Thecollision with the iceberg had, as Fielding anticipated, completely unnerved the Dago crew. Even Juan Cervillo realised that there were great difficulties and perils in his path that were as formidable as the retributive warships he had hitherto escaped. As theIndependenciasteamed off on her aimless course the Spanish captain contrived to induce some of the engineers to go below and shut off steam, and, gradually losing way, the cruiser came to a standstill. Cervillo would wait till the fog lifted rather than risk another collision. It might be for days, but there were enough provisions and water to last for nearly a month.
As soon as the vessel had slowed down an examination of the damage caused by the collision was made. The principal injury was to the bows, where the massive steel plating had been fractured and buckled for a distance of twenty feet from the stem. The whole of the fore-peak was flooded; but the inrush of water was prevented from making its way aft by the water-tight bulkheads. Even the foremost of these was strained to such an extent that the doors let in a considerable quantity of water. As the cruiser slipped off the berg the torrent of ice-laden sea that broke over her decks literally swept everything removable as far as the base of the after tripod mast, while of the boats taken from theSteephill Castleonly three remained. The aftermost funnel, struck by a huge fragment of ice, had been carried away, leaving a jagged ridge of steel projecting five or six feet above the casings. This accounted for the loss of ten of the crew; another thirty or forty had been swept away when theIndependenciahad dipped beneath the waves, while several more were severely injured by the first concussion and the subsequent violent motion of the stricken craft.
No wonder, then, that Juan Cervillo was almost at his wits' end. He realised that he had made a mistake in seeking refuge in northern waters. The irresistible craving to increase the amount of his booty, instead of retiring to a South American port with the proceeds of his successful captures, had caused his present plight. In a partially crippled ship, incapable of making more than ten knots, and separated from his ultimate port of refuge by thousands of miles of carefully patrolled ocean, his position was hazardous in the extreme. Further captures by theIndependenciawere almost impossible, since the usual speed of tramp steamers considerably exceeded that of the damaged cruiser.
In the midst of these calamities Cervillo's thoughts were not for the safety of his rascally crew, but how he could effect his own escape with the riches that the pirates had so unlawfully acquired. The question of fellow-feeling for his comrades in distress troubled him not one moment; they could shift for themselves as best they might, provided he was safely off the disabled ship with the booty. How could this be done? he asked himself. It was more than the task of a single man; but did the crew know of his plans his life would not be worth a moment's purchase. Plan after plan flashed across his mind, only to be condemned as impracticable, till his cunning brain evolved a scheme that seemed capable of being put into execution.
"Da Silva," he exclaimed, addressing one of his officers, a Spaniard like himself. "I want to speak to you in my cabin."
Side by side the two men walked aft till they reached the after hatchway. It was closed, the bo'sun, in anticipation of bad weather, having given orders for this to be done. In obedience to a hail a dozen seamen came running through the fog-laden atmosphere, and tackles were rove to the heavy steel plates covering the means of communicating with the half-deck and the officers' cabins.
Slowly the metal slab rose till there was a space of nearly three feet between the lid and the coaming. One of the seamen slipped through with the intention of clearing away a chain slung on the underside. As he did so a report rang out. The man clapped his hands to his head and toppled across the framework of the hatchway. Simultaneously the other seamen, alarmed at the noise, hurriedly let go the tackles, and the hatch-cover fell back with a resounding clang.
"Caramba!The prisoners are loose!" exclaimed Cervillo.
By a prematurely fired shot all chances of "rushing" the pirates were thrown away. One of the Frenchmen, with the mercurial excitability of his race, seeing the pirate enter the hatch, had foolishly discharged one chamber of his revolver. Before the men under Hiram B. Rutter's command could rush up the companion ladder the falling of the armoured slab had rendered their attempt absolutely impossible.
"Hang it, man!" exclaimed Fielding, who had hastened to the base of the after ladder on hearing the shot and the clang of the cover. "We've made a hopeless mess of things this time."
Recriminations would have been a mere waste of time. Fielding blamed no one. He knew, however, that an attempt to storm the quarter-deck when the hatch was again removed would be useless, as the pirates would by that time have taken elaborate precautions. As a matter of fact Cervillo had ordered twenty armed men to come aft, while a quick-firing gun was temporarily mounted so that its muzzle gaped menacingly over the aperture leading to the half-deck.
