AN ENEMY.
_The Hawk_ crept over the still black waters as silently as the night
itself. Not a light showed aboard the little craft--not a human voice
was heard. Now and then the faint exhaust of the engine could have been
heard by a keen ear, but the engine was muffled and whatever sound it
might make carried but a few yards at most.
_The Hawk_, with Lord Hastings, Jack and Frank and the other few members
of the crew, was stalking the foe--no particular foe, perhaps--but any
enemy that might be foolhardy enough to show itself.
Aboard, each member of the crew, besides his revolvers, was equipped
with a small hand flashlight; and the larger searchlight in the bow was
ready for instant use--to flash in the eyes of an enemy to blind him and
to spoil his aim.
And the two heavy guns--one forward, the other aft--were ready for
action.
The men stood at their posts--had stood there now for two hours--ever
since _The Hawk_ had crept silently from the friendly shelter of Bantry
Bay. The crew had been ordered to silence and the crew of _The Hawk_,
commanded by Lord Hastings, obeyed orders.
So far _The Hawk_ had come upon nothing that had justified its lonesome
and silent vigil--not an object of any kind had been encountered, and
the hour was now after midnight. Still, keen eyes aboard the little
craft peered untiringly ahead and swept the waters in all directions,
trying to pierce the darkness of the night.
The night, though dark, was perfectly calm and peaceful, albeit black,
overhanging clouds heralded the approach of a storm. But Lord Hastings,
than whom there were few better weather prophets, announced that the
storm would not break before well along toward morning and held to his
quest without trepidation.
Frank and Jack were now becoming somewhat restless, for they had begun
to fear that the night's venture would not bear fruit. However, each
remembered what Lord Hastings had said regarding a "tip," so they knew
that their commander had some object in view. Also, since leaving port,
_The Hawk_ had held steadily to her course.
Now and then the commander of _The Hawk_, by the faint glare of his
searchlight, shielded by his hand, consulted a chart and several times
muttered low directions to the man at the wheel.
Suddenly there came a subdued command from Lord Hastings, and in
response the engines were stopped. Lord Hastings placed a hand to his
ear and listened intently.
"Did any of you hear anything?" he asked in a low voice.
No one had.
"Strange," muttered Lord Hastings; "I could have sworn I heard something
moving through the water."
He gave the command to go ahead again; but less than five moments later
once more brought _The Hawk_ to a pause.
"I am sure I heard something," he said to Frank, who stood near him.
"I thought I did myself, that time," replied the lad. "Sounded like a
boat, and not a great distance away."
"We shall have to be careful," said his commander. "I know that there is
not another British vessel in these waters to-night. If there is a
second craft out here, it must be an enemy."
"Shall we flash our light about?" asked Frank.
"And betray our own presence? Not much. No; we shall just remain here
for half an hour and see if we can't pick up the other fellow in the
darkness."
Again the silence of death hung over _The Hawk_.
Then, suddenly, Jack, aft, gave a subdued exclamation.
Lord Hastings hurried to his side.
"What is it?" he demanded.
"Small craft of some kind bearing down on us, sir," he replied quickly.
"She'll bump us!"
Lord Hastings took in the situation at a glance. Less than 150 yards
away a small object was coming toward _The Hawk_.
Lord Hastings gave a quick command.
"Full speed ahead!" he cried, and in response to this command, _The
Hawk_ leaped forward.
Lord Hastings hurled a second quick command to the man at the wheel, and
_The Hawk_ came about in a broad circle; and at the same instant a
blinding glare flashed into the faces of all aboard.
A searchlight from the other craft had been turned upon them, lighting
_The Hawk_ up like day, while all those aboard could see was the
blinding glare, the other boat being shielded by this light.
A shot rang out over the water--the sound of a heavy gun.
Lord Hastings took prompt action, in spite of the fact he could not make
out the enemy.
"Turn the searchlight on him!" he shouted.
A second shot rang out and Frank heard the whistle of a heavy missile
overhead.
He sprang quickly to the searchlight, and with a single movement,
whirled it about. In another moment a second white glare lighted up the
sea.
Frank pointed his light squarely at the point from which he could see
the other light came. While he was unable to see the other boat, because
of its light, he knew that once his own searchlight had found its
object, those aboard the other craft would no longer be able to see _The
Hawk_.
