'I'm unarmed as you can see and you can keep me covered if you wish—but I've got to talk to you.'
'Get below!'
'All right,' the McKay shrugged, 'if you won't send your friends away I'll talk to all three of you. This game you're playing looks pretty profitable I know, but if that faked will fails to be upheld in the courts you won't get a penny piece and, what's more, sooner or later the police will run you down and you'll all get a long stretch in jail for this hold up.'
'Get below,' Slinger repeated.
'I'm going—when I've said my say,' announced the McKay doggedly. 'Now the Duchess knows that her lawyers will contest that will and if you go off to New York tomorrow you'll find a policeman on the quay to arrest you.'
Slinger's eyes narrowed. 'How can you possibly know that?'
'Never you mind. Trying to semaphore with a couple of handkerchiefs isn't the only way of communcating with passing shipping.'
'Have you been up to something?'
The McKay met Slinger's angry glance with a cold stare. 'D'you think I'd tell you if I had—but I wasn't born yesterday and you can't keep a man who's spent his life at sea in a ship indefinitely, against his will.'
'Well—what have you got to say.'
'Send your friends away and I'll tell you.'
Slinger shook his head.
'All right then. If the three of you will come in with us and arrange for our party to be landed at any port which possesses a United States or British Consul the Duchess will guarantee you the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars cash, and no questions asked or action to be taken. That's a hell of a lot of money—what about it?'
The barest flicker of a smile touched Slinger's lips. If they were offering a quarter of a million dollars for their freedom they could have very little hope of gaining it by any other means. Obviously this talk of the will being seriously contested and communications with other ships which would assure his arrest on landing was pure bluff.
He hardly hesitated a second before dismissing the offer from his mind but even before he spoke one of the gunmen tapped him on the arm.
'Send him below Boss—or Captain Ardow'll be wantin' ter know just what's been keepin' you all this time.'
Slinger jerked his head in the direction of the companion-way. 'Forget it,' he said, 'and no more attempts to signal ships. I shan't be so lenient next time. Down to your cabin now.'
161
t.f.a.—f
The McKay saw the futility of endeavouring to prolong the discussion. Slinger had been set to watch them but Captain Ardow had been set to watch Slinger and probably one or more of the gunmen were completely loyal to Kate and watching both Slinger and the Captain in his interest, on top of which the whole lot of them were keeping the wireless men, officers and crew under their observation. Mentally the McKay was compelled to salute that some-time scholar at one of England's leading public schools who had organised the whole business, and physically, he took himself off to bed.
In the morning a long rolling swell, aftermath of the storm, still made bathysphere diving impossible, but the sky had lightened and the weather was warmer. The McKay and Sally bathed in the pool. Vladimir was on deck again, handsome and romantic looking with a white bandage round his dark curly head. For Nicky the night's sleep had only served to reinforce his opinion that he was in truth a hero and Camilla's chosen champion. He had no doubt whatsoever that if only they could get out of the clutches of this gang she would marry him tomorrow. He was the only person who had actually struck a blow for her and the episode grew in his mind to gigantic proportions. 'Well, I hit him anyhow—right on the nose,' was the remark which he made to various members of the party at least a dozen times during the morning.
The sea had eased at least sufficiently for them to steam out into the open and by the employment of the electric sounding machine locate the site of the lost city by midday. The sun came out and there seemed no reason now why it should not stay out for several consecutive days. By half past two the swell was no more than an undulation of the glassy surface and the Doctor announced his intention of going down. He was however in some difficulty because Oscar, his telephonist, had gone on strike. That seedy youth had not yet recovered from his experience of two days before and had definitely stated that nothing would ever induce him to go down in the bathysphere again.
Doctor Tisch called for a volunteer among the passengers to take Oscar's place and looked confidently towards Count Axel, but the Count said that willingly as he would have done so, he was the victim of a wicked migraine and, to his great disappointment, was not well enough to go down at all that day. Upon which Nicky, who was suffering from a bravery complex at the moment, promptly said that he would take Oscar's place.
