ANOTHER UNPLEASANT SURPRISE.
To say that the lads were astonished is putting it mildly. There they
were, so they believed, sneaking upon an unsuspecting victim and now
they found themselves absolutely in that victim's power, for it took but
the first glance to assure them that the face that gazed so evilly and
sardonically into theirs was the face of Davis.
Now Davis grinned at them.
"I was expecting you, gentlemen," he said with biting sarcasm. "I did
not wish to seem discourteous, which is the reason I welcome you in
person. But, also, knowing your kind, I surmised that you would not
announce yourselves at the front door, as would most British gentlemen;
therefore I receive you here. I assure you you are most welcome."
All this time he kept each lad covered with an ugly-looking automatic.
As neither Frank nor Jack replied, Davis continued.
"I would just like to add that if you desire to get ahead of me it will
be necessary to arise very early in the morning. What kind of a spy do
you think I am, anyway, not to know when I am being followed? I assure
you, gentlemen, you have misjudged me. I was not born yesterday."
Still neither lad replied.
"And now," Davis went on, "I must ask you to be so kind as to precede me
to the parlor, where I shall entertain you more comfortably."
He emphasized this statement with a slight gesture with one of his
revolvers and there was naught for the lads to do but obey.
Davis followed them closely, still covering them with his two revolvers.
In the parlor he motioned them to seats and took a chair across the
room.
"Now," he said, "I would be pleased to have you tell me how you escaped
from our enemies, the British."
"Well, I can see no harm in enlightening you," said Jack. "I would have
supposed that, being so brilliant, you had guessed it by this time. We
are British officers and not German."
"Would it surprise you," queried Davis, "if I should tell you I had
surmised as much? And our good friend, Commander Bernstorff"--and here
Davis laughed--"how is he?"
"Well," replied Jack calmly. "And now I wonder if you would explain a
few things to me?"
"You are at liberty to ask," smiled Davis.
"Then, how did you get here--why did you venture here--and what of your
little private expedition?"
"Those," said Davis, "are what I should call considerable questions.
However, I can see no harm in answering them, particularly as you will
never be able to repeat what you hear now. I came here in our submarine
the U-16, which, by the way, I have rechristened _The Vulture_--a
suitable name, don't you think?--and I came here because I had business
here. Now, as to your other question. Our little privateering expedition
is progressing famously. We have already sunk one British ship and
secured a quantity of booty, which may have something to do with my
presence in Ostend."
"I see," said Jack.
"And," continued Davis boastingly, "I came in right under the noses of
the Germans. My submarine lies in the harbor at this moment. I came
ashore in the guise of a German officer. I was not questioned, nor were
you, I take it?"
His last words formed a question, and Frank answered.
"No, we were not questioned," he said.
"I thought not. Well, when I presently have finished my business--which,
by the way, has been increased since your arrival--I shall make my way
back to my vessel and put to sea again. I shall bother none of the
Germans nor any ships of war unless they bother me--my business is with
ships of commerce, where there is booty to be had--and when I have
reaped enough I shall go to America, where I shall live the life a
gentleman should."
"You'll make a fine gentleman," said Jack sarcastically.
"You think so?" said Davis, apparently unruffled. "So do I. But time
presses. I am sorry I can entertain you no longer. You will please
precede me from this room and upstairs."
He arose, and with one revolver, motioned the lads out the door. There
was nothing for it but to comply; for both lads realized that while they
might have jumped Davis, one of them probably would be shot down; nor
was it for his own sake that each hesitated.
They preceded Davis up the stairs and into a large unfurnished room. As
he entered, Jack looked toward the window. It was heavily barred and the
walls of the room, he saw, were very thick. Once locked in that room,
the lad realized, there was little hope of escape.
"Now," said Davis, "please cross the room and stand with your backs to
me. I shall leave you here to amuse yourselves. You will have lots of
time, for, I venture to say, the room will not be entered for months to
come--not until I return, which may not be for months. Then I shall give
myself the pleasure of calling on you. Now, good-bye. Turn and face the
wall, please."
Jack realized that it was now or never and he took a sudden decision.
"Face the wall, Frank," he commanded quietly. "It's no use."
Frank obeyed.
"You too, if you please," said Davis blandly, flourishing a revolver,
while at the same time he returned the other to his pocket.
"Look here, Davis," said Jack quietly, "this thing has gone far enough.
We have been highly amused with your entertainment, but now it is time
to call a halt."
Davis looked at him expectantly.
"Well?" he queried.
"Just this," said Jack calmly. "Unless you drop that revolver this
minute, I shall have to take it away from you."
