Almost in an instant Denbigh decided how to act. He could have crept along the alley-way and surprised the sentry; but stunning the man would be of little use. Nor could he hope to bluff the fellow, since there was too much light to attempt to pass himself off as one of thePelikan'sofficers. To retreat was impracticable, for someone, he knew, was on deck in the immediate vicinity of the companion.
Without hesitation the sub opened the door of the cabin adjoining his and entered quickly and silently. The place was in darkness. Whether it was tenanted or not he was unable to ascertain. Closing the door he stood stock-still and listened. He could hear no sound of a person breathing. For five minutes he waited, then began to grope until he found the edge of one of the bunks. The sleeping-place was empty. There were not even blankets and bedding. This looked promising.
He continued his exploration, testing the remaining bunks in turn, until he was able to come to the happy decision that by sheer good luck he had lighted upon an empty cabin.
The glass scuttle in the port-hole was closed, but there was no dead-light in position over the opening. In that case it would be too risky to switch on the light, until he had taken due precautions.
The dead-light squeaked shrilly on its hinges as he drew it to. He wondered whether the watch on deck heard the sound. He waited again. There were many footsteps descending the companion. He could detect von Langer's guttural tones, discussing some matter with one of the other officers.
"Dash it all!" ejaculated Denbigh, a cold perspiration standing out on his forehead. "What if I'm in that fellow's cabin?"
The men stopped outside the cabin. They were evidently indulging in horse-play, for once a heavy body struck the wall with a thud, followed by a chorus of boisterous laughter.
Then, to Denbigh's intense relief, the officers went along the passage. Once again he had been lucky.
Reassured he switched on the light. The cabin was bare of furniture. In one corner lay a pile of books and a couple of sea-stained portmanteaux. Hanging from a coat-hook was an officer's sword-belt. It was mildewed; the stitching of the holster had burst, the buckle was green with verdigris. Attached to the belt was a small, circular leather case secured by a strap.
Denbigh handled it gingerly. There was something hard inside. Curiosity prompted him to unbuckle the strap and open the case. Within was a pocket-compass. What was more, it was a spirit one and seemingly in good order. Without compunction the sub abstracted the compass and slipped it into his pocket.
As he did so he was startled to hear a deep groan. It seemed to sound close to his ear. He wheeled abruptly and shot a glance in the direction of one of the bunks, thinking that he had made a mistake in deeming it untenanted.
There was no one there. Again the groan was repeated. This time the sound seemed to come from the adjoining cabin—the one occupied by Pat O'Hara.
A hole in the bulkhead attracted Denbigh's notice. It was the aperture drilled by the Germans when they made their ineffectual attempt to chloroform the three British officers.
Through it Denbigh could see but a very small portion of the next cabin, but sufficient to observe O'Hara lying on his back in his bunk. He was writhing and groaning. His eyes were wide open and rolling in a horrifying manner.
Outside all was quiet once more.
"I say, old man," whispered Denbigh. "What's wrong?"
At the sound of his voice O'Hara raised himself. He tried to speak, but could not. With an effort he rolled out of his bunk and stood clinging to the edge for support.
"Open the door," said Denbigh peremptorily. "I cannot get in."
"If he's not able to it's the last straw," he soliloquized. "I'll have to give myself up and get assistance."
With a great effort the Irishman lurched across the floor and removed the chair which had been wedged against the lock. Then, unable to regain his bunk, he pitched inertly upon his face.
Denbigh waited no longer. He darted into the alley-way, not even waiting to see if everything were clear. The door opened easily. He entered, and lifting O'Hara as easily as a child placed him on his bunk.
"Felt jolly rotten almost as soon as you cleared out," muttered the Irishman. "Sorry, but I couldn't help it."
"I don't suppose you could," replied Denbigh, for O'Hara's regret was genuine. "I'll ring for assistance."
He touched the electric bell. Then, and only then, he remembered that he had to replace a portion of the lock. Grasping the screw-driver he set to work, and had just driven home the last screw when the locked turned, and a petty officer entered.
