"mr. mostyn."
"sir?"
"did you by any chance use the owner's code-book during the middle watch?"
"no, sir."
"very good; carry on."
this was the brief conversation between the captain and the wireless officer. the old man had by some unaccountable intuition fostered the idea that the code-book was the object of the intruder's presence. mostyn had a right to make use of it, and, before probing deeper into the problem, captain bullock had questioned him.
the skipper had a keen insight into human nature. in his official capacity he had come into contact with hundreds, nay thousands, of human beings for whose safety and welfare he, under providence, was responsible. some were notables, the majority common-place individuals, and not a few persons with unenviable reputations. he had had on board escaping murderers, defaulting company promoters, fraudulent trustees, absconding cashiers, and a variety of other criminals from the "flash" cracksman to the common "lag". professional gamblers, sharpers, and pickpockets had passed his way on the broad highway between great britain and the dominion of south africa.
captain bullock was generally very quick in "knowing his man". rarely was he mistaken in his speedy yet calculating judgment. already he had his wireless officer "sized up", and the verdict was favourable. hence peter mostyn's "no, sir," was sufficient. the old man knew that he had spoken the truth and that he was not the mysterious intruder.
anstey, the officer of the watch, was likewise questioned. he, too, was emphatic that he had not entered the captain's cabin, nor had he seen anyone doing so during the middle watch.
for some days captain bullock pondered over the incident, blaming himself for not having challenged the intruder. then he began to let the matter dwindle in importance, and by the time the ship reached las palmas he had practically forgotten all about it.
in fine, excessively hot weather the west barbican approached the line. no tropical storm greeted her as she entered the once dreaded doldrums, that belt of calms which has yielded its powers of holding ships captive for days on end, to the all-conquering steam and internal-combustion engines. rarely now is there a sailing-ship to be sighted wallowing helplessly in the doldrums, her decks and topsides opening with the terrific heat, and her crew driven almost mad with the torturing glare of the tropical sun. auxiliary power has changed all that, and even the huge, square-rigged ship engaged in trading round the horn is now equipped with a semi-diesel capable of pushing her along at a modest four or five knots in a calm.
preparations to pay the customary honours to father neptune were in full swing on board the west barbican. for days before the ship was due to cross the line all the officers and twenty-five per cent of the passengers became temporary inquiry agents. seemingly casual conversation was entered into with the primary object of discovering who had or who had not "crossed the line". within a few minutes of an unguarded remark being made by a passenger to the effect that he had not been in southern latitudes, that fact was duly recorded in a notebook by the indefatigable acting chief officer. preston was a veritable sleuth-hound in these matters, and already his "bag" was assuming favourable proportions.
among the names recorded were those of partridge and plover. the two watchers had never heard of the time-honoured ceremony, and were in utter ignorance of the ordeal through which they would have to pass. their lack of general knowledge, combined with a somewhat surly reticence, had made them no friends on board. they kept to themselves, hardly exchanging a word with anyone else except when duty compelled them to speak.
at length the eventful day arrived when the ship was due to cross the parallel of maximum length. soon after day-break eager lascars had been employed in spreading a huge tarpaulin over a rectangular frame, so as to form a large bath. at one end, facing the for'ard portion of the promenade deck, a platform was erected and draped with bunting. behind locked doors officers off duty lurked in their cabins, contriving weird and startling disguises for the sea king's festival. the donkey-engines were started—not with the idea of ejecting bilge water, but for the purpose of pumping a copious supply of salt water into the improvised tank.
on the bridge preston was "shooting the sun". again and again he levelled his sextant, until he was satisfied that the ship was within a few miles of the line. then, hastily reporting the fact to the old man, he disappeared down the companion-ladder to change with the utmost speed into a wondrous garb comprised chiefly of a bathing-suit, seaweed, and oyster-shells. next, assisted by an individual who resembled a cross between george robey and little tich, and who was to appear as the doctor, father neptune donned flowing locks and beard of picked oakum, assumed a massive crown of tinsel, and grasped his trident.
