The Sea-Devils by Malcolm Hulke

Author:Malcolm Hulke
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science Fiction
ISBN: 9780426113089
Publisher: Target Books
Published: 1983-05-15T10:00:00+00:00

7 Captain Hart Becomes Suspicious

‘What exactly will I be looking for, sir?’ asked young Lieutenant Ridgway.

‘That’s a good question,’ said Captain Hart. ‘But if I knew the answer to that, I wouldn’t be sending you there to look.’

At Captain Hart’s request, a submarine had arrived from Portsmouth. The captain was Lieutenant Robin Ridgway, R.N., whose boyish looks unnerved Captain Hart; it was incredible to think that a young man who but a few years ago was in his school XI was now entrusted with millions of pounds’ worth of naval equipment. He had explained the situation to Ridgway—the sinking of the ships and the continual mechanical problems on the oil-rig. What he had not explained was the existence of the Sea-Devils, because he did not want the young lieutenant to think he was a fool.

Lieutenant Ridgway referred again to the sea-bed charts on the wall of Captain Hart’s office. ‘I suppose there could be some geological explanation,’ he said, more thinking aloud than making a definite statement. ‘A movement in the sea-bed, perhaps, or some magnetic phenomenon.’

‘I take it you’re equipped with hearing and seeing aids?’ said Captain Hart.

‘Television eyes,’ affirmed the lieutenant, ‘and underwater “ears”. Plus sonar, of course.’

‘Good.’ Captain Hart stood up, to indicate that the briefing was over. ‘I want you to radio me a full report the moment you re-surface.’

‘Yes, sir,’ said Ridgway.

‘All right,’ said Captain Hart. ‘Carry on. And good luck.’

‘Thank you, sir.’ Ridgway turned smartly and left the office, with a nod of farewell to W.R.N. Jane Blythe.

Jane waited until Ridgway had closed the door behind him. ‘You didn’t think it better to tell Lieutenant Ridgway about the Sea-Devils, sir?’

‘I don’t think they can do any harm to a submarine—if they exist,’ replied Captain Hart. ‘Do you feel I’ve sent him into danger unforewarned?’

‘It’s not for me to say that, sir,’ said Jane.

‘I may be wrong,’ said the Captain, ‘but look at it this way: if I’d told him what we have only heard, and have never seen for ourselves, is it possible he might imagine he was seeing Sea-Devils? You see, this way we shall get an objective report.’

‘Yes, sir,’ said Jane, clearly not convinced that what Captain Hart had done was right. ‘If I may mention something else, sir: isn’t it time that the Doctor and Miss Grant were back here? They’ve been gone rather a long while.’

Captain Hart gave thought to that. ‘Give Trenchard a ring. Find out whether they got to him, and when they left.’

While Captain Hart took up his favourite position at the window, and watched young Lieutenant Ridgway return to the submarine now berthed alongside the quay, Jane Blythe telephoned Mr. Trenchard. Then she reported to Captain Hart.

‘Mr. Trenchard says that they’ve been to see him, and now gone back to London, sir.’ She added significantly, ‘He mentioned that he personally called a taxi for them, to take them back to the quay in the village.’

Captain Hart turned slowly from the window. ‘He called a taxi for

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