The Third Officer

n pleasant, healthy locality, standing on high ground

eral places, while attempts had been made to repair the damage by means of powdered coral worked into a kind of cement. Hibiscus plants flour

remarked the purser. "I've seen wor

. Holmes," added Alwyn briskly.

of the Kittiwak

owd. They'd raise Cain, even though I'm their Old Man,

u sheer off I want to thank you. Also I want to

vis laughe

u'll be disappointed. None of us have seen a razor, let along handled one, for close on five weeks.

ked Burgoyne hopefully, with

ke a bobbed schoolgirl. Take my tip. When your hair gets too long use a chisel, or rather get a chum to use one on your thatch. You'll find plenty of cutting

and the wounded seamen were carried. The steward and a deckhand named Twill (who had served an apprenticeship with an Edinburgh chemist, but, failing to pass the pharmaceutical examination, had f

ilda Vivian would stand less chance of detection than if she had been compelled to work with the men outside the compound. It was at Holmes's suggestion that Miss Vivian had been sent to the cook-house. She rather resented it, an

e garrison of the secret base, would not follow industrial pursuits. They were "gentlemen-in-arms", whether they were

was intelligent enough to realize that no man can perform a good day's work if he is half-starved

possession of intoxicating spirits; not because he was an adherent to the tenets of Pussyfoot, but because he knew the dire results of plying Malays and Chinese with strong drink. Although he,

latter had resumed his official status), marched off to join the other forcibly-recruited workmen in the blacksmiths' and machinists' shops. The deck-hands and the remainder of the firemen were divided into two

t glad to a certain extent that it fell to his lot. It gave him an opportunity to study the l

n were taken to the edge of the cliffs surrounding the spacious landlocked harbour. From this point of vantage Bu

tical wall of rock. The electric plant had given out, but the crane still remained, rusty, but to a certain degree serviceable. It had to

f the men should incautiously run needless risks, kept all his attention upon the movements of the active fellows swarming on the latticed steelwork. But when all prep

urgoyne found that the crane was situated on the highest part of the island, although, when

r of the water the harbour was almost uniformly deep, with the exception of a rocky patch immediately inside the entrance on the port hand, and another about a cable's length from the extreme southernmost part of the curve of the shore. A mile

magazine all lay on a lower level than that of the top of the cliffs. He had no chance of seeing what the southern and western sides of the island wer

ld make out at least half a dozen gun emplacements,

ery outside. Even then it must have taken the Huns a deuce of a swot to get the guns up the cliff

ore, and was lying between the Kittiwake and the Alvarado.

ut, disposed of in Vladivostok or Petropavlovsk, where they might be sent into Soviet Russia, their contents would be of almost priceless value. But, Alwyn remarked, life just now was

, the men under Branscombe's orders showed no enthusiasm for their task. Neither did Branscombe for that matter. It was quite a different proposition havin

ut of sight. The various small craft used in connection with the operation were hauled up and secured by stout padlocks to a heavy chain; the oars

had made good use of his eyes with a view to subsequent events. Presently they were joined by Withers and Angus, who had finished their daily task in the shops

ombe. "You couldn't see from up there, Burgoyne, old man, but the beach i

ith the old Donibristle?" asked A

er. "Apparently they didn't think much of things, 'cause they shook their heads an

ile she has steam up," said Burgoyne. "She's sound enough below t

grunted

iasm. "But I'll tak the liberty tae

cruising," observed

behind, to say nothing of the quick-firers and machine-guns. We'd be a scr

e Kittiwake and Alvarado, were held up outside the compound gate, while the guards from the two bl

n their task. Nevertheless it was more than a quarter of an hour late

risen to the occasion. No doubt Hilda had been in a great measure responsible for the success of the cooking, for each man received a pint of soup, in which float

" inquired Alwyn, after he had complimente

It's a novelty; but I don't think I

l," said the Third

utioned Hilda. "Then you might have

of the candle until the light shone on the gi

executive officer, for the passengers and crew of the Donibristle? You do? T

oked ast

especially as I'm a cook. You wouldn't l

food with one's face. Now look here—I'm serious. In future rub your cheeks and chin over

rted that the skipper's temperature had fallen, and was now only one degree above normal, while his wounds show

a while, I guess. An operator without his 'set' is like Hamlet witho

l; but, as the steward was cautious enough to remar

s at your disposal, Barnes, you've

that a great share of the credit was due to Twill, his assistant, whose

ers allotted to the ship's officers, where he found

ther captured ships. Keen to know the latest possible ne

to the officers' ro

hings. I'd like to have your cook. He must be a gem. The whiff of your grub drifted over our way and

ed Burgoyne. "Is there

out at nine, well and good. If you don't, often as not old Strogoff will beat up a party to hoi

n Burgoyne was in a de

ype="