Vladimir, not to be outdone, declared his intention of accompanying them but the two girls said that although they might go down later, their last experience was too recent for them to care about another trip at the moment. The McKay refrained from reminding them that since it was Saturday this was probably their last chance of ever going on another dive and settled himself to entertain them. Count Axel, holding his forehead with his hand, went down to his cabin just as the bathysphere party departed aft.
It was sunset before the sphere was hauled in again and even so it had been less than an hour at the bottom. Nicky and Vladimir hurried forward to report the Doctor's operations. They had landed in the outer fringe of the great stones again, some of which they judged to be eighty feet in height, bored three holes at the base of one, inserted charges, been drawn up 400 feet, and then exploded them. After which they had descended again for the sphere's undercarriage to collect as much of the debris as it could carry and the Doctor was sorting the contents of the dredge at the moment.
'Well, it's some comfort to think none of you will have any further opportunity of risking your necks in that darned thing,' the McKay remarked, 'we'll be sailing for Horta I expect this evening.'
'Oh, this is hellish!' exclaimed Sally hitting the arm of her chair with a small clenched fist. 'The whole week's gone and we've done nothing. Isn't there any way we can save ourselves from that devil Kate?'
The McKay shrugged. 'M'dear I told you what happened when I tried to scare Slinger and then bribe him last night. Even if he were willing he couldn't help us. The whole crowd are watching each other like cats and they've got us cold at the moment. Try and be patient. I think our chance may come before we reach the Falklands.'
'We'll never reach the Falklands,' said Sally with conviction. 'When Kate learns——'
She never completed her sentence for at that moment Doctor Tisch came bursting into the lounge.
'Look, he cried and the pudgy hand he held out was quivering with excitement. It held a triangular piece of stone, one side of which showed a smooth dull cloudy reddish surface. 'Look please,' he repeated. 'I haf polished a little—soon I will polish again and it will become clear and bright. This stone is faced' with pure red copper— orichalcum. Atlantis is found again—found I tell you. Tomorrow—next week I will bring up silver and gold.'
They stared at this first certain symbol which honestly justified the Doctor's theories. Copper facings did not grow on rocks at the sea bottom, no one could contest that. Some long dead human must have worked this metal found 5,000 feet under the sea. It was an incontestable proof that the great stones beneath them were truly the remains of a mighty building erected by an ancient race. Further dives might bring the most staggering discoveries; not only gold and gems but perhaps the data of arts and sciences unknown to even the modern world as yet.
Slinger, accompanied by his gunmen, had stepped through the doorway unobserved by the little group gathered round the excited Doctor. Suddenly he spoke:
'I'm sorry. It's real hard lines now the Doctor's proved his fairy story to be true after all, but this time tomorrow you'll all be the best part of two hundred miles from here.'
They swung round on him and the Doctor stuttered: 'You cannot—you cannot. T
hink please what this discovery means for science—and for the whole world. There is gold also—much gold. Take that if you like—but my exploration must go on.
Slinger shook his head. 'I'm sorry but our plans are made and I couldn't upset them if you promised me a million. I radioed the announcement about the bathysphere having burst at four o'clock this afternoon and ten minutes later every wireless station in the world will have known of the Duchess's death and that of her whole party except Sally.'
'Please—please,' moaned the Doctor. 'Think what this means for science.'
'Come on, Slinger,' urged the McKay. 'Now the Doctor has proved his point you might give him a chance. You know we are completely helpless against your men. If we had thought there was any chance of upsetting your apple cart we should have started something long before this.
What's it matter giving him a few days anyhow before running us down to the Falklands.'
'It's no good,' said Slinger firmly. 'I've got to catch the weekly boat from Horta tomorrow morning, so as to see things through in New York. We are sailing right now.'
Count Axel's head appeared above the banisters of the companion-way. His headache had apparently disappeared. He smiled a lazy indolent smile.
'I'm afraid you're mistaken Slinger. This ship is not sailing anywhere for some considerable time.'
