ON THE HUNT.
"Isn't that _The Hawk_?"
It was Jack who spoke. He had left his engine and made his way aft, for
he had caught sight of another craft in the distance.
Frank peered ahead.
"I should say it was built along the same lines as _The Hawk_," he
replied, "but what's the matter with her?"
Something was wrong, as both boys could see. The craft ahead, whether
_The Hawk_ or not they could not yet distinguish, was plainly in
distress. She wallowed in the sea, apparently without a hand to guide
her.
"Something wrong aboard, sure," declared Frank. "Little more speed,
Jack."
Jack sprang back to his engine and soon the motorboat was dashing
through the water at full speed.
Jack left the engine to run itself and made his way forward as far as
possible, where he stood gazing at the craft ahead. At last he was able
to make out the name of the craft.
"_The Hawk_!" he cried.
It was _The Hawk_ and she was plainly in distress. As the boys drew
nearer, they were unable to make out a sign of life aboard.
"Maybe they have all been washed overboard," Frank called to Jack.
Jack made no reply. He had begun to fear so himself.
Suddenly he uttered a loud cry.
"I can see some one aboard," he cried. "He's stretched out on the deck.
Looks like he might be dead."
"Who is it?" Frank shouted back.
"I can't make out yet."
He peered forward eagerly and anxiously; and five minutes later he cried
out again:
"It's Smith."
Smith was another of the crew.
"Can you see Lord Hastings?" shouted Frank.
"No."
The two craft were less than a hundred yards apart now and still Jack
could make out but a solitary figure aboard, that of Smith, stretched
out at full length aft.
The boys closed up the remaining distance quickly and the two boats
scraped alongside each other. Pausing only long enough to lash the two
together, Frank and Jack sprang aboard _The Hawk_.
Quickly they glanced about. There was Smith and no one else in sight.
Frank stooped over him.
"He's breathing," he said.
He hurried to the side of the boat, and leaning over, filled his cap
with water. This he sprinkled in Smith's face and the man stirred.
Jack, in the meantime, had gone into the little cabin and a startled cry
now came to Frank's ears.
He hurried to his friend; and there, in the cabin, the boy stood over
the prostrate form of their commander. The latter lay still and white
and Frank stared at him with a great fear in his heart.
"Is he dead?" he asked in a hoarse whisper.
"I don't know," said Jack slowly. "He doesn't seem to be breathing."
Frank knelt down and placed a hand over Lord Hastings' heart.
"Yes, he is," he cried excitedly. "His heart is beating. Water, quick!"
Jack dashed away in response to this command and was back in a moment
with his cap filled with water.
This he poured over his commander, while Frank bathed his head; and soon
these efforts were rewarded.
Lord Hastings stirred, breathed a long sigh and moaned. Five minutes
later he opened his eyes and tried to sit up.
"Lie still, sir," commanded Frank.
Lord Hastings let his eyes rest on the lad's face, tried to say
something, attempted to move, then fell back with a long sigh.
Again Frank was alarmed. He bent over his commander and placed a hand
over his heart. Then he arose with an exclamation of satisfaction.
"He's sleeping," he said. "Let's get to shore as soon as possible."
Jack hurried away. First he returned to the other craft and assisted
Edwards aboard _The Hawk_. Then he went to the engine, Frank took the
wheel and they headed for Bantry Bay at full speed.
It was still before noon when they entered the bay and came to anchor in
the midst of the motorboat fleet. The lads had Lord Hastings removed
ashore immediately and listened to the diagnosis of the surgeon with
bated breath.
"Nothing serious," said the surgeon, much to the lads' relief. "He's
been knocked unconscious in some way. Something must have struck him a
hard blow across the head. All he needs is perfect quiet for a week."
"He'll get it," declared Jack, "if I have to sit on him for that length
of time."
"And if I have to help you hold him down," Frank agreed.
For the next week the boys gave their undivided attention to caring for
their wounded commander. Each day, after the first, Lord Hastings grew
stronger. On the third day he wanted to get up, but the surgeon would
not hear of it.
"Seven days in bed," he declared. "Not a second less; and two more days
before you can move about much."
"Yes, but look here, Doc," said Lord Hastings. "I've work to do. I've
got to get back into harness."
"And two weeks exactly before you can get back in harness," declared the
man of medicine.