"Yes, Mr. Rutter," continued the sub. "We must sit tight. They can't very well turn us out, neither can we turn them out, so we must make ourselves comfortable as best we can. Luckily our quarters are not so cramped as hitherto, and our circle of acquaintances has widened considerably."
"That's about right, I guess," agreed the American. "We've only to keep our eyes skinned and allow no low-down pirate to get down here, and I reckon we'll come out on top."
Accordingly ten men were stationed at each ladder, ready to pour in a destructive fire should the crew of the cruiser attempt to descend from the quarter-deck. This done, the rest of the involuntary guests were sent to explore the steerage and orlop-decks.
In the captain's and officers' cabins the electric light was still in working order, although in the quarters previously occupied by the hostages lamps and candles were the only means of artificial illumination allowed. There was enough good fare to allow all the new masters of the after part of the ship to partake of a sumptuous meal, which, after the meagre fare they had been compelled to subsist upon, was appreciated with great gusto.
"I wonder how Cervillo will get on without the use of his cabin?" asked Cardyke.
"He can jolly well go on short commons, as we had to do," growled Fielding. "Finished, Cardyke? Good! Now cut below, take Hardy with you, and make an examination of the bread-room, and the compartments in the flats. Be sure to find out whether there is any fresh water. Either the wardroom pump is out of order or the supply is getting low."
Accompanied by the faithful coxswain the mid. descended the several flights of iron ladders till he reached the flats. An examination of the fresh-water tank showed that there was barely enough to last over another day. The bread and spirit rooms were comparatively well stocked.
"We'll do the rascals out of their grog, sir, if we don't do anything more," observed Hardy, pointing to the open spirit-room.
"They've plenty for'ard, I don't doubt," replied Cardyke. "Those fellows don't follow service routine. They've most likely a pannikin of rum at their fingers' ends or a few puncheons of wine ready broached. But what's in this place, I wonder?"
The mid. pointed to a store-room adjoining the after submerged torpedo compartment, which, unlike the spirit-room, was securely padlocked.
"Can't say, sir," replied Hardy. "Used to be the store for warheads of torpedoes; but they can't very well have got hold of any o' they."
"We'll jolly soon find out," asserted Cardyke. "It's something of importance, for there's been a sentry stationed here; look at the cigarette-ends. He must have bolted up on deck at the time of the collision."
"Then he won't return to his post just yet awhile," rejoined Hardy. "D'ye want me to prise the door open, sir? I suppose there ain't dynamite or stuff of that sort stowed away here?" And the coxswain drew his revolver.
"Better be careful," said the mid., warningly. "Don't blow the lock off. See if you can lay hold of a crowbar."
Hardy departed on his quest, and presently returned with a hack-saw.
"This'll do a mighty lot better'n a crowbar, sir," said he. "Would you mind steadying the padlock while I set to work?"
Five minutes sufficed to saw through the heavy brass framework, and Cardyke threw open the door. Within the room were piles of iron-clamped boxes, reaching almost to the ceiling. One or two had been wrenched open, but it took the united efforts of the midshipman and the burly coxswain to set one of the chests upon the floor. It was full of gold ingots.
"Lawks!" ejaculated Hardy, at a loss to say anything else, for the sight of untold wealth almost capsized his equilibrium.
"We've done the pirates very nicely," said Cardyke. "They'll be wild with fury to think that we've recaptured the booty."
"Strikes me this is mighty queer. We can't hand the stuff back to its rightful owners, sir; and the bloomin' pirates can't make use of it now they've got it on board."
"There's one consolation—it's one in the eye for the rascals," added the mid. "I'll go and report matters to Mr. Fielding."
"Yes, it's some satisfaction to know we've scored," observed the sub. when Cardyke made his report. "Sooner than let the rascals lay their hands on the stuff I'd have the whole lot pitched overboard. But that's a serious business, the shortage of water. I don't know what we can do."
"I have it," announced Cardyke. "There's plenty of ice floating about; we can get a lot of it on board, and melt it down."
"Don't quite see how," objected Fielding.
"The ship's not moving through the water. We can lower a bucket from one of the ports in the captain's cabin. I don't think it will attract attention."
"Much more good this," interrupted General Oki, who had overheard the conversation. "Let man down by rope; pick up ice, and put in sack. Sack full above top in no time."
"A man would stand a good chance of being frozen to death in five minutes," objected the sub. "Besides, it would mean a bullet through his head if the pirates discovered what he was up to."
