THE CHEATING OF HARRIS
Below, Harris had just armed himself with a great iron bar; for he knew
that the door was about to give under the attacks of the Germans.
"The fools!" he said to himself. "Why don't they blow the lock off?"
It seemed that the same thought struck the German first officer at
about the same moment. Motioning his men back, he approached the door
and put the muzzle of his revolver against the lock. He pulled the
trigger, and when the Germans again surged against the door it flew
open beneath their weight.
One man stumbled headlong through the door. As he did so, Harris raised
his heavy bar and brought it down on the man's head. The German dropped
with a crushed skull.
But before Harris could raise his weapon again the Germans had closed
about him and sought to strike him down with the butts of their
revolvers. The struggling figures were so closely entwined now that the
enemy could not fire without fear of hitting one of their own number.
Harris struck out right and left and men staggered back before his
terrific blows. Then came the sounds of running footsteps without.
"Back!" called the German first officer.
Two British heads appeared in the doorway almost simultaneously.
"Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!"
The Germans poured a volley into the two men and the latter sagged to
the deck.
Harris, at the same moment, had jumped toward the door. As he leaped
over the prostrate forms, he collided with von Ludwig.
"Quick, sir!" he cried. "They are too many for us. Back on deck!"
There was something in Harris' manner that impressed von Ludwig.
Without stopping to argue, he followed Harris. When both were safe on
deck, Harris quickly closed the door of the companionway and battened
it down.
"We've a breathing spell, at any rate," he said, mopping his face.
"Why all this rush?" demanded von Ludwig. "Where are the men who went
to your assistance?"
"Dead, the same as we would be if we had lingered another moment,"
replied Harris, quietly. "It was impossible to pass through that door
without being shot down. It was only due to the diversion of the
appearance of the others that permitted me to escape."
Came heavy blows against the covering of the companionway.
"They want to come out," said Harris, grinning.
"That door won't stand much battering," said von Ludwig.
"No, it won't," was Harris' reply, "but one man can guard it well
enough. Besides, we have the bridge. We can steer the vessel where we
will."
"As long as the engines run we can," agreed von Ludwig. "But unless I'm
greatly mistaken the Germans will soon stop them."
He was right; for a few moments later the battering at the door of the
companionway ceased and the engines ceased work.
"Well, we can't go any place now, sir," said Frank, leaving the wheel
and approaching von Ludwig and Harris at the companionway.
Jack also came up to them.
"You're right," agreed von Ludwig, "and that's not the worst of it. The
German cruiser probably is in pursuit of us. If they sight us we are
done for."
Came more violent blows on the door over the companionway, followed by
a shot from below.
Jack sprang aside as a bullet plowed its way through the hard wood.
"We'll have to stand to one side," he said. "Otherwise, they are likely
to drop one of us."
"The door will stand considerable battering," said von Ludwig. "There
is but one thing I can think of. We shall have to desert the ship."
"In what, a rowboat?" asked Frank, with some sarcasm.
"Hardly," returned von Ludwig; "but I have discovered that there is a
high-powered motor boat aboard. We can launch that and move off."
"And as soon as the Germans break out here, they'll come after us and
shoot us full of holes," said Harris.
"Well, that's true enough, too," agreed von Ludwig. "Of course, if we
had an hour's start we might get through. But the door won't hold that
long."
Harris had been turning a plan over in his mind.
"If you please, sir," he said slowly at last, "I have a plan that may
work."
"Let's hear it," said Frank.
"Yes; let's have it," said von Ludwig.
"Well," said Harris, "one man, with a couple of revolvers, should be
able to guard this passageway for an hour without trouble. He can shoot
the Germans down as fast as they come up. My plan is this. Let one man
stay behind on guard. The others can put off in the motor boat."
"But the one man will die," said Frank.
"Of course," said Harris, simply. "That shall be my job."
"Not much," said Jack. "I'll pick that job for myself."
"Not while I'm here you won't," declared Frank. "I'm plenty big to
guard the companionway."
"The plan you suggest, Harris," von Ludwig said quietly, "is the only
one, so far as I can see, that promises any degree of success. In my
pocket are papers that must reach the British admiralty at the earliest
possible moment."
