He consulted the ship"s surgeon. Apparently the latter"s advice was satisfactory. In addition, should the _Pelikan_ arrive at Dar es Salaam with three British naval officers on board as prisoners, well and good. If, on the other hand, the vessel were captured on the high seas, the prisoners would no doubt be willing to testify to the fact that Kapitan von Riesser had committed no unpardonable breach of the usages of war. From which it will be seen that von Riesser was always considering how to save his own skin in the event of capture.
"Up--at once!" ordered the unter-leutnant as the boat containing Denbigh and his companions ran alongside the lowered accommodation-ladder of the _Pelikan_. The German did not hesitate to show his arrogance; but he was severely snubbed by his kapitan.
"I must apologize, gentlemen," began von Riesser in good English as the British officers came over the side. "My subordinate, Herr Klick, has allowed his zeal to outrun his discretion. It is necessary for me to detain you. I know you will bow to the inevitable and recognize that it is the fortune of war. I will speak to you again shortly!"
The kapitan hurried off, leaving Denbigh and his fellow-prisoners standing close to the head of the accommodation-ladder. Beyond the fact that a sentry stood within ten feet of them, no attempt was made to place them under restraint. They were free to speak, and to watch the scene that was being enacted a few hundred yards from the vessel to which they had been removed.
The _Nichi Maru_ was lowering her boats rapidly yet with admirable discipline. Without accident the heavy lifeboats with their human freights took the water. As soon as the falls were cast off, the crews rowed to a safe distance, where they lay on their oars and awaited the end of the huge liner.
With some minutes to spare, the work of abandoning the vessel was completed. The captain was the last to leave, the imperturbable look upon his olive features masking the rage and grief that gripped his mind.
The two German boats still lay alongside. Presently half a dozen Teutons hurriedly scrambled into the waiting craft, which without delay were rowed quickly toward the _Pelikan_.
Three m.u.f.fled reports came almost simultaneously from the interior of the doomed liner. These were followed by two more at comparatively long intervals. The _Nichi Maru_ heeled slightly, and began to settle slowly by the bows.
The ship took her time. The wreaths of fleecy steam mingled with denser columns of smoke that issued from "tween decks. Then, as the in rushing water came in contact with the furnaces, the vessel was enveloped in a cloud of eddying pungent fumes.
When the cloud dispersed, the _Nichi Maru"s_ bows were level with the water, while her stern was raised until the blades of her now motionless propellers were clear of the agitated sea.
Lower and lower sank the doomed ship. At frequent intervals, small explosions of compressed air took place. The sea was strewn with fragments of floating wreckage.
"She"s going!" whispered Stirling.
The liner recovered herself. For a moment it seemed as if she were floating on an even keel. Then, with a convulsive effort, she flung her stern high out of the water and slid rapidly to her ocean grave.
Almost the last to be seen of her was the mercantile flag of j.a.pan, still floating proudly from the ensign staff.
In the liner"s crowded boats the j.a.panese officers were standing erect and at the salute as the vessel disappeared from view. They, too, were of a breed that is not to be intimidated by Teutonic frightfulness.
CHAPTER III
On Board the Raider
"I wish to call attention to the fact, gentlemen, that we acted in strict accordance with the rights of belligerents," remarked Kapitan von Riesser.
The _Pelikan"s_ captain was seated in his cabin. On either side of him stood von Langer, the ober-leutnant who had been in charge of the boarding-party, and Unter-leutnant Kaspar Klick. Facing him stood Denbigh, Stirling, and O"Hara.
"I am afraid we cannot agree with you," replied Denbigh.
"Possibly not," retorted von Riesser, "but on what grounds?"
"It is hardly a humane act to turn those people adrift in open boats,"
continued the Sub.
"What else could I do? Surely you would not expect us to receive a thousand people on board this ship? They will be picked up, without doubt, within a few hours."
