Dave Darrin on the Asiatic Station

by H. Irving Hancock

  CHAPTER III--MR. PEMBROKE BREAKS IN

  On the next day the Manilla police had little of interest to add to theaccount of the night tragedy on Manilla Bay.

  Searching the city, and especially the Chinese quarters, the police hadbeen unable to find any yellow man answering to the description of"Burnt-face."

  Very likely many of the Chinese residents of the city knew the man whowas sought, but Chinamen habitually mind their own business, even tothe extent of withholding important information from the police. Sowithin two or three days the chase was all but forgotten. The Chinese"tongs" are secret societies that commit killings in all parts of theglobe where their people are to be found, and the death of an unknownChinaman does not provoke the police anywhere to any great zeal infinding the slayer.

  Then the "Castoga," which, for reasons known only to the higher navalauthorities, had been anchored half a mile from the mouth of the Pasig,was ordered to new anchorage off the naval station at Cavite.

  On board, the officers had ceased to speak of the strange Chinesetragedy of the night; Dave and Dan had well-nigh ceased to think aboutit.

  One afternoon the French gunboat "Revanche" received visitors. EnsignsDarrin, Dalzell and Hale were requested to represent the "Castoga" anddid so, going over in the launch.

  On board the French boat they found a sprinkling of English andJapanese naval officers. There were also a few officers from the UnitedStates Army.

  Our American friends were introduced to all present whom they had notpreviously known. Half an hour later Darrin was inspecting the"Revanche's" lifeboat equipment under the escort of Lieutenant Brun, ofthe French Navy, when a superior officer appeared on deck. It was thesame officer who had appeared, on shore, to exhibit such markeddisapproval of Mr. Pembroke.

  "There's an officer over there to whom I wish you would introduce me,"Dave said to the lieutenant.

  "With great pleasure," replied Brun, "as soon as our turn comes. Thatis Commander Bertrand, commanding the 'Revanche.' All the gentlemenpresent will be introduced to him now."

  "If you don't mind," Dave added, quickly, in French, "I shall be gladto wait until the last, as I should like to have a few words with yourcommander."

  A group had gathered around Commander Bertrand, who, all smiles andgood will, played the host to perfection.

  At last Lieutenant Brun led Dave over to be introduced. Theintroduction accomplished, Brun moved away a short distance.

  After the first few polite exchanges had been made on both sides, Daveasked:

  "Would you object, sir, to telling me whether you know a Mr. Pembroke,an Englishman?"

  "I know that it is a well-known English name," replied CommanderBertrand, "but personally I know no Englishman of that name."

  "Do you remember seeing Mr. Dalzell and myself with a man in front ofthe office of the Captain of the Port a few days ago?"

  "I recall having passed you," replied the Frenchman readily.

  "That was Mr. Pembroke with whom we were talking."

  "Was it?" inquired the Frenchman politely, as he raised his eyebrows."Then perhaps I was in error. I felt that I had seen the man before,but at that time his name was Rogers."

  "May I inquire, sir, if you know this man Rogers?"

  Commander Bertrand shrugged his shoulders slightly as he asked:

  "Is he a friend of yours, Monsieur Darrin?"

  "No; but he had presented himself to Mr. Dalzell and me, and then hadoffered to do us a service."

  "I do not believe that I would trust him," replied the Frenchman. "Icannot say, positively, that Monsieur Rogers and Monsieur Pembroke areone and the same man, but this I can assure you--that Monsieur Rogers isfar from being an honest man."

  Further than that the French officer seemed disinclined to discuss thesubject. After a brief chat on other topics Dave thanked the FrenchCommander courteously and moved away. In less than two minutes,however, Dave found a chance to impart this information briefly toDanny Grin.

  "Pembroke looks like a good one to dodge," declared Ensign Dalzell.

  "I don't know," returned Dave Darrin. "It all hinges on whether he isreally the chap who once called himself Rogers. Commander Bertranddeclined to be positive that they are one and the same, though forhimself, he seems to believe it. However, we are not likely to seePembroke again. He has made no effort to force himself upon us."

  Not long after that the launch called, and the "Castoga's" visitingofficers started to return to their own craft.

  "There is some one waving to us," declared Dave, staring across thewater at the occupants of a small motor boat.

  "Why, it looks like Captain Chapin," returned Dalzell.

  "It _is_ Chapin, and that is his sister with him," returned Dave. "See,she is standing up in the bow to wave her handkerchief to us."

  "Chapin ought not to allow her to stand up in the bow of such a narrowcraft," said Danny Grin. "It's a risky pose for any one but a veteransailor. It's dangerous. She--"

  "By Jove!" burst from Darrin. "There she goes--overboard!"

  For a rolling wave, catching the small motor boat under the bow, hadrocked the little craft.

  Miss Chapin was seen to stagger wildly and then plunge overboard.

  "They've stopped!" cried Dan. "She doesn't come up, either!"

  "Boatswain's mate!" rang out Ensign Darrin's voice sharply to the navallaunch alongside. "Put over there at once. Run astern of the motorboat's position."

  "Aye, aye, sir," and the naval launch swung briskly around.

  "I beg your pardon, Hale, for forgetting that you are ranking officerhere," Dave apologized, keeping his gaze out over the water.

  "There's no apology needed," returned Ensign Hale. "Our only need is toreach the spot as quickly as possible."

  The motor boat had stopped. Captain Chapin at the first realization ofthe incident, had leaped up, and now stood scanning the water for thefirst glimpse of his sister when she would rise to the surface.

