‘Just tell her that you are all right, James; then come down to the boat again. Tonight is the night when we play the final hand against Lacost. Don’t you dare linger with her. I’m not yet clear in my mind about what we ought to do; but we’ve got to take some sort of action, and without your authority I can do nothing.’
Impressed by Gregory’s earnestness, James remained for only five minutes with Olinda, then returned to the boat. Ten minutes later it put them ashore, and a quarter of an hour’s walk up the hill brought them to the Royal bure.
The aged doorman had long since gone to his bed, all the able-bodied servants were members of the body-guard and were still a quarter of an hour’s march away. It did not surprise them to see that the paraffin lamps had been left burning in the main bure, but as they entered they were taken aback to see Hamie Baker sitting in an armchair with a glass of rum clasped in his horny hand.
‘What the devil are you doing here?’ Gregory asked.
Hamie gave a sheepish grin, got to his feet and replied, ‘I bin left here, baas, as a sort o’ go-between. Mr. Lacost, he got to know somehow that when I reported sick and slipped ashore I’d spilled the beans to you what were goin’ on; so he thought I’d serve as a good sort o’ mouth-piece.’
‘That,’ replied Gregory, ‘was quite a sound decision. Well, what has he told you to tell us?’
‘You got him worried,’ Hamie said, solemnly nodding his head. ‘He’s got friends in the town he pays to let him know what goes on. ’S’evening he learned that a gunboat was being sent from Noumea to collar him an’ his pals. The Frenchies wouldn’t have had much on him ‘bout gettin’ up the treasure, provided he’d paid their tax. But you an’ the Ratu attackin’ the Pigalle lars’ evenin’ made things very different. Ter keep the stuff he’s got he had ter shoot a lot of the islanders an’ maybe one or two gendarmes. That ‘ull have made the Frenchies mad as hatters. So for him there’s only way way out. He’s got to have that licence wot Mrs. de Carvalho holds transferred to him, and pre-dated. Then he could claim that he’d done no more than fight off pirates who were tryin’ ter rob him of his legitimate gains. See?’
‘Yes, I see,’ Gregory agreed. ‘He has let himself and his friends in for the death penalty if they are caught. And, believe me, he will be. You’ll be for it, too, since you failed to take my advice, and rejoined him.’
‘No.’ Hamie gave a twisted grin. ‘Not me, baas. I were still malingerin’ at the hospital when the attack on the Pigalle took place. I rejoined her only this mornin’ ter claim the money wot they owed me. And my! You should see wot they got up. Gold is worth sixteen pounds an ounce these days, an’ they’ve salvaged half a ton of it, not ter mention crosses, crooks, mitres an’ whatnot, stuck all over with jewels like plums in a Christmas puddin’. But no-one’s got anything on me. That’s why Mr. Lacost left me here to be his mouthpiece.’
‘O.K., then; you are in the clear. But why should Lacost suppose that we would persuade the Senhora de Carvalho to make the licence over to him?’
Hamie’s mouth twisted into a toothsome grin. ‘Because, baas, he’s kidnapped your missus. He an’ his pals come here an’ took Mrs. Sallust off to their yacht. I bin left ter tell yer that unless yer goes aboard the Pigalle by two o’clock this mornin’ an’ hands him that licence dated three days back, he’s goin’ ter pull her toenails out an’ slice off them pretty ears she’s got. You still has two hours ter work in, but you’d better get on wi’ this job.’
‘The swine,’ James burst out. ‘My God, if I could only get my hands on him! And as for you, I’ll …’ Breaking off, he strode towards Hamie, obviously intending to seize him by the throat.
Whipping a pistol from his hip pocket, Hamie snarled, ‘Keep off, Ratu! Another step an’ I’ll drill yer full o’ holes.’
As James halted, Gregory said to him, ‘There is nothing to be gained by trying to take it out on Baker. He is simply a go-between. Lacost left him here to deliver his ultimatum only because if he had set it down on paper it would have incriminated him. Of course he is right that, had the licence really been transferred to him three days ago, he would have had fair reason to assume that our attack on the Pigalle was an attempted act of piracy; and that, somehow, we had managed to fool the gendarmes into putting up a front for us. After all, anyone who thought he was about to be robbed of many thousands of pounds’ worth of treasure and had only a handful of men to protect it against a force of three score armed natives could plead justification in firing to drive them off before giving them a chance to come alongside and swarm aboard.’
