CHAPTER XXXVIII
Thesun had just risen above the horizon and through the haze could be seen a low lying shore which gleamed yellow in the distance. On the quarter-deck of theEsmeraldastood a group of men, and each held a pair of marine glasses to his eyes.
“Yes—that is Banana,” Captain Armstrong announced decisively.
The voyage had passed without untoward incident, but no one on board the cruiser had had an idle moment. The men above deck had been drilled, and some practise had been made with the guns. The leaders of the expedition had discussed every eventuality, and the next few days would prove whether they were to meet with success or failure.
The ship was slowed down to twelve knots, and the men were rapidly putting her into battle trim. Gaunt and Edward Drake watched them in silence, for now they had nothing to do save to realize that they were responsible for what might end in disaster.
At last they caught a glimpse of the mouth of the Congo, and theEsmeraldawas turned directly towards the entrance of the river. Captain Armstrong joined them, and it was evident that he was in the highest spirits.
“There is only one thing that I wish; that we were flying the White Ensign,” he remarked.
“I think that of the Church is more appropriate,”Edward Drake answered, and glanced at the flag which flew at the stern.
“Hallo! That looks like a ship in the distance,” Armstrong cried, and hastened to the bridge.
TheEsmeraldaspurted ahead and entered the river on the far side from the town of Banana.
“I hate being only a spectator. I wish I had something to do,” Gaunt said irritably.
A few miles up the river towards Boma could be seen a large steamer, which Gaunt at once recognized with the aid of his glasses.
“It is either theAlbertvilleor theLeopoldville,” he remarked.
“Are they British ships?”
“They belong to an English firm, although they fly the Belgian flag. There is a regular line of steamers running from here to Antwerp, and I’ll bet that this ship is carrying a million francs’ worth of rubber, and a like value of ivory.”
“Tainted with blood,” Drake said in a low voice. “Please God this tyranny will soon come to an end.”
“Now we are in for it. It’s sink or swim. See, Armstrong is signaling them to stop,” Gaunt cried eagerly.
They watched the vessel approaching, and soon answering flags appeared.
“Watch for Armstrong’s reply. There it goes. ‘Heave to or we fire.’”
The next few minutes were breathless with excitement, for theLeopoldville, for that was the name of the ship, continued to advance; but she had slowed down perceptibly.
She came nearly abreast of them but much nearer the shore and still continued on her course.
Again flags fluttered from theEsmeralda.
Suddenly there was a sharp report and a shot was fired from the cruiser. But still theLeopoldvilledid not stop.
“Now comes the critical moment,” Gaunt said beneath his breath.
Again the sound of a gun, and the most skillful gunner was the firer of the shot.
Gaunt’s eyes were eagerly fixed on the liner.
“Splendid,” he cried. “It hit her right astern. Her rudder has gone, and probably her propellers.”
“Will she sink?” Drake asked anxiously.
“I should think not. The water-tight compartments ought to keep her afloat. Even if she does go down, there won’t be any loss of life.”
TheLeopoldvillegradually ceased to move, and she lay there rolling gently with the swell. But in a few moments they could see that a boat was being lowered, and was rapidly rowed in the direction of theEsmeralda.
The red-faced, indignant, and greatly perplexed captain of theLeopoldvilleran up the companionway where he was received by Captain Armstrong and John Gaunt. Behind them stood Edward Drake and his brother.
“What is the meaning of this outrage? Who are you?” he cried hotly.
“One question at a time, please, captain. This is a war-ship engaged for a particular purpose, namely, the stopping and, if necessary, sinking of all ships which carry rubber and ivory from the Congo to Europe.”
“You are dastardly pirates,” was the angry answer.
“Not so, captain; for I believe pirates generally go after spoil. Our motive is solely to help the natives of the Congo,” Captain Armstrong answered suavely.
“Isn’t that a parson standing there? Will you kindly explain what it means?” the captain asked of Edward Drake.
“I can tell you no more than you have already heard,” the latter answered.
“Do you mean to tell me that you have disabled my ship merely with the idea of helping the natives?”
“Yes, captain.”
“Then, sir, let me tell you that it is a damnably absurd action. My ship is helpless, and it is impossible to repair her without docking. What am I to do with my passengers?”
“Take them back to Boma,” Gaunt broke in drily.
The captain of theLeopoldvilleturned round quickly.
“I know you. You’re Gaunt,” he cried.
“You are right. Come below and I will give you a full explanation. You are an Englishman and we’ve no ill feeling against you personally. It is only right that you should know why we’ve taken such a liberty with your ship,” Gaunt said pleasantly.
