



Produced by R.G.P.M. van Giesen




THE STOLEN CRUISER




[Illustration: "CRASH! A SHELL STRIKING THE BASE OF THE FUNNEL
REDUCING IT TO ATOMS."
_Frontispiece_.]                                        [_Page_ 261.
]





THE STOLEN
CRUISER



BY

PERCY F. WESTERMAN

AUTHOR OF
"THE SEA MONARCH," "THE FLYING SUBMARINE" ETC.



[Illustration: SANS PEUR ET SANS REPROCHE - logo - L & N]



_ILLUSTRATED BY_
_CHARLES NORMAN & J. DE WALTON_



LONDON
JARROLD & SONS, 10 & 11, WARWICK LANE, E.C.




        CONTENTS

   CHAP.
      I THE "SCRAPPED" CRUISER
     II THE INTERRUPTED MATCH
    III THE DESTROYER'S QUEST
     IV THE OUTRAGE ON THE HIGH SEAS
      V OVERHAULED
     VI TRAPPED
    VII HOLDING THE CONNING-TOWER
   VIII THE PERIL OF THE VOICE-TUBE
     IX HOLDING UP "L'ÉGALITÉ"
      X THE HYDRO-AEROPLANES
     XI HOKOSUKA'S SLEIGHT-OF-HAND
    XII THE "DUKE OF NEGROPONT"
   XIII THE HOSTAGES ARE MADE USE OF
    XIV THE FORTUNE OF WAR
     XV RAMMING AN ICEBERG
    XVI CARDYKE TO THE RESCUE
   XVII TOUCH AND GO
  XVIII MUTINY AND A RUSE THAT FAILED
    XIX CERVILLO DESERTS HIS CREW
     XX THE RECAPTURE OF THE "INDEPENDENCIA"
    XXI DRAKE MEETS THE YACHT "SERENA"
   XXII JUAN CERVILLO KEEPS HIS VOW
  XXIII FORESTALLED
   XXIV THE COCKED HAT




  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

  CRASH! A SHELL STRIKING THE BASE OF THE
  FUNNEL REDUCED IT TO ATOMS    _Frontispiece_

  RIGHT AHEAD CAME A HUGE BATTLE-CRUISER

  A NOOSE WAS ADROITLY THROWN OVER HIS
    SHOULDERS AND JERKED TIGHT

  THE SHOT CAUGHT THE DECOY-BEARER JUST
    BELOW THE KNEE

  BEFORE CERVILLO COULD RECOVER FROM HIS
    ASTONISHMENT HE WAS FLOORED BY THE
    ATHLETIC SUB

  HALF-A-DOZEN SEAMEN, HEADED BY THE RENEGADE
    ENGLISHMAN, BURST INTO THE ROOM

  THE PIRATES RUSHED FOR THE BOATS

  AFTER A QUARTER OF AN HOUR'S SUSPENSE THE
    "INDEPENDENCIA" GAINED THE OPEN SEA

  HE STRUGGLED DESPERATELY TO THROW HIMSELF
    ONCE MORE INTO THE SEA




THE STOLEN CRUISER

CHAPTER I




THE "SCRAPPED" CRUISER


IT was half-past eight on a May morning. The sun was obscured in a
dense haze that the light south-westerly breeze failed to disperse.

Spithead lay enshrouded in the sea-fog, while from the deck of H.M.
torpedo-boat destroyer _Frome_ neither the low-lying land upon which
Portsmouth is built nor the undulating downs of the Isle of Wight
were visible.

"Boyne Buoy on the starboard bow, sir," reported the look-out.

"Thanks be!" ejaculated Lieutenant-Commander Douglas Drake to his
companion, Sub-Lieutenant Paul Fielding. "I shan't be sorry to turn
in."

The _Frome_ had been out for night-firing off the Medmery Bank, but
ill-luck in the guise of a fog accompanied her. For hours she cruised
up and down, waiting for the bank of impenetrable haze to lift, while
her consort, the _Calder_, was standing by ready to take the canvas
target in tow.

It was a nerve-racking job, forging slowly ahead in the fog. In a
heavy sea, provided the weather be sufficiently clear to enable the
officer of the watch to pick up the various lights, the discomfort,
even when battened down, is nothing compared with the blindworm
tactics of keeping steerage way in a shut-in sky of dark grey clammy
vapour.

"By George! It is clearing," exclaimed Fielding. "Surely that is
Southsea Castle ahead."

"You're right. I only hope the admiral won't order us out to-morrow
night."

"By the mark ten!" shouted the leadsman in the monotonous drawl that
seamen affect when engaged in sounding.

"Fairly in the channel, thank goodness. How's that for navigation,
Mr. Cardyke?" asked the lieutenant, turning to a midshipman who stood
beside him on the diminutive bridge.

"Ripping, sir," replied the lad. "I suppose we'll be able to play on
Friday?"

"I hope so," rejoined Drake. "We must bear a hand in licking the
Sixth Division if it's humanly possible."

Lieutenant Douglas Drake was well under thirty years of age. Although
"frightfully keen" on his duties, and a stickler for naval etiquette,
he was at times almost boyish in manner. His chief fault--if fault it
might be termed--was excessive self-confidence. That quality was
undoubtedly an asset in the old lay-alongside-and-board-'em days; but
in modern naval tactics, based upon hard and fast scientific lines, a
blind reliance upon one's personal qualifications is apt to lead a
man into trouble. There are occasions, of course, when
self-confidence has its advantages. But woe-betide the unfortunate
individual who, through blind "cocksureness," jeopardised his command
and failed to achieve his object.

Drake had influence behind him, and with influence behind him a
hare-brained young officer might do certain things with impunity that
would soon bring him under the ban of official displeasure had he not
someone of importance to back him. On the other hand, influence tends
to make a man unpopular with his brother officers. Drake realised
this, and acted accordingly; but although he succeeded to a certain
extent in winning the regard of his comrades, he was often the victim
of a harmless practical joke whenever the opportunity arose.

Sub-Lieutenant Paul Fielding was, on the other hand, a cautious man.
He had need to be, since he had nothing in the shape of influence at
his back