at that moment the ship's siren gave a terrific blast. it was the signal that neptune's cortège had been sighted by the look out for'ard.
the fo'c'sle and foremost shrouds were packed with eagerly gesticulating lascars; native firemen squatted on the decks on either side of the tank, and clung like flies to the stanchion-rails. on the promenade deck all available camp-chairs had been pressed into service and were occupied by excited passengers, trying to keep cool in vain, in spite of the double awnings.
presently captain bullock, resplendent in white tropical uniform with gilt buttons and shoulder-straps, descended from the bridge and took up a position in the centre of the front row of crowded deck-chairs.
"ahoy!" roared a deep voice for'ard. "what ship is that?"
"the s.s. west barbican, of and from london," bawled the old man in reply.
"then harkee, skipper. father neptune demands entrance and the honour due to his exalted rank."
"come aboard, sir," rejoined the old man.
heralded by a fanfare from hand fog-horns, and a terrific din from a variety of metal implements, begged, borrowed, or stolen from the galley, father neptune appeared not exactly over but close to the bows. brandishing his trident he bellowed a nautical greeting, and proceeded to assist his queen through the limited space of the hatchway. it was soon evident that the lady was in difficulties and a plainly audible, "steady on, old man," delivered in a very masculine voice, had the effect of raising a boisterous chorus of laughter from the sightseers.
amphitrite, disentangled from the embraces of a catch on the hatch-cover, appeared in her lord's wake, but the effect of her flowing locks of golden hair and her deeply rouged face were somewhat marred by the display of a pair of unmistakably masculine hands and feet.
the doctor and the barber next struggled for publicity, each questioning the other's right of precedence, with the result that each contrived to get his head through the hatchway and no farther.
it was not until the barber had converted the doctor's hat into a concertina that the former contrived to make a complete appearance, followed by the doctor, who, in his broad scotch that betrayed him as m'turk the chief engineer, requested his companion "not to play the fule beforr your time".
then came the bears—grotesquely garbed fellows recruited mainly from the chief steward's department, but with the residue of the engineers off duty to leaven the whole lump. almost before king neptune and his queen were seated upon their respective thrones the zealous bears had scattered to rope in the victims of the revels.
the first to be brought into the arena was watcher partridge. his opposite number, scenting trouble, had deserted him, and was making his way to the stokehold, hotly pursued by a couple of brawny bears.
partridge submitted sullenly. without a word or act of protest he was led before the doctor.
"are ye no' weel, laddie?" inquired the doctor. "open your mouth and show your tongue."
the bird obeyed.
the next instant he was spluttering and coughing, for the doctor had dexterously placed a pill, composed of the unholiest ingredients of the engineers' stores, in the wide-open cavity. still spluttering, he was again seized by the attendant bears, blindfolded, and forced into the barber's chair.
the barber eyed the agitated partridge dispassionately.
"hair cut or shave?" he inquired, and, receiving no reply, he seized one of his razors, a formidable-looking instrument fashioned out of a barrel stave.
a few deft strokes and the deed was done. partridge, released from the chair, sprang to his feet amidst the delighted howls of the spectators. one side of his face was streaked with stockholm tar, the other with red ochre.
"run for it!" exclaimed one of the bears, guiding the bewildered partridge towards the tank. the bird hopped it, trod on air as one foot overstepped the narrow edge, and, with a sousing splash, he plunged headlong into the water.
he had barely time to gasp for breath when a bear ducked him. thrice this operation was repeated before the pie-bald watcher was allowed to escape, without even receiving king neptune's congratulations upon becoming a son of the sea.
the while other victims were being attended to by the doctor and the barber, and unceremoniously bundled into the tank.
for the most part they accepted the situation with a good grace. in the case of the passengers who had not crossed the line before, certain allowances had been made for them; nevertheless some were rather rigorously handled before receiving their diplomas as freemen of the seas. since they had received short notice to the effect that it would be as well if they "rigged out" to be in readiness for a ducking, they took the hint, changing into bathing-costumes or any old clothes obtainable.
one passenger, a burly, six-feet-two individual, with huge biceps showing up under the tight sleeves of his bathing-suit, certainly gave the bears a run for their money; for, when they went to bring him to neptune's court, they found that he had put on a pair of boxing-gloves.
