The Third Officer: A Present-day Pirate Story Read online

  Produced by R.G.P.M. van Giesen

  cover art]

  THE THIRD OFFICER

  BLACKIE & SON LIMITED50 Old Bailey, LONDON17 Stanhope Street, GLASGOW

  BLACKIE & SON (INDIA) LIMITEDWarwick House, Fort Street, BOMBAY

  BLACKIE & SON (CANADA) LIMITED1118 Bay Street, TORONTO

  SHE WAS A LIGHT CRUISER OF ABOUT 4000 TONS]

  THETHIRD OFFICER

  A Present-day Pirate Story

  BYPERCY F. WESTERMAN

  _Illustrated by E. S. Hodgson_

  BLACKIE & SON LIMITEDLONDON AND GLASGOW

  By Percy F. Westerman

  Rivals of the Reef.A Shanghai Adventure.Pat Stobart in the "Golden Dawn".The Junior Cadet.Captain Starlight.The Sea-Girt Fortress.On the Wings of the Wind.Captured at Tripoli.Captain Blundell's Treasure.The Third Officer.Unconquered Wings.The Buccaneers of Boya.The Riddle of the Air.Chums of the "Golden Vanity".The Luck of the "Golden Dawn".Clipped Wings.The Salving of the "Fusi Yama".Winning his Wings.A Lively Bit of the Front.A Cadet of the Mercantile Marine.The Good Ship "Golden Effort".East in the "Golden Gain".The Quest of the "Golden Hope".Sea Scouts Abroad.Sea Scouts Up-Channel.The Wireless Officer.A Lad of Grit.The Submarine Hunters.Sea Scouts All.The Thick of the Fray.A Sub and a Submarine.Under the White Ensign.The Fight for Constantinople.With Beatty off Jutland.

  _Printed in Great Britain by Blackie & Son, Ltd., Glasgow_

  Contents

  CHAP. I. THE S.S. "DONIBRISTLE" II. HILDA VIVIAN III. "HEAVE-TO OR I'LL SINK YOU" IV. UNDER FIRE V. CAPTURED VI. UNDER HATCHES VII. RAMON PORFIRIO VIII. THE COMPOUND IX. THE FIRST DAY ON THE ISLAND X. INVESTIGATIONS XI. A FIGHT TO A FINISH XII. PLANS XIII. "GETTING ON WITH IT" XIV. THE VIGIL ON THE CLIFFS XV. HOW MINALTO FARED XVI. CAPTAIN CONSETT'S REPORT XVII. THE SCUTTLING OF THE "DONIBRISTLE" XVIII. SUCCESSFUL SO FAR XIX. A DASH FOR FREEDOM XX. THE VOYAGE XXI. THE CASTAWAYS XXII. MAKING THE BEST OF IT XXIII. WHERE THE PIG WENT XXIV. THE CAVE PROVES USEFUL XXV. THE TABLES TURNED XXVI. THE FATE OF AH LING XXVII. FAREWELL TO SWAN ISLAND XXVIII. THE "TITANIA" XXIX. THE ADMIRAL'S PROMISE XXX. THE END OF THE "MALFILIO" XXXI. THE CAPTURE OF THE SECRET BASE XXXII. AND LAST

  Illustrations

  SHE WAS A LIGHT CRUISER OF ABOUT 4000 TONS _Frontispiece_

  BLACK STROGOFF ADDRESSES THE "DONIBRISTLE'S" CREW

  A DASH FOR FREEDOM

  THE FATE OF AH LING

  Plan of the Pirates' Island]

  Plan of the Pirates' Island

  A. _Inner Harbour_ B. _Tunnel_ C. _Prisoners' Compound_ D. _Blockhouses_ E. _Fence_ F. _Observation Hill_ G. _Cave_ H. _Coco Palms_ J. _Detached Cliff screening Harbour_ K. _Where "Donibristle" was scuttled_ L. _Main Channel through Reef_ M. _Gap in Reef through which Boat_ _left the Island_ N1, N2. _Smaller openings In Reef_ P. _The Reef_ Q. _Pirates' Huts & Stores_

  Swan Island]

  Swan Island

  A. _Where Lifeboat was wrecked_ B. _Burgoyne washed ashore here_ C. _Minalto_ " " " D. _Mostyn_ " " " E. _The Cave_ F. _Hill_ G. _Pirate Schooner anchored here_

  THE THIRD OFFICER