Dave Darrin on the Asiatic Station

by H. Irving Hancock

  CHAPTER II--THE TRAGEDY OF THE BAY

  "Why did you turn the Englishman down so hard?" asked Danny Grin, as heand Dave sat at the stern of the launch that sped down the river andthen out to the naval anchorage in the bay.

  "I didn't," Darrin replied.

  "You shut off his proposal to visit us on board."

  "Dan, didn't you notice the look that French naval officer gavePembroke?"

  "No."

  "Perhaps you noticed how stiffly the Frenchman stepped away afterreturning our salutes."

  "I saw that," said Dan, "and wondered at it."

  "I think the French officer was trying to flag to us an intimation thatPembroke isn't one who would pass inspection in naval circles."

  "No?" gasped Danny Grin, looking genuinely astonished. "It never struckme that way. He had the appearance and the manners of a gentleman."

  "So has many an international confidence man," Dave rejoined. "I don'tknow a blessed thing against Pembroke, and perhaps the Frenchmandoesn't either. Unless I can find out something definite about theEnglishman, I hardly care to be the one to introduce him to our littlewardroom crowd."

  "I see," nodded Dalzell thoughtfully. "You're right, Dave. One can't betoo careful about his introductions, nor can one very well receivecallers on board ship without making them known to the other wardroomfellows."

  After the three battleships on which our young naval officers hadserved, the "Castoga" did seem small by comparison, although she was agunboat of comfortable dimensions, with an ample wardroom for thenumber of officers carried, and with all the ordinary provisions forcomfort afloat.

  With a crew of one hundred and thirty sailors supplemented by adetachment of thirty marines; with a large enough crew in theengineer's department, and with nine officers, including a surgeon anda paymaster's clerk, in addition to three engineer officers, the"Castoga" carried a businesslike complement.

  Lieutenant-Commander Tuthill was the commanding officer, withLieutenant Warden as executive officer. The four watch officers wereall ensigns.

  After reporting their return to the officer of the deck, Dave and Danwent promptly to their quarters. Here, after bathing, they dressed fordinner, which was due to be served in less than half an hour.

  At table, later, Dave told the tale of the robbery that afternoon. Danadded the tale of their meeting with Pembroke, and of that Englishman'soffer to loan them money.

  "What kind of fellow is that Pembroke?" asked Lieutenant Warden.

  Dave described the Englishman, adding, questioningly:

  "Do you know him, sir, or know of him?"

  "No," replied Mr. Warden.

  "I thought that Pembroke must be known to a French naval officer whopassed us," continued Darrin, and related that incident, too.

  "The Frenchman's shrug was nothing against the Englishman," remarkedLieutenant Warden. "It might have been merely instinctive aversion, orit might mean merely that the Frenchman and the Englishman had adispute in the past, at this or some other port. Otherwise it would beodd indeed to see a Frenchman turn the cold shoulder on an Englishmanwhen their countrymen are standing shoulder to shoulder on the longbattle lines in Europe."

  "Surely, if the French officer knew Pembroke to be a gentleman, hewould have rushed up and gripped Pembroke's hand just out of asentimental feeling for the strong bonds of friendship between Franceand England in these dark days in Europe," nodded Dan understandingly.

  "Pembroke wanted to come on board, sir," Ensign Darrin went on, "but Icouldn't help feeling that, before inviting him, I would like to knowmore about him."

  "Caution of that sort is never amiss," nodded the executive officerthoughtfully. "By the way, you don't imagine that there could have beenany connection between the thieving Chinese and Mr. Pembroke, do you?"

  "Why, I hadn't thought of it in that way," Ensign Darrin confessed."There isn't usually, is there, much connection between a thief whorobs you and a man who offers to lend you a little money?"

  "There might be easily," said Mr. Warden.

  "Our last half hour on shore was a puzzle altogether," Dave went on,after a short pause. "First, we followed that burnt-face Chinaman. Thenwe ran into a crowd of Chinese who cleaned out our pockets ofeverything but our watches. And then we met Pembroke, at whom theFrench officer turned up his nose. I am now actually beginning towonder if 'Burnt-face,' the thieves and Pembroke may not all be linksin a chain of mystery."

  "At least Pembroke doesn't speak or understand the Chinese language,"Dalzell broke in.

  "He _said_ he didn't," Dave returned. "However, if Pembroke is not agentleman and a straightforward fellow, it is as easy to believe thathe lied as that he spoke the truth."

  "Don't bother any more about it," advised Ensign Hale bluffly. "Themoney is gone. As to the rest of the story, it isn't worth puzzlingyour heads over. Your adventure was all grossly material. No suchthings as mysteries or romances are left in the world--nothing butwork."

  "Nevertheless," smiled Ensign Darrin seriously, "I shall continue toadmit myself puzzled until I have succeeded in gathering certaininformation that I really wish."