  So great was the excitement on the naval launch that neither Dave norDan really noticed it when another man aboard the motor boat rose moreslowly, showing his head for the first time above the gunwale.

  As the motor boat put about on her course both Captain Chapin and thisother man dived overboard.

  "I wonder if they see Miss Chapin yet?" muttered Dave, as the navallaunch raced to the scene.

  It was speedily apparent that Miss Chapin had not yet been found, forboth hatless swimmers swam about uncertainly, going down head first,from time to time, as though to explore the water near the surface.

  Then the naval launch plunged into the scene. From it dived threeensigns and two sailors aboard who were not engaged with the handlingof the craft.

  With seven expert swimmers now in the water, Miss Lucy Chapin stood anexcellent chance of being found.

  Hardly had the Navy men dived when Captain Chapin's male companion swamwith long overhand strokes away from the rest.

  "I see her!" shouted this swimmer, and dived.

  "He has her!" panted Dalzell. "Hooray!"

  Instantly six swimmers turned and swam toward the rescuer, who nowappeared on the surface supporting a woman's head on his shoulder.

  "Good work! Fine!" cheered Dave.

  Captain Chapin was the first to reach his sister's rescuer.

  "Is Lucy dead?" cried Chapin anxiously, when he beheld his sister'swhite face.

  "Stunned," replied the rescuer. "I think she must have been struck onthe head by the boat as it passed her."

  Silently the other swimmers turned in behind the young woman, herrescuer and brother.

  "Better bring Miss Chapin to the 'Castoga's' boat, Captain," Davecalled. "It's larger. We'll take her directly to the gunboat and havethe surgeon attend her."

  The boatswain's mate ran the naval launch up within easy distance, andMiss Chapin was lifted aboard.

  On one of the cushions Miss Chapin was laid, while all gathered abouther anxiously.

  "Make the 'Castoga' with all speed," order
ed Ensign Hale. "The younglady must have prompt attention."

  On the way to the "Castoga" Captain Chapin did everything he couldthink of to revive his sister. The others stood about, ready to help.

  Then it was that Dave happened, for the first time, to face therescuer.

  "Pembroke!" he called in astonishment.

  "Howdy do?" asked the Englishman, with a smile holding out his hand.

  Though Dave felt himself chilling with suspicion of the pleasantstranger, he could not withhold his hand.

  "I was on my way out to visit your ship," smiled Pembroke, as hereleased Dave's hand after a warm grip. "Captain Chapin was good enoughto say that he would present me on board."

  "And glad indeed I am that I undertook to do so," exclaimed Chapin. "Ifit hadn't been for you, Pembroke, I am afraid my sister would have beenlost."

  Pembroke was now engaged in shaking hands with Dalzell, who feltobliged to present him to Ensign Hale.

  "A splendid rescue, that," said Hale warmly.

  The gunboat's launch was now speedily alongside the "Castoga," themotor boat, a small craft that carried passengers on the bay for hire,following at slower speed.

  "We've a half-drowned young lady on board, who needs the surgeon'sattention," called Hale, between his hands, just before the launch ranalongside.

  Miss Chapin was immediately taken on board, and carried to the quartersof the executive officer, where she was laid in a bunk. Only herbrother and the surgeon remained with her.

  Dave felt obliged to introduce Pembroke to his brother officers. TheEnglishman proceeded to make their acquaintance with evident delight.

  Five minutes later the executive officer recovered his presence of mindsufficiently to send ashore to Cavite for dry garments of a sizesuitable for Miss Chapin's use. In an hour or two that young lady,revived and attired in dry clothing, was brought on deck on herbrother's arm. She was weak, but out of danger.

  "We came out in order to make a call aboard," Captain Chapin explainedto the officers under the quarter-deck awning, "but we had no idea wewere going to make such a sensational visit."

  "I fancy that women are always nuisances aboard naval craft," smiledMiss Chapin, whereupon the assembled officers promptly assured her thatwomen were nothing of the sort.

  In the meantime the three officers who had leaped over into the bay hadhad time to change their clothing. It became a merry party on deck.

  Up to Mr. Warden stepped a messenger, saluting.

  "The Lieutenant Commander's compliments, sir, and will the executiveofficer report to the Lieutenant Commander at once?"

  "Immediately," replied Lieutenant Warden, returning the salute, takinghis brief adieu by merely raising his uniform cap before he left theparty.

  Ten minutes later Lieutenant Warden stepped briskly on deck. He pausedlong enough to say something in an undertone to the officer of thedeck, who smartly passed the word for a messenger.

  "I am sorry to announce," said the executive officer, approaching thegroup of officers who surrounded Miss Chapin, "that our pleasant daysin Manila are ended for the present."

  "I should say so," cried Captain Chapin. "There goes your recall flagto the mast-head."

  "Right!" replied Mr. Warden crisply. "Our sailing orders have just beenwirelessed from shore. We sail at seven this evening, if our few men onshore leave can be recalled in that time. Mr. Hale, you are to take thelaunch and go ashore after the leave men."

  "Very good, sir," replied that ensign, saluting, next raising his capto Miss Chapin and hastening away.

  "Leaving, are you?" asked Pembroke, in a tone of regret. "And what isyour destination?"

  "China," rejoined Lieutenant Warden tersely.

  The Englishman's face changed expression.

  "Not--" he stammered. "Not the--"

  "For the Nung-kiang River," replied the executive officer.

  Dave Darrin and Dan Dalzell were the only ones present who caught thestrange, fleeting look that passed over the face of Pembroke.

  "Why can this Englishman object to our going to the Nung-kiang River?"Ensign Darrin wondered. "What interest can he take in any mission ofours there?"