Dennis Wheatley: The White Witch of the South Seas

When they reached the harbour Gregory said, `What we have to do is to prevent Lacost from taking alarm, ordering the yacht to forge full speed ahead and shooting us to pieces before there is time for our flotilla to come up. I've had one idea how we might achieve that. Whether it will come off or not, God alone knows. If it doesn't, you and I will be dead within the next half hour. But I see no alternative to trying it. To play this trick I'll need two pieces of strong fishing net, each about twenty feet square, and a dozen pieces of wire all about three metres long and a third of a centimetre thick:

Beckoning to one of his men who normally was a wharf hand, James told him what was required; and he went off to knock up a nearby ship chandler, who would have the type of wire required, and who could quickly cut it into lengths.. Aleamotu'a then joined James, and Gregory briefed them on the tactics that he had thought out.

The Ratu's cabin cruiser was to be used by the two of them, James' coxswain and Kalabo. The, boat was to approach the Boa Viagem unaccompanied, and tie up under her stern. James was to parley with Lacost and refuse, for the time being, to go on board. He was to show the licence, upon which Lacost would say that it was useless to him without a transfer. James would then go into the small cabin and spend several minutes writing one out. Lacost would require that it be witnessed. James would have this done by Kalabo and his coxswain. Next, James would refuse to hand over the papers until Olinda was lowered into the boat. It was certain that Lacost, suspecting that he meant to make off with her, would refuse. An argument, which James was to keep going as long as possible, would then ensue. When they reached stalemate James was to flash a torch on to the papers and hold it there for some moments, pretending to do so in order that Lacost, by peering over the stern rail, might see that they were in order, then offer to hand them up simultaneously with Olinda being put over the side. As Lacost leaned over, James was to drop the papers, throw the torch high into the air, leap up, seize Lacost by the wrists and endeavour to drag him over into the boat. If he succeeded he was to hold Lacost in front of him as a shield against being fired upon.

Meanwhile, the other nine most speedy motor boats in the harbour would have been manned. The crew of each was to take with it two or three anchors from small rowing boats and canoes. These, with lengths of thick rope attached to them, were, when the boats came alongside the yacht, to be thrown up as grapples, so that they would catch on the rail of the yacht and boarding parties could swarm up the ropes dangling from them.

The flotilla was to muster on the inner side of the mole. Two watchmen were to be stationed on it. When they saw the light of James' torch, as he threw it up into the air, that would be the signal. Led by Aleamotu'a, the boats were to round the end of the mole and make at all possible speed for the yacht. Each crew was to act independently of the others, board the yacht and show no mercy to the Colons, capturingg them if they surrendered or killing them without hesitation should they put up the least resistance.

Aleamotu'a translated into Nakapoan such parts of Gregory's instructions as applied to the main force, shouting them so that all could hear. They responded eagerly, crying 'Bole! Bole!', beating their chests and each boastfully declaring that he would kill two three four Colons at the least.

As they dispersed to make their preparations, Gregory's party went on board James' cruiser, taking with them the pieces of fishing net and wire for which Gregory had asked. Five minutes later the cruiser rounded the end of the mole and headed towards the Boa Viagem, the position of which could be seen by her riding lights as she lay at anchor about a mile away.

Gregory went into the low cabin, took off his clothes and emerged a few minutes later, stark naked. As he appeared, James exclaimed anxiously, `What on earth…! Oh, my dear friend! What are you about to do?

'Have a dip,' Gregory smiled. `The wash from our propeller will scare off any sharks that may be about. I shall be dropping over the side when we get to within about two hundred yards of the yacht. You must slow down so that I can continue to hang on. Then I want you to drape the bundles of fishing net over each side of the boat's bows so that they look like bumpers.'

`How do you mean to use them?'

`You'll see, if my idea comes off. I wish to God that we had half a dozen of the gendarmes' grenades, but we couldn't possibly spare the time to dig old Elboeuf out of bed and get his authority for the police to let us have them. Still, I'm hoping the nets will serve our purpose.'

By then they were within a quarter of a mile of the Boa Viagem. They could make out her outline quite clearly, but there was no sign of the Pigalle, so evidently the Colons had by this time transferred the treasure to the other yacht and had scuttled their old tub.

A few minutes later the cruiser slowed down and Gregory slipped overboard into the warm sea, with the lengths of thin wire looped round his neck.

As they approached the yacht, a hail came from her and a small beam light was switched on; but when it focused on the boat Gregory could not be seen as his head was below her gunwale and he was being drawn along with her only by the clutching fingers of one hand on it.

James answered the hail and was told to come alongside. Instead his coxswain brought the boat close in under the stern of the yacht. As the beam of light showed clearly that there were only three men in the boat and none of them was carrying arms, no protest was made at this manoeuvre. A moment later, Lacost, holding a pistol in one hand, was peering down into her and speaking in French to James.

The conversation between them proceeded on the lines that Gregory had planned. Meanwhile, he had drawn the whole of one of the bundles of fishing net into the water and, as swiftly as he could, was wrapping it round the starboard propeller of the yacht. It was no easy task as the propeller, being well under water, could not be seen in the darkness caused by the overhang of the stern of the yacht, and every minute or two he had to come up for air.

When he had managed, as well as he could, to entangle the propeller in many folds of net, he twisted six of the lengths of wire round the bundle to keep it in place.

Coming up for a longer breather, he listened anxiously to the conversation going on above. It had reached the stage where Lacost, now angry and impatient, was telling James that the transfer of the licence he had just written out would not be legal unless it was witnessed.

Swiftly Gregory dived under the prow, came up on the far side and drew the other bundle of net down into the water. Alternately going right under, fumbling wildly in the dark, then coming up to gasp in air, he fouled the port propeller in the same way as he had the starboard one.

But after having firmly twisted together the ends of four lengths of wire he felt he dare stay no longer, and surfaced with the two remaining lengths of wire still round his neck. Immediately he saw that a stronger light glowed in the vicinity of the boat, so knew that the critical stage had been reached when James would be holding up the documents for Lacost to see, and shining his powerful torch upon them.

A moment later the light dimmed, for James had thrown his torch high into the air. There came a cry, the crack of a pistol and a tremendous thump. That told Gregory that Lacost had fallen into the trap that had been set for him. James had jumped, grabbed Lacost's wrists and pulled him over the rail so that they had crashed on to the deck together. But that shot. Had James been killed or wounded?

In awful suspense Gregory waited, holding on to the prow of the boat with one hand. He heard the sounds of curses and a struggle only a few feet above his head. Excited, angry shouts came from the stern of the yacht. Then James' voice came clear and loud