11 - Blake of the "Rattlesnake" - A Picnic, and What Came Of It

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Chapter eleven of Blake of the Rattlesnake. This is a
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This recording is by Mark Smith of Simpsonville, South Carolina.

(00:22):
Blake of the Rattlesnake by Frederick T. Jane, Chapter eleven,
A Picnic and what came of it. For the next
few days, I was very busy acting as a sort
of representative for Blake and Queer. Enough were some of
the jobs on which I was engaged. For two whole days.

(00:42):
I was collecting clocks, out of which Blake and the
other skippers constructed some extraordinary infernal machines destined for several
dummy torpedo boats that Blake had invented and set great
store by. The idea was to make the dummies explode
if ram by any craft. These dummies were made in

(01:03):
a very simple fashion. A couple of shore boats covered
all over with tarpaulin, were set some fifty feet apart,
and a light tree trunk lashed fore and aft between them,
and to this was attached to framework bearing a rough
general resemblance to the hull of a ninety foot long
torpedo boat in the water. The thing floated topside down

(01:26):
the boats forming imitation conning towers, while a little canvas
well tarred and stiffened with iron rods and hoops made
a very presentable funnel and other deck erections. Some planks
amidships made a good resting place for the explosive that
was destined to be packed there if we could get it.
And regarded from a little distance, especially at night, the

(01:50):
craft looked very like a small genuine torpedo boat. We
constructed seven of these dummies altogether, stowing them on board
the colliers. As soon as it was while this task
was going on that I happened to get on the
sick list. There was nothing particular the matter with me,
so said the doctor from the speedy. A good tramp

(02:12):
ashore on the hills would probably put me right, but
I felt altogether run down. All you subs want is
a good run ashore, he said, to keep your livers
from getting sluggish. Blake, hearing of the medico's verdict, fell
in with the idea at once. I'll send a lot

(02:33):
of you. I think you're only in the way on
board ship, you'd better fix up a picnic or something
of that sort on the hills. Hence it came about
that the next day, eight or nine of us, accompanied
by a cart loaded with hampers of good things, toiled
up the steep winding road past the golf links and

(02:53):
across the moorland beyond here, looking down upon our ships
and harbor. Reduced to the size of cockle shells, we
drank in the pure mountain air and gazed away over
Holy Island to the distant Scotch coast. Here, too, we
emptied the cart and picnicked in right royal fashion. It

(03:13):
was a glorious relaxation after being cooped up on board
ship for so long. It was a pleasure in itself
to lie amidst the sweet smelling heather and golden gorse
and feel that we lived. By and bye, we split
up into smaller parties, some going along the road to Broddock,
others remaining where they were no longer anxious for fresh exertion.

(03:37):
Thorn had gone on to Broddock with another sub and
an engineer from the Speedy, a very decent sort, and
by and by I wished I had gone too. I
could still see them little specks in the distance when
I started to follow. But it was one thing to
see them, another to be able to attract their attention
and get them to wait while I caught them up.

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Gradually they disappeared going down the dip of a hill,
and I had begun to despair of catching them when
I remembered a short cut through a wood, which I
had learned some two or three years before when we
had been at Lamblash for the maneuvers. It was contrary
to Blake's orders to leave the main road. He had
made a chart of the exact course we were to follow,

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so that in the event of any ship being sighted
from the hill, the cart could come along the road
and fetch us back. But the temptation was too strong
for my weary legs, and soon I was breast high
in the break fern on my way to the little wood. Here,
the beauty of the scene, tinted with the glories of autumn,

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was too much for me, and I sat down to
rest a while and dreamed by the side of a
little stream that babbled through the fern grown rocks with
a soft, lulling murmur, like the music of angels. I
sat and mused, and presently I must have fallen asleep.

(05:05):
You've put the wire in cipher. Of course, the voice
awoke me with a start, and little wonder, for it
was the voice of mister Fergus, well known in the city.
Of course, replied another voice, Greens, and I reckon, we
ought to make a mighty pile out of this. Yes,
if nothing goes wrong, you're sure you've got everything prepared.