The man hurried off for the ship's surgeon. It was nearly a quarter of an hour before the doctor arrived. He came prepared to deal with a trifling case, but when he saw the Irishman he looked grave.
Without expressing his opinion the surgeon went out. Nor did he again put in an appearance. He sent, however, some quinine and written directions as to treatment.
For the rest of the night Denbigh sat up with his comrade. As day broke O'Hara seemed easier. The internal pains passed off. His temperature fell. He was able to talk rationally. By noon he was practically well again. The attack had been sharp and rapid, but once over it seemed to leave no ill-effects.
Without being sighted by any of the British patrol vessels thePelikanand her prize arrived off the entrance to the Mohoro River. Here the two ships slowed down until there was sufficient water for them to cross the outer bar.
During the interval Denbigh and O'Hara were peremptorily ordered to leave thePelikanand take up their quarters on theMyra, the reason being that von Riesser was terribly afraid of illness, and in spite of the doctor's assurances he had a firm belief that O'Hara was suffering from yellow fever, malaria, black-water fever, and every tropical disease under the sun.
"Let him jolly well think so," said the Irishman joyfully. "I feel as fit as a fiddle now; and I'm not sorry for the change."
All the same O'Hara acted the invalid to perfection as he was rowed from the raider to her prize. Denbigh accompanied him, taking good care to bring all their scanty personal property that they had been permitted to save from theNichi Maru, excepting the gold that von Riesser had ordered to be confiscated.
TheMyrawas in charge of Unter-leutnant Kaspar Klick and fifteen men. There were also the skipper, officers, and crew of the tramp, numbering thirty-two persons. The officers were given a fair amount of liberty, but the men were kept under hatches, to their no small discomfort in the tropical heat.
"Sorry I'm not able to make your acquaintance under more favourable auspices," was the greeting of Captain Pennington, the master of the capturedMyra, when the two subs introduced themselves. "But I hope before many hours that we will be set at liberty."
"We've been hoping that for weeks," said Denbigh. "The luck those fellows get is astonishing."
"So I should imagine," agreed Captain Pennington. "I learnt at Cape Town that thePelikanwas given up as lost, as some wreckage and one of her boats were picked up in the South Atlantic. That is why our cruisers relaxed their patrol, and were ordered to rendezvous at Zanzibar. There'll be a dozen or more on their way up."
"And any monitors?" asked O'Hara.
"Four, as far as I know," replied theMyra'sskipper. "One was detained for repairs at Simon's Bay. The others must be at Zanzibar by this time. They will be invaluable for work inside the coral reefs."
"And thePelikan—orZwaan, as we are accustomed to call her—hopes to ascend the Mohoro River. Her draught is about twenty-two feet, and she may be able to lighten to eighteen."
"She won't do it," declared Pennington decisively. "It will be as much as she can manage to cross the outer bar. She'll be nabbed before she does that."
"When's high water?" enquired Denbigh.
"Let me see. New moon's on Friday. To-day's Saturday. High water, full and change, is at 4 p.m. I take it that it's the top of the tide to-day at eleven or thereabouts. They'll have to be pretty sharp about it to arrive off the entrance to the lagoon by that time."
As a matter of fact von Riesser signalled for the prize to steam full speed ahead, thePelikanfollowing at four cables' lengths astern. By 8.30 theMyraslowed down off the entrance to the Mohoro River.
There was a considerable amount of mist about, for the land breeze had not commenced to make its influence felt.
All that could be seen was a long, irregular line of coral reefs against which the ground-swell broke with a sullen roar into masses of milk-white foam. There were nearly a dozen visible gaps in the reef, the largest, bearing directly ahead, being marked by a couple of coco-nut palms.
At this point an island was in course of formation, there being a few feet of soil accumulated upon the coral. These trees marked the entrance to the lagoon, into which the Mohoro River made its way by means of three separate estuaries.
The Germans left nothing to chance. Way was taken off both vessels. A boat was manned and lowered from thePelikanand rowed towards the entrance, soundings being taken methodically and frequently.
