Rounding up the Raider: A Naval Story of the Great War

by a

the chase, the ship's bell had not been struck. In the screened cabin they sat, with the electric light switched on, for after their interview

chair from the door. It was the only way to keep the door closed, since t

le with his business. Two stand double the risk of detection that one fellow runs. In the latter case, our going to

grudgingly assented P

ix bells (7 a.m.) announced the fact that it was daylight, and

ole," remarked Denbigh. "I think we had better screw

has happe

n't open the ball. Let's see if they k

the moment he comes into t

er longwise and covered it with the blankets. Then, partly drawing t

me, especially when the port-hole is opened, because the bunk is dead against th

d had switched off the light, when a key clicked in the lock

e fact that Denbigh spoke German. He had, however, a habit of conversing with himself during the perform

ing down a jug of hot water, he

ay to the cabin in which was served their meals. Covers for three l

s. Presently Fritz came in to deliver a

rd Englander?" a

's expense. Without a word he stooped and looked u

not se

n't try to be an idiot; you are one

st, I suppose," replied Fritz indifferen

s required anything further, and receivin

se fellows know nothing. I wonder if von Riesser and

Stirling's absence was discovered. Denbigh and O'Ha

von Riesser, rightly guessing that Denbigh and O'Hara imagined he was responsible and was trying to cloak suspicion, was so emp

-for result. Reluctantly, Denbigh and O'Hara came to the conclusion

on that might ensue if the Pelikan should be captured. The idea of being taken prisoner obsessed the German commander. It loomed

. His pessimism was beginning to become infectious. Officers and men were downcast. Several times on the lower deck rem

ikan had intercepted a wireless message from a British cruiser. The message was in code, but one word occurred that shed a different light upon the mystery. The word was "Stirling". Von R

likan overhauled a large collier, outward bound from Penarth to Port

ning that a German raider was at large, for he allowed the Pelikan

stalwart old merchant captain showed the stuff he was made of, for without complying, h

n could steam twice as fast as the co

icipating no resistance on the part of the would-be prize, Kapitan von Riess

put himself out of c

g away her masts, von Riesser gave the order to fire. Two shells did the mischief. Both burst amidships, s

ng the cargo commenced. Although the sturdy Britons who formed the collier's crew refused to lift as much as a little finger to help there were plenty of hands availa

ew of the collier were provisioning and swinging out their boats. "I haven't

nity of the wrecked bri

self if you want it. You'll have to jolly well look sharp, f

ly taken aback by the bull-dog audacity of the co

amen the unter-leutnant hurried bel

. "The sea is rushing in like a sluice. It is

ge rail and surveyed the deck o

alves I'll smash every bo

alone knew the position of the valves. It would take a str

. "Smashing private property is the o

stormed and raved, cursing both in German and English, until he real

men who were loading the sacks in the vessel

ly made up their minds that no quarter would be given the stalwart men decided to die game, and in

most to breaking point. Reluctantly von Riesser gave the order to cast of

y the Pelikan to interfere with them. Taking to the boats they hoist

time had been all but wasted, for the only result of the enterprise was the add

old von Riesser hadn't ordered those boats to be stove-in. The lip those fellow

ith Stirling's escape-for I feel confident that code message referred to his rescue-he's got to mind hi

S. Act?on and had made a report to the captain, the cruiser communicated with each of

ty of Sub-lieutenant Charles Stirling, captured while on a passage home in the Japa

t?on as supernumerary, since it was recognized that his knowledge of

yers left Table Bay, while others were ordered from the Pacific Station to proceed to the vicinity of Cape

German East Africa, the squadron operating in conjunction with the British military expedition was warned to exercise a

to Mauritius and await orders. Thus the net was being swiftly tightened around the fu