"Me speak to Mr. Hokosuka," said the general; and turning to his compatriot he explained the state of affairs.
"Hokosuka he go to-night," announced Oki. "Heap plenty of fresh water tomorrow."
The rest of the day passed without interruption. The fog showed no signs of lifting, while at intervals came the thunderous crashes as the icebergs in the vicinity of the cruiser toppled over or split asunder. As Cardyke had said, there was plenty of fresh water in a solid form close at hand. Some of the fragments of ice were so large that the noise they made as they scraped the ship's sides could be distinctly heard.
Shortly after dark, for the sun did not set till half-past ten, Hokosuka was ready for his enterprise. The Jap had stripped off his clothing and had smeared himself from head to foot with a mixture of mineral oil and animal fat. This done, he reclothed himself in some old yet thick garments, so that he would be better able to withstand the numbing effects of the water. Three large canvas sacks were prepared ready to be lowered out of the port to the water's edge. These Hokosuka proposed to fill with lumps of ice before he was hauled back to his comrades.
Noiselessly the deadlight covering the port was unscrewed; Hokosuka fastened a rope round his waist, and was preparing to clamber through the port when he was struck in the face by a man's toes that mysteriously appeared from without. Before he could recover from his astonishment the owner of the toes slid feet foremost through the port, and to the surprise of all who recognised him, the wily Mukyima gravely saluted his compatriots and the two Englishmen.
The man had contrived to understand the position of affairs, and, taking advantage of his marvellous agility, dropped over the side, and crawling aft by means of the torpedo-net shelves, gained the open port. Luckily for him it was open, for all the other ports and scuttles were secured by deadlights. But what surprised Fielding and Cardyke more than the feat the Jap had successfully performed was the matter-of-fact way in which the Japanese took the reunion. Hokosuka was astonished—not at seeing his friend once more, but by the sudden blow in the face. Beyond that there were no visible expressions of welcome or delight upon the visages of the unfathomable Asiatics.
Without further delay Hokosuka departed on his perilous errand. In five minutes the first sack was hauled up. Another eight minutes passed before the second consignment arrived; then there was an ominous delay.
"The man is frozen to death," exclaimed Fielding. "Haul away as fast as you can."
The sub., Cardyke, Rutter, and four or five more tugged at the rope—it broke.
Thrusting his head out of the port Fielding tried to peer through the darkness. No call for aid came from the surface of the night-enshrouded sea. He placed his hand upon the rope holding the third. It was heavy—far too heavy for a bag filled with ice only.
"He's hanging on to this rope," announced the sub. in a low tone. "It's not stout enough to haul him up."
A hand touched his shoulder. He withdrew from the port-hole, and, turning, saw Cardyke, clad in a pilot-coat and with a rope made fast round his waist.
"I'll see what I can do," said the mid., quietly. "I'll take another length of rope with me. There's no time to waste."
The next instant he had vanished. Scraping down the rusty-streaked grey side of the ship, guiding his descent by means of the rope attached to the weighted sack, Cardyke proceeded on his errand of rescue. For full thirty feet he was lowered before he touched the mouth of the ice-filled bag. By giving two tugs upon the supplementary line the mid. signalled to his friends to stop lowering, and, fumbling with his hands, he strove to find the hapless Jap. But still success did not reward his efforts. He realised that the piercing cold was beginning to make itself known in a most unpleasant fashion. His hands were already numbed, the keenness of the air stung his face like repeated blows of a whip.
Three tugs—lower still. The mid.'s feet were in the water. Again he groped. His fingers touched Hokosuka's grease-covered face. The man gave no sign of life. Perhaps he was already dead with exposure. Labouringly Cardyke passed the end of the second rope under the Jap's shoulders, and with a painful effort succeeded in tying a running knot. This done he tugged frantically at the rope. It was a last effort—the cold had completely paralysed his muscles.
Limply Cardyke was hauled up, and as willing hands assisted him through the port, he had barely strength to utter "Haul away on the other line" ere he fainted.
Half a minute later Hokosuka, bound to the third sack with the severed portion of the rope by which he had been lowered, was dragged into the cabin. Mukyima bent over him, and placed his hand on the unconscious man's heart. It still beat feebly.
While the Japanese were attending to their courageous comrade Rutter approached.
"Can you come this way?" he asked, addressing Fielding. "I guess they're trying to break in. The hatch-cover is all a-shake."