‘Perhaps you are right,’ James agreed reluctantly. ‘But when the gunboat from Noumea arrives and we tell our story, with Elbœuf to support us, the warship will give chase.’
‘If we do let Lacost have a pre-dated transfer of the licence how can we prove that we did not make a secret deal with him without Elbœuf’s knowledge? Lacost, too, is quite shrewd enough to leave a letter for Elbœuf, giving a guarantee that he will pay up the ten per cent tax to the French Government as soon as he has had time to dispose of the treasure.’
‘In any case, the gunboat will pursue the Pigalle. The Government in New Caledonia could not ignore the killing of a gendarme and a number of my people. They will regard it as essential to hold a full inquiry, and that could not be held without the interrogation of the men responsible.’
Gregory nodded. ‘About that I entirely agree. But you have to catch your hare before you can cook it. If Lacost sails tonight he may disappear for good. Even if he and his pals are caught such an inquiry would take weeks. If he has said that he will pay the tax and he holds the licence I think the odds are against the Colons being convicted.’
‘I suppose they are.’ James gave a heavy sigh. ‘The question is, what do we do now? We can’t possibly leave Manon to be subjected to hideous tortures. As I think I told you, Olinda made the licence over to me two nights ago. So we can go off to the Pigalle right away and ransom Manon with it. On the other hand, to attack the ship during the hours of darkness would be very different from exposing ourselves again in daylight. So I feel sure my body-guard would jump at the chance to avenge their comrades. When they get back we could set off with them at once and, with luck, both rescue Manon and capture these filthy Colons. But there is the risk that if we attack they may kill Manon before we can get her. So it is for you to say. My feeling is that we must throw in our hand and let Lacost have this accursed licence.’
‘Maybe you’re right,’ Gregory muttered. ‘We have to bear in mind that if we attack, although we’d have the cover of darkness, we won’t catch the Colons napping. They will anticipate that we may, so be ready for us. In any case, even if they don’t think we’ll dare risk it they will be up and about, waiting for us to arrive with the licence. But since you told me about your dust-up with Roboumo I’ve been toying with an idea, and I’ve still got to think a little. Meantime I want to pump ship, so I’m going to my bure.’
Leaving James and Hamie staring at each other in silent hostility, Gregory walked out of the big room and across the few yards to the smaller bure which he had shared with Manon. As he entered the bathroom his glance immediately fell on a piece of paper lying on the lavatory seat. Picking it up, he saw a few pencilled lines hurriedly scrawled by Manon. They read:
On no account come off to the Pigalle. If you do I feel certain Lacost intends to murder you. But, provided he gets the licence, I’m sure he won’t vent his spite on me if you don’t bring it yourself. Send Hamie Baker with it, then they will let me go.
Evidently, before the Colons had carried off Manon, they had allowed her to use the bathroom, and she had seized the opportunity to leave this message. It confirmed certain ideas that Gregory had already formed and decided him to take the course he had been contemplating. With a grim smile he pushed the paper into his pocket, had a quick wash to rid his hands and face of the dirt he had picked up on Roboumo’s island, then returned to the main bure.
James was stil
l glowering at Hamie. As Gregory appeared, he turned to him and asked, ‘Well, what have you decided? My body-guard is back. You can hear them singing outside, as they are getting down to the food and kava which I ordered to be left ready for them. Do we lead them in another attack, or do you and I go off to the Pigalle and sign away the licence?’
‘We do neither,’ Gregory replied quietly. ‘Manon left a message for me in the loo. She’s convinced that Lacost will not take it out on her if I fail to turn up with the licence. But all the same I want you to go out and get your boys on parade again before they’ve drunk too much kava.’
‘You do mean us to attack the Pigalle, then?’
‘No. We are going to attack Roboumo’s island.’
James’ eyebrows went up. ‘In God’s name, why?’
