VAGABOND VOYAGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 June 1938, Page 10

VAGABOND VOYAGE

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

COPYRIGHT

BY

ALROY WEST

CHAPTER XXL—(Continued). “There’s no question of putting you ashore,” Wicks said stiffly. “I told you that a partnership was advisible,” Sinclair reminded him. Peter was watching the yacht. “She’s not risking the reef,” he announced. “Evidently she's going to round it.” Sinclair gave a slow smile. “He’s tried to get the better of me for a long time,” he said thoughtfully. “This is where he fails again. You wait until we get to the islands.” “Would it be possible to hide there?” Wicks asked. “The engineer wants to overhaul the engines. I don’t think there is anything serious the matter.” Sinclair nodded his head. “I know of a perfect little bay,” he said. “It’s rather difficult to find, and I expect that our impetuous friend Nunez will miss it by miles. Anyway, we’ll have a shot at getting to it.” The islands soon appeared on the port bow;-' and before the afternoon came to a close the trawler was making her way between them. For two hours there had been no sign of the yacht. “I can’t understand her falling off like that,” Wicks said.

“He’s probably sending a radio to his precious pal in the destroyer,” Sinclair replied. “They must be working together. He’s 1 probably told the destroyer which way we are heading and is staying in the background so that he can intercept us if we try to double back.”

“No chance of the yacht going aground on the reef I suppose?” Doyle asked.

Sinclair laughed. “I’m afraid not He’s rather careful about things like that. I don’t think he’s ever risked his neck in his entire life. No! His failure to come up with us doesn’t mean anythirig at all. He’s probably guessed that we are heading for these islands. Passing through the reef where we did would show him that these waters were very familiar. I expect he’s giving himself a sick headache wondering how a trawler captain from English waters could know so much. He’ll be afraid that he’s after the wrong ship.” \ Peter went on deck and moved over to Alla, who .had come up from the cabin. “Isn’t there a danger that we may go aground?” she asked. “I looked over the side just then and it made me feel ill.” “Sharks?” “Yes. Hundreds of them —or so it seemed.” “I’ve always heard . that there were plenty of them in these waters.” Peter glanced over the side and immediately ‘noticed a triangular fin. Nearer to the boat was a sudden flash of white as’ one turned over. He looked back at the girl. “Unpleasant looking brutes!” he commented. But I don’t think we have anything to fear. Sinclair, to give him his due, certainly seems to know these waters.” “We can’t go sailing between the islands all through the night,” Alla pointed out. “And it doesn’t seem to me that it’s going to be safe to drop anchor in one of these channels.’’ “It isn’t,” Peter agreed. “I heard Sinclair say something about finding a bay where it would be possible to hide. I’m rather worried, because I think it will be twilight before he gets to it.” He was wrong, however. Wicks sent Doyle from the bridge with the request that Peter should supervise the using of the lead. Peter went forward with Crockett. Sinclair piloted the ship nearer to one of the island and through the reef. Then he gave the signal that the lead should 'be used. Speed was reduced from half to slow. Gradually the trawler picked her way through the maze of rocks and reached an inlet. Once the point was rounded she lay in a tiny bay. Wicks gave the signal to stop the engines. Sinclair shook his head. “Bring her round, captain,” he advised, “Then we shall be all set for getting away again, if the need should arise.” This was done and the anchor waf dropped. Wicks gave the welcome signal that he had finished with the engines. Gallop came up on deck and looked about him. “I might be able to give ’em the overhauling they need,” he observed with a smile. CHAPTER XXII. Nothing untoward happened ■ during the night. Wicks gave instructions that no lights should be shown, and a constant watch was kept in order that due warning could be given in the event of the yacht coming to the island. By morning the captain was in high spirits. He walked up and down the deck with Sinclair. There was no evidence of their previous quarrel and the two appeared to be perfect friends. Peter wondered how Doyle would take his change in the relationships and he watched with interest when that person came forward to join Wicks and Sinclair. He too, was in the best of spirits and gave both men a friendly smile. Sinclair seemed perfectly willing to let bygones be bygones. The three of them talked together for a time and then Wicks moved over to have a word with Peter.