Having found the deepest water the officers in the boat signalled to theMyra, and at half speed the captured tramp crept towards the narrow passage.
Between the foam-swept barriers she made her way, until she lay quietly upon the peaceful waters of the lagoon.
ThePelikanprepared to follow.
"Ten to one she'll bump," exclaimed Captain Pennington. "There you are! I said so," he added, as the raider touched the bottom with a dull grinding sound. Still she carried way. Scraping along for nearly her own length she slid into deep water.
"Hope she's stove in her bottom," said O'Hara. "See, they're using her bilge pumps."
A signal was hoisted on the raider. What it meant the British officers were unable to say, but it was evident from the expression of the face of Unter-leutnant Klick that the damage to thePelikanwas but slight.
By this time the mist was rising. The mainland could now be discerned, low-lying ground densely covered with mangroves and backed by rugged hills at a distance of about ten miles from the coast.
The lagoon was quite three miles in breadth and extended in a northerly direction beyond the range of vision. Southward it gradually converged towards the coast, apparently joining it at a distance of five miles from where the ships lay.
"An anchorage big enough to take the whole of the British Navy," declared Denbigh. "It's the bar that spoils the place, apart from the pestilential swamps. Do you see that peculiar isolated tree? It's a casuarina. It marks the principal entrance to the Mohoro—or did when I was here last, but these African rivers have a peculiar knack of altering their course entirely in a night."
"I suppose we are going straight up," remarked O'Hara. "There's depth enough for us."
"Goodness knows," replied his chum. "At all events thePelikancan't."
Apparently the Germans had a good knowledge of the lagoon, for boldly closing with the land, thePelikandropped anchor within three hundred yards of the highest part of the shore, where a cliff rose abruptly to the height of thirty or forty feet. On the summit the ground shelved gently. There were several native huts to be seen in the clearing between the mangroves, while farther back was a galvanized-iron shed with a whitewashed roof.
Acting under von Riesser's instructions theMyra'sanchor was let go, the tramp bringing up at a cable's length from her captor, and so close to the shore that when she swung her stern was within forty yards of the cliff. The water here was ten fathoms deep, the shore being steep-to, but in spite of the depth the bottom could be clearly seen.
"Suppose you vant to go 'shore, hein?" asked Unter-leutnant Klick. "No tricks. Plenty of shark about."
The German was right. Already the surface of the lagoon in the vicinity of the two ships was furrowed with diverging lines of ripples as the black dorsal fins of numerous tigers of the deep cleft the water.
"No, I don't think I want to bathe, lieutenant," remarked Captain Pennington. "It hardly looks tempting."
Kaspar Klick laughed boisterously.
"You see even der shark is der ally of Zhermany," he said.
"The information does not astonish me one little bit," rejoined the master of theMyra.
"Vot you mean?" demanded the under-leutnant, instinctively guessing that he had made a verbal blunder.
At that moment, when the German was beginning to exhibit signs of anger, another signal was made from thePelikan, ordering theMyrato ship as much additional cargo from her captor as she could carry.
Until sunset the work progressed. Under threats from their captors the British crew were turned up from below and compelled to assist in handing and stowing the gear, for it was von Riesser's intention to lighten his vessel as much as possible, so as to attempt the inner bar at least a couple of days before the new moon.
Night put an end to the day's work, for not a light that could be visible from seaward was shown.
The two subs slept badly. Their cabin accommodation was indifferent compared with that on board thePelikan, for Unter-leutnant Klick had appropriated the skipper's quarters, and Pennington and his chief engineer were obliged to share the small space that had been the mate's cabin, while that officer was told to occupy the same cabin in which Denbigh and O'Hara were placed.
They lacked the ventilating fan and the liberal air space. The cabin was low and stuffy. It had no direct communication with the outside air, as it opened into the state-room, where in normal times theMyra'sofficers used to have their meals. At present that limited space was still further restricted by the huge cases of military stores removed from thePelikan. These had been struck down the hatchway and carried aft, where they remained under the charge of an armed sentry.
