by L. T. Meade
CHAPTER V
THE END OF THE SUBMARINE
At the officer's words every one leaped up and dashed on deck,scarcely knowing what to expect, for the appearance of a submarine wasthe last thing any had dreamed of and all felt sure the sub-sea craftmust be the one they sought. For a moment they gazed upon anapparently bare sea, then, half a mile away, they caught a glimpse ofa dark object resembling the water-logged hull of a ship as it liftedagainst the sky on a long roller. Already the destroyer's men were atthe forward gun and with every one excited and expectant, the littleship bore down upon the submarine.
"By glory, they must be going to surrender!" cried Rawlins. "If theyweren't, they'd submerge."
"Then why in thunder don't they signal?" exclaimed the Commander.
Turning, he barked out an order and a moment later, a string of brightflags rose to the destroyer's stubby mast.
But there was no response from the submarine,--no answering signal.
"There's something fishy about her!" declared Rawlins. "Guess they'vegot something up their sleeves!"
"They won't pull any monkey shines with me, hang them!" burst outCommander Disbrow. Then, to the expectant gunner, "Put a shotalongside of her!"
Hardly were the words uttered, when the decks shook to the roar of thegun and a huge column of water rose like a geyser a few feet from thesubmarine.
"That ought to wake them up!" cried Mr. Henderson.
"But it didn't!" exclaimed the diver who was staring through hisglasses. "By glory, they must all be dead!"
The destroyer had now drawn within a few hundred feet of the submarineand still there was no sign of life, no signal displayed upon thewallowing craft ahead.
"I don't like to sink her out of hand," mused Commander Disbrow, "butI'll be hanged if I'll board her until I know what's up. See if youcan chip a bit off her conning tower, Flannigan."
The big Irish gunner looked up and grinned as he saluted. "Thot Oiwill, Sor!" he replied as he carefully trained his gun.
And as, at the crashing report, the top of the submarine's conningtower vanished in a puff of smoke and a spurt of flame, the watcherscheered lustily.
"I'll be sunk!" shouted Rawlins when even this failed to bring anyresponse from the submarine. "They are dead--or else she's deserted!"
"Have a boat lowered away!" ordered the Commander turning to the younglieutenant, "and board that sub with an armed crew. Don't takechances. If you find any one, take them dead or alive--and be sure youget the drop on them first!"
A moment later the boat was in the water, the armed bluejacketstumbled into her and in the lee of the destroyer rapidly bore down onthe sub-sea craft while those on the destroyer watched them with everynerve tense with excitement. They saw the boat draw alongside thesubmarine, saw the officer and two men scramble on to the water-washeddeck and saw them cautiously approach the hatch with drawn pistols.Then they disappeared and all waited breathlessly, expecting to seethem emerge with their captives. But when, a moment later, they againcame into view they were alone and gaining their boat headed back forthe destroyer.
"I'll say she's deserted!" cried Rawlins. "By glory, those rascals areleaving a regular trail of deserted boats behind them. First the suboff New York, then the schooner in the Bahamas, then that sub in SantoDomingo and now this one! Suffering cats! They must have subs toburn!"
"Well, if they've abandoned this one, I'd like to know what they're onnow," declared Mr. Pauling. "Perhaps they _did_ seize some othership after all."
"We'll know in a moment what's up," said Mr. Henderson as the boatswept alongside.
"Forward starboard plates are stove in, Sir," announced the lieutenantas he approached and saluted the Commander. "Appears to have been incollision. She's half full of water and several bodies floating aboutinside."
"By Jove!" cried Mr. Pauling. "They've met their deserts at last!Well, it's saved us the trouble of following farther. I suppose youdid not notice the bodies sufficiently to describe them, Lieutenant."
"Unrecognizable, Sir," replied the young officer. "Evidentlysuffocated by gas from the batteries when the water reached them. Notpleasant to look at, Sir, but appeared to be members of the engineroom crew from their clothing."
"Hmm, then I'm afraid we'll never know if the leaders survived ornot," mused Mr. Pauling. "Too bad, but it can't be helped. I guessthere's nothing else, Disbrow, except to land this gang we have inTrinidad--I suppose that's the nearest port."
"Yes, it's the nearest," agreed the Commander, "but we'll sink thatsub first. She's a menace to navigation."
A moment later the gun roared again and once again. Fragments of steelplates and twisted iron mingled with the upflung water as the burstingshells struck true and the shattered submarine sank to her lastresting place to form the tomb of those who had come to their deathwithin her. Now that the submarine had been destroyed there was nochance of hearing the truth of the plans which had been made to rescueRobinson and his fellow plotters from the destroyer and all possiblespeed was made for Trinidad.