He gazed at Davis steadily.
The latter's shifty eyes could not meet the steady gaze of the lad and
he looked away, but kept Jack covered with his revolver.
"Oh, I guess not," he said.
"Oh, yes I shall," said Jack easily.
"Come," said Davis, pulling himself together and raising his revolver so
it pointed between Jack's eyes. "Enough of this. Get back there now or I
shall fire."
Instead, Jack took a step forward, still looking Davis squarely in the
eyes.
"Put down that gun!" he commanded sharply.
His tone startled Davis, and for a brief moment he allowed the weapon to
waver; and in that moment Jack leaped upon him.
Taken off his guard, Davis nevertheless still had time to raise the
revolver and fire. Jack staggered back as he felt something like a
red-hot iron pierce his right arm; and the member dropped limply to his
side.
Again Davis fired, but Jack ducked even as he pulled the trigger and the
bullet passed over his head.
There was a cry from behind him and Frank pitched forward to the floor.
The bullet had struck him a glancing blow on the side of the head.
Jack's heart grew sick as he heard his chum's cry, for he realized in a
flash what had happened; but he did not turn his head to look. Instead,
stooping low, he leaped lightly forward and seized Davis' pistol arm
even as the man fired again. Jack jerked the arm upward at the moment
the weapon went off and the bullet passed him harmlessly. Then, with a
vigorous wrench, the lad twisted the revolver from Davis' hand and
kicked it to one side as it fell to the floor at his feet. Then he
struck Davis sharply across the face with his left hand, and as the man
staggered back, thrust his hand into the pocket where so recently Davis
had placed his second revolver.
Davis grabbed at it but too late.
Jack stepped back and, walking across the room, picked up the other
weapon. Then, opening the door, he tossed both weapons outside, closed
the door and faced Davis.
"I've still got a couple of guns in my own pockets," he said quietly,
"but I'm going to thrash you within an inch of your life without use of
a weapon--and with a bad arm besides. I may shoot you later, I haven't
decided about that yet. It all depends upon how badly you have hurt my
friend here."
He stepped forward and aimed a hard blow at Davis with his left fist.
Davis stepped aside and the blow missed. At the same time Davis swung
hard with right and left and the second blow caught Jack on the helpless
right arm. Jack winced but said nothing. He was deadly cool, and he
advanced upon Davis smiling.
"Now," he said, "I'll give you an imitation of how I treat a dog like
you."
He backed Davis into a corner of the room by a series of single-arm
feints and then struck out heavily. Davis put up both arms to block the
blow but it did him no good. His guard was swept away as though it had
been a feather and the heavy blow crashed through and caught him in the
face.
Davis staggered back with arms covering his face protectingly and again
Jack struck him heavily between the eyes. Davis fell to the floor in a
heap, where he lay whining. Jack stood over him angrily.
"Get up!" he commanded quietly. "Get up and fight. I'm not through with
you yet."
Davis grovelled upon the floor, seeking to clasp the lad's knees.
"Get up!" commanded Jack again.
Davis made no move to rise.
Jack stretched out his uninjured arm and jerked the man rudely to his
feet.
"Put up your hands and fight," he ordered. "Don't show yourself the dog
you are!"
Davis did as Jack commanded and aimed a blow at the lad's head.
Jack promptly knocked him down again.
A second and a third time this was repeated; but after the last fall
Davis grovelled and moaned like a whipped child.
Jack gazed down at him in disgust.
"And I hadn't half begun," he said angrily. "However, I can't stand here
and knock down a man who will make no attempt to defend himself. I am
through with you now. You can go."
Slowly Davis raised himself to his feet and moved toward the door,
looking furtively about as he did so. As he reached the door, he sprang
suddenly outside with a loud cry. Jack sprang after him and seized his
arm just in time to deflect a bullet he would have fired from a revolver
he picked up without.
"I thought so," said Jack grimly. "I thought that was about your size. I
had it all figured out, only when it came to a show down I couldn't do
what I had intended. I had intended to let you pick up your gun, and
when you tried to shoot me, to kill you. But I can't do it. Get out of
here now before I change my mind."
Davis started to move along the hall, but at that moment there were
heavy footsteps upon the stairs and a moment later a figure in the full
uniform of a German battleship commander stood before them.
"What's the meaning of this?" he demanded in a harsh voice.
He glanced at the two quickly, and then realizing that he apparently was
talking to a German naval officer, and his subordinate, he addressed
Jack.
"You know his Imperial Majesty's orders in regard to fighting with
civilians?" he asked.
Jack could do nothing but bow.
"Then," said the commander, "I shall have to place you under arrest!"