"Those fellows think they've got us safely under lock and key," said the mate, a burly North-countryman of the name of Armstrong. "They don't know that each officer of this hooker has a duplicate key to his cabin. I took jolly good care to keep mine, and I know where to put my hand on the key to this one. To-morrow, now I know how we're berthed, I'll get that key."
At daybreak the work of transhipping the cargo was proceeded with before the miasmic mists that hid the shore had dispersed. Two boats were dispatched from thePelikanto the shore and returned laden with tops of coco-nut trees. Before noon the foliage was stowed below out of sight.
Just before high water theMyra, being loaded far below her Plimsoll mark, prepared to weigh and ascend the river. Even in her deeply laden condition she drew a good nine feet less than thePelikan, and could negotiate the bar without much risk.
The cable was almost "up and down" and the anchor on the point of "breaking-out" when a warning shout came from one of the look-out men on thePelikan. A bugle call for "General Quarters" followed in quick succession.
"Hulloa, that's great!" ejaculated Denbigh excitedly. He pointed in the direction of the passage through the reef. Heading for it was a small gunboat. Although the distance was too great for the British officers on theMyrato distinguish her ensign they had no doubts as to her nationality.
"She's one of our gunboats," announced O'Hara.
His assertion was confirmed by a flash, followed by a sharp bark as thePelikan, unmasking her guns, opened fire upon the approaching vessel.
At the opening of the engagement the prize crew of theMyramade a simultaneous rush to the tramp's rigging, in order to witness the destruction of the audacious but lightly-armed gunboat. Unter-leutnant Klick and another junior officer hurried to the bridge. Denbigh, O'Hara, and the officers of theMyrafound themselves in sole occupation of the deck.
"Idiots!" exclaimed Denbigh.
"Who?" asked Captain Pennington.
"ThePelikan'speople. If they had waited another five minutes, they would have found the gunboat jammed up on the bar. As it is she has room to manoeuvre."
Even as he spoke, the gunboat let fly with her puny 4-inch bow gun—the only one capable of being trained upon the powerfully-armed raider. Immediately a dense cloud of black smoke burst from the little craft, entirely hiding her from view.
"She's got it properly," exclaimed Pennington.
Slowly the smoke began to disperse. Into the eddying vapour shell after shell poured from thePelikan. All around the sea was lacerated by the ricochetting projectiles, which threw columns of spray high into the air, the pure whiteness of the artificial waterspouts contrasting vividly with the dark background of smoke.
The Germans were shouting madly. It was their way of cheering, but it lacked the inspiring sound of a hearty British cheer. Then, with remarkable suddenness, the uproar of voices trailed away into a silence, broken only by the desultory firing from thePelikan.
Under cover of the cloud of smoke purposely emitted from the gunboat, the British craft had swung round and was steaming away at her maximum of 13 knots, apparently undamaged by the salvoes that had been directed towards her. The exultant shouts of the Germans were not renewed when they saw the small vessel turn tail. Too late they realized that they had thrown away their advantages by being too premature. The gunboat, having sea-room in which to manoeuvre, was speeding away, not in flight, but with the object of wirelessing the cruisers and destroyers. By letting their insignificant antagonist escape the Germans were bringing a hornet's nest about their ears.
Somewhat disconsolately, theMyra'sprize crew descended the rigging and other coigns of vantage and regained the deck. They, however, knew that a loophole for escape remained. They were under orders to cross the inner bar and ascend the Mohoro River. That course was denied thePelikanfor the next four or five days. A high spring-tide was an absolute necessity for her to cross the barrier, and long before that time the British blockading squadron would be off the reefs, ready to pulverize the raider into a mass of twisted scrap-iron.
The time of high water had gone, and the tide was beginning to fall, when theMyraessayed the task of crossing the inner bar. There was no surf breaking at the mouth of the river, since the coral reef enclosing the lagoon effectually sheltered the shore. Only a few ripples marked the spot where the down-current met the submerged barrier. In a few minutes the great volume of water pouring down the river, having time to overcome the up tidal stream, would be surging furiously over the bar.
