Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Bold Actions

In order to escape the police pursuit, Harry Markle and his gang are really going to take the risk!They were trying to snatch a ship this night just a few nautical miles from Queenstown in Coke Inlet, and with the captain and crew on board, it must have been fully manned.Even if two or three crew members were not on board or on shore, they would be back soon, because the night was already deep.In this way, the gangsters might not have the advantage in numbers? ... Certain circumstances may indeed guarantee the successful realization of this plan.If there were twelve men on the Ingenuity, including the captain, and only ten men, including Harry Markle, to the outlaws, the outlaws had an unexpected advantage.Because the ship was moored in the innermost part of Falmar's cove, it was impossible for anyone on board to be on duty, and even if there was a sound, no one could hear it at all.Before the crew could resist, their throats were cut by gangsters and thrown into the sea.

Then, Harry Markle weighed anchor and sailed, and the Spirit put up all sails and sailed out of the bay, across the St. George's Canal, and into the Atlantic Ocean. In Cork, of course no one can say why, the boarders of the Antilles Secondary School had not boarded the ship Smart which had been specially chartered for them, before the captain Paxson drove away... Horatio Pattenson And the boarders, as Coty reported, had just arrived at the pier and could not find the boat anchored in Farma Cove, what would they think? ...However, once the ship sails into the sea, it may not be easy to catch up with and arrest the gang of murderers who killed the crew just now.Moreover, Harry Markle expected that the passengers would not want to board the ship until the next day, and by the time it was time to board, the Spirit had already sailed into Irish waters.

Exit the Blue Fox Hotel, then walk through a small courtyard, exit the courtyard door that opens into the alley, Harry Markle and Coty go one way, John Carpenter and Ranya Coker go the other Go, because they think it's better to go separately, and they can get rid of the police first and then go to the pier.Their meeting place was by the approach bridge, where the boat and six accomplices were waiting for them.The boatswain has stopped at Queenstown many times and is familiar with the geographical environment. Harry Markle and Coty walked to the upper end of the road again, which was particularly smooth, because the lowest end of the road connected to the pier had been blocked by the police.

There are already many police officers occupying this road.There are more and more onlookers on both sides of the road.They were men and women from this densely populated area who wanted to see the pirates captured firsthand.The pirates were from the Helifa ship and escaped from the custody of the naval prison. In a few minutes, Harry Markle and Coty fled to the top of the road, which was clear and unlit.Then they took a road that ran parallel to this one, and then went down in the direction of the pier. Every step they took, they could hear the group of people chatting on twitter.Although those people were all floating population in a certain seaside city, they spoke mercilessly to the criminals who committed crimes.But it shouldn't surprise anyone that Harry Markle and Coty don't care much about public opinion.Harry Markle and Coty only want to avoid running into the police first, and they want to get to the rendezvous point second, so it doesn't seem like a fugitive.

Harry Markle and Coty walked out of the residence alone after leaving the Blue Fox Hotel, because they must have continued along the road to reach the pier.When they got to the top of the road, they came together, and then they both ran straight towards the approach bridge. There are almost no people on this pier, and several gas lamps emit dim light.Not a single fishing boat is returning to port, and there won't be any in two or three hours.The high tide has not yet begun to appear. Small boats are unlikely to be hit by returning fishing boats as they cross Cockle Bay. "From here," Coty said, pointing to the left, "from where there is a port signal light, go further forward, there is a high ground, and the lighthouse is the entrance to Queenstown."

"Is it far?..." Harry Markle asked. "Five or six hundred steps." "I don't see John Carpenter, I don't see Ranya Coker..." "Maybe they didn't go down the road to the docks? . . . " "They probably took a detour...they're going to delay our business..." "Unless they've reached the approach bridge..." Coty said. "Let's go," said Harry Markle. So they continued walking, but paid attention to avoiding the few pedestrians, because the pedestrians were going to the noisy residential area near the Blue Fox Hotel.

A minute later, Harry Markle and Coty walked to the pier and stopped.The other six were there, lying in the boat and keeping it afloat, even when the tide was low.Because it will be easier for them to get on the ship. "Didn't you see John Carpenter and Ranya Kirk? . . . " asked Coty. "No," said a sailor, pulling the hawser to his feet. "They can't be far away," said Harry Markle. "Let's just stay here and wait." It was dimly lit here, and it was impossible for them to be spotted. Six minutes passed without seeing the bosun and cook, which made everyone uneasy.They got caught? ...There is no thought of abandoning them...Besides, Harry Markle doesn't have many people to grab the ship. If the crew of the Spirit refuses to be captured without a fight, they still need to deal with it.

It was almost nine o'clock.The night was thick, and there were more and more clouds in the sky, and they were motionless.If it does not rain, something like a light mist descends on the waters of the bay.Such weather conditions are good for the fugitives, although they may not find it easy to find the Spirit's anchorage. "Where's the boat?..." Harry Markle asked. "There," Coty said, pointing southeast. Yes, the boat could be seen as it approached, for there must have been a signal light hanging from the forestay. Coty, agitated, went ashore again and walked the fifty paces toward the houses by the quay, many of which had lights in their windows.Coty came to a junction.John Carpenter and Chef might be back down the road.

