VAGABOND VOYAGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 June 1938, Page 10

VAGABOND VOYAGE

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT COPYRIGHT

BY

ALROY WEST

(Author of “Stratosphere Express”)

CHAPTER XIII.

Having made gold payments at Port Entine, Captain Wicks decided to avoid calling at Porto Grande in the volcanic islands of Cape Verde. He was also anxious not to encounter any more ships than he could help. It was, of course, impossible to keep away from the regular routes followed by south-ward-bound ships which had called at Santa Cruz, and homeward-bound vessels in the same waters.

He steered due West until he reached longitude 25 W. and then altered course to the south-west.

During the first days of the passage the weather remained calm. The heat was intense and the rays of the sun blistered the paint which had recently been put on. Wicks set the hands to work on erecting an awning amidships in order that there might be some protection from the fierce rays. They all took it in turns to rest in the welcome shade.

The captain insisted on a careful lookout being maintained during the day and ordered that he was to be called the instant a ship was sighted. This happened several times, and he came rushing to the bridge in order to alter the course so that a respectable distance should be maintained. He seemed far more concerned over this than anything else and almost fumed with impatience until he was able to work out the bearing of the ship concerned and the direction in which she was heading. Once he was satisfied that the two courses would not cross, he would hasten back to his cabin and resume his rest. His obvious anxiety was commented upon by both Gordon and Howe. Crockett defended him with vigour. “You’d let ’em all come alongside and pinch the gold from us, I suppose,” he remarked scathingly to his companions. “It’s just as well that one person has got his eye and wits about him.”

“Where would he be without the engines?” Gordon demanded in triumph. Crockett scowled at him.

“There happens to be such a thing as sails,” he pointed out with heavy sarcasm. “A great number of ships carried them at one time —but that was before you were born.” Howe looked up from the American magazine he was reading. “Can’t you two pipe down?” he demanded irritably. “I’m supposed to be resting. You, Crockett, are supposed to be keeping your eyes open for dolphins, or whatever it is that the old man is interested in.”

“Funny—ain’t you?” Crockett demanded. “Not so as you’d notice it,” Howe replied, turning his attention to his magazine once more.

“Well spoken!” Gordon applauded. “And talking of noticing things, perhaps I’d better go to the engine room. We get on very well, the Chief and I.”

“Just like that!” Crockett mocked, placing two fingers together. ' “Bah!” Gordon moved away in disgust. Crockett started after him and then frowned.

“He gets my goat,” he observed. “He is such a blazing fool.” Howe looked at him over the top of the magazine, though for a moment and then lowered it.

“You’re the biggest blazing fool on this ship,” he said acidly. His companion was taken aback.

“What makes you say that?” he demanded, clenching his fists. “Throwing them guns over the side. We might need them yet. Who knows where he shall make the land? It might be right on the end of the jungle where are hordes of natives with blowpipes.” Crockett shook his head. “You’re nuts!” he exclaimed “That’s what comes of reading that trash.” Howe was indignant. "It isn’t trash!” he declared. “It’s what educated people read. That stands to reason—don’t it? You can't read it unless you are educated. Because if you hadn’t any education you wouldn’t be able to read at all. Which only proves what I was telling you.” Crockett raised his hands in despair. “You and your education!” he cried. He turned away and was promptly called back.

“Listen to me a minute. We could have done a lot with them guns. How do we know that we shall get our fair share of the gold? What’s to stop the old man from leaving us when we once get ashore. 1 reckon we ought to ask for something on account —here and now.”

Crockett seemed about to argue. Then he licked his lips.

“That’s pretty sensible,’’ he said thoughtfully. “You’re not such a fool after all. I think I'll drop a hint to the old man about it.”

“We’ll have to get Gordon to join us,” Howe pointed out. Crockett shook his head.

“That would finish things,” he declared. “He’d start being clever and would speak out of his turn.”

"But it ’ud look better —three of us asking. Without the three of us the trawler wouldn't get across to America."

Crockett pulled at one of his ears. “I don’t quite know what we could say when we mention it,” he said hesitantly.

Howe smiled at him. “I’ve got that worked out,” he announced proudly. “You are a deep one!” Crockett approved. “It comes of reading.” said Howe. “You get all manner of ideas what you wouldn't any other way. We can tell the old man that we’d like to be able to play cards when we're off duty. Only we haven’t any money, and it 'ud make it more exciting if wo actually had a few bits of gold to show when we played.”

