Disabled
Not a sound came from the lips of the crew. Holding on to what came
nearest to hand, they steadied themselves until the submerged craft
ceased her violent motion. To add to the horror of the situation, the
concussion had broken most of the electric lamps, and practically the
whole of the interior of the submarine was plunged into darkness, save
for the fitful sparking of the electric motors.
Yet there was no irresistible inrush of the sea. Somewhere aft could
be distinguished the hiss of water as a thin stream forced its way
through a strained seam.
"She's stood it, lads!" exclaimed the Lieutenant-Commander cheerily.
Producing an electric torch from his pocket the skipper flashed it on
the depth gauge. The indicator registered seventy feet, and the vessel
was still descending.
"Stop both engines!" he ordered. "Blow auxiliary tanks!"
Slowly the downward movement ceased, and upon regaining a depth of
sixty feet the order was given to "stand by".
"Starboard horizontal rudder has jibbed, sir," announced one of the
crew.
"Bow diving-planes all right?" asked Huxtable.
"I think so, sir."
"Very good. Hello! There's the fun about to commence."
The remark was caused by the muffled sounds of bursting shell. The
Turks, alarmed by the explosion, had opened a frantic fire upon the
spot where the column of water, hurled high in the air by the
detonation, had subsided.
"Let them waste their precious ammunition!" remarked the
Lieutenant-Commander grimly. "We're as safe as houses here."
"Except that we haven't a back door," thought Dick, whose views upon
the subject of mine-dodging had undergone a sudden and complete change.
Meanwhile one of the engine-room artificers had been busily engaged in
fitting new lamps. Fortunately, none of the electric wiring had been
damaged, and in a short space of time the interior of the submarine was
once more flooded with light.
Already the leak had been stopped, while examination showed that no
serious damage had been done to the plating or framework.
"Can't understand how a mine was submerged to that depth," remarked
Devereux, the Acting Sub-lieutenant of the submarine, to Dick, "unless
it had become partially water-logged. We must have hit it fair and
square. The skipper's patent gadget saved us."
"It won't do so again--at least, on the port side," said Dick. "I
guess it's blown to blazes."
"Well, we'll see presently," rejoined Devereux. "When the Turks have
finished this rumpus and we're a little farther on our weary way, we're
going to ascend for a breather. It may be the last chance for a couple
of days or so."
An hour later, having penetrated well into the Sea of Marmora, the
skipper gave orders for the vessel to be brought awash. It wanted one
hour and forty-five minutes to sunrise, so that in order to take
advantage of the dark, the breathing-space had to be limited to
three-quarters of an hour--unless suddenly curtailed by the approach of
any hostile craft.
The crew assembled on deck in watches, every man drinking in the pure
night air--not that the atmosphere 'tween decks was impure, for, thanks
to the chemical processes to safeguard the crew, the air was wholesome
and capable of being endured without discomfort for days, should
occasion arise. Nevertheless the gallant and daring men lost no chance
of getting into the open air: for one reason, it economized the oxygen
purifiers; for another, the men never knew when a similar chance might
occur again.
While the submarine was running on the surface, thereby saving the
dynamos, since she was being propelled by the petrol engines,
opportunity was taken to examine the damage caused by the explosion of
the mine.
It was found that one of the fore-and-aft girders had been shattered
for a length of nearly fifteen feet, and some of the connecting braces
and struts had been twisted and buckled. In addition, one of the
horizontal rudders had been bent almost to a semicircle, a fact that
accounted for the submarine's failure to maintain a given depth without
use of the auxiliary ballast.
"Your device saved us, sir," remarked Crosthwaite. "Close contact with
that mine would have pulverized the plating."
"Yes, it has," assented Huxtable. "But unfortunately it wouldn't serve
its purpose a second time if we found a mine in the same spot. More
than that, the shattered girder is an encumbrance. Instead of warding
off the mooring wire of an anchored mine, that jagged projection would
foul it, for a moral cert. It will have to come off while we've a
chance. We must also unship the damaged rudder and do our best to bend
it straight again. If we cannot, it would be better to do without it,
and rely upon the port horizontal rudder and the two bow diving-planes."
"Will it interfere with the manoeuvring of the vessel?" asked Dick.
"Certainly, but only to a certain extent. We won't be able to dive so
promptly, but that is all. Needless to say I would rather get the
thing ship-shape, if it can be done."
While the artificers were busily engaged in cutting away the after
portion of the damaged girder, and rounding off the broken part that
terminated nearly abaft the after quick-firing gun, others of the crew
rigged up a pair of sheerlegs and proceeded to unship the injured
rudder, the engines being stopped and the submarine trimmed by its head
to enable this to be done.
It was soon evident that the men at their disposal were not sufficient
to straighten out the buckled plate. It was a job which would have to
be undertaken at Malta Dockyard, should the submarine have the good
fortune to return from her hazardous mission.
"Hard lines!" muttered Huxtable. Then aloud he exclaimed: "Pass the
thing below, lads; what can't be cured must be endured."
