"No such luck," protested Sefton, until, reading the serious look in the
medical officer's eyes, and now conscious of a commotion on deck as the
ship's company went to action stations, he started up, leapt from his
bunk, and hurriedly scrambled into his clothes.
Upon gaining the deck Sefton found that Stirling had exaggerated the
facts--he generally did, as a matter of fact. Just looming through the
light haze were half a dozen large grey forms emitting tell-tale columns
of smoke; for, combined with the lack of Welsh steam coal and inferior
stoking, the Huns generally managed to betray their whereabouts by
volumes of black vapour from their funnels.
The ships were now steaming in double column, line ahead, and, having
left Smith's Knoll well on the starboard hand, were running on a
southerly course to clear Winterton Ridge.
"Off to Yarmouth, I'll swear," declared Crosthwaite. "The bounders have
got wind of the fact that our battle-cruisers are well up north."
The _Calder_ was now approaching the two trawlers. Grasping a
megaphone, the lieutenant-commander hailed the skipper of the _Carse o'
Gowrie_.
"German battle-cruisers in sight," he shouted. "You had better slip and
clear out."
The tough old Scot shaded his eyes with a hairy, tanned hand and looked
in the direction of the hostile craft.
"I'll bide here, if ye have nae objection, sir," he replied. "After all
this fuss, fetchin' the cable an' all, I'm nae keen on dropping it agen.
Maybe they'll tak no notice of us, thinking we're fisherfolk."
"The probability is that they'll sink you," said Crosthwaite, secretly
gratified at the old man's bravery, and yet unwilling to have to leave
the trawlers to their fate.
"If they do, they do," replied the skipper unmoved. "It wouldna be the
first by many a one. But sin' we hae the cable, here we bide."
Old Peter M'Kie was of a similar opinion. Sink or swim, he meant to
stand by. The _Carse o' Gowrie_ and the _Dimpled Lassie_ were to remain
with the fished cable, since it was just possible that the Germans might
take them for ordinary trawlers, as the boats showed no guns.
The lieutenant-commander of the destroyer saw that it was of no use to
attempt to shake the resolution of the two skippers. After all, they
stood a chance. By remaining quietly, and riding to the raised cable,
they certainly had the appearance of fishing boats using their trawl,
while any attempts at flight might result in unpleasant attentions from
the number of torpedo-boats accompanying the German battle-cruisers.
Accordingly the _Calder_ slipped quietly away, keeping under the lee of
the Haisborough Sands to avoid being spotted by the enemy vessels. It
was a genuine case of discretion being the better part of valour.
Although not a man of her crew would have blenched had orders been given
to steam full speed ahead towards the huge German battle-cruisers,
Crosthwaite realized that such a step would be utterly useless. Long
before the destroyer could get within torpedo-range of the foe, she
would be swept clean and sent to the bottom under the concentrated fire
of fifty or more quick-firers. Had it been night or thick weather the
_Calder_ would no doubt have attempted to get home with her 21-inch
torpedoes. The risk would be worth running. But, as matters now stood,
it would be sheer suicidal madness on her part, without the faintest
chance of accomplishing anything to justify the attempt.
Meanwhile the destroyer was sending out wireless messages reporting the
presence of the raiders. Busy in exchanging wireless signals with their
far-flung line of covering torpedo-boats, and with a couple of Zeppelins
that flew high overhead, the German vessels made no attempt to "jam" the
_Calder's_ aerial warning.
Constantly ready for action at very brief notice, the British
battle-squadrons were under weigh within a few minutes of the receipt of
the _Calder's_ message, and Beatty's Cat Squadron was heading south-east
with all possible speed before the first hostile gun thundered against
Great Yarmouth.
"They've opened the one-sided ball," remarked Sefton as a dull boom from
the now invisible German ships--a single report that was quickly taken
up by other heavy weapons--was borne to the ears of the _Calder's_ crew.
"And, by Jove, Whit-Monday too."
"Yes," assented the doctor. "And ten to one the beach is crowded with
holiday-makers. Before we left port, didn't we see some idiotic report
in the papers stating that the East Coast would be ready for holiday
visitors 'as usual'?"
"Let's hope the Huns will get cut off again," said the sub. "Another
_Bluecher_ or two will make them sit up."
"They're too wary," replied the somewhat pessimistic medico. "They've
been warned that the coast is clear. Before the submarines from Harwich
can come up they'll be off. And with twelve hours of daylight in front
of them they'll be back long before our sixth destroyer flotilla can
make a night attack."
For nearly twenty minutes the officers and men listened in silence to
the furious bombardment. Several of the latter had homes in the town
that now lay exposed to the enemy guns. Realizing their helplessness,
they could only hope that the damage done was no greater than that of
the previous naval attack on the same place, and that this time the Cat
Squadron would intercept the raiders and exact a just and terrible
retribution.
At length the firing ceased almost as suddenly as it had begun. In vain
the destroyer's crew waited long and anxiously for the renewal of the
cannonade in the offing that would announce the gratifying news that
Beatty had once more intercepted the returning Huns.
