"The old chap's frightened about something," replied Denbigh. "He's literally on toast. You see, what with Stirling's escape--for I feel confident that code message referred to his rescue--he's got to mind his p's and q's until he's through the cordon. Then, if he does, I guess he'll make it mighty hot for us." Denbigh was right in his surmise, for as soon as Stirling had been taken on board H.M.S. _Actæon_ and had made a report to the captain, the cruiser communicated with each of her consorts, giving the position of the _Pelikan_ when last seen and the probable course. Following this message another was transmitted to the Admiralty announcing the safety of Sub-lieutenant Charles Stirling, captured while on a passage home in the Japanese liner _Nichi Maru_. Instructions were asked as to the "disposal" of that officer. Promptly came the reply temporarily appointing Stirling to H.M.S. _Actæon_ as supernumerary, since it was recognized that his knowledge of the elusive raider might be of great assistance to the pursuing ship. Within two hours of the _Actæon's_ wireless message additional small cruisers, armed auxiliaries, and destroyers left Table Bay, while others were ordered from the Pacific Station to proceed to the vicinity of Cape Horn and guard both the passage to the southward of that place and also the intricate Straits of Magellan. In the event of the _Pelikan_ eluding the cordon in the Atlantic, and since it was known that her desired destination was German East Africa, the squadron operating in conjunction with the British military expedition was warned to exercise a particularly sharp look-out, both in the Mozambique Channel and off the East African coast between 4° S. and 11° S. lat. Four swift destroyers of the Australian Navy were also given instructions to proceed to Mauritius and await orders. Thus the net was being swiftly tightened around the fugitive liner that alone flew the Black Cross ensign of Germany outside European waters. CHAPTER VIII Reinforcements Under reduced speed, in order to economize her coal, the _Pelikan_ held on her southerly course. By dint of careful stoking, her funnels emitted little or no smoke that might betray her position. At night every light was screened. Fortune seemed to be favouring her, for without sighting a single vessel she reached the fortieth parallel, or considerably farther to the south'ard than she need do in ordinary circumstances in order to round the Cape of Good Hope. The air was rapidly becoming colder, and her crew, being unprovided with warm garments, suffered acutely after coming straight from the Tropics. While the work of repairing the damage done by the British cruiser's shells was progressing as well as the limited means at the disposal of the ship would permit, one of the crew slipped, and striking his head against the edge of an iron plate, was so severely injured that he died within two hours of the accident.