The useless rudder was lowered through the torpedo hatch, all lights
below being switched off during the operation, lest a stray beam should
reveal the presence of the British craft to an alert hostile ship or
battery.
Presently one of the artificers appeared and saluted the
Lieutenant-Commander.
"Is that you, Parsons?" asked the latter, for in the gloom he was
unable to distinguish the petty officer's features.
"Yes, sir," replied the artificer. "I'd like to make a suggestion,
sir, about that damaged rudder."
"Carry on, then."
"We've a piece of steel plating in the engine-room--a part of the floor
over the lubricating-oil tanks. It's just about the size of the
rudder--a question of a few inches either way at the very outside. I
thought we might perhaps drill it, and use the braces that came off the
old rudder."
"How long will it take you?" asked the skipper.
"A matter of twenty minutes to drill the holes, sir, and say another
twenty to ship the thing and connect up the rods."
"Good--carry on!" said Huxtable encouragingly.
The artificer hurried below, and, assisted by willing hands, proceeded
with the self-imposed task. The work had to be done as silently as
possible, lest the noise, travelling far on the quiet night air, should
betray their presence.
"Capital man that!" remarked the Lieutenant-Commander to Dick. "I
wouldn't mind betting a month's pay that he'll turn out the complete
job before the elapse of the time he mentioned. Otherwise I wouldn't
care to let him tackle it, for it will be dawn very soon. Fortunately,
it looks a bit misty. I shouldn't be surprised if we have a thick haze
when the sun rises, in which case we can afford to keep on the surface
a little longer."
His prognostics were correct, for with the first blush of dawn a
low-lying layer of vapour began to roll across the surface of the sea.
The submarine, rendered invisible even at a short distance, was fairly
safe from surprise, since the sound-conducting properties of
moisture-laden atmosphere would enable her crew to detect the approach
of another vessel by the thud of her engines long before she came
within observation.
"May as well enjoy a smoke, Crosthwaite," remarked Huxtable, producing
a cigarette-case. "It's a good chance, since it's too light for the
glimmer of a cigarette to be detected, even if there were no mists
hanging about. Mr. Devereux, you might pass the word for the hands on
deck to smoke."
Gladly the thoughtful concession on the part of the skipper was acted
upon. The men, producing pipes and cigarettes, fully appreciated the
order, since smoking and the use of matches were rigidly forbidden down
below, owing to the danger of petrol fumes.
Presently the sun rose above the hills on the Asiatic shore, shedding
streaks of crimson across the eastern sky. Athwart the rays wisps of
ragged clouds and "wind-galls" betokened rough weather at no distant
date.
"I hear we're having a shot at Constantinople, sir," remarked Farnworth
to Dick. "Mr. Devereux has been telling me that we're also going to
have a look at Scutari. Won't the Turks have a surprise!"
"Naturally," replied Dick. "And we've a lot in our favour. They'll
take it for granted that a Russian submarine has been operating from
the Black Sea, and consequently they will devote all their energies to
preventing her return through the Bosphorus. That will give us a
rattling good chance to get back without being detected. By the by,
how are you feeling--fit?"
"Spiffing!" replied the midshipman. "I really must have a shot for the
submarine branch after this. The only thing I feel I want to do is to
stretch my legs."
"I should have thought you had enough of that when we tramped over the
hills from Medjidieh," remarked the Sub.
"That's just it--too much at one time and not enough the next. The
result is that I'm as stiff as blazes for want of homeopathic
treatment."
The midshipman, who, like his brother officer, had taken an early
opportunity to discard his captured German uniform, was arrayed in a
pair of trousers belonging to Devereux--which fitted only where they
touched--and a sweater. Yet, strangely enough, the cap lent him by the
Acting Sub of the submarine was much too small for him, owing to the
fact that his head had not regained its normal size after the blow he
had received on the occasion of the "little scrap" in Yenikeui Bay.
With some minutes to the good, Parsons re-appeared on deck and reported
that the rudder was ready to be shipped. With the aid of half a dozen
seamen, the metal plate was whipped on deck and taken aft. Here, by
dint of working up to their knees in water, the artificers succeeded in
bolting it in position, and the preliminary trial of the actuating rods
gave promise of success.
"Excellent, Parsons!" declared the Lieutenant-Commander warmly. "I'll
take advantage of the first opportunity and report to the Admiral upon
your zeal and ingenuity."
Ordering the hands to their stations, Huxtable brought the craft awash
and had the motors re-started. At a modest five knots, since speed was
no object, the submarine resumed her course. Huxtable's plan was to
submerge as soon as Prince's Island--one of a group about ten or twelve
miles to the south-east of the Ottoman capital--came in sight, and
remain on the bed of the sea until daybreak on the following day.
Then, taking advantage of the early light, he would approach, with the
periscope frequently showing, until he "spotted" his prey--which he
hoped would be the recreant German battle-cruiser _Goeben_, or, failing
that, the _Breslau_.