  "What kind of information?" asked Hale.

  "For instance, I want to know if 'Burnt-face' has any connection withthe yellow boys who went through our pockets."

  "I think that at least half likely," replied Ensign Hale gravely.

  "And then, next, I want to know," Darrin went on, "if there is anyconnection between 'Burnt-face' and Pembroke."

  "That is much less likely," answered Hale.

  "Last of all, if Pembroke is in the least shady, I'd like to knowsomething definite about him," wound up Ensign Dave.

  "Go to the Frenchman for that," advised Hale.

  "Thank you; I believe I shall."

  "But what does it matter, Darrin," asked Lieutenant Warden, "whetherPembroke is all right, or not? You turned him aside from visiting thiscraft, so what does it matter whether the fellow is a gentleman or thereverse?"

  "Because," replied Dave Darrin, so solemnly that some of his brotherofficers stared, "I have a premonition that I'm going to meet Pembrokeagain, and under conditions where I shall be glad to know somethingdefinite about the fellow."

  At eight bells in the evening Ensign Dalzell went on duty as officer ofthe deck. Darrin, aroused in season from a nap, took over the watch atmidnight.

  "Any orders?" asked Darrin of his chum.

  "None, save the usual orders for the safety and security of the ship,"Dalzell replied. Salutes were exchanged, and the former officer of thedeck hurried to his quarters.

  A marine sentry paced aft, another forward. Six sailormen, includingtwo petty officers, occupied their posts about the deck and on thebridge. Two or three of the engine-room crew were on watch below. Theothers on board slept, for the night was clear and the gunboat atanchorage half a mile out from the mouth of the Pasig River.

  After the first tour of inspection to see that all was snug, EnsignDarrin leaned against the quarter rail, looking out over the water. Bythis time the sky had clouded somewhat, though the barometer remainedstationary, showing that no atmospheric disturbances were to be lookedfor at present.

  The night was so still that nothing but the discipline of trained habitprevented Ensign Darrin from nodding, then falling asleep.

  Even as it was, his eyelids drooped almost to the closing point as heleaned there over the rail. But he was not asleep.

  After some minutes Dave opened his eyes wider, straightened up andglanced out sharply over the water, on which objects were not now soclearly visible as they had been at midnight.

  "That sounded like a paddle," Darrin told himself, then added, in a lowvoice:

  "Sentry!"

  "Aye, aye, sir," replied the marine, in a low voice, at the same timegiving the rifle salute.

  "I thought I heard a boat approaching yonder. Keep your eye open forany kind of craft coming near."

  "Aye, aye, sir!"

  It was Ensign Darrin who discovered a small, outrigger can
oe stealingforward in the night. Two seconds later the marine also reported it.Calling the nearest sailor to him, Dave gave him brief, whisperedinstructions which sent the young man slipping noiselessly forward.

  "Shall I hail that craft, sir?" whispered the sentry, standing stifflybeside the young officer.

  "Not yet," Dave rejoined. Both stood there, watching keenly. Fewlandsmen, on such a night, would have been able to make out so small acraft at such a distance. Those who follow the sea are trained tocat-like vision.

  "Sentry," whispered Dave, "do you make out a second craft, followingthe first?"

  "Just barely sir," replied the sentry, after a sharp look.

  Unless the two small craft changed their courses speedily Darrin knewthat he would have to hail them and warn them off. In these pipingtimes of peace in the Philippines, there was nothing very suspicious intwo boats coming close to a war vessel at anchor. Still, the two canoescould not be permitted to come up alongside without the occupants firstgiving an account of themselves.

  "It looks like a race," Dave told himself, as he continued to watchintently. "Jove, I am tempted to believe that the second canoe istrying to overtake the leader. What can it--"

  In the act of bawling an order forward, Ensign Dave Darrin felt histongue hit the roof of his mouth. For, at this instant, the pursuingcanoe ranged up alongside the first.

  There was a dim flash of something, accompanied by a yell of unearthlyterror.

  "Light!" shouted Dave Darrin huskily.

  "Aye, aye, sir."

  In a twinkling, the narrow, dazzling beam of one of the forwardsearchlights shot over the water.

  Within three seconds it had picked up the smaller of the canoes. To thewatchers from the deck of the gunboat this canoe appeared to be empty.

  Then the light shifted enough to pick up the second, larger canoe, nowdarting shoreward under the impetus of two powerful paddlers.

  "Ahoy, there, shorebound boat!" yelled Ensign Darrin lustily. "Lay toand give an account of yourselves!"

  The challenged canoe moved on so rapidly as to call for the constantshifting of the searchlight's beam.

  "Lay to, there, or we fire!" bellowed Ensign Darrin over the ripplingwaters of Manila Bay.

  But the canoe made no sign of halting.

  "Sentry!"