He gave a quick glance at his watch, grabbed the banisters with both hands, and shouted:
'Hang on everybody and be ready for the shock.'
Nobody but the McKay heeded his warning and for thirty seconds there was a tense silence as they tried to grasp his meaning.
Then the deck seemed to rise up and hit them, the whole ship shuddered violently and, as they were flung off their feet a deafening explosion shattered the silence like the crack of a twelve inch gun.
The McKay Makes a Grand Slam
The first to recover was one of Slinger's gunmen who fell sprawling in the doorway. Quick as a cat he rolled over on his stomach, fired a warning shot through the skylight before the reverberation of the explosion had died away, and bellowed:
'Put 'em up all of you—Put 'em up or I'll drill you!'
The McKay was still standing and, as he raised his arms under the threat of the pistol, he whipped round on Count Axel:
'God man! Have you holed the ship?'
A confused shouting and the sound of people clattering down ladders came from the outside on the deck.
Slinger staggered to his feet and glared in the same direction. 'What the hell have you been up to—what have you done eh?'
'I don't quite know yet,' the Count admitted, lifting his hands to the level of his head. 'We were a little anxious that you should not leave us so I took steps to ensure that the ship would be quite unable to proceed to Horta.'
'Damn you, what have you done?' snarled Slinger.
The Count smiled with considerable enjoyment. 'I've had no chance to investigate the extent of the damage but I stole half a dozen of the good Doctor's depth charges when I was helping him in the bathysphere yesterday and, this afternoon, I inserted them in the machinery. Unfortunately, I know very little about engines but I trust you will find that the propeller shaft is beyond repair.'
'Hell!' exclaimed Slinger to the doorway. 'Here Bozo, keep these people covered and let them have it if they play any monkey tricks. Then he dashed below to find out what had happened.
The ship had steadied, the whole party were on their feet again but Bozo and his companion held them motionless under the muzzles of their guns.
Suddenly the McKay began to hum with quiet enjoyment:
'What shall we do with a drunken sailor? What shall we do with a drunken sailor? Put him in a boat until he's sober, Early—in the—morn—ing.'
Sally giggled and joined in the chorus:
'Hi! Hi! up she rises Hi! Hi! up she rises Hi! Hi! up—she—rises Early—in the—morn—ing.'
Nicky stared angrily at the gunmen. 'I wish to God you birds would go away so we could have a drink.'
'Keep 'em up,' said Bozo, without the shadow of a smile.
The clamour outside had died down and a silence fell which became monotonous. Camilla broke it by turning the battery of her limpid blue eyes on Axel and saying softly:
'I always knew you had brains, Count. I think you're simply marvellous.
He gave his elegant little bow. 'Madame, it is a half measure only, but I hope that it will serve our purpose for the moment.
'Why the deuce did you go and say that it was you who'd done it?' asked the McKay.
'My dear Captain, they were bound to know that one of us was responsible and, if I had not admitted it, they would probably have suspected you.'
'Oh—ay! Very decent of you,' the McKay nodded his appreciation. 'I only hope they won't bear too much of a grudge. It was a thunderin' good idea.'
'Well—anyway I hit him—didn't I? Right on the nose,' Nicky muttered in an endeavour to recapture some of his fast vanishing glory.
'My arms,' sighed Camilla. 'They'll drop off if I'm not allowed to lower them soon.'
'Better keep 'em up, sister,' the muscular looking thug who answered to the name of Bozo advised her seriously, 'or its you who'll be dropping.'
To their relief Slinger came panting back up the companion-way a moment later.
'It would serve you damn well right if I had you put in irons,' he snapped at Axel. 'Anyhow I'm not trusting any of you an inch after this. My two men will keep you company from now on and none of you are to move out of the lounge until you go down to dinner. You can put your hands down now.'
'Aren't we to be allowed to change?' asked Camilla. 'We're late tonight as it is.'
'No you'll dine as you are and be locked in your cabins immediately afterwards.' With a worried frown Slinger stamped angrily away to find Captain Ardow.