About mid-day Prince's Island hove in sight. The submarine, having
taken her bearings, dived to avoid a fleet of feluccas evidently
engaged in fishing; for only upon the supposedly impregnable Sea of
Marmora did the Turkish fishermen--all of them too old to be called
upon to serve in the Ottoman navy--dare to ply their business. The
fear of Russian destroyers had long before swept the Black Sea clear of
all Turkish merchantmen and small craft.
"May as well have a look round before we dive," declared Huxtable, as
the submarine reached her desired temporary resting-place. "The sun's
right behind us, and the glare will effectually prevent anyone on shore
from spotting our periscope. I'm rather curious to know what that
square tower is, and whether it is armed."
Two hundred yards only from the lurking submarine the shore rose with
comparative steepness from the sea. According to the chart there was a
depth of eight fathoms up to within twenty yards of the south side of
the island, and owing to a faint southerly current, caused by the
discharge of the pent-up waters of the Bosphorus into the wide expanse
of the Sea of Marmora, the water in the vicinity of the group of
islands was thick, and tinged with a sandy deposit, rendering it well
adapted for purposes of submarine concealment.
Dead ahead was a small creek, on the eastern side of which was an old
stone tower, about thirty feet in height and capped by a loopholed
parapet. On this flew the Ottoman Crescent, while the sun glinted upon
the bayonet of a befezzed sentry as he leisurely paced the ground in
front of the low gateway. At the water's edge below the tower was a
rough wooden pier of less than twenty yards in length. It was in a
very decrepit condition, for several of the piles were raking at
alarming angles, while the single handrail in several places had broken
away from its supports.
Even as the officers of the submarine kept the tower and its vicinity
under observation the sentry began to show signs of alacrity. He
shouted something--although no sound reached the confined space of the
submerged vessel--and pointed sea-wards. Instantly Huxtable grasped
the wheel of the diving gear, at the same time ordering the men to
"stand by".
But it was not on account of the submarine that the Turkish sentry gave
the alarm, for other soldiers, to the number of about a dozen, appeared
and pointed seawards, but not in the direction of the lurking craft.
One of them entered the tower, and presently hoisted a signal from the
stumpy flagstaff.
Training the periscope astern, the Lieutenant-Commander discovered the
reason for the excitement ashore. A small paddle-steamer was
approaching from the direction of the Bosphorus.
"A representative of the Ottoman navy," said Huxtable with a laugh.
"Etiquette demands that we should not intrude, so we'll make ourselves
scarce."
Quickly, yet with hardly a swirl to denote her position, the submarine
sank to the bed of the Sea of Marmora. Ten minutes later the dull thud
of the steamer's paddles announced the fact that she was passing almost
over her unsuspected enemy.
"We'll have another squint at her," decided the skipper. "It will be
fairly safe to do so, since the Turks will be fully occupied with the
visit of the vessel."
As soon as the periscope showed a foot above the water the
Lieutenant-Commander took a lengthy survey. Then he turned to
Crosthwaite, who was the only other officer standing by the bowl of the
periscope.
"What do you make of that?" he asked.
Dick looked. The steamer was now berthed at the head of the pier, on
which stood a Turkish lieutenant and the file of sun-helmeted soldiers,
all with rifles and fixed bayonets. Passing up the gangway were
several men dressed in naval uniforms, while at their heels came more
Ottoman soldiers.
"Our men!" exclaimed Dick.
"I think so, too," replied Huxtable, "but I am not absolutely certain.
They are prisoners, that is quite evident."
The distance was too great to enable either of the two officers to
distinguish details, but the captives were not Frenchmen: the absence
of the red tuft on their caps told that. They might be Russians, but
it was impossible to see whether they wore the blue-and-white jerseys
that would in that case take the place of the flannel "pneumonia
catchers" worn by the British bluejacket. All the men wore beards,
but, as Dick knew by personal experience, that might be owing to being
held in captivity for several weeks without facilities for shaving.
As soon as the prisoners were ashore a Turkish officer came off the
steamer and engaged in conversation with the lieutenant in charge of
the little garrison. A document, apparently a list of the prisoners,
changed hands, and the two officers parted, the former returning on
board, while the lieutenant leisurely followed the men who were
escorting the prisoners towards the tower.
The steamer showed no signs of casting off. She strongly resembled the
old Thames paddle-wheelers of thirty years or more ago; but a couple of
Krupp quick-firers were mounted behind light steel shields--one
for'ard, the other aft. As she rolled sluggishly in the slight swell
it could be seen that the vessel's hull below the water-line was
thickly covered with weeds.
"A study in contrasts, sir," observed Dick. "Quick-firers and wireless
installation on board a ramshackle paddle-wheeler."
"M'yes," admitted Huxtable automatically, for his attention was centred
upon the progress of the little band of captives.
Closely guarded, they were marched into the tower. Only five soldiers
went with them; the rest, having piled arms, either strolled back to
the pier or else made for a long, low building that served as a
barracks.
Once more the submarine descended, for the steamer began to show signs
of activity. The rhythmic beats of her paddles as she passed overhead
gave Huxtable an inspiration.
"I'll follow her, by Jove!" he exclaimed. "Ten to one she's going back
to Constantinople. It's too good a chance to lose!"