  "Aye, aye, sir."

  "Take aim and hold it!"

  "Aye, aye, sir."

  Then again Dave challenged.

  "Shorebound boat, third challenge! Lay to, instantly!"

  No attention being paid by the two paddlers, Ensign Darrin now gave thesharp order:

  "Fire!"

  That bullet must have whistled uncomfortably close to the fleeingcraft, for on the instant both paddlers rose in the canoe.

  "Fire!" commanded Ensign Dave, the second time.

  At the sound of the marine's shot both poised figures sprang overboardfrom the canoe.

  "Shall I fire again, sir?" asked the marine, as the beam of thesearchlight continued to play upon the waters where the divers hadvanished.

  "Not unless you see those men that jumped overboard from that canoe,"replied Ensign Darrin.

  Though the searchlight continued to flash further across the water,nothing was seen of the men from the canoe. Indeed, at the distance,the rippling waves might easily conceal a swimmer.

  "Pass the word for the boatswain's mate!" Darrin ordered.

  As that petty officer appeared, Darrin ordered him to turn out a boatcrew and put one of the boats over the side.

  "First investigate the nearer canoe, then the second. Bring them bothin alongside. If you see any swimmers in the water, pursue and pickthem up."

  "Aye, aye, sir."

  Still the searchlight continued to play over the waters. The"Castoga's" small boat ranged alongside the smaller outrigger canoe,and soon had it in tow with a line astern. A minute or two after thesecond canoe was picked up. A short search was made for swimmers, afterwhich, on signal, the boatswain's mate turned and headed for thegunboat.

  "Ship's boat ahoy!" Dave called, as the boat and its tows came near.

  "Ahoy the deck, sir!"

  "Are both canoes empty?" Darrin inquired.

  "The first one isn't, sir," replied the boatswain's mate. "There's adead Chinaman in it. Head almost cut off; sword work, I should say,sir."

  "Bring both tows alongside," Dave ordered, with a shiver. "I willcommunicate with the police."

  After ordering a wireless operator turned out, Ensign Darrin went overthe side, down a sea-ladder, to the smaller of the outrigger canoes.

  Huddled in a heap in the canoe, was a Chinaman who did not seem to bemore than thirty years of age. His head, nearly severed from his body,had fallen forward until it hung close to the dead man's chest. It wasonly by turning the head that Ensign Darrin was able to see the face,on which there still lingered a look of terror.

  "A Chinese tong-fight or a gang murder," Dave told himself, in keendisgust.

  Then climbing up over the side he sent an orderly to summon theexecutive officer.

  Less than three minutes later Lieutenant Warden, fully dressed, andwearing his sword, walked briskly out upon the quarter-deck.

  The executive officer listened intently while Ensign Darrin made hisreport with conciseness.

  "I'll take a look at the body," said Mr. Warden, and went down over theside. He came up again, horror written in every line of his face.

  "A cowardly killing, Ensign Darrin," declared the executive officer."Notify the Manila police by wireless."

  "Aye, aye, sir."

  "Call me again, if I am needed."

  "Aye, aye, sir."

  The instant Darrin had saluted and Mr. Warden had turned on his heel,Dave, under a light just inside the superstructure, wrote a few wordswhich he signed in his official capacity as officer of the deck. Thiswas sent forward to the waiting wireless operator, who sent the messageto a military station on shore, whence the message was telephoned topolice headquarters.

  Within three minutes the wireless operator, ran aft, saluting, andreported:

  "A police launch will put off immediately, and come out, sir."

  Fifteen minutes later a motor launch, flying the police ensign, rangedup alongside the "Castoga." An American official, accompanied by fourFilipino policemen, came on board.

  Dave at once narrated what had happened, after which the Americanpolice official inspected both canoes and looked at the huddled yellowbody.

  "This will require investigation, sir," declared the police official."I shall tow both canoes ashore, and then the force will get busy."

  "Don't you wish to send a wireless ashore, urging the police to lookout for two swimmers who are likely to attempt to land?" suggestedDave.

  "An excellent idea," replied the police official, and wrote out adespatch which Ensign Darrin sent to the wireless operator forward.

  After that the launch chugged away with the two canoes in tow.

  Twenty minutes later a wireless message was received aboard the"Castoga," and immediately the operator brought it aft.

  "Native Policeman Rafeta," Ensign Darrin read, "reports that a Chineseswimmer was observed, by him, to land. The Chinaman reported that hisskiff had upset. Native policeman, not being suspicious, reports thathe allowed swimmer to proceed on his way. Swimmer is to be identifiedby a fire-mark on the right cheek under eye."

  "Burnt-face!" gasped Ensign Dave, recoiling slightly. "Then it seemsthat I was not quit of that fellow when I turned my back on him on theEscolta this afternoon. In what fiendish business can 'Burnt-face' beengaged?"