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Dave Darrin on Mediterranean Service, a novel by H. Irving Hancock |
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Chapter 7. The Admiral Unloads His Mind |
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_ CHAPTER VII. THE ADMIRAL UNLOADS HIS MIND Called before the Admiral, the young officers make their report. The former sends a wireless to Washington, later summoning the ensigns to his quarters for secret orders.
While Ensign Dalzell performed a "lightning change" from "cits" to uniform, Dave first seated himself at his desk, where he wrote a note hurriedly. This done, he passed the word for an orderly, who promptly appeared. "Take this note to the Captain," ordered Darrin. "Aye, aye, sir," said the messenger. Dave then hastened to make the necessary change in his own apparel. So quickly did he act, that he had his uniform on and was buttoning his blouse when the messenger returned. "The Captain will see Ensigns Darrin and Dalzell immediately," reported the orderly. Returning the orderly's salute, Dave buckled on his sword belt, hung on his sword, drew on his white gloves, and started. He found his chum ready. Together the young officers reported at the Captain's quarters. Captain Allen was already seated at his desk. "Orderly!" called the commanding officer briskly. "Aye, aye, sir." "Guard the door and report that I am engaged." "Aye, aye, sir." In an instant Captain Allen, who had briefly greeted his youngest officers, turned to them. "Your note, Mr. Darrin, stated that you had a matter to report to me of such importance that you did not believe I would wish to lose a moment in hearing what Mr. Dalzell and yourself could tell me." "That is the case, sir," Dave bowed. "Have I your permission to proceed, sir?" "Yes. You may take seats, if you wish." Bowing their thanks, the young officers remained on their feet. Ensign Dave plunged at once into the narration of what had befallen them ashore. Captain Allen listened to the tale without comment, but when Dave related what he had overheard the two men say when passing the imitation grove on the darkest part of the Casino veranda, the commanding officer sprang to his feet. "Mr. Darrin," he demanded, "are you positive of the words that you have just repeated?" "I am, sir. In a matter of such importance I was careful to record every word in my mind just as it was uttered." "Then I must communicate with the Admiral at once," continued Captain Allen, seating himself again. "Even if the Admiral be abed I consider this a subject of enough importance to call him." Taking down the receiver of the telephone that led direct to the fleet commander's quarters, the Captain sent in a call to the Admiral's quarters. Soon there came a response. "This is the Captain speaking, Admiral," announced the "Hudson's" commanding officer. "Although the hour is late, sir, I request permission to report to you on a matter of importance." "I will see you, Captain, in five minutes." "Thank you, sir. I request permission to bring two officers with me." "Permission is granted, Captain." "Thank you, sir." Hanging up the transmitter, Captain Allen sank back in his chair. "Is there anything else, gentlemen, that you wish to say to me before we go to the Admiral?" "I think I have told you all, sir," Dave replied. "And I, too," Dalzell added. Keeping his eye on the clock, Captain Allen presently arose, girded on his sword, parted the curtains, and led the way. "If I am wanted, Orderly, I shall be in the Admiral's quarters." "Aye, aye, sir." The three officers then filed rapidly along the deck, presented themselves at the Admiral's quarters, and were admitted. Admiral Timworth was standing at the rear of his cabin when the subordinate officers entered. He came quickly forward, instructed his orderly to guard the door, then turned to his visitors. "I believe it will be best, with your permission, sir," began Captain Allen, "to let Mr. Darrin make his report to you." "Mr. Darrin will proceed, then." So Dave repeated the story he had told the Captain. Admiral Timworth listened until the recital had been finished, and then asked several questions. "It does not sound like a hoax," commented Admiral Timworth, at last. "Yet it is impossible for me to conceive how two British battleships are to be sunk near Malta, or near anywhere else, and Americans blamed for the act. Captain Allen, can you imagine any way in which such a thing might be effected?" "I cannot, sir." "The subject must be given careful thought," declared the Admiral. "By the way, Mr. Darrin, do you think you could identify those two men who talked of the proposed destruction of the British battleships?" "I am positive that I could do so, sir," Dave rejoined, "provided they were not disguised." "Then you may meet them again, as we shall stop at various Mediterranean ports. If you do, sir, I wish you to report to me anything that you may find out about them. Mr. Dalzell did not see them, did he?" "I may have passed them, sir," Dan replied, "but I would not know them, if