Kenneth and Peter were fascinated by the stupendous mass of rock. Although from a distance it had the appearance of being rugged, closer acquaintance revealed the fact that the steep slopes were deeply pitted and scarred by clefts in the old lava. In some of the shallow depressions where soil had been deposited a scanty herbage grew, but as a general rule vegetation was confined to a strip extending from the water's edge to an average height of fifty feet, although in several places the cliffs rose sheer from the lagoon.
Presently the two lads were aware that the Paloma had ported helm, and was now pointing straight for the cliffs. Leaning over the bulwarks, they saw, however, that there was a chasm looking far less in width than the yacht's beam.
"Surely they aren't going to run the Paloma in there?" exclaimed Kenneth.
"Unless they mean to beach her," added his chum.
As the yacht drew nearer the chums realized that they had been victims of an optical delusion. The chasm was narrow enough, but the enormous height of the wall of rock had tended to decrease the apparent width.
Dead slow the Paloma glided through the gap, her wash rippling against the granite-like wall of rock, and the muffled pulsations of her engines echoing like distant thunder in the confined space. At one point the width contracted to such an extent that had not the boats been swung in they would have been smashed to pieces against the sheer faces of the chasm. At another the face of the cliff overhung to a degree that had the yacht had her topmasts up they would have fouled and no doubt carried away. In spite of the brilliant tropical sunshine the shadows cast by the cliffs were so black that the yacht was enshrouded in gloom.
At the end of the gorge the Paloma emerged into a natural basin nearly a quarter of a mile across in its widest part and nowhere less than half that distance. On all sides the ground rose to a height of two hundred feet, the beach being steep-to almost everywhere except on the south side where the ground shelved gradually. Here on a beach of light grey sand a pier projected into the water. Judging by its weather-worn appearance it was in the last stages of decay. At the shoreward end of the pier were four store-houses or huts built of timber faced with coral cement. From one of these a line of rusty tram-lines led to the pier head. All around the buildings coarse grass and hibiscus plants grew breast-high, the scarlet flowers presenting a riot of colour that tended to compensate for the derelict condition of the place.
Stepping to the engine-room telegraph Lopez rang for "stop", then "easy astern".
"Let go!" he shouted.
The cable surged through the hawse-pipe. The vessel strained at her securing chain and began to forge ahead.
Lopez gave the word: "Finished with the engines", turned abruptly and after the manner of his race bowed courteously to Capitán Mendoza.
"Señor Capitán!" he exclaimed. "The secret harbour of the Island of Boya."
CHAPTER XIV. THE SECRET BASE
As soon as the yacht was "snugged down", and moored and the fires drawn, Mendoza and Miguel Fe went ashore, leaving Lopez in charge.
Of the three Spaniards, Kenneth and Peter detested Lopez more than the rest, and tried to avoid him as much as possible. On this occasion they found it impracticable to get out of his way. The cabins to which Mr. Heatherington and Captain Gregory had been taken were locked so that no communication with them was possible. The other state-rooms were barred to the two lads. They had been informed that in future they were to sleep for'ard.
"Ho, you English dogs!" exclaimed Lopez in his vile lingo, "now you will have to work for your living. You are part of a pirate crew. You will have to take part in the fight when we engage a likely prize. I'll make you wade in gore, with a knife between your teeth, but no pistol. No pistol! They are not safe in boys' hands."
He chuckled horribly, and drew his finger across his throat with an expressive gesture.
"If you refuse to fight," he continued, "then we will make the Englishman Heatherington pay for your disobedience. But you will not refuse. You will fight with a rope round your necks, for if you are captured then you will be hanged as pirates. So make the best of it."
"We'll see about that," replied Kenneth oracularly.
"So that's the wheeze, is it?" remarked Peter, when Lopez had swaggered aft. "Foiled as thieves of the black pearls, they are taking to piracy."
"Have already done so," corrected Kenneth. "Remember the Svend. That was out and out piracy, if ever there was. There's no doubt about it: we're in a fine old hole. They're trying to get us into the swim; to implicate us in this low-down business. I hope to goodness a British or a Yankee cruiser butts in and spoils their little game."
"Hardly likely yet awhile," said Peter. "The rogues have laid their plans only too skilfully. This island is an ideal buccaneer's lair. No one would expect to find such a snug anchorage tucked away in an island and absolutely invisible from seaward. They've laid a false trail to give the impression that the Paloma has been sunk. They've disguised the yacht. Until some intended victim escapes to give information I don't see how the existence of these pirates is to be suspected."
"I'm hoping that our chance will come from inside," said Kenneth. "Meaning that the mutineers will have a jolly old bust up between themselves."
"And they'd probably cut our throats in the process," added Peter grimly. "Well, we're properly in the soup, but that doesn't mean that we're not going to wriggle out of it if we've the chance."
Just before sunset Mendoza and his subordinate returned on board, looking very pleased with themselves. They had discovered the coal, nearly three thousand tons of it being stored and another five hundred tons stacked in the open. There were also a number of detonators and explosive charges, presumably intended by the Germans to send captured merchantmen to the bottom without having recourse either to torpedoes or guns. There were also stacks of clothing, but the latter had rotted through exposure to the weather. Finally a number of air-tight tins of Australian mutton in fair condition. In a few cases the tins had rusted through, and the stench of their contents left no room for doubt as to their perishable nature; but in the majority of instances the tinned foodstuffs still retained their quality.
That night, after a coarse and meagre supper, the two chums slept on deck, sheltered from the heavy dew by a piece of canvas. Nothing could induce them to turn in on the lockers in the fo'c'sle, where the hands existed in an atmosphere of cigarette fumes, card-playing and profanity, with not infrequent quarrels ending in drawn knives and ferocious scowls. The disputants never went further than that, for Mendoza had threatened that, in the event of one of the crew stabbing another, the assailant would be summarily thrown to the sharks.
Early next morning part of the watch fell in for duty ashore. Kenneth and Peter were ordered to go with the party.
On the boats running alongside the pier, the lads noticed that the structure was far more solid and substantial than it had appeared when viewed from the yacht. It was constructed of ferro-concrete, and, although the guard rails and chains had rotted through exposure and neglect and the massive bollards were thick with rust, the pier itself was capable of bearing almost any weight without danger of collapsing.
On arriving at the coal stack, each man was served out with a canvas sack and a shovel. As soon as about a hundredweight of coal had been placed in the sack, the man who had filled it carried it down to the pier and placed it in one of the boats. It was a laborious task, and could have been lightened considerably if the tram lines and rolling stock had been in serviceable condition.