Snatchingup a revolver Fielding left the cabin and made his way along the half-deck till he reached the foremost ladder. Here were standing nearly a dozen men ready to repel the threatened attack. The American had spoken truly. Already there was a strain upon the tackles, and the metal covering was just rising from the coamings. The pirates were evidently trying to uncover the hatchway without alarming their foes.
Jumping on the ladder Fielding waited till there was sufficient room to thrust the muzzle of his revolver under the rising metal plate. He fired, but whether the shot found a billet or otherwise he knew not, for the men hauling at the tackles instantly let go, and the ponderous mass of metal fell with a clang. Simultaneously all the electric light in the after part of the ship went out; the pirates had cut the wiring. Lamps and candles were hastily procured, and as there were plenty in the store-room there was no cause for economy in this respect; while with the ice that Hokosuka had gathered almost at the cost of his life there was sufficient water to last nearly a fortnight.
Finding the partially liberated captives were on the alert the pirates desisted from making attempts upon the hatchway that night, and in consequence Fielding was able to divide his command into two watches, one of which could turn in while the other stood by ready for any emergency.
The pirate captain undoubtedly meant to attempt all artifices to recapture the prisoners solely on account of the bulk of the booty that was stored on the orlop-deck. Were it not for that important factor Cervillo would not hesitate to seize the first vessel he came across, transfer the remainder of the booty and crew to her, and scuttle theIndependencia, without thought of mercy towards the men who had baulked him. But his greatest desire was to recover, by stratagem or force, the precious metal stored in the after part of the cruiser. Just before dark the voice of the pirate was heard speaking to them.
"Señor Englishman," he began. "We are in difficulty. The ship is in danger of sinking."
"Is she?" asked the sub. with well-affected surprise. He knew perfectly well that had theIndependenciareally been on the point of foundering the pirates would be in a panic.
"To save your lives, señor, is the wish of me, Juan Cervillo. So if you come up we put you away in boats."
"I've no doubt you'd be most pleased to put us away," replied Fielding. "Where are your boats? Have you enough for the crew? And do you think boats would stand much chance of being picked up in these seas?"
"Me find a ship."
"Then we'll wait till you do, especially if the ship is a British cruiser."
"You refuse?"
"Absolutely."
"Den I pour petrol into cabins, and set fire. You dogs will burn to death."
"Very considerate of you to provide us with heat in this cold atmosphere," replied Fielding, coolly. "Now, listen, Señor Cervillo: you will not dare to use so much as a litre of petrol. I'll tell you why. We know that most of the gold you precious scoundrels have collared lies on the orlop-deck."
Fielding paused to let his words sink in. Cervillo gasped with fury. He had vainly consoled himself that the treasure had escaped the notice of the men whom he hoped to use to further his ends.
"And so," continued the young British officer, "we've made up our minds that if you attempt any of your dirty, underhand tricks we will open the cover of the submerged torpedo-tubes and sink the ship. Then where will you be? And what good will the stolen treasure do you?"
"Señor, I swear to you——"
"Don't waste your breath, you scoundrel!"
"Señor, hear me. Give up the gold, and you will be on shore placed, with not one hair of your head——"
"Scalped, eh? Now look here, you rascal: At the first sign of treachery down goes theIndependenciato the bottom of the sea."
Juan Cervillo, baulked, and powerless to gain his end, made his way for'ard to his temporary quarters, that, contrasting unfavourably with his cabin, served to increase his discomfiture. During the rest of that short night the pirate captain racked his brains to devise some scheme to save himself and secure the treasure. He realised that Fielding and his associates held the whiphand. He knew enough of Englishmen in general to feel sure that the sub. would keep his word, and scuttle the ship should things go badly with them.
Day dawned, but still the fog held. TheIndependenciawas still floating idly on the ocean. All her boilers were allowed to cool down save two. The reserve of oil fuel was running short, and only by the strictest economy could another four hundred miles be got out of the ship.
Like a caged tiger Juan Cervillo paced his limited quarters. The Englishman was the source of all the difficulty, he assured himself again and again. But for that obstacle that stood in his path, the villain would make good his escape, and leave his companions in infamy to their fate.
Yes, the first step was to regain possession of the bullion in the after store-room. Then he could form his plans to get the stuff safely ashore at the expense of his companions.
