The Dreadnought of the Air Page 5

  CHAPTER V.

  A MOMENTOUS TRAIN JOURNEY.

  UPON the arrival of the liner in the Thames, Basil Dacres took theopportunity of leaving the vessel at Tilbury, thus avoiding thetedious passage up to the docks.

  Still uncertain as to what his reception by his father would be hebooked his scanty belongings at the London terminus, and proceededwest.

  Although outwardly calm his heart was thumping violently as heknocked at the door of Colonel Dacres' house. A strange footmananswered him, and in reply to an inquiry said that Colonel Dacres hadlet the house for the season.

  This was astonishing news, for in his last letter the colonel hadmade no mention of his intention, and to let his house was quite adeparture from his usual plans.

  "Can you give me Colonel Dacres' present address?"

  "Yes, sir," replied the man; "it is Cranbury House, near Holmsley,Hants."

  "I wonder what possessed the governor to rusticate," thought Dacresas he turned away. "Well, the sooner we come to an understanding thebetter, I suppose. I'll get some lunch and then take the first trainto this out-of-the-way show. I can't say that I've heard of the placebefore."

  Whilst having lunch Dacres asked for a time-table, and by dint of aconsiderable tax upon his brain-power he discovered that Holmsley wasa small station in the New Forest. An express train, leaving Waterlooat five, would take him as far as Brockenhurst in an hour and fiftyminutes. Then, as is usual with railway companies' arrangements, hefound that he had three-quarters of an hour to wait until a slowtrain took him on to Holmsley.

  The daily papers gave no further definite information about theunknown airship. It appeared to have escaped notice for nearly threeweeks, although during that interval there were severalunauthenticated accounts that it had been "spotted." Many reportsturned out to be deliberate hoaxes, while in one instance a companyof Royal Engineers at Portsmouth turned out with a searchlight, onlyto find that the "airship" reported by a belated and slightlyinebriated clubman was a large telephone cable spanning the narrowroadway between two lofty blocks of buildings.

  Finding he had plenty of time on his hands Dacres decided to walk toWaterloo. After an absence from Town he had a strong desire to seesome of the familiar haunts, so after walking along Piccadilly andthence to Trafalgar Square, he turned down Northumberland Avenue.Under existing circumstances he gave the Admiralty buildings a wideberth, for he had no inclination to come in contact with any of hisformer brother-officers.

  Just as he was passing the Metropole, Dacres nearly collided with apowerfully-built, athletic-looking man who looked anything betweentwenty and thirty years of age.

  In the midst of mutual apologies the stranger suddenly exclaimed:--

  "Why, bless my soul, what are you doing here, Dacres?"

  "Hythe, by Jove!" ejaculated Dacres.

  "Right you are, old man. You haven't altered much since I saw youlast. Let me see, that was when we paid off in the old 'Cornwall' in1914. But we needn't stand here; come to my club--it's only a fewminutes' walk."

  Arnold Hythe was in more respects than one a fortunate individual. Inrecognition of his services in connexion with the submarine"Aphrodite"--now the prototype of the British "M" class--he had beenpromoted to the rank of Inspecting Commander of Submarines after lessthan a year's service as lieutenant. This was creating a precedent,but circumstances warranted it, and when the unusual appointment wasannounced, the shoals of congratulatory telegrams that poured in fromhis brother-officers showed that in this case there was little or nogrumbling at Hythe's well-deserved promotion.

  "Dacres, old man, I am awfully sorry," remarked Hythe with genuineconcern when Dacres had told his story. "I cannot imagine whatpossessed old Maynebrace to take such drastic measures. Of course Ihad a lot to do with him when he was Admiral Superintendent atPortsmouth, and, personally, I found him quite a genial old fellow.Possibly his being sent to sea from a dockyard commission withoutbeing promoted to Vice-Admiral may have soured his temper a bit. Bythe by, what are your plans?"

  "Nothing definite at present. Ultimately I hope to do something inthe way of flying. Always had an inclination in that direction."

  "Yes, I remember you had. A little affair with that aviator atDartmouth, for instance. Thank goodness, it isn't in my line. Give mesix fathoms of water any day of the week."

  "I suppose so," rejoined Dacres, "but I'm not keen on submarine work.It lacks the sense of freedom that you get when rushing through theair."

  "H'm!" ejaculated Hythe. "My experience does not lead me to agreewith you, at least, as far as aeroplanes are concerned. I had a nastytumble at Zanzibar."