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I hope everything. Photos of the fleet as I took
them the other day, positive proof, quite positive, names of
principal officers and everything enough to convince the most hopeless skeptic.
But bless you, the report alone will send them up
like one o'clock. I dared not move, as I had

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it first intended, Chance said, made me overhear what seemed
to be a deliberate plan to wreck Blake's scheme for
the salvation of England, and I was determined to hear
the last of it so as to know how to
set to work to circumvent them. Well, continued Green, after
a pause, what arrangements have you made? Have you seen

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the girl? Seen her? I've done nothing but see her
for the last two days till I'm sick to death
of her. Promises of money didn't seem enough to work
the oracle. So I promised to marry her as well,
promise an l as an inch, you know, he added, laughing. Yes, well,

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it's a good thing you picked her up. I'd made
sure that that infernal outside broker of a ship's captain
had collared every boat in the island. It's pleasant to
find that he's not so smart as he reckons himself.
He did call her all that were afloat, but he
didn't chance to find Old Davy's boat house, Thank the fates. Well,

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the girl ought to be here by this 'tisn't her
rule to keep her prospective husband waiting? Ah, here she
comes from my hiding place in the ferns. I caught
a glimpse of a yellow haired, freckled glass hastening down
the path I had recently come by. Well, my dear,
said Fergus, here you are, you know, my friend, mister Green,

(07:17):
So don't mind him. Now you must give this to
Old Davy yourself, mind, and tell no one, not tell
a soul. It's for some nice dresses and pretty things
for you to be married in. So if it doesn't
go over at once without the ships in harbor knowing
of it mine, for they try and steal it. If

(07:38):
it doesn't go over tonight, we shan't be able to
be married at all. And I shall go away and
never see you again. And you mustn't let even Old
Davy know who it's from. Now give me a kiss,
my dear, and hurry off, the girl promised readily enough,
gave the desired salute, and went along the path in

(08:00):
the direction of Broddick. I guess we'd better be moving on, too,
said Green, poor little girl, he added, with a momentary
twinge of remorse, seems a pity to deceive her so too.
But can't be helped, said the other shortly. If our
gallant pirate in the harbor catches Old Davy as there

(08:23):
is a risk, of course, well he'll never associate us
with the affair. Huh. I'm not so sure of that. However,
if it does fall through, we've still another chance. Whereas
going ourselves we should risk everything in one deal. I
had scarcely patience to wait until they were out of earshot.

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Then I jumped up and ran as hard as I
could towards Broddick. Catching sight of the girl before she
had reached the village. As I ran, I had had
dim visions of snatching the telegram out of her hand,
But a little thought convinced me that she would, ere
this have secreted it about her person, so any attempt
to obtain possession of it by force would have its

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awkward side. Fortune favored me again, as it chanced ere
the girl had reached the village, and while I was
yet hesitating as to what course to pursue, a young
fisherman sprang out of the hedge and confronted her. The
girl screamed and hid her face in her hands, while I,
feeling that I was doomed to go through life playing

(09:30):
the eavesdropper, hastily got inside a field. Give me that letter,
angrily cried the man in the Scotch dialect, that I
shall not attempt to reproduce here. I've got no letter.
Let me pass. She answered, that's a lie, a wicked,
sinful lie for which you will go to hell and burn.

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I saw him give it to you myself there, he retorted,
in a passion of jealous rage. The girl's hand, involuntar
terrily went to her bosom and in a moment, his
rough fingers had torn open her dress and seized the
faithful telegram, thrusting the weeping girl from him. He held
it aloft and laughed. So he shouted, you would be

(10:15):
having letters from your new sweetheart, and forget all about
your old one. He tore the missive into fragments, turned
on his heel, and ran away down the hill, leaving
the girl crying bitterly by the roadside. Overjoyed at the
turn of events, I hastened on to product. I felt
sorry for the girl, and sorry too for her native lover, and,

(10:39):
impelled by some inner force, felt it my duty to
try and mend matters. I stopped as I reached her
and sought to explain that she was being made a
fool of, but woman like she would have none of it, and,
finally giving it up as a bad job, I went
all my way in the village. Just outside the hotel,

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I met the fisherman. He at least could be made
useful to us briefly as possible. I sought to explain
to him how the land lay, and though the projected
money transactions were beyond him, he understood enough to know
that treachery was afoot. Finally, I impressed upon him the
advisability of watching Green and Fergus, telling him that if

(11:24):
he only let Captain Blake know where to lay hands
on them, they would trouble him and his No more.
This done, and feeling that I had secured a valuable ally,
I went on into the hotel, where Thorn and the
others still were, telling them of what I had overheard.
We hurriedly retraced our steps, and, reaching the cart an

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hour later, galloped down the hill towards the harbor. For
all we were worth. Reaching the Ratto, I told Blake
of my adventure. He was thunderstruck at the news, but
cast about it once for means how to act. It
never occurred to you, I suppose to find out who
was Old Davy and where he lived? No, I answered,

