Part 15 (2/2)
”I'll have her running in double-quick time,” he shouted. ”Get that painter cast off, Major; and, see here, can't you manage to push her along until I have got the engine going?”
”Guess I'se got one mighty big pole here,” called Tom, an instant later, whilst the launch heaved and rolled as the ponderous fellow moved about.
”You get right along wid dat engine, Ma.s.sa Jim. I'se gwine astern to pole her.”
Once more the launch rolled and heaved as Tom made his way rapidly aft.
Then his pole plunged into the water, one of the policemen pushed the bows out from the bank, and, casting his eye upward for one brief instant, Jim saw that they were moving. Meanwhile he had found the gasolene tap and turned it, while the fingers of his other hand as rapidly lifted the six lubricators which fed the engine with that fluid so vital to her.
”Ready?” asked the Major tersely, his voice hard and cold, as if sudden disappointment had changed it. ”Get her going quick, my lad, or those fellows will get clear away from us. Already they are steaming right out into the lagoon.”
It was true enough; for, casting his eye ahead, Jim could see, through the dark tunnel formed by the overhanging branches of the trees, a wide expanse of s.h.i.+mmering water, across which sped the boat that bore the men in pursuit of whom they had come. There was a white wash at her stern, while sparks and flames shot from her funnel. That and the glow which surrounded her, coming from her opened furnace door, showed clearly that the rascals aboard her were fully prepared for flight, with a hot fire burning and roaring in their furnace, and a head of steam which would drive their boat faster perhaps than she had ever travelled.
”Got it! Now we'll be moving.”
With the fingers of one hand Jim had held the float of his carburettor lifted, thereby making sure that the engine would obtain a free supply of fuel; while with the other hand he had discovered the starting handle. It was a simple matter to slip it on to the shaft and turn it till the clutches engaged. Then he bent his back to the work, switched his magneto into circuit and sent the engine twirling round. Poof! poof!
poof! Three of the cylinders fired, but the crank ceased turning. Jim lifted his float again, adjusted the handle, and made another effort at starting. Gur-r-rr! bizz! she was off. The rhythmical hum of the machinery told his practised ear at once that the engine was running beautifully.
He dropped the starting handle on to the floorboards and stepped briskly across to his levers.
”Ready?” he asked steadily.
”Let her have it,” came from the Major, who, meanwhile, had taken possession of the wheel. ”Let her have it all you know, Jim, for we've a long way to make up. Those rascals have obtained a splendid start.”
Jim promptly dropped his fingers on the quadrant where throttle and ignition levers lay, and jerked both of them up a few notches. He could feel the thrust of the propeller now, and could hear the wash of the water as the launch pushed her way through it. Then suddenly the vessel cleared the dark tunnel in which she had been lying, and a glorious tropical moon shone down upon her, rendering every figure aboard distinctly visible, while, better than all, the rays flooded the engine well and made Jim's task all the easier.
”Faster!” commanded the Major sharply, and at the word Jim jerked his levers some few notches higher, till the engine buzzed more loudly than before, while the floorboards took on a trembling vibration to which, as a general rule, they were unaccustomed.
”More! We must move faster if we are to catch them,” cried the Major, something akin to entreaty in his voice. ”Can't you make her do a little more, my lad? We mustn't let those rascals slip through our fingers.”
Jim nodded curtly; he disliked racing his engine as a general rule, for common sense told him that such a course if persisted in might well lead to disaster. But these were exceptional circ.u.mstances, and, if race her he must, he determined that no precaution on his part should be relaxed so that the motor might come through the ordeal satisfactorily. Once more, therefore, he jerked his levers upwards till the throttle was wide open, while the ignition was advanced to the fullest extent. And how the motor roared! Compactly built and beautifully designed, it could not be expected to revolve at such extraordinary speed and give out its full power without some sign of remonstrance. It answered the persistent goadings of its grim young driver with a tremulous roar, while the planks under foot now shook and rattled ominously. Indeed the whole vessel vibrated, while the bows lifted out of the water, thrusting a huge wave to either side. The surface of the lagoon, hitherto so placid, was now churned to milky foam at the stern of the vessel, while a white wash trailed aft, glimmering in the moonlight.
”Full out, sir,” reported Jim to the Major. ”How are we doing?”
”Fine, fine, my boy. We'll have 'em yet, if only you can keep her at it; but can she last? Can she keep up this pace much longer?”
”Guess she's got to,” laughed Jim, a note of excitement in his voice, in spite of his apparent coolness and unconcern. ”Guess she's got to, sir; I'll keep her at it all I know.”
He craned his head to one side, and for the s.p.a.ce of a minute fixed his eyes upon the black shape ahead which they were following. A column of flame and showers of sparks were being vomited from the funnel, whilst the ruddy hue that had surrounded the escaping launch had now disappeared entirely.
”Closed his furnace; that means that he's got steam up to bursting-point,” thought Jim. ”But we're gaining on him sure. In half an hour, if all goes well, we'll be alongside.”
He let his glance rest for a few seconds on the figures of the policemen huddled in the cab of the launch beside the Major. He even caught the reflection of the moonlight in Sam's big rolling eyes. Then he turned his glance to either side, watching the widespreading bow wave as it swept out over the lagoon. He followed the ripples, and, turning, gazed astern. It came as a shock to him almost to discover two figures there crouching on the little deck aft of the engine well. One was huge and ma.s.sive, and bore aloft a long, straight pole, while the second sat crouched on his haunches, as motionless as a statue. It was Ching. The Chinaman sat playing with the end of his pigtail, and giggled as Jim looked into his eyes.
”Velly fine! Dis allee lightee, sah; you catch him plenty quick,” he gurgled.
”Den hang um,” simpered Tom, his eyes rolling. ”Dem sc.u.m not stand de chance of a dog, I tell yo. Ma.s.sa Jim, yo make um buzz right along like dis; and den, by lummy, yo see what we do to um. n.o.bble dem rascals precious quick. Kill um; wring de neck of de villains.”
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