"I wish to goodness we could crock the steering-gear," said O'Hara in a low voice. "If the old hooker grounded on the bar she would prevent thePelikanfrom entering."
"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 thePelikanwill 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 theMyra."
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 theMyra'sapproach 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 theMyrabeyond 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 assist 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, theMyrabrought 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.
TheMyrahad 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 ashore," 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 ashore I'll make my way along the bank until I reach the entrance. I'm rather curious to see what thePelikanis 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 ashore 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 thePelikan'smedico 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 thePelikanis 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 thePelikanremains 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 retarded 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-compass 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 ashore 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 theMyra'swall-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 encumbered 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 shores 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.
In the chart-room a light, imperfectly screened, threw a narrow glare into the mist. The officer of the watch—one of thePelikan'spetty officers—was doubtless indulging in slumber, since it was quite unlikely that Unter-leutnant Klick would have been out of his bunk to satisfy himself that all was well unless an alarm was raised by those on deck.
Cautiously the two blackened figures glided from the shelter of the bulwarks to the raised coaming of the engine-room fidley. Through the iron bars they could see the gleaming mechanism, now at rest, although steam was being kept at working pressure.
Groping, Denbigh felt his fingers come in contact with a cylindrical bundle. It was the rope-ladder enclosed in a canvas cover.
Returning to the side the sub lashed one end of the ladder to the upright of one of the davits. The other he allowed to drop. It touched the surface of the water with hardly a splash. Being too long for the purpose five or six feet of the ladder floated alongside. There was not sufficient current to trail it out.
Swinging over the bulwark Denbigh felt with his foot for the rungs. The rope creaked under his weight. He descended until his feet came in contact with the water, then he waited until he saw O'Hara's black form silhouetted against the moon-lit mist.
Thank heaven there were no hippos to be seen, although a splashing sound at some distance off told the sub that some sort of large amphibians were sporting in the moonlight.
The Irishman's foot lightly touching Denbigh's upheld hand that grasped one of the rungs aroused the sub to action. Three steps down did he take, then he released his hold and struck out into the unknown.
Twenty slow, deliberate, and powerful strokes did Denbigh take, then, treading water, he turned his head to see how his companion was progressing.
In that short distance the outlines of theMyralooked vague and distorted in the eddying vapour. Already the swimmers were practically safe from observation, since O'Hara, who was barely three yards away, looked indistinct in his cork-blackened disguise.
A dozen strokes more and the two officers were in the midst of a sluggish, turgid stream, their horizon bounded by banks of mist. Were it not for the moon, that shone dully through the haze, all sense of direction would have been lost. The water was warm and sickly-smelling. An odour like that of decaying flowers in an ill-ventilated room assailed their nostrils.
Once O'Hara gave vent to a partly smothered yell as his naked foot came in contact with a slimy water-logged tree. It was easy to imagine unpleasant things in that modern Styx.
At the sound Denbigh turned.
"What's wrong?" he asked in a whisper.
"Nothing," replied the Irishman. "Carry on."
He was swimming rapidly. His quick strokes betrayed his acute anxiety to traverse the stretch of water in as short a time as possible.
"Steady; don't splash," cautioned Denbigh.
A reply to his admonition came from another quarter, for almost in front of the swimmers rose a huge black object, quickly followed by another. In the semi-light the two men could see that these were enormous hippopotami, distinguish even their thick lips and wire-like bristles, and hear the business-like snap of their formidable teeth, capable of biting the side of a boat and shaking the craft like a terrier does a rat.
The two amphibians were gambolling. So intent were they that the swimmers were unnoticed, but for half a minute after the hippos had passed Denbigh and O'Hara floated motionless, not trusting to swim forward another foot.
At length, after a seemingly interminable space of time, the mangrove-covered shore loomed up against the moonlit sky. The banks, thrown into deep shadow, were invisible, until O'Hara, who was now leading, felt his foot touch the slimy ooze that fringed the shore.