At 20 knots the _Calder_ returned towards the position in which she had
left the two trawlers. With feelings of relief it was seen that both
craft were still afloat and apparently all well.
Suddenly one of the look-outs raised the shout of: "Submarine on the
starboard bow, sir!"
Without a moment's hesitation Crosthwaite telegraphed for full speed, at
the same time ordering the quartermaster to port helm.
A mile and a half away could be discerned the elongated conning-tower
and partly housed twin periscopes of a large submarine, although why in
broad daylight the unterseeboot--for such she undoubtedly was--exposed
her conning-tower above the surface was at first sight perplexing.
With the for'ard 4-inch quick-firer loaded and trained upon the meagre
target the _Calder_ leapt forward at a good 24 knots, ready at the first
sign of the submerging of the submarine to send a projectile crashing
into and pulverizing the thin steel plating of her conning-tower.
So intent was the lieutenant-commander upon his intended prey that he
had failed to notice the proximity of a black-and-white can buoy now
almost on the starboard bow. It was not until Sefton reminded him of
the fact that he realized that the destroyer was doing her level best to
pile herself upon the Haisborough Sands--a feat that the German
submarine had already accomplished to the rage and mortification of her
officers and crew.
Listing violently outwards, the destroyer swung round clear of the
treacherous shoal, and for the first time Crosthwaite was aware of the
ignominious predicament of the unterseeboot.
"The beggar may have a broadside torpedo-tube," he remarked to his
subordinate as he ordered the _Calder_ to be swung round, bows on to the
stranded craft, speed having been reduced to give the destroyer more
steerage-way. "Give her a round with the for'ard gun. Plank a shell a
hundred yards astern."
The shot had the desired effect. The conning-tower hatch was thrown
open, and the head and shoulders of a petty officer appeared. For a few
moments he hesitated, looking thoroughly scared, then his hands were
extended above his head.
In this position of surrender he remained, until, finding that the
destroyer made no further attempt to shell the submarine, he emerged
from the conning-tower. Two officers followed, and then the rest of the
crew--twenty-two all told. The officers stood upon the steel grating
surrounding the conning-tower, for the tide had now fallen sufficiently
to allow the platform to show above water. The rest of the crew, wading
knee-deep, formed up in a sorry line upon the after part of the still
submerged hull, and, with uplifted hands, awaited the pleasure of their
captors.
"Fetch 'em off, Mr. Sefton," ordered the lieutenant-commander. "Half of
'em at a time."
The sub hastened to order away the boat. As he did so Dr. Stirling
nudged him and whispered in his ear:
"Shall I lend you a saw, old man?"
"A saw!" repeated Sefton in astonishment. "What on earth for?"
"Skipper said you were to bring half of them at a time," explained the
irresponsible medico with a grin. "Better try the top half of each man
first trip."
"That'll do, Pills," retorted the sub. "If it's surgery you're after,
you had better do your own dirty work."
"Give way, lads," ordered the sub as the boat drew clear of the steel
wall-side of the destroyer.
"We surrender make," declared the kapitan of the submarine as the boat
ranged up alongside. "We haf a leak sprung."
[Illustration: "WE SURRENDER MAKE.... WE HAF A LEAK SPRUNG"]]
"Sorry to hear it," rejoined Sefton.
"Is dat so?" enquired the perplexed German, mystified at his foe's
solicitude.
"Yes," soliloquized the sub. "We would much rather have collared the
strafed submarine intact. We didn't bargain for her keel plates being
stove in.
"Now then!" he exclaimed. "I'll take eleven of you men first trip."
The coxwain and bowman of the boat deftly engaged their boat-hooks in
convenient projections of the submarine's conning-tower, while the
specified number of dejected and apprehensive Huns was received on
board.
Having delivered the first batch of prisoners on the destroyer, Sefton
returned, but, instead of immediately running alongside the prize, he
ordered his men to lie on their oars. With the boat drifting at a
distance of twenty yards from the unterseeboot, the sub coolly awaited
developments.
The Huns--officers and men alike--were far from cool. Gesticulating
wildly, they implored the sub to take them off. Never before had Sefton
seen a greater anxiety on the part of the Germans to abandon their ship,
and in the course of eleven months' service in the North Sea his
knowledge of the ways of the wily Hun was fairly extensive.
At length two of the submarine's crew, unable to restrain their panic,
leapt overboard and struck out for the boat.
"Stand by with a stretcher, there, Jenkins," ordered Sefton. "Show them
what we mean to do. Knock them over the knuckles if they attempt to
grasp the gunwale."
"We surrender do, kamerad!" shouted the Huns in dolorous chorus, seeing
their companions repelled from the waiting boat.
"Yes, I know," replied Sefton. "You've told me that already. A few
minutes' wait won't hurt you. There's plenty of time."