Then came the sound of a third shot, but this time the missile was not
even heard, and Frank knew that he had been successful. The enemy had
lost the range.
"Good!" shouted Lord Hastings. "And just in time, I should say. The next
shot would have hit us."
"Yes, sir," said Frank quietly. "He's blinded us, sir, but we have done
the same for him. Now what, sir?"
"By Jove! I don't know," replied Lord Hastings. "Here, Jack, stand by
this forward gun, and be ready to let her go the first moment you can
see the enemy. If we can manage to work out from under his light we may
be able to get him. Frank, don't you let that light off him a minute."
"I'll keep it on him, sir," replied the lad.
So there the two boats were, less than a hundred yards apart, but still
unable to do one another harm, unless by a chance shot. For, although
the occupants aboard each craft could see the light of the other, they
couldn't gauge its origin with accuracy.
Several times the enemy fired, but without result.
"Well, we've got to do something," declared Lord Hastings. "Can any of
you suggest anything?"
"I believe I have a plan, sir," declared Frank.
"Let's have it quick," said Lord Hastings.
"Well, sir, I should say that if you would stand by the gun, Jack and I
can slip over the side in one of the small boats. We'll make a slight
detour, to get out of the blinding glare, then row toward the enemy.
Without the light in our eyes, we should be able to pick off a couple of
the enemy with rifles. Then he'll have to shift his light to hunt new
foes. You can be ready and sink him the moment he does so."
"That's not a half bad idea," declared Lord Hastings. "It shall be done.
Over with you, lads."
Quickly Frank and Jack got a little boat over the side, procured a rifle
apiece, and rowed away.
In spite of the fact that the glare of the enemy's searchlight was
squarely upon them, they could not be seen because of the light aboard
_The Hawk_ playing upon the eyes of the foe. So, though they rowed
rapidly, they knew they were safe enough.
Out of the glare of the searchlight, they shaped their course toward the
enemy, whose bulk they could now see looming up in the darkness.
"By Jove! It's another motorboat," Frank whispered.
Jack nodded his head in the darkness, but did not reply.
Less than a hundred feet from the enemy, Frank made out several forms
forward.
"This is close enough," he whispered to Jack.
Jack shipped his oars and picked up his rifle. Frank did likewise.
"You get the one on the left; I'll take the one on the extreme right,"
said Frank. "Then get the one next your first man if you have time
before he ducks, and I'll do the same."
"All right," said Jack. "Give the word when you're ready."
"Ready! Aim! Fire!" said Frank quietly.
Two sharp cracks broke the stillness of the night, followed almost
instantly by two more.
When the lads lowered their rifles and gazed toward the foe, there was
not a man in sight.
"Don't know whether we got them or they just ducked," said Frank. "We'll
fire a couple of more shots, enough to make them take their light off
_The Hawk_."
They did so, and a moment later their efforts were rewarded. The
searchlight aboard the enemy, moved by an unseen hand, turned and swept
the sea carefully.
"Row back!" shouted Frank, and seized his oar.
Jack followed suit. Quickly the little boat was brought about and headed
back in the general direction of _The Hawk_.
And the enemy's boat was now lighted up by the glare of _The Hawk_
alone.
Suddenly the flashlight of the enemy fell squarely upon the two boys.
"We're gone now, unless Lord Hastings sinks them first," said Frank
quietly.
"Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!"
Bullets began to spatter around the two lads. One grazed Frank's ear.
"Guess we had better go overboard," he said, "They'll----"
"Boom!"
The voice of a single big gun spoke once.
"_The Hawk!_" cried Frank.
"Boom!"
The voice came again.
And then the boys were left again in darkness as the enemy sought out
_The Hawk_ with his searchlight.
"Boom!"
It was the third word of the forward gun of _The Hawk_.
Cries of terror and confusion came from the direction of the foe,
followed by hoarse German cries of command.
"Bully for Lord Hastings!" exclaimed Jack. "He has scored a hit."
"Hurrah!" cried Frank, and raised his voice in a series of cheers.
The big gun aboard _The Hawk_ did not speak again, and following _The
Hawk's_ searchlight with their eyes, the two lads saw a mass of wreckage
floating a short distance away.
"That," said Frank quietly, "is the end of her."
"Right you are," agreed Jack. "Now we'll go back to _The Hawk_."
Both lads bent to their oars with a will.