Black August gs-10

by Dennis Wheatley

  'This man has died, not through his folly alone, but largely through your encouragement. Every man of you here is partially responsible. See to it then, that, by encouraging others, you do not compel me to make further examples. Sergeant!'

  'Yes, sir.'

  'Order your men to their quarters.'

  'Fall in,' bellowed the sergeant and the troops quickly separated themselves from among the sailors. Even the red faced Brisket and Saunders of the protruding teeth, who were among Stoker Crowder's group, suppressed' their sullen looks and stepped hurriedly into place.

  'Party, 'Shun! Right turn up the 'atch. Quick March!' Most of the soldiers were little more than boys and few had ever seen a man killed before. With white scared faces they filed past Gregory to the upper deck,

  'Chief Petty Officer!'

  'Yes, sir.'

  'Have this cleared up.' Gregory nodded toward the body of Arty Nobes, and stood there grimly silent, while the remains of the leading seaman were carried away and the deck swabbed down. He then addressed the sailors.

  'Now, men, wherever this ship may go, one thing is certain, it must finally return to a naval port. If you continue with your duties satisfactorily until then, I will recommend to your Commander that in view of the very terrible example which I have been compelled to make, he should take no further action against any of you. If you make further trouble, however, bear in mind that your court martial and punishment are inevitable.'

  As he turned on his heel, the C.P.O. called the sailors to attention again, and after a last stern glance round Gregory left the compartment.

  He had no regrets about the swift action which had so suddenly terminated the existence of Arty Nobes. The fact that he had no right to issue orders to anybody, or to the uniform he wore, hardly occurred to him. He was living for the time being in the part which he had created for himself, and he knew that although many people in his situation might have shirked such a terrible responsibility and endeavoured to restore order by half measures, the result would almost certainly have been failure. At least he had put an effective stop to the threatened outbreak, but as he breathed in the sharp salt laden air of the upper deck again, he wondered grimly for how long.

  He answered Harker's challenge from the upper bridge and with Kenyon and Rudd at his heels ran up the ladders to join him there.

  'Where's Broughton?' he asked in a sharp whisper.

  'Here.' The American nodded towards the darkness over his shoulder. Tm mighty sorry but I had to knock him out.'

  'Hum! What happened?'

  'He started an argument at once when I showed up again instead of Fanshawe. Then we thought we heard a gun go off and that settled the matter. He dived for the ladder so I hit him hard. Only thing to do I thought.'

  'Quite right. It's the devil, though, having to rough house these officers. It's certain to drive the loyal men into the arms of the mutineers, and they're a pretty nasty lot. The shot you heard was mine; I had to out one of the ringleaders.'

  'Say! that's bad.'

  'Only thing to do. If I'd climbed down it would have meant open mutiny, and if I'd shot to wound we should have had the whole pack on top of us. Now the next act is to slow her up and about ship. The helmsman still thinks Broughton is up here I suppose?'

  'Yes; with it blowing like this he wouldn't hear a thing.'

  'Right!' Gregory turned to Kenyon. 'Think you can imitate Broughton's voice, Fane? Mine's too deep and the chap below us in the wheel house would notice Harker's accent.'

  'I'll have a shot if you like.'

  'Good man; look, there's the voice pipe.'

  Kenyon leant over it. 'What shall I say?'

  'Not so close, you fool. Now, just say "put the telegraphs to half speed '.'

  In a voice that Kenyon would never have recognised as his own he gave the order. 'Repeat, sir,' same the answer of the Quartermaster below.

  ' “Put the telegraphs to half speed,” ' Kenyon said again, and Gregory stroked his lean cheeks with quiet satisfaction as he heard the reply gongs ring.

  'Hard a' port,' he whispered a moment later, and when the order had been repeated the long destroyer slowly made a big half circle with a great churning of waters.

  'Steady,' Gregory ordered. Kenyon reiterated the command, and they headed once more to the southward.

  'That will do for the moment,' Gregory nodded. 'When we come opposite the North Foreland Light again I'll set another course to pass outside everything and then head down mid channel. We must keep our eyes skinned for shipping but fortunately there's little enough of that about these days.'

