Rounding up the Raider Part 15

"Not much use," objected Denbigh. "In fact, it would be more of a help to her than a hindrance."

"How's that?" asked the Irishman.

"Simply because the river would dig itself another channel across the bar, and its width being restricted by the stranded vessel, its depth would be even greater than the existing one. No, I think we can do nothing but sit tight and trust to luck, that the _Pelikan_ will be sent to the bottom before Friday."

"And us?"

"You can bet your bottom dollar that a couple of armed cutters will be sent after the _Myra_."

Without touching even once the tramp crossed the dangerous patch, and was soon breasting the rapidly-increasing current. The river at this point was about 180 yards in width, and carried a depth of 30 to 40 feet for twelve miles from its mouth. On either side the banks were overhung with mangroves and coco-nut palms, from which myriads of birds, aroused by the unfamiliar noise of the tramp, rose screeching in the sultry air. The surface of the river was dotted with black objects resembling water-logged trunks of trees, but on the _Myra's_ approach the seemingly inanimate objects were endowed with life and activity.

They were hippopotami, that literally swarmed in the turgid water.

Having, as he imagined, navigated the _Myra_ beyond reach of the British cruisers, Unter-leutnant Klick ordered several of the crew of the captured tramp on deck, and informed them that they were in future to a.s.sist in working the ship. Should any attempt to recover the vessel be made, the offence would be punishable with death. He also pointed out the impracticability of escape, since the river was infested with hippopotami, and the forests with fierce animals.

Just before sunset, the _Myra_ brought up at a distance of about seven miles from the mouth of the river. The flood-tide, accompanied by a distinct bore, had now set in, and since the river was hardly wide enough to allow the tramp to swing, an anchor was let go astern and twice the amount of cable necessary paid out. Then, directly the vessel's way was stopped, the bower-anchor was let go from the bows.

The stern cable was then hove inboard until the ship lay evenly between the two anchors.

The _Myra_ had no stockless anchors, but those of the old Admiralty pattern.

"By Jove! how strong the current runs here!" remarked O'Hara, as the two subs watched the yellow stream surge past the ship. "If the ground tackle carried away there would be a jamboree. A new channel wouldn't form in a couple of days here."

Denbigh did not reply. He was mentally gauging the distance between the ship's side and the nearmost bank.

"It's risky," he thought; "but there are no gains without pains. I'll have a shot at it to-night."

On being ordered to retire to their cabin the two officers found that the mate was already there. As Denbigh and his chum entered, he hastily stowed something in his pocket, but finding that they were not any of the German crew he withdrew the article.

It was a piece of soft wood about nine inches in length.

"What's the game, Armstrong?" asked Denbigh.

"I'm just knocking up a couple of dummy forelocks," explained the mate, opening his jack-knife once more. "I gave our fellows in the fo'c'sle the tip, and they'll get them in position as soon as the anchors are catted. I'm going to give these a coat of galvanized paint and I'll wager those German chumps won't notice the difference. Next time they drop the hook the pins will snap under the strain, the stocks will slip, and the old hooker will drag at the rate of knots."

"That's a good wheeze, Armstrong," said Denbigh. "But look here. I want you to do me a good turn. Have you the duplicate key of this cabin?"

"Sure I have," replied the mate.

"I'm going to have a shot at getting ash.o.r.e," declared the sub.

"You'll be a fool if you try," said Armstrong bluntly and emphatically.

"With this current running and the hippos barging about you wouldn't stand a dog's chance."

"I'll wait till slack water and take my chance with the hippos,"

rejoined Denbigh. "If I succeed in getting ash.o.r.e I'll make my way along the bank until I reach the entrance. I'm rather curious to see what the _Pelikan_ is doing."

"I'm with you," volunteered O'Hara.

"You'll stop here, old man," said Denbigh firmly.

"If I stop you stop too," was the Irishman's equally determined rejoinder. "Look here, old bird; it's not like prowling around the upper-deck. Once ash.o.r.e we'll be all right. One may be jolly useful in helping the other. Besides, I've a loaded pistol."

"Might be handy," admitted Denbigh, secretly glad to have a companion for his enterprise. "But there's something you have which will be, I fancy, a jolly sight more handy."

"What's that?" asked O'Hara.

"The quinine the _Pelikan's_ medico gave you. Our chief danger is, I fancy, the chance of getting miasmic fever, especially after landing in saturated togs. A few grains will stave off a fatal illness."

"All right," agreed O'Hara. "Then it's settled I'm to go with you.

What's your plan?"

"Nothing more than I have outlined," replied Denbigh. "We'll keep our eyes and ears open and see what steps the _Pelikan_ is taking for defence. There'll be enough moonlight to see fairly clearly."

"Suppose you wouldn't like me to go with you?" enquired the mate.

Denbigh shook his head.

"No, thanks, Armstrong; you'll serve a far better purpose by remaining on board and screening our movements. Those fellows have set an anchor watch, I suppose?"

"Only on the fo'c'sle," replied Armstrong. "That is to say, they hadn't put a man on watch over the stern cable when I left the deck.

But there's no knowing. They imagine that they are safe from attack.

I suppose they are so long as the _Pelikan_ remains afloat, so it's just likely that they'll be a bit lax. How do you propose to take the water?"

"By the stern cable," replied Denbigh.

"I know a better way," said the mate. "There's a rope ladder coiled up close to the engine-room fidley. If you can lay hold of it without being spotted you can make one end fast outside the rail and let the rest go. It won't be noticed before morning."

Methodically the two subs went about their preparations, for there was as yet an hour and a half before slack water. Denbigh knew that between the two periods of high and low tide there was an interval of six and a half hours, for the volume of fresh water descending the river r.e.t.a.r.ded the rising tide by at least thirty or forty minutes.

The chums had thus nearly seven hours at their disposal, of which there was moonlight until four in the morning.

The cabin was not electrically lighted, illumination being provided by means of a smoky oil lamp. Stripping to the buff the two subs blacked themselves all over by means of corks charred in the lamplight. Their clothes they lashed into a compact bundle, Denbigh stowing the pocket-compa.s.s in his, while O'Hara placed his automatic pistol in the middle of his clothing. Two handkerchiefs were retained in readiness to bind their bundles on the top of their heads.

"We may get ash.o.r.e with dry gear," said Denbigh. "It's just a chance.

We'll be lucky if we do. Now, Armstrong, that key, if you please.

I'll borrow it and lock you in after we've left. It will disarm suspicion; and besides, we will be able to let ourselves in when we roll home in the small hours of the morning. Don't wait up, Mr.

Armstrong."

The men smiled grimly. Even on the brink of peril they jested. Cheek by jowl with death they bantered each other.

The hour of slack water arrived. No longer the current surged noisily against the _Myra's_ wall-sides. All was quiet save the occasional rasp of a huge amphibian along the ship's plating and the faint roar of a wild animal in the distant mangroves.

Cautiously Denbigh applied the well-oiled key to the lock. Softly the door was opened. In the "state-room" an oil-lamp burned dimly and smelt abominably. Its feeble rays were almost unable to penetrate into the recesses of the enc.u.mbered quarters.

Giving a final look round Denbigh fastened his bundle on his head and slipped out, followed by O'Hara. The door was closed and locked, Denbigh thrusting the key under the lashings of his bundle.

The deck was wet with a heavy dew that struck cold to their bare feet.

Overhead the crescent moon shone a dull yellow through the haze. The sh.o.r.es were invisible.

Crouching close to the low bulwarks the two officers made their way amidships. Fore and aft awnings had been spread to protect the watch on deck from the noxious dew, but there were no signs of the seamen on duty.