"Was the pirate ship alone?" asked Fielding. "And did she clear off under her own steam?"
"Certainly," replied the Japanese officer. "She headed S.S.W., going about twenty knots, as far as I could judge."
"I told you we'd been fooled," exclaimed the sub. to Cardyke. "The _Impregnable_ was not towed away--she managed to raise steam, and apparently did very well. I'd like to have a few moments with the skipper of the _Steephill Castle_. The lying rogue is more than likely in league with these up-to-date pirates."
"Well, gentlemen," continued Fielding, turning to the officers of the _Yosen Maru_, "we had better be off, and try to overhaul the pirate vessel. We can do very little by way of assistance to your ship, I fear."
"Quite true," replied the spokesman. "The weather is moderate, and we have plenty of sea-room. Before they put our wireless out of gear we heard that the British cruiser _Dionysius_ was coming to our aid, as well as the Red Star liner _Scandinavia_."
"Then you'll be well looked after," said the sub. And saluting the Japanese officers, he descended the accommodation ladder.
"Those rascals are not wanting in cool cheek,--holding the passengers as hostages, I suppose," commented Drake, when Fielding had made his report. "Well, I suppose we must call up Portsmouth, and inform the admiral of what has occurred. But there's nothing to prevent us overhauling the _Impregnable_. At all events I'll have a shot at it."
This was Drake's chief fault: he was overanxious to make an individual score. The glory of capturing the _Impregnable_ was to be the _Frome's_, if possible. The idea of co-operation with the other British destroyers was distasteful to him. "Alone I did it" was to be his motto, the "I" including the officers and crew of the little craft under his command.
As fast as her three undamaged propellers could drive her the _Frome_ tore in the direction the pirate cruiser was supposed to have taken. Eagerly glasses were brought to bear upon the horizon, in the hope of discerning a cloud of smoke--the oil-laden vapour from the _Impregnable's_ liquid fuel.
At eight bells Fielding and Cardyke turned in for a well-earned rest but their sleep was soon to be rudely disturbed. Just before noon the slumbering officers were aroused by a messenger with the news that the _Impregnable_ had been sighted.