Part 34 (2/2)
And early the next morning a number of _Boodah_ boats, out running a regatta, came tearing back, all fluttered; soon after which Quilter-Beckett was hurrying into Hogarth's presence, who was at coffee, to say: ”Well, my Lord King, here they come at last--and enough of them, I think”.
x.x.xVI
THE ”BOODAH” AND THE BATTLEs.h.i.+PS
The s.h.i.+ps had gone forth in two lines ahead at ten knots, Admiral Sir Henry Yerburgh, K.C.B., being in the flags.h.i.+p Queen Mary, with the capital-s.h.i.+ps being nearly all of the five mosquito flotillas, and half the Home submarine; though what was the object of the torpedo craft (unless they were to go within 2,000 yards of the _Boodah's_ guns) was not very evident.
At that news, Hogarth, putting on a wide-awake, and lighting a cigar with rough perfunctory puffs, ran along a corridor to call Loveday, whereupon the two went out to the ledge and up to the roof.
There, at the south edge, stood a marine trumpeting something at Hogarth's yacht; and, just landing at the _Boodah_ from his gig, a fretful Yankee skipper, register in hand with a bag of 900 sea-rent in gold, while twenty yards yonder rode his smoking s.h.i.+p loaded with grain for Rouen; and on the eastern horizon the armada, in crescent at present, moving with fires banked at two knots, a glare hiding them from the naked eye, but the gla.s.s revealing them like toys in the abstract, ethereally hazy.
And now the yacht's cones shewed steam, three of her boats making toward the _Boodah_; soon at the landing-place stood Wanda, some interpreters, Mons. Roche (the chef), women, engineers, paymasters, civil servants, waiters, etc.; and Hogarth, seeing them, approached, questioned them, and, hearing that they had been ordered a day's pleasure-trip round the _Solon_, with lifting hat shook hands all round.
By this time some fifty officers and blue-jackets were about the roof and ledge, some discussing, others unfixing lanterns and festoons, with shouted directions. Leaving which, Hogarth and Loveday descended to an office of Loveday's, and Hogarth was just saying: ”Quilter-Beckett could destroy a quarter of those wars.h.i.+ps yonder--_now_, if he chose--without firing a gun--” when in, with flushed face and stretched stalk, hurried Quilter-Beckett, crying: ”My Lord King, I thought you would be here--just look--!”
He held out a Sea telegraph-form-from O'Hara:
”F. 39241. Begins. Almost certainty of war: Germany, France, Russia against England. Three corps ma.s.sing between Harfleur and Rouen, two upon Petersburg, transports at Havre. England undefended on sea.
Ministry fallen. Toulon outfitting. Donald, Admiral. Ends.
Hogarth, with an all-gone gesture, handed the telegram to Loveday.
But with lightning energy he was at a desk, scribbling:
”F. 39242. Begins. To Donald, Admiral, Mahomet. Be in half-hourly communication with Beech's Bank, Paris and Petersburg branches. Send hourly bulletins of news. War to be averted by every means. Let Beech threaten. Warn Cattegat. Richard. Ends.”
And ”Quick, Quilter-Beckett”, he cried, ”send that! What is the speed of your quickest picket--?”
”Fifteen knots--”
”Then, go yourself to the British Admiral. _Make_ him fly back: he has years to attack me in, tell him--I'll write a dispatch--”
On which Quilter-Beckett telephoned up for a picket, took the dispatch, and was soon away, while Hogarth watched his flight over the Sea.
An anxious hour pa.s.sed, and by then a line of s.h.i.+ps had been sighted to the west--the Americans at last; ten minutes later, the picket, too, was seen returning.
”Well, now”, said Hogarth, watching her, ”I wonder. The s.h.i.+ps seem to be coming on just the same. You have no idea, John, how the mind of people in office becomes fixed, like hardened putty in a hole: I am sorry now I didn't go myself”.
Some minutes more and Quilter-Beckett was pelting up the steps, his face pink as p.r.i.c.kly-heat, blurting out: ”My Lord King! I have been grossly insulted...!”
”Ha!” went Hogarth.
”I met a dispatch-boat coming to make summons of surrender, and, in spite of my white flag, they took me prisoner! How I restrained myself--and these people in the hollow of my hand! When I got at last to the Admiral--it is Yerburgh on the _Queen Mary_--he 'pirated' me--but I have no time Yonder, you see, are the Americans. British won't go back: I doubt if they believe--'under orders', and so on. By the way, you shouldn't stay there--no longer safe--”
He was away: for the moment was near, the _Boodah_ now surrounded with a series of floating squares hanging deep torpedo-nets against submarines, on both horizons effusions of smoke, the s.h.i.+ps no more visions, but middle-sized sea-things, seeming fixed in the thick of the sea, though steaming quickly. Hogarth watched them through a hand-gla.s.s, while Loveday, ghastly pallid, whispered: ”Come, Richard, come”, but still lingered a little, seeing them grow up--like the infant, the lad, the hairy man--toiling at the bigness of the sea, looking stripped, prepared for tempest They were six miles away--five.
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