CHAPTER XV
CONFIRMED SUSPICIONS
"FROM Sub-lieut. J. McIntosh to S.N.O., Auldhaig. Regret to reportX-lighter No. 5 sunk in collision. Crew saved."
"From Officer Commanding No. Umpteen Group to Air Ministry. I have toreport that the following officers are reported missing, believeddrowned:--Captain R. G. Cumberleigh, Lieut. H. L. Jefferson, 2/Lieut.W. Pyecroft, Lieut. J. Blenkinson, all of Auldhaig Air Station; andCaptain G. Fennelburt, from Sheerness Air Station, on detached duty.It is understood that these officers left Auldhaig in a private boaton a fishing expedition. It is requested that Sheerness may beinformed concerning the officer mentioned above."
"From O.C. Lintieness Coast Guard Station to Inspecting Officer ofC.G., Auldhaig. I have to report that at 4 P.M. a lighter which hadbeen signalled passing south at 11 A.M. was observed to be derelict 3miles E. by S. off Lintieness Head. It was afterwards lost in thehaze, drifting to the northward. At 5 P.M. a violent explosion washeard, apparently from a direction bearing E. by N."
"From O.C. Auldhaig M.L. Flotilla to S.N.O., Auldhaig. Acting uponinstructions, I proceeded in search of X-lighter No. 5. At a positionbearing N.E. by E., five miles from Lintieness Head, quantity ofwreckage discovered floating, including a buoy marked 'X-lighter No.5.' The debris gave indication of an explosion. Saw no trace of boatreported missing by Air Station, Auldhaig."
"From Superintendent of Police, Abercuish, to O.C. Auldhaig AirStation. Report that at 5 A.M. on the -- inst. 2/Lieutenant W.Pyecroft, R.A.F., was discovered in an exhausted condition on theshore at Abercuish. He was removed to a house in the village, andthence to the Abercuish Cottage Hospital. According to his statement,his companions were taken prisoners by a German submarine fromX-lighter No. 5."
"From Air Ministry to O.C. No. Umpteen Group, Auldhaig. Nothing knownof Captain Fennelburt at Sheerness Air Station. Please ascertain if amistake has been made in this officer's name, and report the natureof the detached duty referred to in your telegram No. 4452 of the --inst."
These messages, written on official forms, lay on the table in theprivate room of the Commander-in-Chief's office at Auldhaig.
There were three persons in the room. One, the Commander-in-Chief, abreezy, dark-featured, clean-shaven naval officer of aboutfifty-five; the second, the dapper, boyish-faced lieutenant-colonelwho held the post of Officer Commanding the R.A.F. Air Station. Thethird was the Commander-in-Chief's secretary--a silent, almosttaciturn individual whose face was almost the same colour as that ofhis gilt aiguillettes. In his head the secretary held knowledge uponwhich depended the success of the Grand Fleet and for which Germanywould willingly have paid millions; but that firmly set mouth wassealed upon all matters appertaining to the war save when lawfuloccasion demanded. And in a few months' time John Elphinhaye would beplaced upon the Retired List with a pension that, with Income Taxdeducted, would be little more than the wages of an artisan.
"The whole business seems a general muck-up, Greyhouse," observed theCommander-in-Chief, addressing the lieutenant-colonel. "There'ssomething wrong somewhere. How can this confounded lighter be sunk incollision and shortly afterwards be blown up?"
"There were two lighters, sir," replied Colonel Greyhouse. "It isquite possible that one was mistaken for the other."
"As a matter of fact there were half a dozen," explained theCommander-in-Chief. "And all, except No. 5, are accounted for. Thatis so, Elphinhaye?"
"Yes, sir," corroborated the secretary.
"But the main reason why I came to see you, sir," saidLieutenant-Colonel Greyhouse, "was the affair of my missing officers.In the first instance they went off in a boat belonging to one of mylieutenants. I cannot conceive how they came to be on board thelighter. True, she was to be transferred to the R.A.F., but she lefthere under an R.N.V.R officer and crew."
"Sub-lieutenant John McIntosh, sir, who reported from Donnikirk,"announced the secretary, in response to his superior's inquiry--mutely expressed by the raising of his bushy eyebrows.
"Exactly," agreed the Commander-in-Chief. "The situation requiredfurther information, and I have wired instructions to Mr. McIntosh toreport immediately upon his return to-day."
"Then there is the question raised by the presence of CaptainFennelburt----"
"That," interrupted the naval officer, "is a matter that concerns theAir Force. I have no jurisdiction in the case."
