"The gunboats haven"t gone yet," announced Captain Jones, as the broad Zambezi came in sight once more.
The sub"s practised eye saw that the two vessels lying just ahead of the "Aphrodite" were not the sternwheelers from Lake Nya.s.sa. He s.n.a.t.c.hed up his binoculars and brought them to bear upon the strange craft.
"Portuguese Government gunboats, by Jove!" he exclaimed. "What"s their little game, I wonder?"
"Eh! What"s that?" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Captain Restronguet, overhearing the sub"s remark. "Hanging round to see what they can make out of the business, I suppose. Why, there"s a crowd of them on sh.o.r.e close to the "Vorwartz"."
"When Portuguese colonial officials begin buzzing round they"re bound to give trouble if you treat them courteously," observed Captain Jones.
"I"ve had experience of them. If you take my advice you"ll send them about their business without delay."
"They won"t trouble me," replied Captain Restronguet grimly.
"At any rate I"ll stand by till they pack," continued the captain of the "Pride of Rhodesia." "We"ll descend here. I don"t want to bring my craft too close to those gentry."
The airship came to earth at the foot of the little hill on which Kenwyn had been left, and, with the exception of three men who were ordered to remain on guard, the whole of her complement hurried towards the bank of the river.
"Those rogues have been trying to get aboard the prize, sir," exclaimed Polglaze, who had run to meet his captain. "They"ve given us a stiff job to keep them off. None of us can make head or tail of what that yellow-faced, gold-laced Johnnie was talking about, although he thinks he can speak English."
"Did you come to blows?" asked Captain Restronguet.
"Oh, no, sir; we had to lift one fellow up by his trousers and drop him overboard, but we handled him very gently, although he whipped out a knife."
The Portuguese officer in charge advanced and punctiliously raised his cap, a courtesy that Captain Restronguet returned.
"We haf come to take possession of the pirate, senhor," announced the former.
"To take possession of what?" asked the "Aphrodite"s" captain.
"Of pirate ship, over thar."
"You"re too late, my friend," announced Captain Restronguet affably.
"Too late? How so?" asked the perplexed Portuguese. "She thar. Me come to take possession in name of Republica."
"You go to blazes!" retorted Captain Restronguet, beginning to lose his temper. "She is my prize."
"By what authority you hold her?" demanded the Portuguese.
"By what authority--we had the permission of the Portuguese Government to ascend the Zambezi."
"Yes; to destroy pirate, not to capture. Since she captured is in Portuguese waters she property of Republica."
Captain Restronguet looked at Captain Jones, and the skipper of the "Pride of Rhodesia" looked at the captain of the "Aphrodite." The absurdity of the Portuguese officer"s logic caused them to laugh heartily.
"Tell him we could wipe him off the face of the earth in a brace of shakes," suggested Captain Jones speaking rapidly and in a low tone so that the captain of the gunboat could not understand.
"No, I"ll deal with him in quite a different way," was the reply.
"Why you laugh? Me no be laugh at," exclaimed the irate Portuguese.
"Me representative of Republica."
"Look here, my friend," said Captain Restronguet. "Do you see that tent pitched on the top of the hill? We"ve fever amongst us. Had we known you were coming we would have had the yellow flag hoisted to warn you."
The Portuguese officer"s face paled under his yellow skin.
"Fever? How say. Madre de Dios!" and he agilely skipped back a couple of paces.
"Yes, very bad case, senhor. Perhaps you would care to see our hospital arrangements?"
But the Portuguese did not care to do so; he precipitately retreated to his boat, followed by his thoroughly scared men, and half an hour later the gunboat was pelting down stream as fast as her crazy engines would drive her.
"Another example of the curse of petty officialdom," commented Captain Restronguet. "No wonder the Portuguese colonies are almost at a standstill. Well, Polglaze, how is the work progressing?"
"We got the whole of the gold on deck, sir," replied the man. "If it hadn"t been for those jabbering Dagoes hindering us we would have had the whole lot ash.o.r.e by now."
"Time to be off," remarked Captain Restronguet. "It will be dark in less than twenty minutes. Leave the stuff there; it won"t be touched."
Hastily the "Aphrodite"s" men made their way back to the banks of the Zambezi, bringing Kenwyn with them--the second officer was already on the road to recovery, and the spell ash.o.r.e did him a considerable amount of good.
As soon as the crew regained the "Aphrodite" she was battened down and submerged. The wearied crew sought slumber, but it was long ere Captain Restronguet, Devoran, and Hythe retired to rest, for the first officer had to be told in detail of the momentous events of the day.
Captain Jones did not relinquish his task at that point, for anxious to aid his successful rival to the utmost of his ability he kept the "Pride of Rhodesia" floating over the captured submarine. All night the airship"s searchlights played upon the "Vorwartz" and the store of gold lying on the sh.o.r.e, but the precaution, though desirable, was unnecessary.
Early on the following morning all hands a.s.sisted in warping the "Vorwartz" into deep water. The bullion and species were then taken on board by means of the "Aphrodite"s" whaler, and, bidding the captain and crew of the "Pride of Rhodesia" a hearty farewell, the two submarines commenced the descent of the river.
Two days later the "Aphrodite," with the captured "Vorwartz" in tow, recrossed the dangerous bar. Five miles off-sh.o.r.e the British cruiser "Pique" was awaiting them, and handing the prize over to the care of the latter, Captain Restronguet ordered full speed ahead.
All Cape Town was bubbling over with excitement when the "Aphrodite"
dropped anchor in Table Bay. The shipping was gay with bunting, flags were flown from the Government buildings and most of the houses. Bands were playing and people shouting themselves hoa.r.s.e, while the renowned submarine was literally wedged in between tiers of boats filled with curious and enthusiastic spectators.
The Admiralty had telegraphed to the Commander-in-Chief of the Cape offering Captain Restronguet a commission in the Royal Navy as Inspecting Officer of Submarines; Lloyd"s had asked his acceptance of a sword of honour; the Crowned Heads of Europe bestowed decorations with lavish hands, while the President of the United States of America telegraphed his congratulations, and begged Captain Restronguet to be the honoured guest of the greatest Republic on earth.
But the captain of the "Aphrodite" showed no enthusiasm at these honours. Some he could not with courtesy decline, but he strenuously refused to accept the proffered commission. His sole object, he avowed, in calling at Table Bay was to make necessary arrangements with the authorities for the disposal of the "Vorwartz" and the distribution of the prize-money.
"Now, lads," he exclaimed, addressing his faithful crew, "our mission is ended. We are now homeward bound; not to our temporary quarters in Sumatra but to our only home, Old England. I am in a position to state that the individual share of prize-money will be duly paid on our arrival in England, and that every man will be in a state of affluence.
I only hope you will be long spared to enjoy it. In less than three weeks, all being well, I hope to land you all at Falmouth."
"Three cheers for Falmouth!" shouted Polglaze.
"An" three cheer for Ould Oireland," added O"Shaunessey. "Faith! I"ll take me discharge an" boi the largest farm in all County Wexford."
CHAPTER x.x.xIII.
HYTHE"S MASTERSTROKE.