"come on!" he exclaimed, with a good-tempered laugh. "i'll take on the whole crowd, neptune included."
nothing loth, a plucky little bear stooped and rushed in to collar the defiant passenger round the waist. the next instant he was sent staggering into the arms of one of his companions, and the two floundered on the deck, capsizing the barber and his two pots of ochre and tar.
"at him, lads!" roared neptune, forgetting in his excitement that he was playing the r?le of king of the sea.
five or six bears rushed at the man from opposite sides. he waited until they were almost on him, then, without the faintest sign of his intention, dived straight at the feet of those on his right.
there was weight and power behind those hunched shoulders. three of his assailants, swept off their feet, crashed to the deck, while their comrades, unable to check the impetus of their rush, tumbled in a confused heap upon the baffled, sprawling three.
from under this struggling mob, like a porpoise in an angry sea, emerged the stalwart passenger. springing to his feet he dashed up the ladder to the promenade-deck, cleared a way between the throng of spectators, who cheered him heartily, and gained the boat-deck.
for a while he paused to contemplate the sorting out of the discomfited bears; then, finding his pursuers hard on his track, he scaled the side of the wireless-cabin. on the roof he took up his stand. with his broad back against the trunk of the aerial it looked as if he could hold his own against all comers.
the lascars were beside themselves with excitement. the passengers, leaving the shelter of the double awnings, stood under the blazing sun, straining their eyes in the dazzling glare as they watched the tactics of their champion.
"lasso him, lads!" shouted neptune, laying aside his trident and preparing to take an active part in the subjugation of his recalcitrant subject.
some of the bears hurried off to obtain ropes. others waited by the base of the wireless-cabin, feeling decidedly uncomfortable as the hot sun played upon their scanty, wet garments.
just then another party of bears came for'ard dragging the luckless plover, whom they had captured in an empty bunker.
the appearance of the second bird created a diversion. the bears guarding the wireless-cabin, eager to witness the initiation of the unpopular plover, lost interest in the huge passenger on the roof.
in a trice the latter slid down to the bridge, swung himself down by a stanchion to the promenade-deck and thence to the enemies' camp—the temporary court of father neptune.
hurling aside the doctor, who had already received rougher treatment than he had meted out to his victims, the defiant subject of king neptune made a bull-like rush for that august monarch.
the next moment they were at grips. in spite of wearing boxing-gloves the stalwart passenger held neptune tightly round the waist. the latter strove with his sinewy hands to disengage himself from the powerful embrace. in the struggle neptune's tinsel crown slipped over one eye and his tow-beard fell off, revealing the rugged features of acting chief officer preston.
for about thirty seconds the two men struggled furiously, yet the keenest observer could detect no trace of bad temper. the adversaries were sportsmen both, who knew how to keep themselves under control.
with the sweat pouring in streams down their faces they continued swaying and heaving. both were of about the same weight and build. preston had the handicap of about ten years, but he was as fit as a fiddle and hard as nails.
amphitrite had discreetly retired from the arena, while the bears, unwilling to take an unfair advantage of their intended prey, stood in a semicircle, impartially encouraging both adversaries. even captain bullock, who through long usage had become bored stiff with the "crossing of the line revels", was on his feet shouting excitedly at the novel spectacle of neptune being bearded in his den.
suddenly the unexpected climax happened.
before anyone could utter a warning or check the impetuous movement of the two wrestlers, preston was forced to the edge of the temporary dais, which was on a level with the wire guard-rails.
probably his antagonist was blinded by the perspiration running into his eyes, because he failed to see the danger resulting from his headlong rush.
locked in each other's arms the two men disappeared over the side of the ship.