Presently Cervillo opened the door and looked out. The upper deck was almost deserted. Few of the crew could stand the numbing effects of the Arctic weather. Pacing up and down on the lee side of the quarter-deck was a muffled figure that Cervillo recognised as his minion Da Silva. The pirate captain beckoned, and his lieutenant hastened towards him. Both men entered the cabin that Cervillo had been obliged to occupy, and the door was shut and bolted.
"I've been striving to find a means of recapturing those insolent dogs," began Cervillo, jerking his thumb in the direction of the after end of the ship. "Caramba!It must be done! But how? Can you suggest anything, Da Silva? You were ever a man of resource.
"We managed it before with chloroform," began the lieutenant.
"That will not do. They are too astute to be caught twice that way. No, Da Silva. They warned me that if I used my usual methods they would scuttle the ship—and, think, the gold goes with it!"
"Will they dare do it—don't they value their lives?"
"I cannot take the risks. I would not give that much for the whole lot of them"—and Cervillo snapped his fingers contemptuously—"but they have the wealth that is ours by right of conquest. They are desperate men. If they should sink the ship what chance have we in our shattered boats in this fearful sea of fog and ice?"
"I would suggest that we bring forty or fifty men aft, and hold them ready to open fire; warn our men first, so that no more panic may take place—they were quite out of hand yesterday—then raise an alarm that the ship is sinking, and every man is to save himself. Those Englishmen and their companions will bolt from below like startled rabbits, and we can mow them down as soon as they are all clear of the hatchway."
"But if we fail?" asked Cervillo, dubiously. "If only one man survives and runs below again he would open the valves before we could stop him."
"Then why not drop a charge of dynamite through the ventilator? The damage would be great, but not enough to sink the ship, and you would have the whole crowd of them removed without any trouble at all. We settled thrice that number in the Plazza of Barcelona."
"No," replied the Spanish captain. "That also will not do. Could I be sure of wiping out this nest of hornets with one blow I would not hesitate. But without doubt they would not be all close together. Some would be down in the after-hold. I should be greatly surprised if that English officer has not given every man instructions as to what is to be done should anything happen to him. It's the gold that keeps our hands behind our backs; but for that——"
"Then why not offer them a share of the gold, and a passage in the first ship we fall across? There are whalers to be met with in these seas, I believe. The rest would be simple. Once you had them off the ship there is no reason why you should abide by your promise—dead men tell no tales." And Da Silva grinned sardonically.
Cervillo shook his head.
"These men seem different to others I have met," he remarked. "They stoutly refuse to discuss terms. No, Da Silva, that will not do. Your plan of raising a false alarm seems to be the most likely. As soon as this accursed fog lifts we'll try it. It is worth the risk."
"The fog is lifting now," said the lieutenant, opening the scuttle and looking out.
Da Silva spoke truly. The belt of fog was dispersing, and already the sea was visible for a distance of nearly four hundred yards—a greyish, sluggishly heaving expanse dotted here and there with masses of floating ice of various shapes and sizes.
"Then we'll make our preparations, Da Silva. Please warn the crew that a false alarm is to be raised, and order them to muster aft with rifles and revolvers."
While the lieutenant was carrying out his chief's instructions Juan Cervillo made his way to the fore-bridge. It was now sufficiently clear to see a considerable distance. TheIndependenciawas floating idly in an almost circular basin of mountainous masses of ice, some of the jagged peaks rising four hundred feet or more in the air. Had she been steaming she would have rammed the floating ice-barrier again. The only way of escape was to turn and run southward, between the horns of the almost encircling field of ice. To Cervillo's heated imagination it seemed as if the surrounding bergs were already converging to imprison the partially crippled cruiser.
Apart from the peril the grandeur of the scene was almost beyond description. The sun, that even at midday was low in the heavens, was still hidden behind the pinnacles of the berg, its feeble rays gilding the minaret-like projections, and causing them to scintillate gorgeous shafts of light. At frequent intervals masses of ice, slipping from the gradually melting mountain, would descend with a rumble resembling thunder, crash into the sea amid a cauldron of foam, or splash into fragments against a lower projection on the face of these stupendous precipices. A vessel coming within reach of these Titanic missiles would be instantly pulverised.
Cervillo realised the danger. All thought of carrying out his plans for the capture of Fielding and his companions must, for the time being, be set aside. The escape of the cruiser from the ice prison that threatened her must be the first consideration.