But Rawlins was still skeptical. "I've a hunch that old boy with themonocle didn't go down with that sub," he declared as the blue waterschanged to a dull muddy brown from the mouth of the Orinoco nearly onehundred miles distant. "I'll bet he and Red Whiskers and some othersgot away and saved their hides. They may have been picked up or theymight even have made land. And I'd like to know what became of thatblamed seaplane."
"If they were picked up they'll be reported," declared Mr. Pauling."When we reach Trinidad, we can send out a general alarm to hold themwherever they arrive; but personally I believe they're dead. If thesub was in collision, she must have been run down at night and in thatcase all below were probably suffocated. The fact that there were onlya few bodies visible proves nothing, for there may have been many morein the rooms or out of sight. Of course, the plane is unaccounted for,but I imagine they left her somewhere and all took to the sub longbefore it was disabled. You see, we have no proof that it was usedafter leaving Aves--now that we know Robinson's story was purefalsehood."
"Maybe," was the diver's comment. "But I'm still from Missouri."
When the boys came on deck the following morning, the lofty mountainsof Venezuela loomed above the yellow-brown water ahead with blue-greenhills stretching far to east and west.
"Gosh! it doesn't seem possible we're looking at South America,"exclaimed Frank. "Where's Trinidad, Mr. Rawlins?"
"There to the east," replied the diver. "Those mountains to the westare at the tip of Venezuela, those lower green hills dead ahead arethe islands at the Bocas, and only the northern end of Trinidad andthose faint misty mountains in the distance are visible from here."
Gradually, the apparently solid land ahead seemed to break up; narrowopenings of water showed between the hills and presently the destroyerwas steaming through the famous Bocas leading from the Caribbean intothe great Gulf of Paria.
"Golly, this _would_ be a nasty place to have anything go wrong!"exclaimed Tom as the little ship passed between the jagged, rockyislands and reefs that lined the waterway. "Maybe I'm not glad Isurprised that fellow."
"Don't think you're the only one that is," said Rawlins. "And Disbrowisn't dead sure something may not be wrong yet. Look at the way he'sgot men at the anchors and the way he's just crawling along."
But nothing happened, the destroyer passed through the Bocas insafety, and, as the great bulk of Trinidad loomed ahead, the boysforgot everything else in their interest in watching the beautiesunfolding as they steamed across the Gulf towards Port of Spain. Theycould scarcely believe that the ranges of lofty, cloud-toppedmountains, the far-reaching valleys and the interminable shoresstretching away in the dim distance were on an island and not acontinent. When they mentioned this, Commander Disbrow explained thatTrinidad really is a bit of the tip of South America cut off only bythe narrow Bocas at the two ends of the Gulf of Paria.
"It's wonderful," declared Tom, "but still I don't like it as well asDominica. Somehow it seems mo
re natural for a place as big as this tohave all those mountains, but Dominica's so different from anything Iever imagined that it fascinated me."
"And this is too much to take in," added Frank. "Dominica was like apicture that you could see all at once. Are there any interestingthings here?"
"There's the Pitch Lake," replied Rawlins. "Only it's not a lake, buta big bed of asphalt, and oil wells, and some fine water falls, andthe Blue Basin."
"Well, I hope Dad lets us stay a day or two so we can see the place,"said Tom. "Is the Pitch Lake near the town?"
"No--down at the other end of the island," replied the diver. "You cango by train and steamer or by motor car. You'll find it a queer spot,but hotter than blazes. When I used to come down here with Father, hesometimes loaded asphalt at Brighton--that's the port of the Asphaltcompany--and I was always mighty glad to get away. I'll say it's thehottest place in this world!"
They were now approaching the harbor and as Mr. Pauling had radioedahead that he had prisoners to be turned over to the authorities, apolice boat manned by gigantic black "bobbies" was waiting for thedestroyer when she at last dropped anchor off Port of Spain.
As the pompous, florid-faced inspector, followed by his half-dozenblack giants, boarded the destroyer the usual fleet of shore boatsdrew close.
"Here, you!" cried Rawlins beckoning to one darky. "Hand me up apaper."
Tossing a shilling to the fellow, the diver seized the _Gazette_and turned eagerly to the column headed "Maritime News."
"Here 'tis!" he exclaimed, as he ran his eye rapidly over the variousitems.