  "Yes, I recollect: it was while you were doing your unlawfulcommission in the 'Aphrodite.' By the by, what's your opinion aboutthis mysterious aircraft? It's making as much commotion as whenCaptain Restronguet shook us up a couple of years ago."

  "Cannot say," replied Hythe laconically.

  "But in the event of her proving to be in the employ of a foreignpower, how would you propose to collar her?"

  "I wouldn't give much for her chances if she came within range of oneof our aerial torpedoes."

  "An airship moving at over 150 miles an hour wants some hitting,"remarked Dacres. "Besides, supposing she keeps clear of the sea?"

  "That's out of my bearings," said Hythe. "It's a case for themilitary authorities. Anyhow, there's been nothing heard of her fordays past, so no doubt she has transferred her activities elsewhere.Personally I have but little faith in the command of the air. So longas we keep command of the sea there's not much to trouble about. Butto get back to more personal matters, Dacres, where are you boundfor?"

  "Going to pay the governor a visit."

  "But you were shaping a course in the opposite direction when Icrossed your bows."

  "The pater has let his house and gone to live somewhere in the NewForest--near Holmsley. It's a matter of three hours' journey, even byexpress."

  "Why not hire a 'plane? All you've to do is to tube to Richmond andget one from the Metropolitan and Suburban Volo Company. You'd be atHolmsley in three-quarters of an hour."

  Dacres shook his head.

  "Can't run to it, old man," he said gravely. "I haven't any too muchshot in the locker at present."

  Hythe's hand was in his pocket in an instant.

  "Don't be offended, Dacres," he said hurriedly, "but if I can let youhave----"

  Dacres shook his head.

  "Thanks, old chap," he replied, "I'd rather not."

  "As a loan, then?"

  "No, thanks all the same. It hasn't come to that yet, and I hope itnever will. It's awfully good of you, Hythe."

  "Sorry you won't let me show my sympathy in a tangible manner,Dacres. Still, you know my address. If there's anything I can do,don't hesitate to write."

  "I won't, forget," said Dacres. "There are not many old shipmates Iwould care to look to for a favour, but you are the exception, Hythe.Well, I must be getting under way once more. It's close on quarter tofive."

  By a few seconds Dacres caught his train. He travelled first class,for in spite of his dwindling purse he resolved to maintain thedignity of the family. It was one of the few concessions he made toappearances.

  As the train was moving out of the station he bought an eveningpaper, and settling himself in a corner seat, scanned the pages. Inthe "stop press column" appeared a report to the effect that theelusive airship had been sighted by the S.S "Micronome" in Lat. 51degrees 4 minutes N. Long. 30 degrees 25 minutes W., or roughlymidway between Liverpool and New York. The tramp was plugging at halfspeed against a furious easterly gale. The sky was obscured with darkclouds, and although it was noon the light was very dim. The airship,travelling at an estimated speed of one hundred miles an hour, passedat a height of eight hundred feet above the vessel, and was seen bythe captain and second mate, who were on the bridge, and also by fourof the dockhands. The force of the wind was registered at fifty milesper hour, yet the airship flew steadily and without the slightestinclination to pitch.

  The information was received by wireless at Valencia at 2.15 p.m. andimmediately transmitted to the Admiralty. Presuming that the speedand direction of the airship were uniformly maintained she ought tobe sighted by the coast-guards on the Kerry coast by 6 p.m.

  Dacres finished reading the paper without discovering any newsbearing directly upon the actual doings of the gigantic aircraft;then, having devoured the advertisement columns for the simple reasonthat there was nothing else to read, he threw the paper on to theseat and began to take a slight interest in his fellow-passengers.

  They were two in number, One, a short, redfaced man whose chiefcharacteristics were a white waistcoat, a massive gold chain, and alarge diamond tie pin, was evidently a well-to-do City man. Dacres'surmise was strengthened by the fact that the man was deep in thepages of the "Financial Times."

  The second passenger was a man of a very different type. He was aboutfive feet nine inches in height, and heavily-built. He wasclean-shaven, revealing an exceedingly sallow complexion. This,together with the fact that the "whites" of his eyes were far frombeing white and were of an aggressively bilious colour, seemed tosuggest that this man had been born under a tropical sun. His hairwas dark and inclined to curl, while Dacres noticed that the"half-moons" of his finger-nails were of a purple hue. His lips wereheavy and of a pale pink tint.

  "Touch of the tar-brush there," soliloquized Dacres. "Finger-nails ofthat colour invariably betray a dash of black blood. He doesn't lookany too well dressed, either."