‘Because, with the Colons on the alert, your body-guard might not be sufficiently strong to get the best of things. We’ve got to have Roboumo’s toughs with us to make certain of overwhelming Lacost and his pals.’
‘But damn it, man, after what happened an hour ago he’d never allow them to become our allies.’
‘I mean to put him in a spot that will render him powerless. The fact that you got away from him unharmed will both have shaken his own men’s confidence in him and stiffened the morale of yours; so I don’t think we need fear very serious opposition. And after you told me about what happened in his bure I hit on the key to the whole situation.’
‘The key to the situation?’ James repeated in a puzzled voice.
‘Yes; it’s the White Witch. She is a prisoner. We are going in to rescue her. And she will be on our side. Without her, Roboumo will be a busted flush and his men will take your orders. With their aid the Pigalle and the treasure will be in our hands before morning.’
20
Death in the Dark Hours
As the body-guard had arrived back from their hour’s march only ten minutes earlier it was decided that they should be given a further quarter of an hour to rest and refresh themselves. James went out to warn them that he meant to lead them on another expedition and to tell Aleamotu’a of the new plan, leaving Gregory alone with Hamie.
Hamie, diver had been a silent listener to all that had passed, so now Gregory said to him, ‘I am afraid you are in for an uncomfortable time these next few hours, Hamie. I can’t risk your making off as soon as we have gone, getting back to the Pigalle and warning Lacost of our intentions. As there are no locks on the bure doors, I’ll have to tie you up securely until we return.’
Hamie grinned. ‘That’s all right by me, baas. Warnin’ Mr. Lacost wouldn’t prevent you attacking the Pigalle, an’ I wouldn’t care ter be aboard her when that happens; not wiv half a hundred of them swarmin’ on to her bangin’ off rifles an’ yellin’ murder. I ain’t done so bad, wot wiv the two hundred quid you give me an’ the nice little wad he were fair enough ter pay me for me divin’, before he left me here. Though I guess that were really so I’d feel it were up ter me ter stick around an’ give you his message, ‘stead of makin’ off while no-one were about. But ter my mind you’re actin’ stupid.’
‘You think so?’ Gregory smiled. ‘May I ask why?’
‘Well, wot abart yer missus? Two o’clock were the deadline Mr. Lacost set fer you to go aboard the Pigalle wiv that licence, an ‘it’s arter midnight now. Maybe you’ll put paid to the old witch guy by makin’ off wiv his girl friend. But you can’t do that an’ get back ter attack the Pigalle in under a couple o’ hours, can yer?’
‘No. You’re right about that. It would take at least three hours.’
‘O.K., then. An’ that Lacost is an impatient type. Maybe he’ll give you half-an-hour’s leeway, but come half past two, or thereabouts, he’ll decide you ain’t goin’ ter play an’ start pullin’ yer wife’s toenails out.’
‘I don’t think he will. He’s got nothing to gain by doing that.’
For a moment the diver remained thoughtful, then he said, ‘It’s your gamble, baas, not mine. But I wouldn’t take a chance on it if he’d got ahold o’ my gal. Still, p’raps there’s somethin’ in wot yer say. Be a pity ter make a mess of a lady like her to no purpose. In fact if I were in his shoes I’d act quite different. I’d up anchor, then take her down to me cabin an’ do you know what.’
‘That is an unpleasant possibility that I have already considered,’ Greory replied. ‘But I have no means of preventing him from doing that at any time between now and when the moon goes down. And I must wait until then to attack; otherwise, if he can see us coming in, he might succeed in driving us off.’
‘Blimey! Yer not goin’ in till moonset? If yer wait that long, baas, you’ll miss the boat. Time’s runnin’ out fer him. He’s gotter get well clear o’ Tujoa before the warship from Noumea turns up. If he don’t he’ll be good an’ proper sunk. He jus’ daren’t hang around fer more than an hour or so arter two o’clock.’