Crockett tugged at his ear again

“Doesn’t sound too bad,” he said slowly. "Anyway, there won’t be any harm in having a shot at it. But I’m not going to explain all about it to Gordon. I’ll leave that to you.” “I'll do that all right,” Howe promised, picking up the magazine once more.

Peter was taking his trick at the wheel, and he watched the men with amusement. It had not been possible for him to hear what they had been saying, but anything in the nature of trouble was good,, because it kept the two rival parties more evenly divided. Once Gordon went over to the captain's side it would mean that Gallop would be in an unenviable position. However, Peter felt that there would not be any trouble for quite a time—in which forecast he was very much out.' Wicks relieved Peter, who went down 'to his cabin for a short time. While he was there Gallop looked in. “Engines all right?” Peter asked cheerfully. “Not too bad. If we don’t reach America it will not be my fault. But I’ve heard that Wicks is getting rather nervy over passing ships.” “He is. He’s afraid that somebody might connect the gold he passed at Port Entine with the two boxes lost in the Channel. It would be heartbreaking for him if he was caught just as he was getting away so neatly.” Gallop gave him a searching look. “But you wouldn’t break your heart over it,” he observed. “I can see that you are still hoping that law and order will triumph. I’m afraid that it won’t come out that way. You’d better make up your mind about joining me. You know what to expect from Wicks.”

Peter smiled. “I might have much the same to expect from you,” he said quietly. Gallop scratached his neck. “This heat’s enough to get one down,” he grumbled. “Yes, I suppose you do feel uncertain over things. I can’t for the life of me see what manner of guarantee I can give you.” “You can’t give me one,” Peter told him. “That what makes the situation so Gilbertian. We have a nice treasure in the shape of some gold coins. You would like it all for yourself, and the captain has similar ideas. But neither of you can carry on single-handed. Hence the bids for supporters. It really is funny you know.” “Glad you think so,” Gallop muttered.

Peter left the cabin and went on deck to rest in the shade. Howe was still there, reading his magazine and looking perfectly innocent. Crockett was forward, keeping watch on the broad expanse of sea. Wicks was at the wheel, and looking aft, it was possible to get a glimpse of Alla as she moved out from the galley. The sea was perfectly blue and there were only the slightest flecks of cloud in the sky. It was hard to imagine anything more peaceful-looking. Yet, tucked away in the captain’s cabin were the two boxes of gold which were causing bitter rivalries, and had already, it seemed, been responsible for one death —that of Wellings, who had been so anxious to get away from the trawler and back to his home.

It was much later in the day that the three hands approached Wicks. Peter was at the wheel once more, and the captain had been standing beside him. The three men bunched together under the awning, and then came forward reluctantly. Each one seemed to be looking to the others for leadership.

Wicks scowled. “This looks like trouble of some sort,” he said quickly. “Carry on, Mr Drew, while I see what they want.” He hurried towards the men, who backed away slightly. Wicks thrust his hands in his pockets and glared at them.

“You seem upset over something,” he snapped. “What’s the trouble? Food bad?”

There was an instantaneous chorus of negatives.

“Then what? Am I working you .too hard?”

Each man shook his head. Crockett reached out and pushed Howe forward. “You might as well speak for them,” Wicks announced. “What is it?” “It's about the gold, sir."

Wicks raised his eyebrows. “The gold, eh? What about it?”

“Something was said about it being shared out."

Wicks shuffled his feet slightly. The situation didn’t please him. Although he was only in charge of a trawler, he had tried to restore the more rigid discipline of a very different type of craft. It angered him that these men should forget that they had served under him in far different conditions. On the other hand he had sufficient trouble without augmenting it bj’ quarrelling with the crew. Their services would be valuable in the event of trouble coming from another direction. There was still time for there to be a pursuit undertaken. It was one thing to let a small ship proceed wherever her captain felt like taking her. Being a ship, she would have to make port sooner or later. But gold was more serious. Once it was spent it was difficult to recover.

“Yes." he said, coming to a sudden decision. “It was understood that you should have a share. Do you need the promise in writing—or did you want some on account?"