With great difficulty the engineers and stokers performed their tasks, and at a leisurely five knots theIndependenciaheaded for the open sea. Every now and again one of her propellers would drive its blades into a mass of ice, the jar sending a quiver through the ship, till Cervillo, fearing that the two outside propellers might be irreparably damaged, ordered steam to be shut off from the cylinders actuating them, keeping the two inside "screws," which were partially protected by a twin rudder, revolving at a comparatively low rate barely sufficient to give the vessel steerage way.
Nearer and nearer theIndependenciaapproached the gap in the almost encircling walls of ice—a channel less than a quarter of a mile in width, and flanked by lofty, overhanging precipices. It seemed from a distance that the gap was even less than it actually was, so high were the glacial cliffs on either hand.
Suddenly the cruiser struck; not violently, but sufficient to make the fact known to all on board. Her forward part, drawing 7 ft. of water more than her normal draught owing to the flooding of her fore compartments, had struck a ridge of submerged ice.
This time there was hardly any panic amongst the polyglot crew. The men were almost too apathetic to care for anything short of sudden, real danger. The engines were reversed, and almost without an effort theIndependenciaglided stern foremost off the reef. Soundings were taken, revealing a depth of only eight fathoms. Then the truth became apparent.
TheIndependenciawas barely floating in a vast depression in the ice-field. The Bergs were really part of one extensive sheet of ice, twenty, thirty, or perhaps even more miles in length, and less than a dozen feet under her keel was a bed of ice possibly a thousand feet thick between her and the floor of the ocean.
It was indeed a strange freak of fortune that had guided the cruiser betwixt those icy portals in the fog. Now came the question: Had the bed of the glacial lagoon risen and decreased the depth, and did a barrier of shallow water lie between her and the open sea?
Three times the cruiser essayed to pass the shoal, each time bumping slightly. The fourth time, by keeping 300 yds. to starboard of the point where the vessel had touched the first time, Cervillo contrived to clear the danger, only to be confronted by another; for so close was theIndependenciato the berg that one tremendous mass of ice fell within a hundred yards of her starboard side.
It was touch and go. On the one hand the risk of grounding badly on the shoal of ice, on the other the danger of being smashed by the sudden fall of the overhanging face of the glistening mass of congealed water. But Cervillo kept his head, and standing by the quartermaster compelled him to steer as close to the cliffs as possible, and after a quarter of an hour's suspense theIndependenciagained the open sea.
The ship was in a bad state, for she was leaking badly, the inrush being barely kept under control by the powerful centrifugal pumps. She was down by the head; her fuel was running short, and the provisions, except those stored aft, were sufficient only for another ten days. No wonder, then, that the pirate captain was anxious to recover the booty, and save himself as best he might.
image: 10_gained.jpg
image: 10_gained.jpg
[Illustration: AFTER A QUARTER OF AN HOUR'S SUSPENSE THE "INDEPENDENCIA" GAINED THE OPEN SEA.]
[Illustration: AFTER A QUARTER OF AN HOUR'S SUSPENSE THE "INDEPENDENCIA" GAINED THE OPEN SEA.]
Not until the cruiser had left the ice-field a good twenty miles astern did Juan Cervillo proceed to put into operation the plan that Da Silva had suggested. The men detailed to form the firing-party were ordered on the quarter-deck, but to the captain's surprise all the seamen and many of the engine-room staff came tumbling aft, all armed to the teeth.
"What is the meaning of this, men?" shouted Cervillo, as he faced the mob of olive and black-featured seamen.
The question was almost unnecessary. He realised that it was a case of mutiny.
"Wewish to know why we are freezing to death in this fearful climate, instead of capturing rich prizes, as we were led to believe, and for which we signed on?" said the spokesman, a Greek who spoke four Latin languages fluently.
"And if I refuse to give you the information?" asked Cervillo.
"We'll have the ordering of things in our own hands——"
"And a fine mess you'll make of it," added the captain. He knew that once he showed the white feather it would be all up with him. The only way to treat a polyglot crowd was to put a bold face on the matter, and let them see that the man whom they served was a worthy leader of such a pack of ruffianly scoundrels. "All those men who speak or understand Spanish will cross over to the starboard side. If I don't treat you fairly then on my head be it."
Slowly, almost reluctantly, about forty of the men walked across to the side indicated, their comrades regarding the act with suspicion until they were assured by the Greek that their Iberian comrades were "solid" in their determination to see the matter through.
