The Airship "Golden Hind"Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)
General
The Airship "Golden Hind"
Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)
Adventure stories; Flight -- Juvenile fiction; Voyages around the world -- Juvenile fiction
Then von Sinzig made the disconcerting discovery that the starboard
float was leaking. Already, owing to this cause, the monoplane was
listing so that her starboard wing-tip was touching the water. This
fact, combined with the knowledge that he was momentarily drifting
farther and farther away from land, did not tend to improve the Hun’s
peace of mind.
Half an hour later, during which time the monoplane had drifted at least
three miles, and was being considerably buffeted by the rising sea, von
Sinzig noticed that a vessel was bearing down upon the crippled
Albatross.
As she approached, the count saw that she was a small motor-yacht of
about forty or fifty tons, and that she was flying the burgee of the
"Real Club Mediterraneo" and the Spanish ensign. The sight of the
Spanish colours gave von Sinzig renewed hope.
The yacht slowed down and lost way a few yards to the wind’ard of the
monoplane. For so small a vessel she carried a large crew. There were
half a dozen men for’ard, clad in white canvas jumpers and trousers and
wearing red woollen caps. Aft were two gorgeously attired individuals
in gold-laced yachting uniforms.
Von Sinzig, who was a fair Spanish linguist, hailed them. A rope thrown
from the bows of the yacht fell across the nose of the Albatross. This
the count caught and secured.
"Can you supply me with petrol, señor?" asked von Sinzig. "My tank is
empty. A hundred litres will be enough."
One of the gold-laced men shook his head and extended his hands, palms
uppermost.
"I am desolated at being compelled to refuse your excellency’s modest
request," he replied, "but we have paraffin engines and carry only a
small quantity of petrol for starting purposes. How far have you come?"
"Nearly round the world," replied the Hun, grandiloquently. He could
not resist the typically Teutonic trait of self-advertisement.
"Dios!" exclaimed the Spaniard, twirling his long moustachios. "Then
you are Count Karl von Sinzig, who left Quintanur, in the province of
Estremadura, sixteen or seventeen days ago?"
"I am," admitted von Sinzig, proudly.
The Spaniard said a few words in an undertone to his companion. The
other’s eyes gleamed and he nodded his head vigorously.
"We will take you on board and tow your machine," announced the owner of
the yacht.
"To Cadiz or Huelva?" asked the count.
"Accept ten thousand regrets, count," replied the Spaniard. "We must
take you to Gibraltar."
"But I have no wish to be taken to Gibraltar," declared von Sinzig. "I
will give a thousand pesetas to be landed at Cadiz."
The Don again shrugged his shoulders.
"No doubt my crew would be glad of your offer of a thousand pesetas,
count," he replied, "but since they know that the English have offered a
reward equal to five thousand pesetas----"
"You would sell me?" demanded von Sinzig, furiously.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account