  The stranger was attired in a shabby brown suit; his dirty collar andfrayed red tie were in keeping with his sombre appearance. Altogetherhe looked as unlike a man who habitually travels first class asanyone could possibly imagine.

  Dacres made his examination with assumed and well-guardedindifference, but his scrutiny was none the less minute. He had theknack of being able to read a person's character by observation, andwas rarely at fault.

  "A truculent bounder," was his summing-up. Twenty years back he wouldhave made a fairly tough customer in the ring. "Unless I'm muchmistaken he is too fond of bending his elbow. I'd like to hear himtalk: ten to one he has a South American accent."

  As the train tore past the Brooklands Flying Ground two largebiplanes were in the act of ascending. They rose awkwardly, bobbingin the stiff breeze, then, gradually overhauling the express, passedbeyond the limits of Dacres' observation.

  "Untameable beasts," remarked an evenly-modulated voice, and turningfrom the window Dacres found that the sallow-faced passenger wasaddressing him. The City man, deep in his paper, had paid no heed tothe aeroplanes in flight.

  "Think so?" asked Dacres. "They seem to be making good headway,especially as they are plugging right in the eye of the wind."

  "While they are under control they are--well--safe," rejoined theman. "But one never knows when they take it into their heads to sideslip or bank too steeply. To my mind accidents are bound to happentill a means is found of counteracting the force of gravity."

  "Which is only obtainable by means of hydrogen gas-bags," addedDacres.

  "Up to the present," agreed the stranger. "Still, one never knows. Acompromise between an airship and an aeroplane, for example?"

  "The speed would suffer in consequence," objected Dacres.

  "Oh? Take the case of this mysterious airship which has been seen invarious parts of the country. Her speed exceeds that of the swiftestmonoplane that the country possesses."

  In spite of his adverse opinion of the man Dacres felt interested. Hefelt inclined to admit that he had made a mistake in putting him downas a South American. His accent was almost perfect; in fact, almosttoo faultless for an average Englishman, yet there was not theslightest trace of a foreign pronunciation in his sentences.

  "That is where submarines score," continued the man. "So long as theyretain their reserve of buoyancy they are practically safe. They canreturn to the surface and remain motionless. Of course I am alludingto peace conditions. A helpless submarine lying awash would stand avery poor chance in action if exposed to the fire of a hostilevessel. I presume, sir, that you are a naval officer?"

  "Your surmise is at fault," replied Dacres. "I have no connexion withthe----" he was about to say "service," but checking himself in timesubstituted "navy."

  A shade of disappointment flitted across the stranger's face.

  "Thought perhaps you were," he said apologetically. "The subject ofthe navy interests me. By the by, does this train stop at SouthamptonDocks?"

  "No," replied Dacres. "Only at Southampton West. It's quite a shortdistance thence to the Docks."

  "Ah, that is good. You see, I am a cold storage contractor, and thisis my first visit to Southampton. My duties hitherto have beenconfined to Liverpool and Manchester. Thanks for the information,sir."

  Then, drawing a notebook from his breast-pocket, the stranger brokeoff the conversation as abruptly as he had started.

  "That's strange," thought Dacres. "He seemed very much inclined toyarn till I told him I had no connexion with the service--worse luck.He shut up like a hedgehog after that. Cold storage contractor, eh?With a red-hot temper, I'll be bound. Pity the poor bounders underhim."

  Shortly afterwards Dacres happened to glance in the direction of thelivery-looking individual. He was still deep in his notebook. On thecover, partially concealed by the man's flabby hands, was the titlein gilt letters. Enough was left uncovered for Dacres to read thewords "Telegrafos y----"

  "H'm! My yellow-skinned fellow-traveller understands Spanish afterall," he soliloquized. "Perhaps my original summing-up is not so muchat fault after all."

  The man made no further attempt to enter into conversation, but justas the train was rushing through Winchester station he stood up, tookhis handbag from the rack, and went out into the corridor.

  The express pulled up at Eastleigh for a few minutes; then, just asit was on the move, Dacres happened to catch a glimpse of his latefellow-passenger seated in a Portsmouth train by the furthermostplatform.

  "H'm! Decidedly funny way to get to Southampton Docks by that train,"he muttered. "That fellow was trying to pull my leg over the coldstorage business, I'll be bound. Bless me, if I like the cut of yourjib. I am not generally given to presupposition, but something seemsto tell me that you and I will fall foul of each other before verylong."