When someone came down that road, Coty wondered if one of them would come back if they got separated.At this time, the boatswain was probably waiting for his partner, because his partner did not know how to find the boat under the approach bridge. Coty didn't dare to walk forward ostentatiously, so he could only follow the wall, carefully listening to the movement, while tiptoeing forward.At any moment, the police may suddenly arrive.The police searched all the hotels, big and small, but found nothing. They will definitely come to the pier to continue their search and check the ships moored at the pier.

At this time, Harry Markle and others probably thought they were going to be unlucky, and immediately became alert. In fact, there was an uproar at the end of Blue Fox Street.The crowd immediately flocked to the place where the noise was loud.At this time, a gas lamp was burning at the corner of the houses in front, and it was not too dark here. Harry Markle stayed on the side of the pier and could see what was going on.Besides, Coty had no intention of showing himself in the midst of the confusion where he might be recognized, so he immediately turned and walked back. At the climax of the row, the police arrested two men, held them firmly and led them towards the other side of the pier.

The two men struggled and refused to obey.Besides the two of them yelling, there were about 20 other people who were also yelling, not knowing whether to defend them or to blame them.The two fellows might be the boatswain and the cook, but there was some truth in the idea. Sure enough, as Harry Markle’s friends expected, one of his friends started talking: "They got caught...they got caught..." "How to save them?..." asked an accomplice. "Lie down!" ordered Harry Markle. Prudence, because if John Carpenter and the cook fell into the hands of the police, then the police would deduce from this that other gangsters were nearby, and that they had not left the city, would search all the way to the docks and check the various places. No boats are moored, and no sailing is allowed, fishing boats and cargo ships are without exception.In this way, the fugitive will be found soon. Harry Markle isn't freaking out. A few minutes passed while his companions lay in the cabin, under the cover of night, so as not to be seen, but they thought it was a long time.The noise on the pier continued unabated.Those two guys who got arrested have been struggling.The booing of the crowd was unbearable for them.It seems that the booing is aimed at the bad guys of Markle's criminal gang. At times, Harry Markle thought he recognized the voices of John Carpenter and Ranya Kirk.Were they brought back to the approach bridge? ... Did the police know that their accomplice was hiding on a certain boat? …Are they all going to be captured and sent back to a prison from which they cannot escape a second time? ... The uproar finally subsided.The police took the two men they had captured on Blue Fox Avenue back across the pier. Harry Markle and seven other accomplices face little threat for now. What should we do now? … Whether the bosun and the cook were arrested or not, they didn’t come back anyway … There are two less people, and in a disadvantaged situation, can Harry Markle continue to touch the “Smart” and try to accidentally find the “Smart” at the berth? , eight people to realize ten people to do is already bold enough to grab the ship plan? ... In any case, the boat must be used to get away, drive the boat to some stopping point in the bay, and then abandon the boat and flee into the middle of nowhere. Before deciding what to do, Harry Markle boarded the approach bridge again and found no one along the pier, so he was about to get on the boat again and tried to sail the boat out to sea, when two people appeared at the corner of the road.That road is on the right side of the street that Coty and Harry Markle walked on. Those two men turned out to be John Carpenter and Ranya Kirk.They were walking quickly towards the approach bridge.Not a single policeman followed them.The two people arrested by the police were sailors. They just beat the third sailor at the Blue Fox Hotel. They told Harry Markle briefly what happened.When the boatswain and the cook reached the intersection, the police blocked the road, and it was impossible to get to the dock by this road.So the two of them turned around and walked back until they reached the small alley, which had already been blocked by other policemen, so they simply ran to the high place in the residential area.Hence the lateness that almost screwed everything up. "Get on board!" Harry Markle said without saying much. In the blink of an eye, John Carpenter, Ranya Coker and himself were on board.Four people stood at the bow of the boat, holding their prepared wooden oars.The mooring lines were immediately released.The boatswain was at the helm, with Harry Markle and the rest standing beside him. The tide hasn't set yet.If the low tide lasts half an hour, the boat will have time to reach the small bay of Farma, since the distance between the two places is at most two nautical miles.The fugitives would surely discover the Spirit's anchorage, and possibly surprise the ship before the crew could fight back. John Carpenter knew the terrain of the bay well enough to be sure to steer his boat into Farma Cove, even in the darkness of night, going south and east.Of course, any ship can see the prescribed signal lights hanging high on the bow when it is moored in the bay or port. The last lights of Queenstown were lost in the mist as the boat drifted away from the bay.There was not a breath of wind, and there was not a wave on the water of the bay.Everything is silent, and the sea is very peaceful. Twenty minutes after leaving the approach bridge, the boat stopped. John Carpenter half straightened up and said: "Signal lights...there..." A white light shone fifteen feet or so above the water, about two hundred meters from the boat. The boat traveled a hundred