'Well—that's that,' said the McKay, moving over to a wheeled tray which one of the stewards had brought in just before the explosion. Two of the bottles on it had fallen over but all were corked and only one glass had been smashed. 'Anyone like a drink?'
'Thank you—I would,' Sally replied as she flopped down on a settee.
'Nicky darling, will you do things for us,' Camilla said sweetly as she took the opposite corner to Sally.
Under cover of the rattle made by the ice in Nicky's cocktail shaker the McKay remarked to Count Axel: 'It was a darn fine idea, but why by all that's holy didn't you tell us what you meant to do—we might have jumped the gunmen if we'd had a little warning.'
The Count shook his head. 'That would have been dangerous and useless. For one thing I did not know that these two would be here and even if the four of us had succeeded in gaining possession of their weapons there are so many more of them outside. They have a machine gun in the wireless house and another on the bridge. What could be easier than for them to push the machine guns through the skylight and massacre us all.'
'True,' the McKay agreed taking the glass of froth-topped mixture that Nicky offered him, 'but we might have held Slinger and these two birds as hostages.'
'I doubt if that would have had much effect. No one of them is more than a cog in Oxford Kate's machine. I have prevented the ship from leaving this area and Slinger from reaching Horta by tomorrow morning so I am content—for the moment.'
'Yes, it was a good show and you're mighty lucky to have escaped being put in irons in my opinion.'
Count Axel smiled. 'I agree, I had to take that risk, but I considered this creation of delay worth it.'
The cocktails had passed round. Bozo and his friend had settled themselves in chairs, each guarding one of the deck entrances. The McKay glanced from one to another of them.
'You chaps care for anything,' he asked affably.
Bozo replied for both of them. 'We'll help ourselves if we feel like a shot, but we got plenty of liquor aft an' the orders about our being dumb to your crowd stand—so you'd best forget us.'
To ignore their presence was easier suggested than carried out s
o conversation among Camilla's party became a little halting, but, when dinner had been announced, and the guards had accompanied them below, they saw that if they were to be driven to their cabins immediately afterwards their only chance to discuss the possible effect of this new development on their own situation was between the soup and the savoury—even if it necessitated being overheard by Bozo and his friend.
Doctor Tisch was entirely one minded on the matter, full of praise for Count Axel and in a high good humour. Whatever might follow he felt that the wrecking of the engine had ensured him at least one, if not more opportunities to explore the sunken capital of Atlantis.
The McKay agreed, and stated that since he had seen the crew casting out kedge anchors from the deck house windows while they were drinking their cocktails it was reasonably certain that the ship would remain in much the same position considering that the evening had produced an almost glassy sea but, he added, 'Things won't be half so funny if it begins to blow. A ship that lacks power is like a man who's lost the use of his legs. Neither can either fight or run, they've just got to take what's coming to them. If a sea gets up we're going to roll like blazes, so make up your minds to that, and although the chances are against it, we might quite well be piled up on the rocks of Pico.'
'Can't they keep the rudder straight,' asked Sally ingenuously.
He stared at her from beneath her bushy eyebrows. 'A rudder m'dear can't steer a gig unless there's pressure against it by the boat being forced through the water. We'll be just like a cork in a whirlpool if a storm does get up but fortunately there is little likelihood of that.'
'I wish you wrong,' declared Vladimir. 'If the weather remits a storm we take ourselves to the boats. The sand of Pico is hospitable to our nearness. Then, this conspiracy of bandits is wrecked by crikey and we put out thumbs to our eyebrows.'
'That possibility did occur to me,' announced Count Axel modestly.
'How long do you think it will take to repair the engines?' Camilla asked.
The McKay shrugged. 'It's difficult to say since we don't know the extent of the damage, but if the Count is right and he has wrecked the propeller shaft it's not a question of days but complete refitting in dry dock. As a first move, if that's happened, they'll probably wireless Punta Delgarda for a tender to tow us in. There wouldn't be one at a little place like Horta.'
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