"Now, lads," continued Cervillo, "you ask an explanation; I will give it. It can be repeated to the others as soon as I have finished. When I brought the ship north I did it with the best intentions, to lie low until the strict watch maintained by those accursed English and American cruisers was relaxed, and we could still further increase our booty ere disbanding at Caracas or Monte Video. Unfortunately I did not take into consideration the chances of meeting with ice at this time of the year. We did so, with consequences extremely awkward both to the ship and ourselves. We must get out of the difficulty somehow; and the remedy I suggest is this: That we capture the first vessel we meet that is large enough to take us all; remove the treasure, and scuttle theIndependencia. Then, without exciting suspicion, we can go south once more, and land quietly on South American soil. Your share of the booty will, I regret to say, fall short of the sum anticipated had all gone well with us; but there will be quite enough to keep you all in ease for the rest of your lives. Those are my intentions, mainly for your benefit. If you can suggest a better plan I am only too willing to lend my ear."
Cervillo paused. To his unbounded satisfaction he observed his bold front was making a favourable impression upon the handful of men he addressed. There was one exception amongst the Spanish-speaking audience. That was the Greek spokesman. It was in his mind that the mutiny should go its whole course; that Cervillo should be made prisoner, and that he should be the new captain. But he had given his fellow mutineers no plan of what he should do to save himself and them from the hangman's rope, and on that point Cervillo scored.
A few exclamations of approval warmed the captain to his task, and in an easy, confidential manner he continued.
"You are, I know, aware that there is a source of danger already in the ship. I refer to that English dog and his comrades who have contrived to seize the after part of the ship. I do not wish to make a secret about it, but the greater portion of the treasure lies in their hands. Yes, men, it is enough to make you have long faces; but the worst is not yet told. They refuse to give up the gold. How can we compel them to do so? If we use force they threaten to sink the ship. As you know, we have only three boats left, and they have been considerably damaged. This is the situation. More than that, I see you men are standing before me armed, and with every appearance of being mutineers. Is not that so?"
"We mean to have our rights," interrupted the Greek, surlily. "If we don't look after ourselves, who else will?"
"I'm the person to do that," retorted Juan Cervillo, with a fierceness that made the Greek—although he was standing twenty feet from the pirate captain—recoil and seek refuge behind his comrades. "And, what is more, I mean to get you all out of this business in the best possible manner. Could you dislodge the Englishman and his companions from the half-deck? I think not. I have a plan; but before I divulge it I must have your promise of complete obedience. Now go and explain to your comrades on the port side the state of affairs. I will wait here and receive your answer."
Those of the crew who did not understand Spanish were regarding their captain with hostile eyes until their fellows on the starboard side raised their shouts of approbation. They could not understand the sudden change of opinion; but very easily led, they soon agreed to accept Cervillo's terms as explained by the Spanish-speaking portion of the crew, who were, for the most part, capable of making themselves understood by every member of the polyglot assembly. Only the Greek held out, striving to influence his compatriots against the captain's authority; but, failing miserably, he subsided, and tried to retire into oblivion by diving into the crowd of reconciled mutineers.
"Now," exclaimed Cervillo, after a while, "are you willing to submit to my authority once again? For my part I will overlook this affair knowing that you have erred in thinking that I had no desire to study the interest of my crew."
"We are with you, señor capitan!" shouted the men.
"Excellent! Now this is my plan: Señor Da Silva will muster forty men armed with rifles upon the quarter-deck. The rest of you will go for'ard, and on the signal being given, commence to shout 'All hands on deck!' and 'Everyone for himself—the ship's sinking!' Make as much noise as you can. The prisoners will at once bolt from below, and as soon as the last man is up through the hatchway Señor Da Silva will give the word for them to be shot down. No one must be allowed to escape below. We can then recover the gold, and on the first available opportunity we will tranship the booty and ourselves to another vessel. Have I made myself clear?"
The mutineers expressed themselves satisfied, and at once went for'ard to carry out the proposed stratagem.
Meanwhile Fielding and his companions kept well on the alert, maintaining regular watches, and leaving nothing to chance. Through the ports they had witnessed the cruiser's mishaps in the submerged bed of ice, and her perilous passage betwixt the horns of the berg. They knew that theIndependenciawas heading southwards, but for what purpose they were in ignorance. Certain it was that for the time being Cervillo's idea of sheltering on the east coast of Greenland had been knocked on the head.
"They're pretty well at the end of their tether," remarked the sub. "Something's gone wrong with the engines, I fancy; and I shouldn't be a bit surprised if she's leaking badly. They've been pumping continuously for the last few hours."
