AN "S. O. S." CALL
"By Jove, Jack," said Captain Glenn, as the lads and their prisoners
appeared, "that's what I call quick action. How many more men do you
suppose there are here now?"
"I don't know," was the lad's reply. "I'll ask our friends here." He
shook the man nearest him, roughly. "How many more men in the fort?"
he demanded.
This prisoner chanced to be the wireless operator, so he spoke
English.
"No more, sir, I am sure," he said fearfully.
"Don't you lie to me," said Jack sternly.
"I'm not lying," protested the operator. "Ask Pedro there, if you do
not believe me."
Jack whirled on the second captive.
"How many?" he demanded of the South American.
"No more, senor," was the man's quaking response.
"Maybe not," said Jack, "but if I find you have not told me the truth,
it will be the worse for you. Captain Glenn, will you have these
fellows tied up? Then the rest of you stand guard at the door. See if
you can repair that outer door. Captain Jack and the others will be
back some time and we don't want to be taken by surprise. I'll have a
little session with the wireless."
"How about your wounds?" asked Williams.
"Scratches," replied Jack briefly. "I don't have time to bother with
them now. I'll have 'em fixed up later. Now you fellows do as I tell
you."
The others recognized Jack's authority. The prisoners were bound and
locked in another room. Captain Glenn and Williams stood guard at the
door, that they might not be surprised by the return of the pirates.
Frank started a tour of inspection with the an announcement that he
would gather whatever firearms he could find and make sure there were
no pirates in the fort. He also bound up the men who had been wounded
in the fighting. The dead men he laid on cots until such time as they
could be given burial.
Jack took the operator's seat in the wireless room and adjusted the
receiver to his head. Then he began to experiment with the key.
Directly sharp flashes of light from the aerial without showed that he
was flashing messages into space.
For perhaps an hour he endeavored in vain to pick up a ship or a
station in any of the South American countries. The signature he put
to each message was "J. T."--his own initials, but he could think of
none better.
As he was about to give up his tests as a failure, he suddenly caught a
faint clicking.
"J. T," came faintly to his ears.
He answered promptly.
"Who are you?" was the message he sent.
"U. S. cruiser Virginia," was the reply. "Who are you?"
"Survivors of merchant ship Albatross," Jack flashed back. "Castaways
on uncharted island."
"What's your location?"
"Don't know. But there is a German submarine base on this island."
The wireless seemed nervous as the next message came in.
"What island?"
"Island called Kaiserland. There are also a nest of pirates here.
We've just captured the wireless room."
"How long can you hold out?"
"Indefinitely."
"Good! I'll summon assistance and we'll search South American waters
thoroughly. We'll find you sooner or later."
"Very well," Jack flashed back, "but be careful. These waters are
infested with the enemy and they'll sink you if possible."
"Don't worry about us," was the Virginia's reply. "We can take care of
ourselves. Can't you give me an idea where you are?"
Jack thought rapidly. Then he sent this:
"We were aboard a pirate ship three nights ago and sank a German raider
75 miles from this island. If you can pick up the wreck, we are due
west."
"Thanks. We'll find it if it is still afloat. What's the strength of
this pirate crew?"
"About fifty men."
"And the strength of the German submarine base, together with officers
and men; also equipment?"
"Don't know," was Jack's reply. "I've only the pirate chief's word
that there is a German submarine base. He is using a submarine stolen
from the German as his own."
"Maybe he is lying to you," said the Virginia's wireless.
"Don't you believe it," Jack flashed back. "They're on this island all
right."
"They won't be long, thanks to you," was the answer. "I'll pick you up
later. I'm going to summon help."
The clicking of the wireless ceased. Jack waited impatiently for his
call again, and at length it came.
"I've relayed your message to Washington," said the wireless. "I will
have a fleet down here before long, but we'll come for you alone if
necessary."
"Thanks," said Jack, "I--"
The lad broke off as Frank appeared in the door with a cry.
"Pirates coming back, Jack!" he cried. "Come on."
Jack delayed long enough to send this message:
"Pirates coming. Have to quit talking and fight. More later."
Before he removed the instrument from his head he caught this reply:
"Lick 'em good! Good luck."
Jack smiled to himself as he hurried from the wireless room and joined
Frank and the others without.
"We may not lick 'em," he muttered, "but they'll know they've been in a
fight."
Through the single window in the room Jack saw the returning pirates,
Captain Jack in the lead, returning slowly.
"The good captain will be rather surprised when he finds his fortress
has changed hands in his absence," said Jack to Frank.
"Rather," agreed Frank. "Now, what's the best plan? Step out and warn
them away, or let them come close and do it then?"
"Let 'em come close," advised Jack. "There's only one window here to
guard and we can do that without trouble. They don't have any
artillery, so they can't batter down the door. Rifles won't do it.
Let 'em come close and we'll give them a little scare."
Captain Jack led his pirate force toward the fort, unconscious of the
danger that lay within. Captain Glenn and Williams had repaired the
outer door so that it was now as strong as it had ever been.
Inside the stockade itself, Captain Jack approached the door wearily.
He had had a hard and unsuccessful day and he was in no pleasant frame
of mind. The door refused to budge when he pushed on it. Captain Jack
raised his voice in a shout.
"I say there, Lawrence, what do you mean by locking me out? Open that
door at once." For answer Jack opened the little window, and poking an
automatic out before him, he said softly:
"Lawrence is a good pirate now, captain. We have him safely tied up."
Captain Jack stepped back in consternation. Then he reached for his
gun.
"Hold on there!" shouted Jack. "I don't want to kill you, but I will
if you make another move like that. Stand still now, like a real good
pirate, and listen to what I have to say."
Captain Jack glared at Jack malevolently and for a moment it seemed
that he might risk a shot for a chance to draw. Then his hands dropped
to his side.
"All right," he said. "I'm listening."
"We're in command of this fort now," said Jack, "and we're going to
stay in possession. You and the rest of your pirates will have to stay
outside. Also you will have to rustle your own grub. We need all we
have in here. Don't make the mistake of trying to catch us napping.
We'll always be on guard, and you will find you are barking up the
wrong tree. That's all. I'll give you five minutes to get out of
range."
"So you've become pirates yourself, eh?" said Captain Jack, trying to
keep his temper. "You steal our grub, and--"
"That's enough," said Jack, flourishing his revolver. "Your five
minutes are growing short."
Captain Jack shook a threatening fist at Jack Templeton.
"I'll go!" he shouted, "but I'll come back and when I do you are going
to be the sorriest Englishman I ever saw. You can lay to that. You
can't make a fool of Captain Jack and live."
"I couldn't make a fool of you," said Jack. "That job was done before
I ever saw you. Now go!"
A moment longer Captain Jack hesitated; then, as Jack raised his
revolver, he turned and strode away.
The remainder of the pirates followed their chief.