From this ultimatum he would not swerve.
At the end of the first week Lord Hastings was for disregarding the
surgeon's orders and getting back into harness anyhow; but Jack and
Frank would not hear of it.
"Might just as well get well, first, sir," declared Jack.
Lord Hastings glared at him.
"How about you?" he demanded. "How would you like to stay around like
this doing nothing? You couldn't sit here for five minutes. I know you."
"You may be right, sir," agreed Frank. "But you are older than I am,
sir, and should have more patience and fortitude."
Lord Hastings was forced to smile at this rejoinder.
"You see, sir," said Frank, "I can remember some of the things you have
said to me."
"I see," agreed Lord Hastings. "I guess, then, that I shall have to
remain here, if for no other reason than to set a good example for you."
"That's right, sir," declared Jack. "If you didn't, there would be no
living with Frank."
"Oh, I don't know," said the latter. "I can remember one time when you
were in bad shape that I had to threaten to lick you to keep you in
bed."
"Well, that's different," said Jack. "I----"
"Well, let's talk about something cheerful," said Lord Hastings.
"Germans or anything like that."
And so the conversation was changed.
When the two weeks had come to an end Lord Hastings proceeded to get
back in harness immediately.
"I've been here long enough," he told the boys. "Back to _The Hawk_
again now."
And back to _The Hawk_ they went that day.
Aboard _The Hawk_ Lord Hastings made a careful inspection and then left
the lads, while he held an interview with the British commanding officer
in charge of the motorboat flotilla. When he returned he had a smile on
his face.
"Good news," he said, as he came aboard.
"What, sir?" asked Frank.
"Action to-night, sir?" demanded Jack.
"Better than that--for you boys," replied Lord Hastings. "Action, and at
once."
"Where?" asked Frank.
"Around the same neighborhood we were in before."
"Good," declared Jack.
"And more important prey, this time," continued Lord Hastings.
"Submarines?" asked Jack.
"Well, that's what we expect," replied Lord Hastings. "We hope to be
fortunate enough to find one or two."
"When do we start, sir?" demanded Frank.
"As soon as the _Glasgow_ comes along."
"The _Glasgow_, sir? You mean the steamship _Glasgow_?"
"Exactly. It appears that passengers have been warned not to take
passage on the _Glasgow_. A warning has been circulated through the
newspapers, the same as was done before the _Lusitania_ sailed and was
sunk. This naturally leads to the belief that the Germans are planning
to torpedo the _Glasgow_. We are to be on hand to see that this does not
happen."
"I see, sir," replied Frank. "Is it just _The Hawk_, sir?"
"Well, no," replied Lord Hastings. "_The Hawk_ and nine other
motorboats."
"A regular fleet," remarked Jack. "I suppose the idea is for us to trail
in behind the _Glasgow_?"
"Exactly. You see the submarine, nine times out of ten, lying in wait
for its victim, will come to the surface a short distance ahead of the
steamer. Now, in view of the furore that the sinking of the _Lusitania_
caused in neutral countries, it is hardly to be expected the _Glasgow_
will be torpedoed without warning."
"But just how do we get at the enemy, sir?" demanded Frank.
"I'm coming to that. When the submarine comes to the surface and gives
warning for passengers and crew to leave the ship, we shall sneak out
from behind at full speed. Before the submarine can submerge, we shall
be close enough to get her. That's why we carry such heavy guns. One of
us is bound to get her."
"I see," said Frank. "Of course if the submarine could submerge in a
moment, it wouldn't be possible."
"Exactly," agreed Lord Hastings.
He led the way to the rail.
"See," he said, waving a hand in the direction of the others of the
motorboat fleet, "they are all getting ready for action."
It was true. There were signs of great activity aboard some of the other
little vessels. "Just overhauling to see that everything is shipshape,"
said Lord Hastings. "We may as well do the same."
The next hour was spent in minute inspection of every part of the little
craft and then Lord Hastings pronounced himself satisfied.
Hardly was the work completed, when Frank perceived a dark smudge upon
the distant horizon.
"Vessel of some kind, sir," he reported to Lord Hastings.
Lord Hastings gazed long and earnestly; and directly the shape of a
large ship loomed up.
"The _Glasgow_," he said quietly. "All ready, boys. Time to get busy."