"There's one blessing, they won't be able to do any more damage to shipping," added Cardyke. "But I can't say that I appreciate being cooped up here. Couldn't we make a rush for it and drive them below?"
"Too early," objected his superior. "They must be lulled into a sense of security first. No, Cardyke, we must sit tight and await our opportunity. It's bound to come. You see, if we attempted to capture the ship, and failed—we cannot rely upon success—our position might be infinitely worse. We cannot come to much harm here. The gold acts as an invisible breastplate to shield us all."
Just then there was a heavy crash somewhere amidships, followed by a babel of yells that roused the sleeping watch from their berths.
"What's happening now?" asked Fielding. "Can you make out what they are shouting about, Mr. Rutter?"
The American, who was a fairly good Spanish linguist, understood the nature of the yells. For a few seconds he stood chewing the end of a huge cigar.
"I guess they're celebrating someone's nameday," he remarked, calmly. "Let 'em yell. Maybe they'll want their wasted breath before long." Then, taking Fielding aside, he said, in an undertone, "They're trying to lure us out, I reckon. Say the ship's sinking. Guess she's been going down some these twenty-four hours past, and she hasn't gone yet; so sit tight."
Thus, by the coolness of Hiram B. Rutter, the knavish plot of Da Silva fizzled out like a damp squib. Finger on trigger the platoon waited to mow down the hostages as they issued pell-mell through the hatchway; but they waited in vain.
"Ten thousand fiends take them!" exclaimed the pirate captain in his wrath when he saw that treachery failed to accomplish his ends. "There must be a traitor amongst the crew."
Disgusted and foiled, Cervillo retired to his quarters, and spent the rest of the day in sulky isolation. Meanwhile Da Silva, to whom the care of the vessel had been entrusted, kept the cruiser pointing due south at a modest ten knots. He, too, began to realise that, with her diminished speed and rapidly burning oil supply, it was only a question of hours before theIndependenciafloated idly at the mercy of wind and wave. With the exhaustion of the oil fuel the auxiliary engines would be useless, and the centrifugal pumps would be powerless to check the inrush of water. The pumps worked by manual labour might keep the vessel afloat for twenty-four hours, but Da Silva, who had been mate of a Levant trader, knew only too well how quickly men will tire at the arduous task of manning the pumps.
Another day had almost passed. The sun was on the point of dipping for a few short hours beneath the horizon when the look-out announced, "Sail on the port quarter."
Cervillo and most of the officers made their way up to the bridge. Glasses were brought to bear upon the distant vessel, whose topmasts only were as yet visible from where the pirate captain stood. Was it a British cruiser that by some unfortunate freak of circumstance had penetrated the almost deserted northern ocean?
"What do you make of her?" shouted Cervillo to the man in the fire-control platform, which, useless for its primary purpose, had been used as a spacious and well-sheltered "crow's-nest."
"There are two vessels, señor capitan. One is in tow of the other."
"Are they cruisers?"
"I think not, señor capitan. One of them is square-rigged."
Unable to conceal his anxiety, Cervillo entered the narrow door in the base of one of the tripods, and climbed inside the hollow mast till he stood beside the look-out in the fire-control platform.
For quite a minute Cervillo kept the two vessels under observation, then with a gesture of relief he returned the telescope to the seaman. Regaining the bridge he gave orders for the helm to be starboarded, so as to bring theIndependenciaon a converging course to that of the strange vessel and her tow.
This done he called Da Silva to his side.
"Now is our chance," he said, in an undertone. "Yonder ships are a disabled whaler and a steam yacht. We must capture both, place the crew of the yacht on board the whaler, and cut them adrift. Since these obstinate dogs will not let us have the gold we must be content with what is stored amidships."
"But we shall be very poorly off," objected the lieutenant.
"If we had to share with the whole of our crew," replied Juan Cervillo. "Listen, Da Silva; we must find a means of getting the booty that is still in our possession on board the yacht with all the officers and some of the men who are Spaniards by birth. The rest must shift for themselves."
Even Da Silva, hardened villain that he was, looked astounded at the calculated heartlessness of his superior.
"But how?" he whispered.
Cervillo placed his finger on his lips.
"Leave that to me," he replied. "Only see that my orders are properly carried out, and all will be plain sailing."
"Gaspar!" he shouted, addressing the man who had superseded the English renegade as bo'sun. "Send up signals of distress!"