meeting them, as the men whom Mr. Darrin mentions." "Then, Captain, you will see to it," directed the Admiral, "that Mr. Dalzell has shore leave whenever Mr. Darrin does. The two young men will go ashore together so that Mr. Darrin, if opportunity presents, may indicate the plotters to Mr. Dalzell." The Captain and the young officers bowed their understanding of this order. "The presence of Gortchky here, taken with what Mr. Darrin overheard those men talking about, and coupled with what took place on the mole at Gibraltar, leads me to believe that some foreign government has plans for involving the United States government in serious complications," resumed the Admiral, after a pause. "Gortchky is not in charge of any very extensive plot. He is simply a tool of greater minds, and it may easily be that the pair whom Mr. Darrin overheard are those who are directing Gortchky in some really big and dangerous scheme. By the way, gentlemen, was either of you introduced to any young or charming woman ashore?" "We were both presented to the Countess Ripoli, sir," Darrin answered, at once. "And at the Countess's request, I took a little turn with her on one of the verandas, sir," Dan added. "Tell me all about the Countess and your meeting with her, Mr. Dalzell," Admiral Timworth directed. So Dan plunged at once into a narration of his chat with the Countess, to which Admiral Timworth listened attentively. "Ripoli?" he mused aloud, at last. "I do not recall the name as that of a supposed secret service agent. Ripoli? Let me see." From a drawer of his desk the Admiral drew out an indexed book. He turned over, presumably, to the letter "R," then scanned the writing on several pages. "She has not been reported to me as a suspected secret service agent of any country," said the fleet commander, aloud. "Yet she may very likely be a spy in the service of some ring of international trouble-makers. I will enter her name now, though I cannot place anything positive against it." "If either of us should meet the Countess Ripoli again, sir," queried Dan, "have you any orders, sir, in that event?" "If you do meet her," replied the admiral, "do not be too distant with her, and do not let her see that she is in any sense under suspicion. Just treat her as you would any charming woman whom you might meet socially. However, should you meet her again, you may report the fact to me. I shall doubtless have some further instructions for you, gentlemen, but that is all for the present. Captain, you will remain." Formally saluting their superiors, Dave and Dan withdrew and returned to Dave's quarters. For half an hour Dan remained chatting with Dave, then went to his own quarters. By daylight the "Hudson" was under way again, bound for Naples. Dan and Dave were called to stand their watches, and life on the battleship went on as usual. It was but an hour after daylight when Admiral Timworth, who had remained up the rest of the night with Flag Lieutenant Simpson, sent a long message to the Navy Department at Washington. The message crackled out over the "Hudson's" wireless aerials, and was soon afterward received in Washington at the huge naval wireless station there. "Good night, Simpson," said the Admiral, when his flag lieutenant reported that the message was in the hands of the wireless operator. "Shall I leave any instructions for your being called, sir?" asked Lieutenant Simpson. "Have me called at ten o'clock, unless a reply from the Navy Department should arrive earlier. In that case have me called at once." The flag lieutenant is the personal aide of the fleet commander. If the Admiral received an interesting reply from the Navy Department during the voyage to Naples, he at least concealed the fact from Ensigns Darrin and Dalzell. Ensigns, however, are quite accustomed to reserve on the part of admirals. It was one o'clock one sunny afternoon when the "Hudson" entered the Bay of Naples. Her anchorage having already been assigned by wireless by the port authorities at Naples, the "Hudson" came to anchor close to the "Kennebec" and "Lowell" of the Mediterranean Fleet. Admiral Timworth now had three war vessels under his own eyes. At four bells (two o'clock) an orderly called at Dan's and Dave's quarters, with orders to report to the Admiral at once. When the two young ensigns reached the Admiral's quarters they found Lieutenant Simpson there also. "Be seated, gentlemen," directed the Admiral. For a few moments Admiral Timworth shuffled papers on his desk, glancing briefly at some of them. "Now, gentlemen," said the Admiral, wheeling about in his chair and looking impressively at Darrin and Dalzell, "it seems to me I had better preface my remarks by giving you some idea of the Fleet's unusual and special mission in the Mediterranean. That may lead you to a better comprehension of why a certain foreign power should wish to create, between Great Britain and the United States, a situation that would probably call for war between the two greatest nations of the world." _ |
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