Rounding up the Raider Part 26

"Rather," replied Denbigh. "Even if they hadn't posted a guard they'll have made arrangements with the natives to give them the tip. Best leg forward, lads. If we fail to see the White Ensign before another six hours have pa.s.sed I shall be horribly disappointed."

In spite of Denbigh's a.s.surances the men had great difficulty in locating the spot where the rifle and ammunition had been hidden. The lack of moonlight altered the appearance of the river completely.

Landmarks and bearings were useless in the darkness; but at length the weapon was recovered little the worse for its experience. Having cleaned the dirt from the muzzle, the breech-mechanism having been protected when it was buried, O'Hara took possession of the rifle and the journey was resumed.

The short African dawn was breaking as the three officers reached the low cliffs overlooking the lagoon.

A grunt of disappointment burst from Denbigh's lips. The morning mists had dispersed. The whole of the reef was plainly visible. The horizon was unbroken by any object that could be recognized as a British warship.

Unaccountably the blockading squadron had disappeared.

CHAPTER XIX

"Our Luck's Out"

"That's done it!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed O'Hara.

"Perhaps," admitted Denbigh. "We'll have some grub and discuss the situation. It's good to sniff the open sea, after being cooped up in that pestilential river. That's one consolation."

The three chums ate sparingly, supplementing the provisions with the milk of a coco-nut. The soda-water was by common consent kept intact.

As soon as the sun's rays acquired strength Denbigh washed his mud-encrusted clothes in the sea and spread them out to dry.

"What's the programme?" asked Armstrong. "If we hang about here we stand a chance of getting nabbed. Our flight will have been discovered by this time, and they'll naturally conclude that we've made off towards the mouth of the river."

"Unless they conclude, from finding the punt jammed alongside the pier, that we've been slung out and drowned," rejoined Denbigh. "But we'll take no needless chances. We'll go north. Once we pa.s.s the clearing where the native village stands the coast ought to be fairly clear, and we can still command a view of the entrance to the lagoon."

Without incident the three officers made their way for nearly three miles along the coast. By this time the intense heat was making itself felt, and at O'Hara's suggestion they retreated to the cool of the forest, taking turns at keeping watch.

During the afternoon a native canoe appeared round a projecting bluff.

The men had been fishing, for they brought a goodly haul on sh.o.r.e.

Dragging the frail craft above high-water mark the blacks vanished in the direction of the village.

O'Hara, who was keeping watch, astonished his companions by giving them each a violent shake.

"What's wrong?" asked Denbigh, awake and alert in an instant.

"Nothing," replied the imperturbable Irishman.

"Then why this thusness?"

"Are you keen on a sea voyage?"

"A sea voyage?" repeated Denbigh.

"To Latham Island."

"Do you propose swimming there?" asked Armstrong with considerable asperity, for he had been disturbed in the midst of a much-needed sleep.

"There's a canoe awaiting us," reported O'Hara. "The sea's calm.

To-night's the night. You told me that the _Pelikan's_ people left a whaler and plenty of provisions and stores hidden on the island. With luck we ought to be able to fetch there, resurrect the boat, and make a dash for Zanzibar. We'd have the S.W. monsoon with us all the way, and if we fell in with one of our ships so much the better."

"Where's your precious discovery?" asked Denbigh.

Accompanying his chum to the edge of the cliff O'Hara pointed out the canoe.

"H'm, not much of a craft to make a voyage to a sandbank twenty-three miles from land," remarked Denbigh.

"We can work inside the lagoon for several miles and then keep close insh.o.r.e until we reach Ras What's-its-name," continued O'Hara optimistically. "I've seen these native canoes miles out to sea before to-day. They seem pretty seaworthy."

While daylight lasted the three chums rested, after taking the precaution of gathering a supply of coco-nuts and roots. The subs eyed the latter with misgivings, in spite of Armstrong's a.s.surances that they were both edible and nourishing.

As soon as the sun had set behind the boundless mangrove forests the daring trio made their way to the spot where the canoe was lying. The craft was about twenty-four feet in length, but only four in beam.

With her half-dozen short paddles, a mast and sail, suitable only for running before the wind, and a stone jar half-full of water. Owing to the porosity of the earthenware the liquid was remarkably cool. A few lengths of net completed the equipment, but these were considerately left behind, since there was no need for unnecessary spoliation of the natives, even though they were, perhaps unwillingly, subjects of Kaiser Wilhelm II.

The canoe was light enough to enable the three men to carry her down to the water's edge. Without delay they pushed off and headed for the reef.

Here, on the lee side of the extensive coral ledge, they were in comparative safety. The long line of foaming breakers thundering up the reef afforded a guide to the position of the ledges; it deadened all other sounds, and since no native boats would be likely to indulge in night fishing, there was little risk of detection.

"We have company, you see," remarked Armstrong, pointing to a phosph.o.r.escent swirl less than twenty yards astern. The disturbance of the placid water was caused by the dorsal fin of a huge shark, that, scenting a possible prey, was zigzagging in the wake of the frail canoe.

"'We do so want to lose you; and we think you ought to go'," misquoted O'Hara, laying down his paddle and grasping his rifle.

"Hold on!" cautioned the mate. "You'll not only bring up every shark in the lagoon to make a meal of this beauty, but you'll arouse every native within hearing distance. Don't fire unless the brute gets too attentive; then use your pistol. It makes much less of a flash and report."

Hour after hour pa.s.sed. The men took turns at paddling, since there was not a breath of wind. The shark still kept doggedly in company.

As the canoe drew farther and farther away from the entrance to the Mohoro River the miasmic mists gradually dispersed, until the three officers found themselves under a bright starlit sky, and on the placid surface of the lagoon there seemed one blaze of reflected brilliance.

"It looks as if we are nearing the northern limit of the lagoon,"

remarked Denbigh. "We'd better keep a sharp look-out for a pa.s.sage through the reef."

"What if we don't find one?" asked Armstrong. "The last gap of any size we pa.s.sed quite three miles astern."

"There's an opening of sorts," announced O'Hara, pointing to a dark patch in the otherwise unbroken line of surf. "My word! I believe there's a spanking breeze outside."

"Steady there!" cautioned Denbigh, as the frail craft approached the opening, through which long undulations sullenly rolled in from the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean. "If we get capsized heaven help us.

Our old friend has brought up a few more of his pals."

The sub was justified in advising caution. Half a dozen sharks were close to the canoe. Emboldened by numbers, they swam around in ever-decreasing circles, until one monster, braver than the rest, rasped his skin along the side of the canoe.

As the craft tilted O'Hara aimed a blow at the brute with his paddle.

With a swift movement of its powerful tail the shark disappeared, only to rise again and resume its embarra.s.sing attentions.

"If those brutes' instinct isn't at fault there'll be a pretty mess-up," thought Denbigh. "They evidently have seen native canoes upset in the channel through the reef before to-day."

"Think it's worth while risking it?" asked O'Hara.