Half an hour later the captain again appeared on deck, and his face bore a very perplexed look; but all his indignation had vanished.
“Well, Iamdamned,” he muttered to himself as he stepped into his gig. “But I’m not at all sure that I don’t wish that they come out of it all right. I never did like these Belgian Congo brutes.”
For the rest of the day theEsmeraldacruised aboutthe entrance of the river but no other ship appeared until the following morning when a Woermann liner steamed from the north; she was treated in a similar way to theLeopoldvillegreatly to the indignation of her German captain, who came on board the cruiser and threatened them with the vengeance of the “mailed fist.”
Captain Armstrong was enjoying himself thoroughly, and each passing day claimed one or more victims, until the mouth of the Congo was dotted with helpless steamers.
It was on the third day that a steam launch came down the river and approached the cruiser.
“A visit from his Excellency, the Governor-General,” Gaunt announced, and they gathered round the companionway to receive the ruler of the Congo.
“Who is in command of this war-ship?” he demanded harshly.
Captain Armstrong stepped forward.
“I am responsible for its presence here,” Gaunt intervened.
The Count de Chambord gave him a keen look.
“Yes. It is as I thought. You are John Gaunt. I should like to speak with you,” he said quickly.
“If your Excellency will come to my cabin,” Gaunt said politely.
“I received a cable from Brussels in answer to my report upon the attack upon theLeopoldvillein which they suggested that you might be responsible for this outrage. Mr. Gaunt, may I ask what you hope to gain? Is it money?”
“No, Count. I stand to lose money.”
“And perhaps your life, for Europe will intervene,” the Count said significantly.
“I sincerely hope so,” Gaunt answered cheerfully. “I don’t think we shall do any good by this talk, for it can lead to nothing. We have come here with a deliberate purpose which we shall carry out to the best of our ability. Hello! The turbines have started. Don’t you think that we had better go on deck and see what is happening?”
And the governor-general was compelled to witness the welcome which the incoming liner, theAlbertville, received, for she was treated in a similar way to her sister ship.
“It is a pity, for we are running rather short of provisions at Boma,” the governor-general remarked ruefully.
In his way the Count was something of a philosopher.
“I shall be glad to put our stores at your service,” Gaunt said politely; but the offer was as politely refused, and the governor-general departed in his launch.
At dinner that night they were all very serious, for they realized that in a very few hours the crisis would come.
“I think that we have been too successful; nothing has gone wrong. No lives lost, and the Congo is at our mercy,” Gaunt remarked.
“Yes, until a cruiser turns up,” Captain Armstrong answered drily.
Edward Drake left the mess-room and went on deck. It was insufferably hot, and he wished to be alone. As he strolled slowly along the deck, his lips moved in prayer, for he understood only too well that the issue lay in the balance. At times he had been afraid of what hehad done, for the responsibility was so great; but when he remembered what was at stake, his courage returned.
“We shall win,” he told himself confidently.
Their cause was just, for they were fighting for freedom and justice. Every peaceable method had been tried, and only force had remained. The smell of the land reached his nostrils, and in his imagination he pictured the scenes that were taking place in the hinterland—the maimings, the torturings, and the doing to death of thousands of helpless fellow creatures. Yes, this land which stretched from the mouth of the Congo for miles was laid desolate; what had been once a densely populated country was deserted—the work of the white men.
And when he thought of Gaunt, a glad light came to his eyes, for he had grown to love the millionaire as a brother. And then like a fair picture Lady Ethel came to his mind, and he wondered if she ever thought of him.
“It is stifling,” Gaunt called from behind. “Dreaming, eh?”
“I was thinking of England.”
“Don’t, my friend. We have enough here to occupy our minds. I thought that I had passed the days of tense excitement; but now I am like a mad boy enjoying his first gamble. Drake, I am glad I came here. And I will tell you something—I will confess that now I have an honest desire to help the natives,” Gaunt said quietly.
The next morning they steamed up the river, further than they had hitherto been. Gaunt and Captain Drake were on the deck, while Armstrong was standing on the bridge with glasses in hand.
Suddenly there was a sharp report—a puff of smoke could be seen on the shore—and a shell whistled over their heads. Another report—and—crash—the shell pitched on the quarter-deck and a violent explosion followed.
Edward Drake came rushing from below, and there was horror in his eyes when he saw two figures lying on the deck. They were John Gaunt and his brother Lindsay.
Captain Armstrong gave sharp orders, and the bell of the indicator clanged. The cruiser turned round and raced at full speed towards the mouth of the river.