"There"s only one thing he can do, as near as I can figure," Gregory answered. "And that"s to come down the harbor channel and hit us from the stern. If he does that," he added quickly, "we"ll have to be careful not to block the sea-way leading into the harbor. My idea is to move farther up. Then if the blow does come, we can go out with the wind and sea through the north channel."
"That"s our best bet, unless it"s a nor"wester," she agreed. "We"ve got to keep a way out clear or Mascola will crowd us on the rocks."
The captains of the fishing-boats reported their craft to be better than half laden when the _Richard_ arrived alongside. The fish were still running strong. In another hour, without interference, they might be loaded. At Gregory"s direction the albacore fishermen began cruising toward the north channel.
The next thing to do was to marshal the fleet to withstand Mascola"s attack from the rear. Owing to the extreme wideness of the waterway, the Italian"s boats would now have a better chance. The V must be broadened by the boats. .h.i.therto held in reserve. They must be brought up at once. The rising wind and the roughening sea, added to Gregory"s inexperience in handling the speed-boat, rendered the mobilization of the cannery fleet not only slow, but extremely hazardous as well.
Before his left end defense was complete, Mascola was bearing down upon his center.
CHAPTER XXIV
A FIGHTING CHANCE
Mascola"s boats advanced warily, spreading out and covering off the defending fleet as they came. It would be a boat to boat, man to man fight in the darkness.
Head-on, the opposing fleets collided with a crash which twisted their keels and racked their timbers. Lights merged together and became stationary as hull locked with hull in a grinding embrace. The alien crews swarmed to the decks and leaped across the rail upon the American sailors who surged forward to meet them. Fists flashed in the darkness.
Men met hand to hand. The night was filled with wild cries, the trampling of heavy feet, the thud of contact of wood meeting wood and flesh meeting flesh. From the center of the struggling ma.s.s of men and boats came a sudden flare of light which dispelled the dark shadows cast athwart the vessels and brought into bold relief the struggling figures of the men who battled on the decks.
"Fire!"
The cry was taken up by every throat and echoed down the line. It came to Kenneth Gregory on the extreme end of the left wing where he had been directing the defense of his weakened quarter, by a counter-flanking movement. A boat afire! And right in the center of his fleet! When the tank exploded hundreds of gallons of burning distillate would flood the waters. But he dared not think that far. Whirling the _Richard_ about, and circling behind his line of boats he dashed away to face the new peril.
The crew of the _Florence_ abandoned the attack at the first cry and surged to the hold to fight the conflagration. A gasoline stove, carelessly left burning by one of that vessel"s drunken crew, had been overturned by the shock of collision, and had fired the bilge. Fanned by the rising winds, the flames were licking at the oil-soaked timbers and spreading rapidly toward the tanks in the bow.
The alien crew of the _Florence_ fled in a panic of fear. Leaping to the rail they flung themselves to the deck of a neighboring craft which was already backing away from the ill-fated vessel. From all sides, friend and foe alike drew away from the blazing fishing craft. For the time being the sound of conflict gave place to the rasp of reverse levers, hoa.r.s.e cries of warning and the labored chug of heavy-duty motors going full astern. In the ever-widening cleared s.p.a.ce about the ill-fated derelict the lurid waters were churned into a roseate foam by the frenzied lashing of the heavy propellers of the fishing craft as their masters sought to clear the dangerous area.
As the _Richard_ sped on in the direction of the ever-brightening glare, Gregory"s mind kept pace with the rapid pulsing of the high-speed motor. He must tow the blazing vessel clear of the fleet before the tanks exploded.
Dodging among the retreating fishermen he grazed the _Curlew"s_ hull and plunged into the open s.p.a.ce. Warning cries sounded above the roar of the flames but he did not hear them. His plan, formed on the instant, must be put into execution at once. If it failed, the speed of the _Richard_ would carry d.i.c.kie to a place of safety. It was a fighting chance. That was all.
Swinging the _Richard_ about, he drove straight for the _Florence_.
"Take the wheel, and stand by," he cried to the girl. "If the tank goes, run."
He leaped from his seat as the _Richard_ breasted the blazing hull and d.i.c.kie found herself gripping the big steering wheel before she could utter a protest. Gregory was already in the stern of the _Richard_.
Grasping the stern-anchor chain of the speed-launch, he caught the wire-stays of the _Florence_ and pulled himself aboard, dragging the chain after him. For an instant he clung to the rail, shielding his face with his arms. Then he scrambled on deck.
Holding the _Richard"s_ stern close to the _Florence"s_ bow, d.i.c.kie Lang saw Gregory running across the deck. Saw his reeling figure silhouetted against the white glare of the blazing cabin-house. Heard the rattle of the heavy anchor chain of the alien fishing-boat. Keeping the _Richard_ in place with an effort against the wind and chop, she waited. He expected her to stand by.
His hair singed by the heat, with blistering face and burning lungs, Gregory dropped by the snubbing-post in the bow and tugged at the heavy chain and knotted it about the block. Then he made the free end fast to the chain of the _Richard_. Running to the rail he threw his body over and hung by his hands, searching the air with his feet. Then he felt the deck of the _Richard_ beneath him.
d.i.c.kie Lang had stood by.