"Barbados, 29th. Steamship _Trident_, La Guaira for European ports, put in with leak in port bow. Reports being in collision with what appeared to be a water-logged derelict on the night of 27th. Longitude 62 deg. 58' W. Latitude 12 deg. 35' N. Captain Donaldson states that he believes there were men clinging to the derelict as officer on watch insists he heard cries after striking, but no trace of men or of the derelict could be found although the _Trident_ stood by and burned flares for half an hour."
"But how do you know that's about the steamer that struck thesubmarine?" asked Tom.
"I don't _know_," admitted the diver. "But I'll bet a five spot toa plugged nickel it is, just the same. It's the same position--or atleast within a few miles of it--as where we found the old sub. It'd beblamed funny if there was a derelict and that sub knocking about thesame spot. Anyhow the _Trident_ didn't pick any one up so I guessmy hunch was wrong about Old Glass Eye getting off." While Rawlins hadbeen speaking, Frank had been examining the paper and suddenly he letout a yell that made the others jump.
"Jehoshaphat!" he cried. "Just listen to this!" Then while the otherslistened he read:
TO EXPLORE JUNGLES IN AIRSHIP
Demerara, Tuesday. The steamship _Devon_ which arrived yesterday brought to our shores Messrs. La Verne and Dewar who plan a unique expedition into the hinterland. Messrs. La-Verne and Dewar brought with them on the _Devon_ the latest type of hydroplane or flying boat with which they will explore the unknown interior of the Colony. Their aircraft excited the admiration and wonder of everybody as the two intrepid men got safely off and rising gracefully from the surface of the Demerara River soared like a great bird above the tree tops and disappeared in the direction of the unknown solitudes. We understand that Messrs. La-Verne and Dewar are conducting their expedition in the interests of a large British and American syndicate which is interested in the development of the Colony's resources. We wish the gentlemen every success and a safe return.
"By the great horn spoon, that's them!" shouted Rawlins. "Steamship_Devon_. Well I'll be sunk! By glory! How that Robinson did foolus! And while those chaps were watching for the _Devonshire_which didn't exist they let the blamed _Devon_ come in and thosetwo devils fly away and never even smelled a rat!"
"Then you mean--" began Tom.
But Rawlins had grabbed the paper and had rushed to the room where Mr.Pauling and the others were talking earnestly with the Inspector ofPolice.
"I'll say they lied after all!" he burst out, as the men jumped up insurprise at his unexpected appearance. "It was the _Devon_ theyseized--not the _Devonshire!_ And she's got in and landed theconfounded plane and those two precious scoundrels and got safe awayagain! Here 'tis, plain as can be!"
Eagerly, Mr. Pauling seized the proffered paper and read the despatchfrom Demerara and even the apoplectic inspector, who had seemed aboutto explode with outraged dignity at Rawlins' impetuous interruption ofthe conference, forgot his ruffled feelings and scowled fiercely atthe unoffending sheet over Mr. Pauling's shoulder.
"Jove, you're right!" declared Mr. Pauling at last. "A coincidence ofthat sort would be impossible. We've been tricked again, Henderson.Outplayed. But it may not be too late yet. Have Bancroft radio to holdthe _Devon_."
"No use now!" announced Rawlins. "She sailed day before yesterday.Look down in the Maritime News and you'll find it. And there's anotheritem there--it was the _Trident_ that rammed the sub."
"But, but, my good man!" spluttered the inspector. "You can captureher. She cannot be far away you know!"
"No?" replied the diver questioningly. "Not in miles perhaps, butwhere? Did she sail north, east, south or west? The sea's a mighty bigplace and a ship's a mighty small thing to find on it--especially whenshe don't want to be found. And what's her name now? You can bet yourbottom dollar she isn't the _Devon_ any longer."
"But really, really, my good man, I'm not accustomed to beingaddressed in that manner, Sir!" burst out the inspector. "I'd have youunderstand I'm the Inspector of Police, Sir. Why, who under the sunare you anyway, Sir?"
"I'm a poor boob that thought you fellows down here had common sense!"retorted Rawlins hotly. "Why the dickens didn't they have brainsenough to think of _Devon_ and _Devonshire_ being too blamedmuch alike?"
"Come, come, Rawlins!" exclaimed Mr. Pauling in mollifying tones."Major May is not to blame and I suppose there really was no reasonfor suspecting the _Devon_ to be the _Devonshire_."
Then, turning to the purple-faced officer. "Major," he said, "let meintroduce Mr. Rawlins. He's our guide, philosopher, and friend, if Imay quote a hackneyed saying. I don't know what we'd do without him.He and the boys are really responsible for all we've accomplished andhe's famous for his hunches."
