Part 8 (1/2)
Paddy burst out laughing in that big way he had as Ailish anxiously looked from ewe to lamb and then back to Paddy.
”Oh, stop looking like that, laddie. Dalton wants me in the tank for some reason, so give me a half hour and then we'll go see Henry and perhaps, with a small incentive,” he winked at her, ”our cook could be persuaded to go with roast chicken and not lamb stew.”
Paddy disappeared for a long while, then true to his word, came to get her. His timing was perfect as Ailish was about to stop for a bite to eat.
”Our crew chief's a nasty one, but no quitter,” Paddy said as they made their way belowdecks. ”He wanted me in the tank so he could demand my money again or he'd expose me. He said the incident last night would prove my guilt, or that's how everyone on board would see it.”
Ailish knew the lengths the man would go to. ”I'm amazed at how hard Mr. Dalton works for other people's fortunes. Come on, we have to plead for a stay of execution for Dimples and son.”
They spoke to the cook and though Ailish couldn't prove it, she was sure money was exchanged as Henry a.s.sured her the pets would be safe. His only stipulation was that she had to take them with her once they reached sh.o.r.e as he didn't want to explain to the captain how these two escaped the menu.
Ailish and Paddy had no sooner returned to the deck when the air was rent by the sound they all dreaded a” the terrible gong. She shuddered, wanting to cover her ears to block out the ominous tolling.
The s.h.i.+p sprang to life. Orders were shouted and men manned machines as they braced for what would come next.
”Stay here,” Paddy ordered, then ran to help.
Anxiously Ailish waited the long hours it took to slow the s.h.i.+p, cut the cable and transfer it to the bow, before reeling it back in. She heard the men say it would be a difficult time as there was more than two thousand fathoms of water under the s.h.i.+p's keel and four tons of cable trying to break free.
She went to the testing caboose and eased inside. She'd visited the darkened hideout several times and knew the operators if not by sight, then by voice. ”It's me, O'Connor,” she announced into the blackness. It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the low light conditions, but then she saw the dim shapes of the two silent operators, sitting like statues in front of their machines. ”Any chance the signal will start again like it did before?” she asked hopefully.
”There's not been the tiniest spark,” one of them said gloomily.
”Joe's right, lad. It's dead for sure this time.” The other operator agreed, not hiding the trepidation in his voice. ”Not so much as a blink.”
”Don't give up yet,” Ailish offered hopefully. ”I heard Professor Thomson can work miraculous cures. You'll be flas.h.i.+ng your ghost messages back to Ireland before you know it.”
”You're a good lad, O'Connor,” Joe the operator said. ”That's the right att.i.tude.”
The atmosphere brightened a little and Ailish went to the galley to fetch hot coffee and sandwiches for the telegraph operators who sat so patiently in the darkness while the fate of the mission lay twelve thousand feet below.
As she walked back to the testing caboose, she pa.s.sed a group of sailors and overheard one mention he'd heard the tap-tap-tapping of a hammer belowdecks.
”I'm telling you, it's the riveter! That devil's at it again, all right. Makin' an infernal racket down there, he is.” He made the sign to ward off evil.
Ailish thought this was uncalled for. Pounding rivets couldn't help being a noisy job! And calling Charlie a devil was mean spirited. He seemed a decent enough chap, letting Davy visit almost anytime she was in the hold.
Ailish delivered the food and stayed to talk with the two men who manned the darkened room. They chatted and swapped stories, laughing as Ailish drew on the wealth of bad jokes she'd heard her father tell. This made her feel better as every time she thought of the weight on these men's shoulders, she was amazed they could remain in such good spirits. Their judgment on the cable's signal had the power to bring either cheers of triumph or the cries of defeat to the entire world.
It was Monday before one of the crew, carefully sc.r.a.ping the thick grey sludge off the dead wire, discovered what had caused the fault.
”Here, I've got it! Get the captain!” he called as men hurriedly moved to where the sailor was inspecting the damaged cable.
Rufus Dalton stood looking very pleased with himself and Ailish nudged Paddy in the ribs. ”He looks like a man with a fat pay packet in his pocket. I have a bad feeling about this.”
Moments later Captain Anderson, Mr. Canning, Professor Thomson and Cyrus Field a.s.sembled around the sailor who had raised the alarm.
”Full house,” Ailish murmured. ”Darn near every mucky-muck we have on board.”
They conferred for some time; then the captain motioned Rufus Dalton over and spoke to him. The group continued talking as Dalton pointed to the cable releasing mechanism that had come so close to disaster and they all nodded their heads solemnly, concurring with whatever it was Dalton was saying.
Around her, Ailish could here the dreaded word being murmured a” sabotage.
A fresh knot tightened in her stomach. She was sure Dalton was telling them Paddy had been trying to wreck the machine. She doubted her word would hold much sway now.
Captain Anderson turned his attention to Ailish and she had the strong urge to run. ”O'Connor, was Mr. Whelan with you Sat.u.r.day morning, before the fault occurred?”
”Yes, sir,” she stammered, hating the limelight.
”And where did he say he was supposed to be working?”
”In the cable tank sir, but because of his injury, he'd asked Mr. Dalton if he could work on deck instead.”
”So he was not in the tank at any time before the fault occurred.” The captain looked at Dalton. ”This means he couldn't have sabotaged the cable.”
”He could have done it. It would only take a moment.” Dalton said. ”Maybe he slipped away when no one was watching.”
The crowd murmured agreement, eager for a target.
Captain Anderson addressed Ailish again. ”And at no time did Mr. Whelan go belowdecks?”
Ailish was about to say Paddy was with her topside all the time, but then she thought of him leaving to see Dalton. She felt as though she were betraying her countryman when she answered. ”Only for a few minutes, Captain. He said he had to go to the a” her words trailed off.
”Did he go to the cable tank?” the captain pressed.
”Yes, sir,” Ailish said in a small voice, then went on quickly, ”Mr. Dalton wanted to see him.”
”I gave no such order!” Dalton lied, then pointed at Paddy. ”He pretended illness to get out of working in the tank so he would have an alibi, then he slunk back like the dog he is and wrecked the cable! And what's more, Whelan was in the tank the day of the first fault! The Fenian traitor should pay!”
Ailish's throat went dry. Dalton wanted Paddy to pay, all right, but not in the way everyone else would think. It was a little disconcerting that Paddy was in the hold or unaccounted for when all the faults had occurred. If she didn't know better, she too would have suspected the kind Irishman. Now there were shouts from the crew to hang the traitor and throw him overboard.
Cyrus Field stepped forward. ”There's no proof Mr. Whelan is the saboteur. Being Irish does not make him a Fenian.”