STRANGE WARFARE.
It was the following night.
Clad in heavy oilskins, Frank and Jack stood in the bow of the large,
high-powered motorboat as it sped down the Thames in the darkness. Not a
light was visible anywhere and it was impossible to see a yard ahead.
But in spite of this, the boat fairly flew over the water; for the
strong hand of Lord Hastings was on the wheel and there was not a spot
in the river with which he was not familiar.
"Whew!" said Jack, as he turned about to shield his face from the icy
spray. "This is what I call taking a long chance, if you ask me."
"I should say so," replied Frank, raising his voice to a shout to make
himself heard above the sound of the whistling wind. "Wonder how long we
are going to keep this up?"
"Don't know," responded Jack. "But I don't feel very comfortable. This
is too fast for me."
"Particularly when you can't see where you are going," Frank agreed.
Both became silent and peered into the intense darkness ahead.
For possibly half an hour the motorboat continued its terrific speed;
and then it slowed down abruptly. The two boys heard Lord Hastings call
them. They felt their way to where he stood by the wheel, for it was
impossible to see.
"Here," said their commander, "take this searchlight and flash it ahead.
See if you can pick up anything."
He passed a small but powerful searchlight to Jack, who again moved to
the bow.
Jack pressed the little button and a tiny but brilliant light flashed
over the water before the boat. There was nothing in sight, so far as
the boy could see.
"Nothing ahead, sir," he reported to Lord Hastings.
"Guess we had better remain about here, anyhow," muttered Lord Hastings,
half to himself.
Although the lads had no idea of the nature of their present mission,
they had asked no questions of their commander. They knew he would tell
them whatever he deemed necessary when the time was ripe; and until that
time they were satisfied to await whatever might transpire.
But one thing the boys had noticed which had given them much food for
thought. In the prow was mounted a small but heavy gun, and a second one
of the same size loomed up formidably astern. Plainly they were there
for a purpose, and Frank and Jack both realized that there was serious
work ahead of them.
Lord Hastings himself had examined both guns carefully and announced
that they were in first-class condition.
"All ready for use," he had said.
And now, although neither lad knew it, the time was fast approaching
when they were to be greatly needed.
Several times in the course of the next hour Lord Hastings ordered Jack
to see what he could pick up ahead; but each time the result had been
the same. There was nothing to disturb the calm peacefulness of the
night.
And then they were spared the need of another look, for there suddenly
loomed up less than a hundred yards ahead a dull-glowing white light.
"To the forward gun, Mr. Templeton," ordered Lord Hastings, thus, for
the first time on this mission, falling into old aboard-ship terms.
Jack sprang forward.
"Man the gun astern."
Frank obeyed this command with alacrity.
Then the two lads awaited developments.
Apparently the craft ahead had not discovered the presence of the
motorboat containing Lord Hastings, Jack, Frank, and a crew of four men;
neither did the distance between the two boats seem to diminish. The two
were not approaching each other.
"Twenty-five knots," came Lord Hastings' command, and the little craft
seemed to leap ahead.
The light ahead drew closer.
"Train your gun on her, Mr. Templeton," ordered Lord Hastings, "and if I
give the command, fire to sink her."
This command was needless, for Jack had already gauged the range and
trained the gun. Nevertheless he replied:
"Yes, sir."
The pursuers now had approached within fifty yards of their quarry, and
still not a sound save an occasional order from Lord Hastings had broken
the stillness of the night. There had been nothing to indicate that the
other boat was even occupied, save the sudden appearance of the light
aboard.
But now, as the pursuers crept even closer, there came a sudden startled
exclamation from ahead; and at the same moment the light disappeared.
"Fire!" cried Lord Hastings.
"Boom!"
Jack had fired the gun.
There was another startled exclamation from ahead.
"Did you hit her?" asked Lord Hastings.
"Think so, sir," replied Jack. "Don't see how I could have missed at
that distance."
"We'll cruise about a bit and see," said Lord Hastings.
He gave the command and the motorboat slowed down.
For half an hour the little craft circled about, but there was no trace
of the other boat. All aboard flashed searchlights about the water, and
the larger light in the bow was turned on, casting a bright ray over the
water.
"They've either gone away or to the bottom, sir," said Frank.
"And I guess it's away," said Lord Hastings. "Jack must have missed."
"Don't see how I could, sir," declared the lad.
"Better let me try with a revolver next time," put in Frank. "I know I
could have landed one of them."
"Well, they have gone. But we'll get them if we have to follow them for
a month."
"Who, sir?" asked Frank, who could restrain his curiosity no longer.
"Why, your fellow conspirators, Davis and Baron Blosberg."
"Baron who?" asked Frank.
"Blosberg. He is the man we are after. We have evidence to prove that he
is at the head of a body of spies that have been divulging our plans to
the enemy. Davis is merely one of his instruments."