"Then there is no reason why you should think of staying, sir," said
Harris.
"Wait," said von Ludwig. "In a venture such as this, there is no reason
one man should be called upon to sacrifice himself more than another.
We shall all have an even chance."
"What do you mean, sir?" asked Frank.
"Simply this. We shall draw lots to see who shall remain."
"Suits me," said Harris, with a shrug.
"And me," declared Jack.
"Well, then I'm agreeable," Frank said quietly.
"Good. Harris, in the pocket of my coat, which hangs in the pilot
house, you will find a pack of cards. Bring them here."
Harris walked away and returned a few seconds later with a pack of
playing cards. Von Ludwig opened the box and produced the cards.
"The man who cuts the lowest card shall stay behind," he said quietly.
"Shuffle."
He passed the cards to Harris, who riffled them lightly.
"One moment," said von Ludwig. "If I should be the man to stay, I want
one of you to take these papers in my pocket. They must be turned over
to the admiralty at the earliest possible moment. Should the man who
carries them be in danger of capture, they must be destroyed. Do you
understand?"
"Yes, sir," said Jack.
Frank nodded.
"It shall be as you say, sir," said Harris, "Now who will cut first?"
"It may as well be me as another," said von Ludwig.
He cut the cards and exposed to view a jack of hearts.
"Looks like you will carry the papers yourself, sir," said Frank, as he
advanced to cut the cards.
He held up a nine spot of spades.
"That lets you out, sir," he said to von Ludwig.
The latter was plainly nervous.
Jack cut the cards next. Frank uttered a cry of consternation:
"The three of clubs!"
"Looks like I was the fellow to stay, all right," said Jack, smiling
slightly.
"And this time," said Frank, "you may not be as fortunate as upon the
day you remained behind and faced death on the submarine."
Jack shrugged.
"Can't be helped," he said quietly.
Now Harris advanced and cut the cards quickly.
As he picked up the upper half of the deck, he turned his shoulder
slightly so that the others, for the moment, might not see what he had
cut. He glanced at the bottom card. It was the six of diamonds.
Deftly, Harris shuffled the cards with his hands. Adept in the art of
trickery, though the others did not know it, he had placed the cards in
such position that he knew almost identically where the high and low
cards were.
Like a flash his hand passed across the bottom of the deck and when it
was withdrawn the six of diamonds had disappeared. Then he turned to
the others and exposed:
The two spot of spades!
"I lose," he said quietly.
Harris' movements had been so quick that they had not been perceived by
the others.
Jack was the first to extend a hand.
"I'm sorry," the lad said quietly. "I was in hopes that it would be
me."
As he shook hands with the others, Harris kept his left hand behind
him; for in it reposed the card he had palmed--the six of diamonds,
which would have allowed him to go with the others and would have put
Jack in his place.
As he turned, Harris slipped the card quickly into his pocket, that it
might not be accidentally seen. Then, he knew, he was safe.
Jack picked up the deck.
"I shall keep these, Harris," he said, "that I may always remember a
brave man."
All this time the thundering on the door of the companionway had
continued.
"Come," said von Ludwig, "we must delay no longer. Already it is
growing light."
He hastened along the deck to where the high-powered motor boat lay
covered with a tarpaulin. Quickly the little craft was lowered over the
side, von Ludwig first inspecting it.
"Plenty of water and provisions," he said quietly. He turned to Harris.
"It is time to say goodbye," he said quietly. "You are a brave man.
This gallant action shall be known to the world."
"Goodbye, sir," said Harris, quietly.
"Remember," said von Ludwig, "there is always a chance that you may
escape. If it comes, make the most of it. Goodbye."
He pressed Harris' hand and passed over the side of the vessel.
As Frank and Jack shook hands with Harris, the latter squeezed Harris'
hand affectionately. The latter smiled.
"I had promised myself another bout with you some day," he said. "My
only regret is that it is not possible now."
A moment more Jack was in the motor boat and it moved away. Harris drew
his revolvers and mounted guard over the companionway, the door of
which now had begun to splinter.
"An hour is what you needed," he said quietly. "You'll get it!"