IN ENGLAND
From the bridge came commands to the lookouts stationed in various parts
of the French steamer. Orders flashed to the engine room, and the vessel
lost way and floated under her momentum. As yet she was shrouded in
darkness, the only lights glowing being those actually required to
enable persons to see their way about. Below, of course, as long as the
incandescents were shaded, they could be turned on, and many passengers,
awakened by the concussion and the following sounds, illuminated their
staterooms.
The lights that gleamed across the billows came from the convoying
destroyers, and signals flashed from one to the other, though the
meaning of them the moving picture boys could only guess at.
Immediately following the explosion, which seemed to come from the side
of the _Jeanne_ where Labenstein had flashed his signal, the German and
the Frenchman had subsided into silence. Each one had given voice to an
exclamation in his own tongue and then had hurried away.
And so occupied were Blake and his chums with what had gone on out there
on the ocean--trying to guess what had happened--that they did not
notice the departure of the two men.
"What's that you said it was?" asked Joe of his partner. "I mean the
explosion."
"I think it was a depth charge," answered Blake. "One of the destroyers
must have sighted a submarine and let go a bomb, with a heavy charge of
explosive, which didn't go off until after it got to a certain depth
below the surface. That's the new way of dealing with submarines, you
know."
"I only hope they got this one, with a depth charge or any other way,"
remarked Charles Anderson. "Look, we're lighting up! I guess the danger
must be over."
Lights were flashing on the deck of the _Jeanne_, and signals came from
the destroyers. It was evident that messages were being sent to and fro.
And then, as passengers crowded up from their staterooms, some in a
state of panic fearing a torpedo had been launched at the ship, another
muffled explosion was heard, and in the glare of the searchlights from
one of the convoying ships a column of water could be seen spurting up
between the French steamer and the war vessel.
"That's caused by a depth charge," Blake announced. "They must be making
sure of the submarine."
"If they haven't, we're a good target for her now," said Joe, as he
noted the lights agleam on their steamer. "They're taking an awful
chance, it seems to me."
"I guess the captain knows what he's doing," stated Blake. "He must have
been signaled from the destroyers. We'll try to find out."
An officer went about among the passengers, calming them and telling
them there was no danger now.
"But what happened?" asked Blake, and he and his chums waited eagerly
for an answer.
"It was a submarine," was the officer's reply. "She came to attack us,
trying to slip around or between our convoying ships. But one of the
lookouts sighted her and depth charges were fired. The submarine came
up, disabled, it seemed, but to make sure another charge was exploded
beneath the surface. And that was the end of the Hun!" he cried.
"Good!" exclaimed Blake, and his chums also rejoiced. There was
rejoicing, too, among the other passengers, for they had escaped death
by almost as narrow a margin as before. Only the sharp lookout kept had
saved them--that and the depth charge.
"But how does that depth charge work?" asked Charlie Anderson, when the
chums were back in their cabin again, discussing what they had better do
in reference to telling the captain of the conduct of Labenstein and
Secor.
"It works on the principle that water is incompressible in any and all
directions," answered Blake. "That is, pressure exerted on a body of
water is transmitted in all directions by the water. Thus, if you push
suddenly on top of a column of water the water rises.
"And if you set off an explosive below the surface of water the force
goes up, down sidewise and in all directions. In fact, if you explode
gun-cotton near a vessel below the surface it does more damage than if
set off nearer to her but on the surface. The water transmits the power.
"A depth charge is a bomb timed to go off at a certain depth. If it
explodes anywhere near a submarine, it blows in her plates and she is
done for. That's what happened this time, I imagine."
And that is exactly what had happened, as nearly as could be told by the
observers on the destroyer. The submarine had risen, only to sink
disabled with all on board. A few pieces of wreckage and a quantity of
oil floated to the surface but that was all.
Once more the _Jeanne_ resumed her way in the midst of the protecting
convoys, the value of which had been amply demonstrated. And when all
was once more quiet on board, Blake and his chums resumed their talk
about what was best to do regarding what they had observed just before
the setting off of the depth charge.
"I think we ought to tell the captain," said Charlie.
"So do I," added Joe.
"And I agree with the majority," said Blake. "Captain Merceau shall be
informed."
The commander was greatly astonished when told what the boys had seen.
He questioned them at length, and made sure there could have been no
mistake.
"And they gave a signal," mused the captain. "It hardly seems possible!"
"It was Labenstein who actually flashed the light," said Blake. "Do you
know anything about him, Captain Merceau?"
"Nothing more than that his papers, passport, and so on are in proper
shape. He is a citizen of your own country, and appeared to be all
right, or he would not have been permitted to take passage with us. I am
astounded!"
"What about the Frenchman?" asked Joe.
"Him I know," declared the captain. "Not well, but enough to say that I
would have ventured everything on his honor. It does not seem possible
that he can be a traitor!"
"And yet we saw him with the German while Labenstein was signaling the
submarine," added Blake.
"Yes, I suppose it must be so. I am sorry! It is a blot on the fair name
of France that one of her sons should so act! But we must be careful. It
is not absolute proof, yet. They could claim that they were only on deck
to smoke, or something like that. To insure punishment, we must have
absolute proof. I thank you young gentlemen. From now on these two shall
be under strict surveillance, and when we reach England I shall inform
the authorities. You have done your duty. I will now be responsible for
these men."
"That relieves us," said Blake. "We shan't stay in England long
ourselves, so if you want our testimony you'd better arrange to have it
taken soon after we land."
"I shall; and thank you! This is terrible!"
The boys realized that, as the captain had said, adequate proof would be
required to cause the arrest and conviction of the two plotters. While
it was morally certain that they had tried to bring about the successful
attack on the French steamer, a court would want undisputed evidence to
pronounce sentence, whether of death or imprisonment.
"I guess we'll have to leave it with the captain," decided Blake. "We
can tell of his borrowing the light, and that we saw him flash it. Of
course he can say we saw only his lighted cigarette, or something like
that, and where would we be?"
"But there was the signal with the white cloth," added Joe.
"Yes, we could tell that, too; but it isn't positive."
"And there was Secor's running into me and spoiling our other films,"
said Charlie.
"That, too, would hardly be enough," went on Blake. "What the
authorities will have to do will be to search the baggage of these
fellows, and see if there is anything incriminating among their papers.
We can't do that, so we'll have to wait."
And wait they did. In spite of what Captain Merceau had said, the boys
did not relax their vigilance, but though, to their minds, the two men
acted suspiciously, there was nothing definite that could be fastened on
them.
Watchful guard was maintained night and day against an attack by
submarines, and though there were several alarms, they turned out to be
false. And in due season, the vessel arrived at "an English port," as
the papers stated.
"Let's go and see if Captain Merceau wants us to give any evidence
against those fellows," suggested Joe; and this seemed a good plan to
follow.
"Ah, yes, my American friends!" the commander murmured, as the boys were
shown into his cabin. "What can I do for you?"
"We thought we'd see if you wanted us in relation to the arrest of Secor
and Labenstein," answered Blake.
"Ah, yes! The two men who signaled the submarine. I have had them under
surveillance ever since you made your most startling disclosures. I sent
a wireless to the war authorities here to come and place them under
arrest as soon as the vessel docked. I have no doubt they are in custody
now. I'll send and see."
He dispatched a messenger who, when he returned, held a rapid
conversation with the captain in French. It was evident that something
unusual had taken place.
The captain grew more excited, and finally, turning to the boys, said in
English, which he spoke fluently:
"I regret to tell you there has been a mistake."
"A mistake!" cried Blake.
"Yes. Owing to some error, those men were released before the war
authorities could apprehend them. They have gone ashore!"