  'Did you put those other men who broke prison behind the bars again, General?' Harker asked suddenly.

  'No. To be quite frank, I didn't dare risk it. I'm pretty certain their leader's got a gun. He was playing with something devilish like it when I first went below and a few more of them may be equipped in the same way. If they had once made a rush for us we should have been downed in no time so I had to take a chance on the moral effect of outing one.'

  'Don't you figure there'll be more trouble before morning then? I'd bet a hundred bucks to a nickel they're in conference again by now.'

  Gregory laughed a little bitterly. 'I wouldn't take you even for a nickel, and I've been thinking of the best plan for holding the ship till morning. Once daylight comes we'll start in on the general round up, but it's a question of hanging on till then.'

  'How about shifting all the troops aft?' Kenyon suggested.

  'No. I'd thought of that but unfortunately they are not all reliable. Brisket and that other chap were on the revolutionary committee, you saw that yourself, and after the hot air they've heard this evening a lot of the others may have been won over.'

  Harker nodded. 'Well, what's the drill then?'

  'Go down and see Sergeant Thompson. Tell him that I don't want any but real, tigers about the bridge, and that he's to pick a dozen of the best N.C.O.'s or men, then bring them up here with as much ammunition as they can carry. Now, what about your lot?'

  'All for King and country; they wouldn't be Greyshirts else.'

  'Good, that gives us another seven. Tell Thompson to borrow rifles for them from the men who are left below. Excuse to the men they are to be taken from: rifle drill for the Greyshirts first parade in the morning. It's a bit thin but it's better than nothing and you'll be behind Thompson if there's any trouble.'

  'Right, I'll see to it, General. What about this lad here?' Harker indicated the dark form of Broughton which lay stretched out behind him.

  'He'll be coming round in a moment I suppose.'

  'I doubt it; he hit his nob on a stanchion as he fell, poor chap, so I reckon he'll be under for some little time.'

  'Never mind, we'll look after him; you get below and fetch up the Praetorian Guard.'

  Kenyon was kneeling beside the Naval Lieutenant. He looked up at Gregory as Harker moved away. 'His head's cut badly, and he's bleeding like a pig.'

  "Is he? We must get him below then. I don't mind killing mutineers or rioters, but I hate this business with the officers; they're only decent fellows doing their proper job.'

  If we carry him down the ladder the Quartermaster will see that we've laid him out and then the fat will be in the fire.'

  'That's true, but we must get him down somehow.'

  "What abart them there signal 'alyards,' suggested Rudd who had been standing quietly in the background. 'Can't we 'itch 'im on to them, sir, an' lower 'im aft of the bridge darn on to the deck?'

  'Splendid; that's the idea. Come on, give me a hand to lift him up. You slip down to the deck, Fane, and we'll lower him to you.' Gregory seized the unconscious sailor.

  They tied the halyards firmly under his armpits, but just as they were about to put him over the rail, the Quartermaster's voice came weirdly to them from the pipe amidships.

  'Damn,' muttered Gregory, 'hang on a minute and I'll see what it is.'

  Rudd supported the Lieutenant while the General strode over to the
tube. A moment later he was back again. 'That infernal Quartermaster is asking for his relief. I daren't send for the C.P.O. or he'll want to know what's happened to his officers. Quick, heave this chap over, hang on to the rope now, we don't want to break his neck.'

  Broughton was lowered in a series of jerks to the waiting Kenyon and then Gregory turned back to Rudd. 'Nip down to the wheelhouse. The Quartermaster is certain to know that there has been trouble forward, tell him that owing to that he cannot be relieved at present. If he kicks and wants to speak to his officer stick your gun in his ribs and make him carry on. Harker will be back in a minute with the men.'

  'Ay, ay, sir.' Rudd ran lightly down the ladder.

  'Fane,' called Gregory in a sharp whisper leaning over the rail.

  'Yes.'

  'Have you got him off the line?'

  'Yes, just finished.'

  'Can you get him to the wardroom on your own?'

  'I'll manage somehow.'

  'Right! Tell the girls to look after him and bathe his head. Come back as soon as you can, and bring the Lewis guns with you; I had them stowed under the settee.'