meters forward and stopped. There was no doubt that the ship was the Ingenuity.For sources said that no other ship was at anchor at Farma Cove at this time.So the problem is to get close to it without alarming the crew.It is possible that the crew is not on board in foggy weather.But there was at least one man on deck watch, whose attention must be avoided.With the oars back in, the current should be strong enough to push the boat closer to the side of the Spirit. In fact, in less than a minute, Harry Markle and his accomplices were able to get close to the starboard rear of the Spirit, and without being detected or heard, they easily climbed up the bulwark, and when the sailors on duty found out the situation Cut it off before calling the police. The boat had just dropped anchor and turned around.The first waves appeared, but brought no sea breeze.The Ingenuity was still bowing toward the entrance of the Great Bay, and her stern was facing the depths of Farma Cove with a headland to the southeast beyond.This headland had to be rounded to get out to sea and take the boat to the St. George's Canal. At this time, it was dark and the lights were out, and the boat was approaching the "Smart" from the starboard rear side, and there was a signal light hanging on the forecastle's foremast shroud, which flickered on and off when it rained heavily at Monson. It was very quiet, not a single sound could be heard.Harry Markle and his accomplices approached the Spirit, but did not alert the sailors on duty.Yet they murmured that their presence would be noticed.It is possible that the sailors on duty heard a slight sound of surf and came over to check casually. They heard his footsteps coming along the bulwarks.The figure of the sailor on duty appeared on the rear deck in an instant, and then he leaned out of the railing, turning his head left and right, like a person who wants to see something... Harry Markle and his accomplices lay on the thwarts of the boat.Even if the watchman wouldn't spot Harry Markle and company, he'd be sure to spot the boat and call his mates on the foredeck over, even if it was to tie up a boat that was drifting with the wind.The crew will try to stop the boat as it drifts by, but stumbling upon Harry Markle and their small boat is probably out of the question. Even so, Harry Markle will never give up on his plans.Because the robbing of the Spirit was a matter of life and death for him and his accomplices, they would never go away unless it was absolutely necessary.They would rush to the deck as if they were the first to be beaten, and fight, and quite possibly with all the advantage. Besides, the odds are turning in their favour.The watchman, after remaining a moment on the quarterdeck, returned to his watch on the foredeck. They didn't hear him calling for the others, and he didn't see the boat drifting in the dark. A minute or so later, the boat was sailing along the side of the Spirit, when suddenly, as it went, it was blocked by the transverse cables of the mainmast.Here it may be easier to climb aboard with the help of the shroud stays. Even so, the Ingenuity was only six feet above the waterline, barely above the copper-clad hull of the ship.Harry Markle and his accomplices stood on tiptoe, stretched out their hands, grasped it firmly, jumped hard, and fell to the deck. Once the boat is securely moored, the waves will not push it into the great bay.The fugitives fastened the machetes they stole after breaking out of prison to their belts, and were ready to fight.Coty was the first to step over the railing, and the others followed suit deftly.The sailors on watch neither saw nor heard them. After clearing the railing, they crawled along the corridor, making their way slowly towards the forecastle.There sat the watchman, with his back against the capstan capstan, almost asleep. John Carpenter was the first to reach the watchman and stabbed him severely in the chest.The poor sailor, wounded in the heart, fell on the deck without a cry, and after a few convulsions, died. As for Harry Markle and two others, Coty and Ranya Kirk, they made it to the back deck.Coty whispered: "Now kill the captain." Captain Paxson's cabin was in the port corner below the quarterdeck, accessible through an open door in the corner of the crew lounge.His cabin had a window looking out onto the deck.There was a drapery over the window, and an oil lamp on a double ring, and a faint light shone through the window. Captain Paxson was still awake at this time, and was sorting out the ship's certificates for the voyage, so that when the passengers arrived, they could raise the sails and set sail when the morning tide came together. Suddenly, the cabin door slammed open. Before he could realize what was going on, Harry Markle's machete was on his neck. He shouted hoarsely: "Help!...Help!..." The people on board immediately heard his shout, and five or six sailors pushed open the hatch and rushed out.Coty and the other gangsters waited at the door of the cabin, came out and knocked down one by one. The sailors were beaten to the ground before the gangsters even touched a finger. In the blink of an eye, six sailors were lying on the deck.Several of them were seriously injured, trembling with fright, screaming in pain. Who can hear their cries?Even if someone heard it, in the middle of the night, in the dark, and the Spirit was moored at the top of Falma Cove, how to rescue it? ... Six sailors and the captain are not the entire crew.There may be three or four people staying in the crew cabin and not daring to come out... They couldn't resist, and were finally driven out by the gangsters. In an instant, the deck was stained red with the blood of eleven people. "Throw the body into the sea! . . . " Coty yelled. Then he was about to throw the body over the side of the boat. "Wait a minute!..." Harry Markle said to Coty, "throw them down now, the waves will wash them to the pier...we'll just wait for the low tide, and the tide will carry them into the sea."