With feelings of relief the Irishman waded to the bank and awaited Denbigh's emergence from the river.
"Thank God," he muttered fervently as Denbigh joined him. "Now, what's the move?"
"Dress," replied his chum laconically.
The two men unfastened their bundles, and proceeded to sacrifice one of their scanty stock of handkerchiefs as a towel. To allow the foetid fresh water to dry on them would be courting a speedy attack of black-water fever.
"We can't see theMyra," whispered O'Hara. "How shall we know where to 'kick-off' when we return?"
"Bend that damp handkerchief on to one of the bushes," replied Denbigh. "We'll have to take jolly good care to——"
His words ended abruptly, and he found himself sitting on the soft ground. In order to facilitate the dressing performance he had sat down upon what he imagined to be a log. The "log" promptly lurched forward and overthrew him. It was a healthy specimen of a crocodile.
THE "LOG" WAS A HEALTHY SPECIMEN OF A CROCODILETHE "LOG" WAS A HEALTHY SPECIMEN OF A CROCODILE
THE "LOG" WAS A HEALTHY SPECIMEN OF A CROCODILETHE "LOG" WAS A HEALTHY SPECIMEN OF A CROCODILE
O'Hara gripped his chum's hand and literally lifted him to his feet. Both men took to their heels, with the now aroused saurian in pursuit. Luckily the animal was not quick at turning, and before it could do so the two subs placed a safe distance between them and their pursuer.
"There may be others," gasped Denbigh, who half-dressed was clutching the rest of his clothing. "The river bank is too jolly risky. I had my doubts about it. We'll cut inland and risk the forest. It's high ground, as far as I could judge when we came up stream. Therefore it ought not to be swampy. What's more, we'll save half the distance."
"And, possibly, take double the time," added O'Hara, who, although willing to risk the unknown perils of the mangrove forest to the partly-known adversities of the river banks, was rather doubtful as to his comrade's skill in navigation on dry land.
They halted in a little clearing to complete their interrupted task of donning their clothes. With their ears strained to catch the faintest suspicious sound, they struggled into their light cotton garments, that at the best of times were ill-adapted to the miasmic night-mists of the East African coast.
"That's better," exclaimed Denbigh cheerfully. "Feel a bit more civilized. We might pass muster as a pair of Christy minstrels. Now, then, a few grains of quinine, and we'll be on the move."
O'Hara's reply was to release the safety-pin of his automatic pistol. Denbigh, who was studying the luminous face of the pocket-compass, smiled grimly.
"Now I'll admit that little toy may come in handy, old man," he remarked. "Since I lead the way, pray be careful how you finger the trigger. Nor'east by east is the ticket."
Before the adventurers had proceeded fifty yards, a rustling sound overhead brought them up all-standing. Some heavy body was moving from tree-top to tree-top with great rapidity.
"Doesn't sound very healthy," whispered Denbigh with a forced laugh. "I think I'll arm myself with a club."
He wrenched at a stout sapling. Instead of the stem coming out by the roots as he expected, it snapped off short. The fractured part tapered to a chisel edge. The wood was hard and close-grained.
"No, I'll use this as a spear," continued the sub. "It makes a nasty weapon to jab an animal with."
In silence the chums proceeded on their way. It was fair going between the trunks of the palms and mangroves, there being very little undergrowth.
"'Ware mosquitoes," exclaimed O'Hara. "There must be a swamp somewhere about."
A swarm of these pestilential insects were buzzing around their heads, but, possibly owing to the protection afforded by the burnt cork, the mosquitoes did not press home the attack. Fifty yards farther the two men were stopped by a deep morass.
"Edge away to the left," suggested the Irishman. "I think I can hear running water. By Jove! Look at those fireflies. They're simply great."
Denbigh merely grunted. He was in no mood to study the beauties of nature. The marsh meant loss of valuable time.