"I don't know anything about the baron," interrupted Jack, "but if he is
anything like Davis, I haven't any use for him on general principles."
"He's just a bit worse, if that is possible," declared Lord Hastings.
"Then we shall have to get him," declared Frank.
"Right," agreed Jack. "A man like that is too dangerous to be running
around loose."
"We may as well proceed then," Lord Hastings decided. "The chances are
we shall find them at the mouth of the river. However, we will hardly
pick them up before daylight."
And Lord Hastings was right.
Day dawned cool and grey, and in spite of their heavy oilskins, Frank
and Jack were chilled to the bone from their long stay in the cold.
Several times Lord Hastings had asked them if they wished to go below
and warm up a bit, but each was too interested to leave his post for a
moment.
"Can't tell what minute we may run across them, sir," Jack had said,
"and I want to get even for the miss I made a while ago."
A slight fog rose over the water. Lord Hastings gave an exclamation of
impatience.
"Even the elements conspire against us," he said aggrievedly.
"It's not much of a fog, sir," said Jack. "It may lift at any minute."
But it didn't lift, and at noon was as dense as before.
But the very fact of the fog finally brought the pursuers upon their
quarry.
A small boat appeared suddenly perhaps a hundred yards ahead, barely
visible in the gloom.
"Looks like them, sir," declared Jack.
"What makes you think so?" demanded Lord Hastings, at the same time
throwing over the wheel.
"I don't know, sir," replied Jack. "I don't really mean it looks like
them. I just think it is them. It's what Frank would call a--a--a----"
"Hunch." Frank supplied the word.
"That's it," agreed Jack. "A hunch, sir."
"We'll see," said Lord Hastings grimly.
At this moment the occupants of the craft ahead realized that they were
pursued. The boat bounded ahead with a sudden burst of speed.
"It must be they," declared Lord Hastings. "If they were not here for
some ulterior purpose they wouldn't run."
He signalled full speed ahead and the motorboat sprang forward.
"Shall I have a shot at them?" shouted Jack.
"Not yet," replied Lord Hastings. "It may not be the boat we are after."
The race continued.
Suddenly the foremost boat swerved sharply to the left, then dashed
straight ahead again.
"They are heading for the shore, sir!" shouted Jack.
The pursuing boat also swerved sharply, one side dipping to the water's
edge and all but throwing Jack overboard.
"So they are," replied Lord Hastings, "Gun ready, Mr. Templeton?"
"All ready, sir."
"Good. Try and do better this time. Fire!"
"Boom!" went the little gun, and all strained eagerly forward to watch
the result of the shot.
A volume of water shot up a few yards behind the pursued.
"Missed again," said Frank sorrowfully.
"Again," commanded Lord Hastings. "Fire!"
And the second shot also went wide, for even as Jack fired the boat
ahead again swerved suddenly. Now the pursued began to steer first to
one side and then to the other, momentarily approaching closer to shore,
however.
Twice more Jack fired in response to Lord Hastings' command, but the
result was always the same. As long as the pursued continued to zig-zag
there was little hope of a successful shot.
But in the meantime the pursuers were gaining. A bullet from ahead
whistled over Frank's head.
The lad grew angry and drew his own revolver. Taking careful aim, he
fired. So far as he could see there was no result.
"Where's that infallible aim of yours?" demanded Jack.
Frank made no reply but fired again. This time his effort was rewarded.
A figure straightened up in the boat ahead, waved his arms above his
head, and with a cry toppled into the water. The boat did not slow down.
The others plainly did not intend to take the time to attempt a rescue.
"Shall we pick him up, sir?" asked Frank.
Lord Hastings shook his head.
"We have more serious business in hand," he replied. "He will have to
take his chances."
Still the pursuers gained; but it became apparent now that they could
not hope to overtake their quarry before he reached shore.
"Ready to take a shot as they jump out of the boat," was Lord Hastings'
command.
All drew their revolvers and stood ready.
Now, there was little doubt in the minds of all that they could pick off
the fugitives as they leaped ashore, and they probably would have done
so but for an unforeseen occurrence.
The pursuers had lost a little time in maneuvering to get in an
effective shot, and the pursued now were more than a hundred yards
ahead.
As the first boat was a scant fifty yards from shore, a third craft hove
in sight, headed down the river. It was going in such a manner as to
pass directly between pursuer and pursued as the latter landed.
In vain Lord Hastings signalled the third boat to stop. It came on,
paying no heed; and what Lord Hastings feared came to pass. Just as the
first boat grounded and its occupants leaped ashore, the third craft
passed between the first and the pursuers. Although all held revolvers
ready, there was no chance to fire; and when the pursuers reached shore
their quarry were some distance away.
"After them!" cried Jack.