MORE TROUBLE.
"You can believe me or not, but it feels pretty good to be back here."
The speaker was Frank as he stood upon the bridge of the U-6.
"It does, indeed," returned Jack, who stood by his side. "To tell the
truth, I was afraid we would never get away. I thought we were goners,
sure. And see who we have with us, our old friend Davis."
For Davis at that moment came aboard from the small boat beside the
submarine. He grinned at the two boys feebly.
"Well, I'm glad to be back along with you," he said.
"I don't imagine you'll be glad to be back very long," said Jack dryly.
"It seems to me you might as well have stayed where you were. The result
probably will be the same. Only this time you'll have to face a British
court martial and they'll probably hang you."
"While there's life there's hope," Davis spoke sententiously. "Which is
the reason I didn't say anything over there."
He waved his hand in the general direction of the German submarine they
had so recently left.
"Well, I'm much obliged, I'm sure," said Frank. "If you had spoken when
you recognized Lord Hastings, it would have been all off with all of us.
However, I'm afraid I shall be unable to speak a word in your behalf."
Davis shrugged his shoulders and turned away as Lord Hastings
approached.
"Below with you all, quick!" exclaimed the latter. "Don't you realize
you are prisoners? What do you suppose some of these German officers
would say if they saw you making so free of this vessel, eh? They'd
probably come over to see what is wrong. Get below!"
Lord Hastings spoke gruffly, for he had risked much to assure their
safety and he did not wish his plans to go for naught. Frank, Jack and
Davis obeyed without a word.
"Now," said Lord Hastings when all were safely below, "we'll have to get
away from here."
"There should be no trouble about that," said Frank. "All we have to do
is submerge and move off."
"And I suppose these other fellows will remain idle and watch us go,"
exclaimed Lord Hastings sarcastically. "Don't you believe it. We are
likely to have trouble. They'll probably have a shot or two at us and
we'll be fortunate if one doesn't strike home. Besides which, if we do
get down safely, they'll probably chase us."
"Well, they can't find us under the water," Frank stated.
"Perhaps not," agreed Lord Hastings, "but we'll have to come up some
time and when we do they are likely to be waiting for us. However, there
is no use hesitating now. Every minute makes our situation more
precarious. You may submerge to five fathoms, Mr. Templeton."
Quickly Jack gave the command. Immediately the bridge wound into the
little conning tower, which at once closed, and the submarine began to
sink gradually.
Lord Hastings glued an eye to the periscope and watched developments
above.
"Just as I feared," he exclaimed. "They have seen through our ruse.
There is excitement aboard all the enemy. Twenty knots, Mr. Templeton,
and shape your course due north."
The little craft leaped ahead as Jack gave the command; and at the same
moment a torpedo, fired by the nearest enemy craft, flashed through the
water where the U-6 had been a moment before. It was a narrow escape.
A second torpedo flashed above the submarine just as it finally
disappeared beneath the water; and a third did likewise.
Lord Hastings drew a breath of relief as he moved from the periscope--he
could see no longer, the water having passed over the "eye" of the
submarine.
"We're safe enough for the time being, at any rate," he declared. "Keep
to your course, Mr. Templeton, until I give the command to alter it."
Jack saluted.
"Very well, sir," he said.
"And now," said Lord Hastings, gazing about, "the question remains as to
what is to be done with Davis. Where is he?"
Frank looked about hurriedly.
"He was here a moment ago, sir," he replied. "He was right behind me."
"Well, he's not here now," said Lord Hastings. "There is no doubt about
that. However, he can't have gone very far. We'll have a look for him."
Frank followed his commander aft.
They peered into every compartment in that end of the vessel. They
searched the engine room and all other sections; but there was no sign
of Davis; Lord Hastings scratched his chin in perplexity.
"Now what do you think of that?" he said slowly. "But he was on this
vessel and he can't have got off. Therefore he must be here."
"There is one place we haven't looked, sir," said Frank.
"Where?" demanded Lord Hastings.
"Your cabin, sir."
"He would hardly have sought refuge there," said Lord Hastings.
"There is no telling, sir," replied Frank. "We may as well have a look."
"Yes, we may as well have a look," repeated Lord Hastings.