Howe was obviously takes by surprise. He hadn’t expected the captain to take things calmly.

He nodded his head, and hastened into an explanation. “You see, sir, we wanted to play cards in our spare time, and it’s always more . .

Wicks checked him abruptly. "It doesn't matter about telling me the reason,” he said with forced amiability. “You are entitled to the money

when you have finished the voyage. But it would be unreasonable of me to refuse an advance. I don’t advise you to have a great deal at first. After all, you haven't any opportunities of spending it. And you must always bear in mind that I can obtain a better price for the gold than you can.” “We can always hand it over to you, sir,” Crockett suggested. “Then you can deal with that for us. We’d probably get cheated.” Wicks managed to suppress a smile. “There is that risk,” he admitted. “I'll certainly handle it for you. Now suppose I let you have two hundred each? I should think that would be enough to cover your card debts for a time. We'll probably run into bad weather yet. There won’t be much time for card playing if that happens. Well —speak up. Does that satisfy you?” “Of course it does, sir,” Crockett declared. Gordon nodded his head. Peter saw Wicks return from his cabin and distribute some of the gold. He felt troubled about it, and wished that he could get hold of Gallop, whose turn it was down in the engine-room. CHAPTER XIV. The captain was correct in his forecast of bad weather. The storm came without warning. The first gust shook the trawler from bow to stern. Her timbers groaned under the force of it, and one of the masts quivered like a knife flung into a plank. It was night, and the stairs were covered by a pitchblack curtain of cloud. Great foamflecked waves rolled out of the darkness and threatened to engulf the ship. The awning was carried away instantly. For a moment it flapped in the air like an apparition—then it vanished from sight. Wicks was at the wheel and clung to it with every ounce of his strength. Gallop, aroused by the sudden tossing of the ship, jumped into his things and left the cabin in order to fight his way to the engine-room so that he could help Gordon. Anxious about Alla, Peter was only a second or so behind him. The wind tore at him and tried to fling him across the deck. He staggered to the galley where he found everything in’ confusion. Alla was up and trying to restore order. Outside the gale shrieked and howled. Crockett and Howe were practically knee-deep in water trying to get everything battened down. To add to their discomfort the rain started to fall. Not ordinary rain, but stuff which came down like a solid mass and nearly beat them to the deck. Wicks tried his hardest to swing round so that the trawler’s head would be into the wind but she was slow in responding. Heavy seas tore at her sides and made her quiver so that it seemed she would fall to pieces. She seemed as helpless as a piece of driftwood. At last, however, he achieved his object, and the situation was eased. The storm showed no signs of abating and the waves broke over the bows with such force that it seemed the deck would be pressed down under their weight. Peter left the galley and made his way forward in order to help the two men. For a time they struggled with things and then moved back into shelter. Peter joined Wicks on the bridge. “Pretty sudden,” he commented. “Yes,” Wicks said. “It’s putting us out of our course as well. We couldn’t possibly have carried on and survived. I think it will last a good few hours yet.”

The wind dropped about noon the following day, but the seas were still high and looked formidable as they bore down on the trawler.

Peter had the wheel most of the day in order to give Wicks a rest, for he had stayed at the wheel throughout the night, and into the early hours of the morning until there was no further danger.

Gallop complained that there was water in the engine-room, and the pump had to be used. Alla managed to get the fire lit in the galley and to prepare a meal, which was ravenously devoured.

Towards evening conditions were much better and Wicks took over the wheel in order to get the ship on her original course. Peter went to his cabin and flopped down in his bunk. It was not long before Gallop entered. “I'm glad that’s over,” he announced with feeling. “The engines were all right, but your part of the ship leaked a bit too much.”

“I’m surprised that we were not flooded out,” Peter told him. “Anyway I should think we’re all far too tired to quarrel about the gold now.” “For the moment,” Gallop agreed, climbing into his bunk and getting his pipe alight. “I don’t like the way Wicks handed out some of the money to the hands. I wonder what scheme he has at the back of the mind. Have you any idea?”

“I'm not sure. I didn’t like the look of it, though. It may have been in order to keep them quiet. After all. he doesn't want any trouble until the voyage is nearly over. On the other hand it may have been a bid to win them all over to his side. Your hand does not seem to be very strong at the moment.” Gallop scowled at him.

(To Be Continued)