  'All right.' Kenyon slid his arm under the legs of the sailor, and gripping his wrist hoisted him over his shoulders in a 'fireman's lift.' Then he staggered aft and down the hatchway to the wardroom.

  He was greeted by a flood of breathless questions from Ann and Veronica, and after he had laid the Lieutenant on the table he told them roughly what had happened, suppressing Gregory's extermination of Leading Seaman Nobes.

  Veronica bent over Broughton. 'What have you done to the poor sweet?' she cried angrily as she saw the ugly wound on the side of his head.

  'Silas Harker had to knock him out and he hit his head on an iron stanchion as he fell. Sallust says you are to bathe that cut and take care of him.'

  'Of course we will, but where can we get some water?'

  'One of the cabins I should think.' Kenyon was hurriedly pulling the Lewis guns from under the settee and Veronica looked over at him sharply.

  'Where are you off to with those things, Galahad?'

  'Taking them up to the bridge; General's orders.'

  'Fee fie fo fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman!' she said suspiciously. 'Are you about to enliven us with a little war?'

  'I hope not. Just a precautionary measure.'

  'I don't like the look of victim number two at all,' said Ann. 'Can't we get him off this hard table?'

  'I'll lift him on to the settee if you like,' Kenyon volunteered.

  'No, carry him along to his own cabin, he'll be more comfortable there, and we can wash his wound properly if there's water handy.'

  'I must get these things up on the bridge.'

  'Oh, we'll take the arsenal for you, if you'll carry him.'

  'Right!' Kenyon handed over the Lewis guns to the two girls and pulled the recumbent sailor on to his shoulders again. They followed him out of the wardroom and along to Broughton's cabin where Kenyon laid the wounded man in his own bunk. Then he turned with his finger on his lips.

  'For goodness' sake don't make a noise,' he whispered, I think Cousens lives next door, and if we wake him it will only mean more trouble. Sallust will probably be able to tackle him quietly once he's got control of the ship.'

  Ann nodded silently and stepped over to the basin. Veronica was already pulling one of the Lieutenant's best white shirts out of a drawer to make a bandage.

  Kenyon collected the guns again and turned for a second in the doorway. 'When you've done what you can for him, don't stay here. Get back to the wardroom, and to be on the safe side lock yourselves in though there's not likely to be any trouble this end of the ship.'

  Back on the bridge he found that Harker had already assembled his Greyshirts, and to the troops on the forecastle Gregory was giving quick instructions. The Chart house on the lower bridge was to be used as a guard room where two thirds of the small force were to doss down for the night. The remaining third were being posted as sentries; a screen of four abaft the bridge, Sergeant Thompson and Rudd at each extremity of it and two more men towards the bows in case of a surprise attack from forward. Rudd was busy at the moment serving out a stiff tot all round from various bottles, which, with his amazing nose for the whereabouts of supplies, he had collected.

  They were back now with the North Foreland Light abaft the beam, and Gregory, after a quick look at the chart, set a new course, which he knew to be roughly accurate, although for the time being he was unable to make allowance for the tide.

  The Lewis guns were mounted, the ammunition carried up, and it seemed that no more could be done for the moment when the Chief Petty Officer appeared. Gregory spotted him coming up the port ladder to the bridge and hastily blocked his way by running down a few steps to meet him.

  'What is it, Wilkins?' he inquired.

  I was about to report to the Commander, sir.'

  'He's busy on the upper bridge so I'll take your message.'

  'I think I'd better go up, sir there's more trouble forward with the men.'

  'I see. Well the Commander has asked me to take measures for the protection of the bridge with my troops so you'd better let me know what is happening.'

  'There's another meeting, sir, an' I don't like the looks of things at all.'

  'All right, you'd better remain with us, but go and fetch Petty Officer Sims first, we need all the reliable men we can get.'

  'It's a bit difficult, sir. They've made him attend the meeting. Half a dozen of them cornered him, and I think he reckoned it would be more than 'is life was worth to refuse.'

  Gregory grunted angrily.

