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Updated: May 23, 2025
It goes without saying that no one imagined that Count d'Artigas was none other than Ker Karraje, the former pirate of the Pacific, and that Engineer Serko was the most formidable and resolute of his accomplices.
A couple of steamers passed, sending up volumes of black smoke and myriads of sparks from their double stacks, and lashing the water into foam with their powerful paddles. At eight o'clock the Count d'Artigas appeared on the schooner's deck accompanied by a man about fifty years of age, to whom he remarked: "It is time to go, Serko." "Very well, I will tell Spade," replied Serko.
At twenty-five minutes past seven: Ker Karraje, Engineer Serko and Captain Spade advance to the extremity of the point, where they sweep the north-western horizon with their telescopes. Behind them the six trestles are installed, in the grooves of which are Roch's autopropulsive engines.
Then he adds in an imperious tone: "Tell me what occurred!" "In the first place, tell me what became of the others." "What others?" replies Serko, glancing at me savagely. "Why, those men who threw themselves upon Thomas Roch and me, who gagged, bound, and carried us off and shut us up, I know not where?"
I push the door open and clamber up the iron ladder to the deck, just as the men are battening down the cover of the hold. I look for the Count d'Artigas, but do not see him. He has not yet left his cabin. Aft, Captain Spade and Engineer Serko are superintending the stowing of some bales, which have doubtless been hoisted from the hold.
From the extremity of New-Berne quay the crew might have been seen holystoning the deck, after which they loosened the reef lines, under the direction of Effrondat, the boatswain, hoisted in the boats and cleared the halyards. At eight o'clock the Count d'Artigas had not yet appeared on deck. His companion, Serko the engineer, as he was called on board, had not quitted his cabin.
As this thought flashed through my mind, Ker Karraje said: "Very well, Serko, and if it becomes necessary some day to defend Back Cup and prevent any ship from approaching it . It is true," he went on, without finishing the reflection, "our retreat would have to have been discovered by accident or by denunciation." "We have nothing to fear either from accident or denunciation," affirmed Serko.
The effect is that of the Zalinski shell, but centupled by the infinite power of Roch's fulgurator. What shouts the bandits raise as they rush towards the extremity of the point! Ker Karraje, Engineer Serko, and Captain Spade remain rooted to the spot, hardly able to credit the evidence of their own eyes.
It was accompanied by a sharp detonation that may be compared to the report of a cannon. The first charge used, although a very small one, a mere pinch, blew the men in every direction, and two of them were seriously injured. Engineer Serko himself was projected several yards, and sustained some rather severe contusions.
"That is not my opinion," I replied, in order to bring him to the question that I wanted to put to him. "Why?" he demanded. "Because if your retreat were known a fresh attempt, if not to penetrate to the cavern, at least to destroy Back Cup, would ere this have been made." "Destroy it!" cried Serko. "It would be a dangerous undertaking, in view of the means of defence of which we now dispose."
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