hove short, at the sametime ringing to the engine-room to "stand by", ignoring von Giespert(who had joined the ship at Batavia), and was demanding anexplanation.
"I have the speed of that craft," he decided. "I'll beat her yet."
"She's weighing, sir," reported Villiers, who had been keeping the_Zug_ under observation by means of powerful binoculars. "They'vesteam on her winch."
Harborough's rugged features wore a weird smile.
"That's the stuff to give 'em," he exclaimed. "Tell O'Loghlin to giveher full throttle. We'll have to keep up the pretence."
With every stitch of canvas set and both engines developing theirutmost horse-power, the _Titania_ skirted the eastern andnorth-eastern extremities of Nua Leha. So far the wind helped her,but presently she would be headed by the breeze.
Before an intervening headland cut off a view of the lagoon it wasseen that the _Zug_ was actually under way. Harborough's bluff lookedlike succeeding. At all events the rival concern was being lured awayfrom the maritime Tom Tiddler's ground.
"So she hasn't located the wreck," commented Harborough, as pleasedas a dog with two tails. "We'll let her beat us on the last lap."
"It will be dark before they arrive," remarked Beverley.
"So much the better," rejoined Harborough. "If they choose to pileher upon the reef that's their affair. I wouldn't risk it."
The excitement of the speed-contest killed all sense ofdisappointment at having to retrace their course. For once at leastHarborough evinced greater interest in what lay astern than in whatlay ahead.
"There she is," exclaimed half a dozen voices, as the _Zug's_ bowsappeared from behind the headland.
A dense column of smoke was pouring from her funnel, and, judging bythe size of the "bone in her teeth", she was chugging through thewater at a pace that threatened overheated bearings and sundry othertroubles in the engine-room.
"I reckon she's doing a good couple of knots more than the old_Titania_," declared Villiers, who, having been busy with the stowingof canvas, had strolled aft to watch the overhauling craft. "It's awonder that they don't open fire on us through sheer force of habit."
"They'd like to, I don't doubt," rejoined Harborough. "I wouldn't besurprised if she suddenly ports her helm when she's abreast of us.We'll have to watch her."
"She's slowing down," exclaimed Bobby. "That's engine-trouble."
"I think not," said Harborough. "She's easing down because she knowsshe has the heels of us. She's letting us pilot her, but I'll betwhen she sights land she'll go all out again. Right-o, Fritz, go yourown gait, I don't mind, s'long as you keep clear of Nua Leha."
An hour later the look-out reported land ahead. The three peaks of NiTelang were showing above the horizon, standing out clearly againstthe late afternoon sun.
Viewed from the east'ard, there was a strong similarity between thetwo islands, so that, apart from the Hun navigator's error indetermining his position, the mistake was to a certain extentexplicable.
For the next hour the _Zug_ hung resolutely at the heels of herrival; then, apparently satisfied as to the precise locality of thegoal, she increased speed, and in a blatant bullying fashionoverhauled and passed the smaller and slower _Titania_.
The Hun bulwarks were lined with stolid-looking men whose faceslooked like masks concealing a vulgar triumph. The _Titania's_ peoplesimply ignored them. The common courtesies of the high seas weredispensed with; there were no dipping of ensigns and exchange ofsignals. For all the outward notice she attracted, the _Zug_ mighthave been non-existent.
There was no lowering of screens revealing a battery of quick-firers;no foaming track of a torpedo; no attempt on the part of the Hun toput his helm hard over and ram his rival. No doubt the desire to doso was present, but the fear of detection and consequent punishmentwas too great.
It was soon obvious to von Giespert and his henchman Strauss that therace was by no means a decided event. There was little doubt but thatthe German-owned vessel would arrive off the island first, but in therace against darkness the latter would win easily.
With the suddenness common to tropical climes, the short twilightgave place to intense darkness. There was no moon and the stars wereobscured. The _Titania_ displayed her navigation light, but the _Zug_apparently did not. She might have shown her port and starboardlights, but even by the aid of night-glasses no red and green blurrwas visible from the _Titania_; nor did the leading vessel hoist astern light. All that indicated her presence was a phosphorescentswirl in the water under her stumpy counter, and an occasionaldisplay of sparks from her funnel.
Harborough could well afford to hold on, although the low-lying reefsof Ni Telang were not so many miles away. Following in the wake ofthe _Zug_, he knew that the Hun vessel would give him fair warning ofthe partly-submerged danger, because if the Hun tramp piled herselfupon the coral there would be sufficient time for the _Titania_ toport her helm hard over and avoid the danger.
But presently the _Zug_ ported her helm. She had now displayed hernavigation lights, and the white and green showed two points on the_Titania's_ starboard bow.
"She's funked it, by Jove!" ejaculated Villiers.
"And I don't blame her," added Harborough, straining his ears tocatch the sound of the roar of the surf above the steady pulsationsof the engines. "Now we'll have to watch her. It's like a game ofmusical chairs with two players for a solitary vacant seat. We'llhave to keep our end up till dawn, and then we'll let them slip in."
It was an eerie night. Except those whose duties required them to bebelow, the _Titania's_ crew remained on deck. Up and down on afour-mile beat parallel to the eastern side of Ni Telang the twovessels cruised, passing and repassing each other like two dogs"ready to wound and yet afraid to strike ". Occasionally the_Titania_ played her searchlights upon the island in order to verifyher position, although Harborough took good care not to let the beamsbear upon the rival ship.
Shortly after midnight the _Zug_ attempted the passage through thereef. By the aid of an Aldis lamp in her bows she cautiouslyapproached the gap in the line of foam that showed ghastly-white inthe tropical darkness. But almost at the moment of success Strauss'snerve failed him, and, reversing engines, the German vessel backedaway.
At length Harborough consulted the luminous dial of his wristletwatch.
"It'll be dawn in another ten minutes," he announced. "We'll carry ona little longer than usual on this course, and let them think we'vebeen caught napping."
His surmise was correct. The _Titania_ was three miles off the N.E.extremity of the island, when the lofty peaks were lighted up withthe blush of a new-born day. The _Zug_, marking time off the entranceto the lagoon, promptly took the narrow channel through the reef,rolling heavily as she passed the jagged fringe of surf-swept
coral.Then, with a rush and a roar, her cable tore through the hawse-pipeand she came to a standstill, head to wind, off the Island of NiTelang. Harborough smiled grimly.
"You've hit the wrong island this time, old son," he exclaimedcontentedly. "But it was a narrow squeak for us."