  'And what's more, sir,' added the C.P.O., 'the magazine keys is missin' from the board. I wanted to report that to the Commander.'

  'I'll tell him. You stay here and keep your eye on the forward hatch.'

  'Ay, ay, sir.'

  Gregory went up the ladder again and walked over to look at the gyro compass. The Quartermaster was still carrying on his duties at the wheel with an imperturbable face. A soldier with a fixed bayonet, however, now stood behind him. Silas and Kenyon were talking together in low voices. In a few words Gregory told them about the forcible detention of Petty Officer Sims.

  'Let's go and get him out,' said Harker promptly, but Sallust shook his head.

  'No, I'd like to but we should be mad to go and put our heads in the noose again. They won't do him any harm if he does what he's told and if there is going to be trouble I prefer to fight on my own ground.'

  For some minutes they stood talking together while the destroyer ploughed its way evenly at half speed through the tumbled seas. The night was dark and still and no sound came from the forward quarters, which, Gregory agreed with Harker, was a bad sign. They knew that the sailors had access to the rum ration and if they had been singing it would have been a better omen. The stillness of the crew constituted a silent menace and his rudimentary knowledge of the ship's topography caused Gregory constant anxiety as to what might be going on below decks. Suddenly one of the forward sentries challenged.

  A figure had risen from the forward hatch. There was a short consultation and then Petty Officer Sims was led up on to the bridge.

  Gregory could see at once that the man was badly rattled and thoroughly ashamed of the part he was being forced to play, as he stumblingly excused himself for acting as the messenger of the mutineers. 'Rudd,' he called.

  'Ay, ay, sir.'

  'A tot of something for Petty Officer Sims.'

  'Certainly, sir, 'ere we are.' Rudd hurried forward with a bottle and an enamel mug.

  The Petty Officer swallowed the proffered beaker at a gulp. 'Ha, that's better, sir,' he sighed, drawing the back of his hand across his mouth.

  'Out with it, Sims,' said Gregory. 'What's happening now?'

  'There's been another meeting, sir. That devil Crowder is making trouble among 'em, and they've sent me with what they call terms.'

  Terms, eh!' sneered Gregory. 'Never mind, let's hear t
hem.'

  'The First Lieutenant's to alter course to Harwich most of them's Harwich men, and they want to get home not knowing what's happening to their families. If he'll take the ship in they promise not to molest him or the officers or you and your men, and they'll set you all ashore; but if you won't sir '

  'Well?'

  'They say they'll shoot the lot of you, and run the ship in themselves.'

  'Thank you.'

  'I'm to take back the reply, sir.'

  'There is no reply, so you will remain that is unless you prefer to return to them.'

  'No, sir, no,' replied the Petty Officer hastily, 'I sticks by my officers and you.'

  'Good man you'll find the Chief Petty Officer on the port ladder; better park yourself with him, I'll go and let the Commander know that you are safe back with us again.'

  'Thank you, sir.'

  The ship slithered on into the darkness West South West with occasional spray lifting over her bows as they cut through the waves. Gregory kept a watchful eye on the compass but all was silence once more on deck. Then something happened for the second he hardly realised what, but a sudden absence of vibration told him that the ship was easing down.

  He swore softly beneath his breath.

  'What'll this mean?' asked Harker.

  ' Fraid they've got control below,' Gregory answered softly. 'We shall know in a minute.' He stood by the binnacle peering intently at the compass in the guarded light of the hood.

  For a few moments the ship swung silently, rolling a little in the trough of the waves. Then the propeller started to thud again and the bows of the vessel veered slowly towards the East.

  'Ship not answering to the helm, sir,' reported the impassive Quartermaster, and as they watched the lubber's point it swung from West South West to North East ward, then steadied.

  'They've got us,' muttered Gregory, 'they've set a course for Harwich as near as they can.'

  'But surely the ship is controlled from here?' said Ken yon.

  'Yes,' Sallust made a wry grimace, 'in the ordinary way, but obviously they have disconnected the fore bridge steering, so now we can't do a damn thing.'

  'Can they steer her from below then?'

  'Looks ter me as if the matloes is usin' the after control position, sir,' volunteered the Quartermaster.