“I’m going to let Crockett and Gordon go ashore,” he said. “It will do them good to stretch their legs. II you’d like to do the same you can. I shall remain on board because I have to discuss some plans with Sinclair.” “What about the engineer?” Pete? asked.

“He’ll be fully occupied in the engineroom. I should consider it a favour if you would escort the cook ashore.” Wicks gave a slight smile as he mentioned Alla’s position on board.

(Author of “Stratosphere Express”)

“Very good,” Peter said at once. He hurried toward the galley in order to tell the girl what had happened. She frowned and seemed ill at ease. “Do you think it will be safe?” she asked quickly. “Is he likely to leave us behind?”

“I doubt it. Sinclair and his pals would require a pretty good share of gold. Wicks will want us to help him when it comes to dealing with them. Apart from that the trawler can't put to sea unless Gallop is ready to do his part. I am certain that he would not go without Gordon. But I’ll have a word with him before we go ashore.” Gallop listened to what Peter had to say and nodded his head. “You’ll be perfectly safe,” he assured him. “There’s a feed pipe got chocked up and I shall have to attend to it before we can put to sea again. And I’m not having you left behind. Go ahead and enjoy yourself.” So Peter and Alla were in the dinghy when it went ashore. Gordon and Crockett went off together and Alla expressed a desire to walk towards the trees which fringed the beach. The bay was not unlike a lake, its entrance, being exceedingly narrow. It was roughly circular in shape, and the hills rose steeply from the narrow belt of beach. The slopes were covered with trees. Before they had gone very far Alla flung herself down. Peter sat beside her.

“It’s good to be away from the ship for a little time,” the girl said. “It’s also good to feel that one is not being spied upon. They cannot see us from the bridge, so we can pretend that we are absolutely alone. That will be splendid.” She lay on her back, using her hands as a pillow for her head. Peter shuffled nearer and leaned over her.

“At one time I hated this voyage,” he said. “I couldn’t see where it would lead to; except that I felt sure there would be disaster at the end. But I’m beginning to change my mind. It’s become an exciting adventure.” “I think I am rather tired of adventure,” said Alla. “I could do with something else.” “We’ve got to talk about the serious things,” he told her. “I’m not going to let things drift any longer. It’s time that we did something. We are not strong enough to do it on our own, but I think Gallop will help us. We shall have to fall in with his wishes to a certain extent. But I would rather have an alliance with Gallop than with the others.” Alla frowned.

“I am not over fond of him,” she said slowly. “He always tries to paw me—and I dislike it. But I dislike Sinclair and the way he watched me. And I dislike Foster, even though he would not do anything so long as T could hit him. Then there is Doyle. He is rather pleasant—but I am fraid of him. He would kill a man and still have that broad grin on his lips.”“I know that,” said Peter quietly. I will have a word with Gallop as soon as it is possible. Then we shall be able to discover if he has the revolver which you lost. Alla shook her head. “It was Doyle who took it from me,” she said decidedly.' “You haven’t proof,” Peter reminded

her. “I don’t need it. I could tell when I saw him this morning. There was something more in his smile. It told me more than he would be pleased to let me know.” “Very well, we will assume that Doyle has the revolver. lam wondering how much of his quarrel with his companions was play-acting. It struck me at the time that it was perfectly real, and I am inclined to believe that he was absolutely genuine about this man Nunez. Certainly Sinclair did save us from the yacht. Once we can get away from Nunez and the destroyer it will be interesting to see what Doyle will do. If he remains with his old friends it probably means that they, will take the first opportunity of killing Wicks—and probably the rest of us. Gallop will be safe for a time, because I don’t think any of them know a single thing about engines. They used sail. Doyle is the worst off, because he did the diving for them, and is ignorant of navigation. He may throw in his lot with Wicks. I think our best plan is to let Gallop know that we will help him, and then see what happens so far is Doyle is concerned. If there is further trouble between Sinclair and Wicks we will get Sinclair out of the way the instant it becomes possible. Then we can deal witn the victor —in other, Wicks.” “And afterwards?” the wirl asked.