Half a dozen small deer, disturbed in the act of drinking, came bounding towards them, until, finding themselves confronted by human beings, they stopped abruptly, then tore madly from the newest danger.
"Be careful!" urged Denbigh. "Those creatures have been driven towards us by some animal. Stand by."
Out of the deep shade ambled a huge unwieldy figure. It looked like a giant armed with a club. It was too big for a native: it was an enormous ape.
In a trice Denbigh and his companion dodged behind a tree; but quick though they were, the movement had not escaped the notice of the animal. Uttering a shrill cry, the ape bounded towards their place of concealment.
Denbigh's first impulse was to fly, but calmer counsels prevailed. Dropping on one knee, he held his improvised spear pointed towards the enemy, the butt planted firmly into the ground.
As well might a dog try conclusions with a motor-car. The ape's muscular hand gripped the pole and wrenched it from the sub's grasp, while Denbigh's endeavour to retain his hold resulted in his being thrown prostrate at the creature's feet.
Before the luckless man could realize his position there was a vivid flash and a sharp report, quickly followed by another and another. O'Hara had fired point-blank at the animal's head.
The next instant Denbigh was pinned under the lifeless body of his antagonist, for a chance-directed shot had struck the ape in the eye, and had penetrated the brain.
"Hurt?" asked the Irishman anxiously, as he assisted Denbigh to regain his feet.
"Am I?" asked the sub blankly.
"If you don't know I suppose no one else does," rejoined O'Hara.
"I thought the brute had me that time. Hulloa! where's my compass?"
A prolonged search resulted in the recovery of the precious instrument. Anxiously Denbigh revolved the case; to his intense satisfaction he saw that the luminous card was still sensitive.
"My word!" thought Denbigh, as the two men resumed their way. "Whatever possessed me to take this business on? Idle curiosity and the love of doing something to pass away the time, I suppose. After all, I can't see how we can help our squadron in the slightest. And here are we running the risk of being stranded in a beastly forest, and perhaps being chawed up by some wild animal. Well, we're half-way there, so I suppose we may as well carry on. I won't be the one to suggest chucking up the sponge and making tracks for theMyra."
The Irishman's soliloquies were on almost the identical lines, but as neither communicated his thought to the other, the consequence was that they both persisted in their hazardous adventure.
It must have been about one in the morning, when, more by good luck than by good management, the two British officers stumbled upon the clearing on which stood the galvanized iron house that they had noticed when theMyralay at anchor in the lagoon.
Although no light was visible, there were men within, for the subs could hear the rasping of a file and the sharp whirr of a hack-saw.
"Steady!" whispered Denbigh. "Bear away a little. Remember we're close to the native village. Ten to one there'll be a crowd of dogs about, and our clothes, in spite of ill-usage, are fairly conspicuous against the dark background."
Twice they halted before they crossed a foot-track through the mangrove forest. At the second path, they had to wait until a party of German bluejackets had passed. The men were armed, and were accompanied by a score of blacks, who had been impressed to drag a small field-gun up the hill.
Unsuspecting the Germans went on their way, and the subs, after a safe interval had elapsed, continued their way to the shore.
Suddenly O'Hara gripped his companion's arm and pointed. Fifty feet below them, and at a distance of two hundred yards, was the native village. The huts were wrapped in silence. Only the women and children remained, for the men had been compelled to throw up earthworks to defend the lagoon from the anticipated attack. Outside the village stood two German soldiers armed with rifles and fixed bayonets, their duty being to prevent any of the inhabitants from leaving their huts during the night.
"It's not healthy that way," he whispered. "More to the left, old man. I can hear the surf."
Ten minutes more found them at the edge of the forest, and on the brink of the two cliffs, immediately opposite which thePelikanhad brought up and had fought her brief and unsatisfactory action with the British gunboat.
Bathed in the slanting rays of the moon, which was now on the wane, were the placid waters of the lagoon. Nothing could, it seemed, escape being detected up on that illuminated patch of sea.
"By Jove!" exclaimed Denbigh excitedly. "ThePelikan'scleared out."