"Back oars!" ordered the sub, as the Germans, terrified beyond measure,
slid from the submarine's deck into the water, officers and men striking
out frantically.
Thirty seconds later came the dull muffled sound of an explosion. A
thin wreath of vapour issued from the open conning-tower.
"Not much of a bust-up that," exclaimed Sefton contemptuously. "It
would not have flicked a fly from her deck. Well, I suppose I must take
the beggars into the boat."
The lightness of the explosion had also astonished the German officers.
Adopting their usual procedure they had fixed three detonators in the
hull of the stranded vessel, and upon the approach of the _Calder's_
boat the second time they had lighted the four-minute time-fuses.
Sefton, guessing rightly what had been done, had resolved to give the
Huns, not a bad quarter of an hour, but a worse three minutes. He, too,
expected to see the submarine's hull disintegrated by a terrific
explosion.
On the boat's return to the destroyer with the rest of the prisoners,
Sefton made his report to the lieutenant-commander.
"Can't blame them," declared Crosthwaite. "In similar circumstances we
would have done the same, but with better results, I hope. Send that
petty officer aft; I want to speak to him."
The man indicated was, as luck would have it, the fellow responsible for
lighting the fuses. Putting on his fiercest expression,
Lieutenant-Commander Crosthwaite sternly taxed him with attempting to
destroy the submarine after she had surrendered.
Taken aback, the man admitted that it was so.
"How many detonators?" asked Crosthwaite.
"Three, Herr Kapitan."
"And what time-fuses?"
"Four-minutes," was the reply.
"Then jolly rotten stuff," commented the lieutenant-commander as he
motioned for the prisoner to be removed below. "We'll give them another
quarter of an hour before we board her."
The stated time passed without any signs of further internal explosions.
The _Calder_ made good use of the interval, Harwich being communicated
with by wireless, announcing the capture of the prize, and requesting
tugs and lighters to be dispatched to assist the disabled U boat into
port.
"Now I think it's all O.K.," remarked Crosthwaite. "Sure you're keen on
the job?"
Sefton flushed under his tanned skin. His skipper was quick to notice
that he had blundered.
"Sorry!" he said apologetically. "Ought to have jolly well known you
better. Off you go, and good luck. By the by, take a volunteer crew."
Of the seventy men of the _Calder_ every one would have unhesitatingly
followed the sub. Asking for volunteers for a hazardous service was
merely a matter of form. There was quite a mild contest to take part in
the operations of boarding the submarine.
By this time the falling tide had left nearly the whole extent of the
deck dry. There were four hatchways in addition to the conning-tower,
each of which was securely fastened. Through the open aperture in the
conning-tower Sefton made his way. Below all was in darkness, for with
the explosion the electric lamps had been extinguished. A heavy reek of
petrol fumes and sulphurous smoke scented the confined space.
The sub switched on the electric torch which he had taken the precaution
to bring with him. The rays barely penetrated the smoke beyond a few
feet.
"Phew!" he muttered. "Too jolly thick. It is a case for a
smoke-helmet."
Back went the boat, returning in a short space of time with the required
article. Donning the safety-helmet, one of the bluejackets descended,
groped his way to the nearest hatchway and opened it.
An uninterrupted current of fresh air ensued, and in ten minutes the
midship portion of the prize was practically free from noxious fumes.
"Blow me, Nobby," exclaimed one of the carpenter's crew, "did you ever
see such a lash up? Strikes me they slung this old hooker together in a
bit of a hurry."
The shipwright's contemptuous reference to the Teuton constructor's art
was justified. The submarine had every appearance of being roughly
built in sections and bolted together. Everything pointed to hurried
and makeshift work.
Under the engine beds Sefton discovered two unexploded detonators. The
one that had gone off was "something of a dud", for the explosive force
was very feeble--insufficient even to start any of the hull plating.
But it had performed a useful service to the British prize crew: the
blast had detached the time-fuses from the remaining gun-cotton charges,
and had thus preserved the submarine from total destruction.
Nevertheless Sefton heaved a sigh of relief as the two detonators were
dropped overboard. Guncotton, especially German-made stuff, was apt to
play peculiar tricks.
The fore and after compartments or sub-divisions of the hull were closed
by means of watertight doors in the bulkheads. The foremost was found
to have four feet of water--the same depth as that of the sea over the
bank on which the vessel had stranded. It was here that the plates had
been started when the U boat made her unlucky acquaintance with the
Haisborough Shoal.
Flashing his torch upon the oily surface of the water, Sefton made a
brief examination. On either side of the bulging framework were tiers
of bunks. This compartment, then, was the sleeping-quarters of the
submarine's crew. Of torpedo-tubes there were no signs; nor were these
to be found anywhere else on board. Aft was a "gantry" communicating
with an ingeniously contrived air-lock. The submarine was not designed
for torpedo work but for an even more sinister task: that of
mine-laying. Not a single globe of latent destruction remained on
board. Already the U boat had sown her crop of death; would there be
time to destroy the harvest?