"But," persisted Colonel Greyhouse, "that officer visited AuldhaigDockyard."
"He called upon the Staff Captain, sir," reported the secretary, whoappeared to have a knowledge of the movements of every strangerwithin the gates of Auldhaig Dockyard at his fingers' ends.
"And yet the Air Ministry and Sheerness Air Station deny allknowledge of him," continued Colonel Greyhouse. "I was away on dutyat the time he reported at my station, but curiously enough CaptainCumberleigh, one of the missing officers, entertained a suspicion ofhim. He communicated his doubts to my second-in-command, MajorSparrowhawk, who this morning reported to me on the matter. It is nowhis belief, although he scouted the idea at the time, that thisCaptain Fennelburt is a spy, or at least an impostor, masquerading asan R.A.F. officer, with certain shady motives behind him. That is whyI came, in order to find out his alleged motives for visitingAuldhaig Dockyard."
"That's the worst of these new-fangled shows," declared theCommander-in-Chief vehemently. He was a sailor of the Old School whodid not take kindly to innovations. "When the R.N.A.S. was inexistence we had good men who could fly. Now with this amalgamationit seems to me that for every effective pilot the Air Ministry grantsa dozen commissions to men who never will 'go up' and who apparentlyhave nothing better to do than to knock about in uniform doing workbadly that a civilian clerk could do well, and trying to bluff peoplethat they are the salt of the earth. Apparently Captain Fennelburt isone of this crowd, only the Air Ministry has forgotten his existence.I rather feel inclined to pooh-pooh the spy theory."
The colonel suffered the Commander-in-Chief's strictures in silence.Although his career in the Service had been limited to a period offour years, his promotion had been rapid. He had a real pride in theR.A.F., but at the same time he knew that there was considerabletruth in the naval man's assertions. Also he realised that it wasboth inadvisable and contrary to discipline to argue with an officerof superior rank.
"Your best course," continued the Commander-in-Chief, "would be tosend some one over to Abercuish Cottage Hospital to interview Mr.Pyecrust--I mean, Pyecroft. That is, naturally, if he is in a fitstate to give information."
Colonel Greyhouse inclined his head in assent. It was, moreover,exactly what he had already given instructions to be done. Thecolonel took his leave, and just as he stepped ashore at the AirStation a motor car dashed into the parade-ground. From it alightedMajor Sparrowhawk.
"I've seen young Pyecroft, sir," he reported with a salute. "He'sgoing on well in the circumstances. The doctor informed me that hewill be fit to be removed to-morrow."
"That's good," commented the colonel. Together they walked a fewpaces out of hearing of the transport driver and the coxwain of themotor boat.
"Well?" inquired Colonel Greyhouse laconically.
"Dashed queer business, sir," replied the major. "Pyecroft isperfectly fit mentally, which, considering what he has gone through,is rather to be wondered at. It appears our fellows boarded aderelict lighter and while on board were surprised by a Hunsubmarine. Pyecroft got away, had a sticky time on a water-loggedboat, and finally drifted ashore more than half dead with cold andexposure. The others, it seems, were taken prisoners by the Huns. Andnow comes the extraordinary part of the story. We had an officer hereon inspection duties. Fennelburt--Captain George Fennelburt--heannounced himself on reporting."
Colonel Greyhouse nodded.
"Yes," he observed. "I know that much."
"Well, sir," explained Sparrowhawk, "he came ashore from the Germansubmarine at night, while Pyecroft was lying helpless on the beach.Four men brought him ashore in a collapsible boat, and he
vanishedinland, still rigged out in R.A.F. uniform. Pyecroft can sweardefinitely on that point."
"And Sheerness Air Station has disclaimed all knowledge of him,"remarked the C.O. "Why the deuce the Air Ministry cannot be moreparticular in posting the movements of officers passes myunderstanding! Can you give a fairly accurate description ofCaptain--er--Fennelburt?"
"I think so, sir; he was at the mess to lunch, and I saw a good dealof him."
"Good," ejaculated Colonel Greyhouse. "Send a report to 'Area,' andat the same time to Scotland Yard. The police will then take thematter up. You might also inform the Naval and Military Authorities.If we don't lay the fellow by the heels within the next twelve hoursI'll eat my hat."
A vow that, taking into consideration the copious gold leaves thatadorned the peak, was an exceedingly rash one, unless Greyhouse hadthe digestion of an ostrich.
The Mystery Ship: A Story of the 'Q' Ships During the Great War Page 15