‘Yes he will,’ Gregory declared with conviction. ‘The gun boat can’t possibly reach Revika in under thirty-six hours from now, and the licence means everything to Lacost. With it, the odds are that he would be able to argue a committee of inquiry into believing that yesterday he honestly believed the Ratu to have have tricked the police into aiding him in an attempt to rob the Colons of the treasure they had salvaged legitimately. Without it, he and his pals will be hunted men for the rest of their lives. Sooner or later the French authorities will get them, then they will go to the guillotine. When I fail to turn up he’ll think of some way of trying to make a deal with us—perhaps sharing the treasure or, as a last resort, turning the whole lot over to us in exchange for the licence. But you can take it from me, the Pigalle will still be lying off Tujoa until at least midday tomorrow.’
‘My! You’re a cool customer.’ Hamie shook his head.
Gregory smiled. ‘I’ve had quite a lot of experience in dealing with bad men, and I’m very sensible of the fact that he has Mrs. Sallust in his power. But there is nothing I can do about that for the time being. When you are as old as I am, Hamie, you will know that it is only asking for trouble to hit out at your enemy until you are certain you can strike him down.’
At that moment James re-entered the bure. He said that his body-guard was ready and eager to be led against Roboumo and, once and for all, destroy the power of that evil man who had for so long terrorised and blackmailed so many of their friends and relatives.
Hamie was told to move from the armchair in which he was lounging to a stout upright one; then, unresisting, he allowed himself to be lashed securely to it with a score of strips of stout tapa cloth which James produced from one of his handsome wooden chests. That done, the two friends poured themselves stiff drinks, drank to the success of their expedition, then went out to join the reassembling body-guard.
This time, instead of taking the circuitous track through the jungle, they marched straight down to the harbour. There they piled into the six speediest motor boats available and, with James leading in his own cabin cruiser, set a course round the coast for Roboumo’s island.
In accordance with instructions that James had given before they set out, when the boats were within half a mile of the island they separated, so that each crew would land at some distance from their nearest neighbours. Then the engines were shut off and paddles used to bring them inshore.
As they neared the beach, no lights were to be seen through the trees and no sentry challenged them; so evidently Roboumo and his men had no suspicion that they were about to receive unwelcome visitors. The boats dropped anchor in the shallows; jumping from them, the crews waded to the beach and the six groups, with weapons at the ready, cautiously made their way across the beach to the screen of vegetation. The moon was still well up, but the palms, magnolias, bread fruit and bau trees threw heavy shadows and in places where they were close together there were areas to which only a very faint light penetrated.
It was in the group Gregory was leading that the accident occurred. They had proceeded no more than a hundred yar
ds among the trees when one of the body-guard tripped on a protruding root. He was within a yard of Gregory and clutched at him for support. Most unfortunately, in the darkness he grabbed the hand on a sub-machine gun Gregory was carrying at the ready. He had his thumb on the safety catch and his finger on the trigger. The sudden, unexpected pressure on both thumb and finger caused the gun to go off.
The eerie silence was shattered by the burst of fire that followed. Fortunately, the bullets whistled through the trees, harming none of his companions; but the swift series of explosions raised an appalling clatter.
Next moment a furious barking of dogs sounded in the village. But it was only three or four hundred yards away; so, although all hope of achieving complete surprise was now gone, Gregory still hoped that the attacking force might reach it before any serious defence could be organised. Yelling to his men to follow him, he dashed forward through the trees.
Before they had covered half the distance they heard the deep booming of Roboumo’s drum sounding the alarm. Then, on reaching an open space, they saw the village, the roofs of its bures clearly outlined in the moonlight. But to Gregory’s consternation he also saw that they were heading for a six-foot-high cactus hedge. Earlier in the night when he had covered James’ visit to the witch-doctor they had both approached the village by the path up from the beach. It had never occurred to him that only by that way could one enter it. Now they were faced by this apparently impenetrable barrier.
He had to take a swift decision. Should he turn left and run on along the hedge until he struck the path, or should he attempt to force a way through the spiky barrier of cactus? It was a foregone conclusion that, apart from the group led by James, which he had elected to lead in by the path, all the other four groups would come up against the hedge and, most probably, make their way round to the unprotected entrance. It was there the fight would rage for possession of the village and every one of Roboumo’s men would be engaged in it. If, therefore, Gregory could force a way through the hedge the odds were that he would be able to reach the witch doctor’s bure and rescue the witch without opposition.
The White Witch of the South Seas Page 37