The next instant he was again at the wheel and the _Richard_ lunged forward.
"Steady," cautioned the girl. "Don"t take the slack so fast. Hard a port. Now kick your stern over. That"s the stuff. Pay out. Now you"ve got her."
For an instant the _Richard_ quivered with anger to find herself in leash by the fiery incubus at her stern. Then she settled doggedly to work and the two vessels began to gather way. To the right and left the fishing-boats scattered before them. The tanks of the blazing tow might explode at any minute. It was best to be in the clear. In the common fear of the new danger the contending factions drew apart, friend and foe uniting in the universal effort to gain a place of safety. The wind caught the blaze and fanned it upward in a solid sheet of flame which blistered the varnish of the _Richard"s_ stern-deck.
"Get down," Gregory shouted above the roar of the speed-boat"s exhaust.
d.i.c.kie started to protest when she felt herself jerked roughly from the seat.
"There"s nothing you can do now. Lie still. Keep your head covered." The tone was gruff, the words commanding, spoken by a man. A man who thought of the safety of others and placed it before his own. A man who was not afraid to take chances. d.i.c.kie"s heart glowed with pride as she huddled in the _Richard"s_ c.o.c.kpit. It was worth while to know a man like that.
Mascola watched the progress of the burning _Florence_ from the deck of the _Lura_. His blood-shot eyes gleamed red in the glow from the burning vessel and the l.u.s.t of destruction surged into his heart. He was losing one of his best boats. Somebody must pay.
In the light of the fire he saw the vessels of the defense scattered.
Now would be his chance to crowd through to the fishing fleet. With the wind and sea at his back he would pile them up on the rocks. Jumping to the _Fuor d"Italia_ he sped away to direct the attack upon the heavily laden fishing-boats.
Clear the fishing fleet and shunt the _Florence_ to the rocks with the wind and current. For the s.p.a.ce of a few seconds it was Gregory"s only thought. The rising wind at his back was hot with the fevered breath of the burning tow. What did it matter if the heat was scorching his neck?
Only a few boats remained ahead. Then he would be in the clear. If the tanks of the _Florence_ exploded he must crawl to the stern and cut the tow-line. The crested waves began to slap angrily at the speed-boat"s hull. Then the _Richard"s_ motor began to miss.
"She"s all right. Keep down. I can----"
A m.u.f.fled roar interrupted his words. The hull of the _Florence_ bulged.
A jet of flame mounted upward from the deck. The engine-house tottered and collapsed in a shower of glowing sparks which filled the air and rained down into the _Richard"s_ c.o.c.kpit. A stream of burning oil surged up from the hull of the derelict and tumbled into the sea, blazing fiercely on the crest of the waves.
"Take the boat."
Before the girl could gain the wheel Gregory was fighting his way to the stern. As d.i.c.kie"s fingers closed on the steering-wheel he was slashing at the rope spliced to the chain. With blistered hands and burning lungs he hacked at the tough strands of hemp with his pocket-knife. The threads of the line snapped and crinkled from the heat. The water about the speed-craft"s stern was on fire. Tottering drunkenly, he bent low and held his breath. The rope was more than half severed. The threads were already parting from the strain. Then the knife slipped from his blistered fingers and fell into the water.
Mascola witnessed the explosion of the _Florence"s_ first oil tank with a grim smile. The vessel was already clear of the fleet. She could do no damage now save to the _Richard_ and her crew. With his eyes fixed on the fire, Mascola prayed to his saints that the second and larger tank might explode before Gregory could sever the tow-line. Fascinated by the sight, he moved farther to windward and watched.
Kenneth Gregory"s bleeding fingers tore at the straining fiber of the quivering line which bound the _Richard_ to destruction. One by one the threads snapped and curled in the heat radiated from the burning vessel.
d.i.c.kie Lang huddled in the driver"s seat and jerked the hull of the speed-craft frantically against the strain of the tow-line. For an instant death held them by a single strand. Then the line parted and the _Richard_ leaped to safety. The cool rush of air revived Gregory"s senses and he found himself leaning weakly against the coaming of the speed-boat. Then he heard the girl calling from the wheel.
"Mascola"s broken through."
He gulped in the moist sea air and groped his way forward. Far astern the wreck burned fiercely, bringing into bold relief the frowning peaks which fringed the sh.o.r.e-line of El Diablo. As he caught at the rail for support he saw the flames leap skyward, blackened by smoke and bits of timber. The waves burned brightly about the settling hull. Then came the sound of the explosion of the _Florence"s_ second tank.
"Mascola"s broken through. Can"t you hear me? Are you hurt?"
Gregory staggered to the seat and dropped beside the girl.
"I"ll be all right in a minute," he said. "Keep going. I can"t see very well yet. You say he got through?"
"Yes. He"s trying to crowd the fishing fleet to the rocks. Look!"
In the light that the burning vessel astern cast upon the waters ahead, Gregory saw a confused jumble of boats crowded close against the saw-toothed reef.
"d.a.m.n him!" he grated. "We"ll beat him yet. Slow down. Give me the wheel."
d.i.c.kie relinquished the steering-wheel with reluctance.