(12:10):
startled pon my word, I was full enough never to
think of it. Still, Broddock, I suppose, if it is Broddick,
we may be in time. Otherwise we may be too late.
He hastily gave orders for the Ratto to weigh at once,
signaling his news and intentions to the other captains, and
in a very short time we were steaming out of

(12:31):
the northern entrance and round to Broddock as hard as
we could pelt you see, explained Blake. They have heard
all about it from the girl ere this and for aught,
I know they will have started themselves, knowing what any
further delay might probably mean. At Broddock we got as
close inshore as possible, then our boat being lowered. Blake

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was rowed towards the land. As the boat was speeding thither,
a man ailed us repeatedly from the pier. Tisn't here,
he cried to Blake. They've gone in Old Davy's launch
some time ago. Which way. I don't know, sir, which way,
but they went some two or three hours since back

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as hard as you can row. I heard Blake order,
and I got ready to be off the moment he
should come on board. Here's a pretty kettle of fish,
he muttered, as we raced out of the bay at
a good twenty five knots. I had to think that
if you hadn't disobeyed orders, we'd never have known of
it at all. Well as tis all our plans are

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as good as wrecked unless we catch these fellows. It
serves me right too. I should have been more careful
and left nothing to chance. It was now dark, but
the moon lit up a fair expanse of water, so
that a boat would be visible at some distance. Lookouts
crowded the ship. We had to look for vessels as

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well as for our special quarry. Neither off Glasgow nor
Arderson could we come across anything like Old Davy's boat.
So we tried working more to the northward, though hope
was getting faint. Small boat on the starboard bow, reported
a lookout man, and we nearly shouted with joy as

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our eyes fell on a small sailing boat close inshore,
some three miles ahead. In another five minutes we were
right upon her, so fast were we steaming. But even
that five minutes made us nearly too late. While we
were yet one hundred yards away, not daring to approach
nearer for fear of grounding, the boat ran upon the beach,

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and the two stockbrokers sprang out of her. Give me
a rifle, ordered Blake, sharply smart. In an instant a
loaded rifle was in his hands. Stop you hounds, he
cried to Green and Fergus. Between them and the comparative
safety of a little wood, there was some fifty feet
of moonlit beach, a beach with rocks here and there,

(15:05):
behind which a man might find plenty of cover. My God,
cried Green, would you murder us in cold blood? If
you move, I shoot? Blake replied, go back to your
boat at once, if you wish to save your lives. This, however,
they either could not or would not do. Take the

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gig and fetch them. Bovary Blike called to me. I
hastened to obey, and soon the boat ran upon the beach,
alongside the other, and followed by the men. I ran
towards the stockbrokers. They were quite close to me now,
and I could see the perspiration streaming down their faces
as they watched our approach. Then, as we drew yet nearer,

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Fergus said to his companion it's now or never cut,
and with the same they started to run like hares
for the wood after them. I cried, But at the
same instant I heard the report of a rifle, and Fergus,
with a shriek, sprang into the air to fall back dead.
Green fell too, not hit, but groveling in terror. Heaven

(16:11):
have mercy, he moaned. They're murdering us, murdering us, and
it would have been a million pounds a million pounds.
We soon secured the frightened wretch, and with no very
gentle hands dragged him back to the wailer tow off
the other boat, hailed Blake, a sharp as you can.

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The two men in the boat, one of whom we
presumed was Old Davy, sat there quite still and motionless,
dumbfounded at the turn of events. Doubtless they expected to
be shot like Fergus, but they were too terrified to
make any attempt at escape. Green, lying bound in the
bottom of the whaler, kept up his incessant wail, murdered

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for a million pounds a million pounds. Nor could my
angry orders quiet him. What are you going to do
with him now, sir, I asked Blake, when we had
got on board again, scuttling Old Davy's boat as soon
as we were in deeper water. I don't know. Hanging's

(17:16):
about the handiest thing, replied the skipper grimly. It's about
the best thing we can do for the country too.
It seems very horrible, sir. Well, I'm not going to
do it now. Anyway. He shall be tried properly. First,
We've got to see to getting back next. As for

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Old Davy, that silly old fool won't trouble us again.
Send him forward with the other fisherman. Old Davy went
forward in a miserable time. He had of it at
the hands of the Blue Jackets, who related to him
horrible deaths by torture, which he would shortly undergo. Green,
still secured, was left on deck keeping up his incessant

(17:59):
mum over the lost million. But we had other things
to see to them bother about him just then. End
of chapter