“We shall have to get the trawler as near- to a port as possible and then decide how we are going to tackle Gallop. I think our first concern, however, is our own safety. I don’t bother as much about the gold as I did at one time. I begin to see how much damage it can do and—for all I care —it can go to the bottom of the sea.”

Alla smiled up at him. “You think that we are more important?” she asked.

“Much more,” said Peter emphatically. “There are so many things which we can do together once we can get out of this mess. Unless you feel that you must return to Russia?”

There was a sligh pause, then Alla shook her head.

“No. I might go—if you wanted it —go where you go,” she said softly. The rest of what they had to say had no reference to the trawler of Captain Wicks. In due course they wandered back to the beach and found Gordon and Crockett waiting for them. They were rowed back and Peter went into the engine-room to see Gallop; “How are things going?” he asked. Gallop wiped his hands on a piece of waste.

“Not so badly. I’m going to try her out shortly. Did you have a good time ashore?” Peter nodded. “We had an important talk,” he said. Gallop rubbed his hands together. “What was the outcome?” he wanted to know. “It seemed to us that there are too many parties on the ship,” Peter explained. “We though it time that things were simplified. Two of the parties ought to unite. Do you get the idea? It makes things less complicated.” Gallop gave a grin and nodded his head. ) “I was hoping something like this would happen,” he said. “I don’t think anything can be done at the moment. So much depends on what Doyle is trying to do. I shouldn’t be all that surprised if he doesn’t indulge in a very tricky bit of double-crossing. I’m expecting Sinclair and Foster to fade out of the picture as soon as we are right away from the yacht which has been chasing us.” “That was very much what we thought. I want to make sure of one thing, though. I took a revolver from Wicks, and I passed it on to the girl. She had it taken from her. She declares that she was drugged—somebody dropped something into her coffee. Did you take it?” Gallop shook his head. “I didn’t,” he said firmly. - “So I should imagine that it was Doyle. He’s the most likely one.” “Agreed again,” Peter commented. “I’ll get back on deck now, or Wicks will be smelling a rat.” “You can tell him that I’d like to test the engines very shortly.” “Right you are.” Wicks listened to the message and smiled his approval. “I’m glad of that,” he confessed. -,“I was very uneasy at being without power. As time goes on the risk of being cornered by the yacht increases. Sinclair advises moving out before night. We’ve decided on our course, and I think we shall be able to .fool Nunez.” “I hope so. I felt decidedly uncomfortable when the yacht was on the scene; far more than I did with the destroyer. I should think she was too old to be able to get up much of a speed.” “She did better when we were lying to,” Wicks reminded him. “I expect ' they keep on having engine trouble. That may be the reason why she didn’t turn up this morning. The yacht is sure to have sent a radio message. I thought that they would both be nosing round the islands. But Sinclair didn’t seem to be worried about it. He says that the yacht would not risk coming in, and that they couldn’t open fire on us because of the shape of the bay.” “That seems reasonable enough, ’ Peter said. “But we can’t stay here for ever.”

“Exactly,” Wicks agreed. Gallop announced that he was more satisfied with the engines, and the trawler made ready for leaving her anchorage. The lead was used as he left the harbour and reached the outer channel. Wicks was at the wheel, with Sinclair beside him in order to help. Crockett was in the bows with the lead. Peter stood near to Doyle amidships. They rounded the point and came into the channel. Doyle gave a cry of dismay. The yacht was in the channel! It was impossible, in the restricted space, to turn the trawler round. Wicks, on the bridge, was about to give the order to go astern, when Sinclair shook his head. “We can beat her!” Sinclair cried. “She’s on the wrong side of the submerged rocks. With anything like luck she’ll strike them when she comes after us.” The trawler continued on her course. A launch came from behind the yacht, her sharp prow thrusting aside the water in two feathery columns. At the same time a warning shot was fired from the gun mounted in the bows of the yacht. (To be Continued.)