He led the way forward again and pulled up before the door of his cabin,
which was closed.
"Now I could have sworn I left this door open," said Lord Hastings.
He laid a hand on the knob and turned it; but the door would not open.
"Hm-m-m," muttered Lord Hastings. "Somebody is in there all right. Guess
it must be our friend Davis." He raised his voice and called: "Davis."
There was no reply and Lord Hastings repeated his call. Still there was
no response.
Lord Hastings was beginning to grow angry.
"Davis!" he called a third time, and when there was no answer, he
shouted: "You come out of there this minute or it will be the worse for
you. There is no use pretending you do not hear me. Come out!"
This time Lord Hastings drew an answer.
"Thank you, sir, but I shall remain where I am," came back in Davis'
voice. "It's very comfortable in here."
"By Jove! He's a pretty cool customer," muttered Lord Hastings to Frank.
"Yes, he's cool enough," responded the lad, "and cold-blooded, too.
Shall we force the door, sir?"
"I don't like to do that," replied Lord Hastings, "but I am afraid it
will be necessary. I want to get that fellow tied up safely." He raised
his voice again. "Davis," he said, "if you don't open that door
immediately, I'll break it down."
"I wouldn't try it," was Davis' response. "I have appropriated a pair of
your revolvers here and I'll have a shot at the first head that I see."
This reply threw Lord Hastings into some consternation. He turned to
Frank.
"There is no use any one getting hurt on the fellow's account," he said.
"He's safe enough in there. Guess we may as well leave him."
"We'll have to get him some time, sir," said Frank. "We might as well do
it now and have it over with. Two of us should land him without any
trouble."
"You mean one and a half," replied Lord Hastings, smiling. "Don't forget
you are hardly whole with that wound on your head."
"I think I can prove a little better than a half, anyhow," Frank smiled
back. "Shall we break the door in, sir?"
"I have a better plan than that," replied Lord Hastings. "I'll blow the
lock off. Stand back out of range of fire from the door. Davis is likely
to shoot through it."
Frank did as commanded, and drawing his revolver, Lord Hastings placed
the muzzle against the lock.
There was a flash, a loud report and Lord Hastings leaped quickly
backward. And it was well that he did so; for a second later there came
a second report and a bullet sped through the thin door and imbedded
itself in the wall beyond.
Standing well to one side, Lord Hastings thrust out a foot and kicked
the door open.
"Better come out, Davis," he said quietly.
"No, thanks," was the reply. "I'll get the first man who shows his head
in the doorway."
Lord Hastings considered this point carefully. Then he said to Frank:
"Well, we've got the door open, but I don't see that we are any better
off. We can't go after him. Now what, eh?"
An idea struck Frank.
"You stand guard until I come back, sir," he said, and made his way aft.
Lord Hastings stood his ground.
Frank was back in a moment and again took his stand on the opposite side
of the door from Lord Hastings. He held something in his hand, and a
long snake-like object seemed to wiggle along behind him.
"What have you there?" demanded Lord Hastings in some surprise.
"Hose, sir," replied Frank calmly.
"And what are you going to do with it?"
"Rout Davis out, sir."
Lord Hastings chuckled.
"I am afraid you won't have much success," he replied. "It's a poor
Englishman who can't stand a little cold water."
"Maybe he won't like hot water, though, sir," replied Frank.
Again Lord Hastings looked surprised.
"Oho," he said at length. "Now I see what you are about. Going to scald
him a little, eh?"
"That's the idea, sir. I have the engineer's word that this hose will
throw a pretty strong stream. Once it hits Davis he'll be glad to come
out."
"All right," said Lord Hastings. "Turn it on."
Still standing out of the line of fire, Frank, taking the hose well back
from the nozzle, thrust it through the door and turned it on.
A thin vapor rose and the hose grew hot to Frank's touch.
"Pretty hot," said Lord Hastings. "Now if you can just locate him with
it, you----"
A cry of pain interrupted him and there was the sound of hurried
footsteps within.
"Got him," cried Frank gleefully.
He stepped into the open doorway, and as he did so, Davis raised a
revolver and his finger tightened on the trigger. But even as he would
have fired, Frank turned the scalding water on him. With a howl of pain
he dropped the revolver.