Rawlins grinned and grasped the inspector's hand and the latter, asquick to recover his temper as to lose it, smiled under his bristlingwhite mustache. "Jolly glad to know you!" he declared. "Sorry if Ioffended you and all that. Bit peppery I expect--India and liver, youknow. Curry, and all that sort of thing. Ah, yes--and thehunches--'pon my word, never heard of them. Sort of cocktail, are theynot?"
The diver could not restrain his merriment and Mr. Pauling and theothers grew scarlet.
"Not quite, Major," Rawlins managed to reply. "Don't know if I canexplain it--Yankee term, sort of slang, meaning a premonition orsomething like it, a--well a hunch you know."
But the splenetic old veteran could take a joke even if on himself androared with laughter at his own error.
"Jolly good thing, that about the _Devon_," he declared when allwere on good terms once more. "Now we have a proper charge againstthese rascals you have. Couldn't see my way before--with no such shipas the bally old _Devonshire_. Couldn't accuse them of doing awaywith a ship that didn't exist, you know. All different now, though.Well, I must be off. Anything I can do, just call on me. Any plans inview?"
"I'll say we'd better beat it for Demerara," declared Rawlins beforeMr. Pauling could reply. "If those devils are off in that seaplane, wemay get 'em yet. They've got to land somewhere and they've got to comeback. They can't fly clean across South America without gas."
"Righto!" agreed the inspector. "Cousin of mine inspector there, youknow. Give him my regards. Good chap, Philip, rather new to his job,of course, and all that sort of thing--but smart chap. Yes, he'll doanything to help you, rather!"
"N
ow, what's this big idea about going to Demerara?" asked Mr.Pauling, after the inspector had left accompanied by his men and withthe surly prisoners securely handcuffed.
"Why, my idea is just this," the diver explained. "Those two rascalshave beat it for the interior in their plane. Of course, they werethat slick guy with the monocle and old Red Whiskers--but you know aswell as I do that they're not exploring or in the interests of anysyndicate. But I will say they've got some sense of humor atthat--'big American and British syndicate,' by glory! They're halftelling the truth at that--the 'reds' are _some_ syndicate, I'lltell the world! But that trip of theirs is just bluff. They've justgone up in the bush a ways to lie low until we've dropped off theirtrail. And I'll say they had some everlasting nerve to use the name_Devonshire_ and run the risk of the bobbies over there gettingsuspicious when the _Devon_ came in. Expect it was so the crewwouldn't have trouble in remembering it. Well, as I was saying,they'll hide out in the bush or, by Jimminy, they may be headed forDutch Guiana! But, whatever it is, a plane can't go snooping aroundGuiana without attracting attention and we can trail 'em easy."
"Admitting all that is true, as it no doubt is, whose attention is theplane going to attract and how do you propose trailing them?" askedMr. Pauling.
"Also," he added, "what makes you think the _Devon_ was seized?Perhaps, the two took passage on her from some port with their plane."
"I'll answer the last question first," replied the diver. "A couple ofchaps don't go touring around the West Indies carrying a seaplane intheir handbag and if they'd appeared suddenly at some port, as ifflying around, the paper would have mentioned it. Trust the skipper ofthe _Devon_--if he'd been genuine--to make a good yarn out of it.Besides, if they hadn't seized the ship, how the deuce would Robinsonhave thought of using the same name and just tacking a 'shire' on it?If he'd been straight--or rather if they'd just boarded the_Devon_ as you suggest--he'd have said _Devon_. And there'sthat Anannias Club we just sent ashore. We know they lied becausethere wasn't any _Devonshire_ or I'd think they were survivorsfrom the _Devon_. But as long as they weren't, then they're partof the gang. The only thing that gets me is where they stowed away abig enough crew on the sub to send twenty-two men aboard us and haveenough left to man the _Devon._ And now about the otherquestions. The Indians are the ones who'll see the plane and you canbet your boots they'll all see it--think the Great Spirit himself'scoming I expect. By talking to a few of the Indians, we can trail thatold plane as easy as if they were blazing their way."
"But you forget Guiana is a big territory and a plane can hideanywhere on the rivers," objected Mr. Pauling. "No, Rawlins, I'mafraid they've given us the slip for good."
"Yes, I agree with you there," declared Mr. Henderson, "but I do thinkit may be well to run over to Demerara. We can have a talk with theofficials and leave them to apprehend the plane--and the _Devon_,if it comes back."
"Very well," assented Mr. Pauling. "It's two to one, so I agree.Disbrow, we might as well get under way for Demerara."
