The second tug suffered a similar fate; but just then a lifting of the fog revealed the presence of the ss. _Wontwash_.
For a few moments all was confusion, the crowd of men on the _Impregnable's_ deck running below to hide themselves from the inquisitive gaze of the undesirable steamer. The Dutchmen, thinking that assistance was at hand, began to clamour for aid, till quieted by the silent threat of a revolver being pointed at them.
Seizing a megaphone the leader of the pirates--for that they were to all intents and purposes--sprang upon the fore-bridge.
"You vill clear out of dis!" he shouted. "No vant 'elp; go 'way."
The _Wontwash's_ skipper was completely taken aback. Naturally he was at first under the impression that the tramp alongside the _Impregnable_ was engaged in salvage work, and did not want outside interference that might lead to reduction of the salvage court's award; but when he saw that the steamer alongside bore no name, and that the men were far in excess of the number of an ordinary crew, and, in addition, armed, he decided that discretion was the better part of valour, and promptly did as he had been peremptorily told--he sheered off.
Directly the _Wontwash_ was lost to view in the still thick haze men were lowered over the taffrail of the vessel that had effected the seizure of the battle-cruiser, and the words "_Steephill Castle_, Hull," were prominently painted on her stern. Ere this was completed the final stages of transferring the stores were finished, and the _Impregnable's_ propellers began to revolve slowly.
The vessels then parted company, the pseudo _Steephill Castle_ proceeding up Channel, while the _Impregnable_, steaming at a steady fifteen knots, headed due south.
Forty miles from the Sussex shore she eased down. The word _Impregnable_ was erased from her stern and _Independencia_ substituted. Her crew were mustered aft, divided into port and starboard watches, and told off to their respective quarters. The men were literally the scum of the Mediterranean ports--Greeks, Italians, Spaniards, Algerines, and Egyptians, with a renegade Englishman (formerly a naval petty officer) as bo'sun. The officers were mostly Spaniards, the captain being a native of Barcelona, and a member of a formidable Anarchist society.