I swung on them with a terrible urgency.
“That “S” call WAS a phoney — the Kent Star couldn’t have been in this area two days ago!’
Suddenly they had all fitted together. All the bloodstained pieces of my cerebral jigsaw.
Samson had glanced grimly at Bill, then at me. ‘Explain, Mister?’
‘Because I’ve remembered now where I’d seen the name before. She was berthing across the dock from us just before we sailed, loaded to her marks. They’d have taken three weeks to clear that lot out of her.’
The luxuriant eyebrows met ferociously. ‘You’re sure it was the Kent Star?’
I nodded emphatically, ‘I’m certain of it. Captain.’
He didn’t waste a moment. Half turning to Bill he spoke tightly. ‘Ring “Stand by” on the telegraphs, Mister Henderson. Whistle the hands to stations immediately and test the steering gear. And put a leadsman in the chains. I’ll need a slip wire ready starboard side bow and have the Second Mate prepare a manilla for paying out over the port quarter.’
Bill was already moving, ‘Aye, aye, Sir.’
‘…and when you weigh anchor, Mister, don’t screw the windlass up tight: I may need it again in an emergency. We’ll need a boat in the water to tend the shore lines while we snub her round the corner.’
‘You can leave that, Sir.' I broke in. 'I’ll send the Cyclops’s boat ahead to serve both ships then we can hoist her inboard on the seaward side of the entrance.’
He nodded. ‘Thank you, Mister Kent.’
I hesitated for a moment. ‘You intend to leave immediately then?’
Samson smiled sourly. ‘You’re quick to catch on, Mister. Aye, Athenian’s going out whatever happens. We’ll take our chances at twenty knots in the open sea. If Cyclops wants to wait here like a shrimp in a keep net that’s up to you and David Evans, but I’ve got twelve hundred tons of explosives aboard that says bugger the Admiralty, an' I’m not giving the U-boats any more time to get in position to pick us off as we come out of that entrance at dead slow speed.’
I glanced at my watch. 5.15 p.m., and we came in about 9.30 in the morning. ‘If we’re right in our assumption — that they know we’re in here, I mean — then it may be too late already. They’ll have had over seven hours to set us up as it is.’
The little figure turned away to the bridge ladder, then stopped. ‘Aye, Mister Kent. So if you hear a big bang from the other end of the channel you’ll know to be careful, won’t you?’
He swung away without another word and started to climb the ladder as casually as if he was going up to meet the pilot for an ordinary harbour manoeuvre. I watched him go, feeling that all-too-familiar clutch of apprehension back in my belly, then a piercing blast made me jump.
Bill was standing there with the stand-by whistle dangling from his hand. He smiled softly and punched me gently on the shoulder. ‘Staying aboard to finish the trip with real sailors, John?’
I forced a grin. ‘I would if there were any on this run-down hulk of yours, Mate.’
We stood there awkwardly for a moment. We’d seen a lot together, Bill and I… and big Eric. But Eric was already gone from the family, floating face down with his hair waving gently in the green water. I shuddered. It was an image I kept conjuring up too often for peace of mind.
Bill stuck his brown hand out. ‘Time and tide, y’know… See you in Cape Town, John.’
I took it and squeezed. ‘We’ll wait for you to catch up, Bill. And… keep a weather eye open on the way, huh?’
Then he was gone and I was alone beside the obscene, gutted shell of the radio room. Time to go, chum. Like Bill said, time, tide and U-boats wait for no man. The gruff bellow from the bridge stopped me momentarily.
‘I’ll run east and west till you come out, Mister Kent. Then I intend to zig-zag for the Cape even if I have to run right over the bastards. Tell Captain Evans I’ll be obliged to have his company on the way, if he so chooses.’
I waved in reply, then slid down the ladder. I knew Bert was needled about the ‘Comconvoy’ messages from Evans: this was his way of soothing his ruffled pride. For the rest of the trip Cyclops could accompany Athenian, but he was sailing independently anyway. Stuff the Admiralty, the Kriegsmarine, the Board of Trade and the British War Cabinet — Bert Samson was sailing today.
The faces that awaited my descent to the top of the accommodation ladder displayed baffled curiosity and subdued excitement. Hesitating only to glance forward along the alleyway towards the foc’slehead, I could see Bill Henderson already moving among his anchor party as the windlass turned slowly, heaving the heavy cable short in preparation for weighing on a signal from the bridge.
As soon as I had stepped from the platform into our boat, Athenian’s young Fourth Mate raised a hand in parting salute and the ladder rose jerkily while two A.B.s waited to lash it outboard along the rails, ready for sea. I glanced at my watch again. 5.40 p.m.. The U-boats had now been given eight hours to prepare.
It seemed to take a very long time to cross the water between the two ships.
The Old Man was waiting impatiently for me at the top of our own ladder as I ran up it, noting subconsciously that rust streaks had started to blister the grey-painted surface of our hull. A pity about losing these three days — I could have had the Bosun’s crowd over the side first thing in the morning, chipping and slapping on a new coat. Ship painting was the bane of every mate's life, it was like living on the Forth Bridge — no sooner did you have everything shiny and Bristol fashion than you had to start all over again at the other end.
‘Perhaps you would be good enough to explain just what that grumpy old bugger Samson thinks he’s doing, Mister Kent,’ Evans demanded petulantly, his eyes fixed curiously on the busily moving figures on Athenian’s decks.
I swallowed. It was like trying to negotiate a friendly agreement between Churchill and Hitler, only more difficult. ‘Perhaps we could go up to the bridge, Sir?’ I muttered, aware of the eager stare from the gangway quartermaster.
Faintly across the water a distant tinkle carried as they tested Athenian’s telegraphs while, on her poop, we could see khaki figures moving as her gun’s crew closed up. Samson wasn’t leaving any more to chance than he had to. The Old Man watched a moment longer, then turned sharply for the ladder. ‘Aye, Mister Kent. Maybe we’d better at that.’
It took only a few minutes to convince him too, though I could see he didn’t like Bert Samson seizing the initiative. As soon as he was satisfied that the Kent Star message had been a deliberate fake, he didn’t waste any time in analysing our, or the Navy’s, mistakes.
‘Blow stand-by please, Mister Kent. Have the accommodation ladder brought inboard and tell the Fourth Mate to take the boat away down to the entrance to tend the lines. We’ll pick him up outside the channel.’
I looked at my watch for the tenth time. Just on six o’clock now. Please God, I know I ask for a lot for a bloke who doesn’t really Believe, but I promise I will if you get us out of here in time. I hauled my whistle from my pocket and blew a long blast, then turned to the ladder and nearly collided with Larabee as he came flying up it.
I stopped dead, stunned by the expression on the Second Sparks’s thin features, too surprised even to be cutting about his unseemly haste and the fact that he should've been aft with his bodyguard and his wireless sets.