"Perhaps," declared Denbigh. "But there is always a risk. Your action in sinking that ship is unjustifiable. I am not here to argue the point, but I will merely state a case in which one of your captains did not think it advisable to go to the lengths you did. When, in the early part of the war, the _Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse_ compelled the British liners _Galicia_ and _Arlanza_ to heave-to, these ships were subsequently allowed to proceed----"
"Yes, but at that time you English were not attempting to starve us out by a blockade," interrupted the kapitan excitedly, as men do when cornered in argument.
Denbigh shrugged his shoulders. He had made his protest and had scored a point.
"We have done with the past," continued von Riesser. "My object in sending for you is to explain your position. You are, of course, prisoners of war. It is my intention to accord you treatment as your rank demands. In ordinary circ.u.mstances you are at liberty to leave your cabins and come on deck whenever you wish during hours of daylight. There may be times when it will be necessary for you to be locked in--perhaps taken below. But, understand: if you attempt to jeopardize the safety of the ship, or to communicate with any pa.s.sing vessel, or, in short, to behave other than officers on parole----"
"But we are not on parole," interrupted O"Hara.
"It matters not," declared the kapitan. "If I choose to consider that you are equivalent to being on parole that is my affair. If, then, you break any of the conditions I have mentioned you will be tried by a properly const.i.tuted court consisting of officers of the ship, and if found guilty you will be shot. Is that perfectly clear?"
The three prisoners signified their a.s.sent. After all, the German"s stipulations were reasonable.
Von Riesser turned and conversed for a few minutes with his ober-leutnant. O"Hara, being ignorant of German, and Stirling having but a slight knowledge of the language, were unable to understand the drift of the conversation. Denbigh, on the other hand, was a fluent linguist, but he had already decided to keep that knowledge from his captors.
Presently Kapitan von Riesser produced a British Navy List. Somewhat to the British officers" surprise they noticed that it was dated "April 1916", or more than a twelvemonth since the last list had been obtainable by the public.
"You have qualified as an interpreter, I see," remarked von Riesser.
"For what languages?"
"Hindustani, Swahili, and Arabic," replied Denbigh promptly. He did not think it necessary to add that German was amongst his qualifications, and he thanked his lucky stars that the recent Navy Lists do not specify the language in which officer-interpreters are expert.
"You are evidently considered a promising young officer," continued the kapitan. He could not refrain from adding, with a thinly-veiled sneer, "I am afraid your services will be lost to the English Admiralty for some time to come."
"Perhaps," drawled Denbigh, with such well-feigned indifference that von Riesser glanced keenly at the young officer"s clear-cut features.
Having subjected Stirling and O"Hara to an examination--in which the Irishman scored more than once by his smart repartees--the prisoners were dismissed.
The first meal on board the raider was served in the cabin allotted them. Judging by the nature of the repast provisions were neither scarce nor unvaried. Having finished, they went on deck. No one offered to interfere with them. The seamen affected to ignore them.
Once Unter-leutnant Kaspar Klick pa.s.sed, and gave them such a look that O"Hara afterwards remarked he would like to have a quiet five minutes with the German.
"I wonder they haven"t searched us," said Stirling in a low voice.
"Now I wish I had put my small revolver into my coat pocket. I thought it would have been too risky."
"For the same reason I practically emptied my pockets before we left the _Nichi Maru_," declared Denbigh.
"And so did I," added O"Hara, "but I took jolly good care to hide that little automatic pistol--you know the one: I collared it from a German officer in that little sc.r.a.p at Herbertshohe."
"For goodness sake be careful," protested the cautious and level-headed Scot.
"I"ll try to be," replied O"Hara non-committedly.
"Where is the pistol?" asked Denbigh.
"Inside the lining of my cap," replied the Irishman. "Can you see any sign of a bulge under the cap-cover?"
"Not a trace," declared Denbigh. "Only, old man, remember you are rather hot-headed. Let"s hope there won"t be a premature explosion."
"There won"t," said O"Hara emphatically. "Because I"ve no cartridges."