UNDER FIRE
"I shouldn't want to go through that experience again," remarked Mr.
Henderson, as he, with all of the ship's company except Mrs. Johnson and
Nellie went on deck. "I thought we were lost, sure."
"Lucky our engine didn't go disproportionatin' herself at de mostess
criticless moment," put in Washington. "Golly, but she suttinly did
hum!"
"And you deserve credit for making her do the humming," went on the
professor with a smile.
"Well, we didn't catch the ghost," remarked Jack, "though I certainly
saw him, it or her, whatever the thing is. I felt it too."
"It's rather strange," spoke the professor. "Every time, or nearly every
time the ghost, as I suppose we must call it for the present, makes its
appearance, something terrible happens to the ship. I hope it doesn't
show up too often."
It was three o'clock in the morning, and they had battled with the
whirlpool over two hours. They talked of little else, and each one told
how he or she felt.
"It was just like twisting yourself up tight in the swing, and then
letting the rope unwind," said Nellie, and they all agreed that she had
described the sensation perfectly. They laughed, also, a thing they had
felt little like doing a short time previous.
The engine had run so hard, and some of the bearings had become so warm,
that for the rest of the night the professor decided to let the
machinery remain stationary. This would give it time to cool down he
said, and they could make up the time lost the next day.
Tired out with the night's worry and labors they all slept late the next
morning, and it was nearly ten o'clock before breakfast was over. The
ship was started on her course once more, and Jack, who was steering,
made the engine hum as the submarine scudded along, submerged about
fifty feet.
"When you have time I would like to talk to you," said Mrs. Johnson to
Captain Henderson.
"I'm at your service now," replied the inventor.
"What are you going to do with Nellie and me?" the lady went on.
"Take you to the south pole with us," was the answer, with a smile.
"It's very kind of you, and I don't want to put you to any trouble,"
went on Mrs. Johnson. "But I would like to go back north."
"I'd like to oblige you," returned the inventor, "but I hate to turn
back now. We are well on our voyage, and I may never get another chance
to locate the pole. Don't you want to accompany us? Think of the
glorious achievement!"
"I'd rather go back north," persisted the lady. "But I wouldn't ask you
to turn the ship around. What I was going to suggest was to sail along
on the surface for a few days and see if you cannot sight a homeward
bound steamer or sailing vessel. Then you could put me and Nellie aboard
her."
"Of course!" exclaimed Mr. Henderson. "I never thought of that. Though
we will be sorry to lose your company, and that of your little girl, I
will do anything to oblige you. We will at once go to the surface."
He called the necessary order to Jack through a speaking tube which led
to the conning tower. In a few minutes the ship shot upward, and emerged
from the ocean in a little shower of foam and spray.
She lay undulating on the surface, and was just beginning to move
forward again, under the influence of the screw, when a dull boom echoed
off to the left.
Jack looked from the observation windows in the conning tower and saw,
about a mile away a big steamer. From her side a white cloud of smoke
floated, and then the water splashed about fifty feet from the blunt
nose of the submarine.
Once more came the boom, the white cloud of smoke and this time the
water splashed only twenty-five feet away from the bow of the
_Porpoise_. A third time came the sound, and the splash was even nearer.
"They're firing on us!" yelled Jack.
At his cry the professor ran on deck. He was just in time to see the
fourth shot made, and this time the shell dropped into the water just
astern of the _Porpoise_ and so close that when it exploded it sent a
shower of spray all over the deck.
"Here! Stop that!" yelled Mr. Henderson, shaking his fist in the
direction of the steamer. "You nearly hit us that time. Do your
practicing in some other direction!"
"I don't think they can hear you," said Jack. "And besides, I don't
believe they are practicing."
"Then what in the world are they doing?"
"Shooting at us I guess."
"Why do they want to shoot at us? We haven't done them any damage."
"Perhaps they think we are a torpedo boat," suggested Jack. "Maybe that
vessel's nation is at war with some other one and wants to sink us if
it can."
"I believe you're right!" exclaimed Mr. Henderson. "But this will never
do. They must stop!"
Once more the big gun on the ship was fired and the shell came
dangerously close. At the same time several other reports, less in
volume were heard, and the water all about the submarine began to bubble
as the missiles from the machine guns cut the waves.
"Maybe it's an English vessel sent to capture Mark and me because of
that anarchist trouble at the hotel," Jack went on.
"Nonsense!" exclaimed the captain. "But whatever it is, we must stop it,
or they will sink my ship. Wave your handkerchief, Jack."
The boy sprang to the top of the conning tower, in order to permit those
on the vessel to see him more plainly, and vigorously shook the white
rag. That it was observed was evident when some one on the steamer
wig-wagged back a reply. In a few minutes a boat was seen to put off
from the ship, and soon a little launch, in command of a lieutenant in
uniform, drew up alongside the _Porpoise_.
"Who is captain of this craft?" asked the lieutenant as he came aboard.
"I am," replied Mr. Henderson. "What do you mean by firing on me?"
"I am Lieutenant Muchmore," said the other, saluting. "Captain Wackford,
of the _Sylph_, in His Britannic Majesty's service, presents his
compliments, and asks you to pardon the occurrence. You see we took you
for a derelict and were trying to sink you."
"I thought perhaps war had broken out between some country and the
United States since we left port," went on Mr. Henderson, "and that you
were trying to make a capture."
"No, it was only that we thought you a waterlogged craft, and a danger
to navigation," repeated the lieutenant. "But what sort of a ship have
you?"
"Come below and I'll show you the finest submarine that ever was built,"
answered the inventor with pardonable pride. "If you don't mind, give
your launch orders to go back to the ship, and I'll show something that
will make you open your eyes."
Anxious to see what the strange little craft could do Lieutenant
Muchmore sent his launch back, and went below with Captain Henderson. He
was astonished at what he saw, and unlike most Englishmen was willing to
say so.
Mr. Henderson then went to the conning tower. He directed the man-hole
cover to be clamped on, and then filled the tanks. The ship sank fifty
feet below the surface and then shot forward.
Seated in the cabin the lieutenant was observing with wonder showing on
his face at the accomplishment of sailing along under water. Suddenly
the lights were shut off, and the shutters moved back from the
bull's-eye windows. The sea, glowing in the beams of the search light,
was alive with fish, large and small, beautiful and hideous.
"Wonderful!" exclaimed the Englishman.
The bull's-eyes were closed, the lights switched on, and then, speeding
the engine almost to the top notch the captain steered the submarine
straight for the war-ship.
He had carefully noted her direction before starting his own craft, and
he resolved to do a little manoeuvering that would still further
astonish the visitor. By careful reading of the different gages Mr.
Henderson was able to come to the surface right in front of the _Sylph_,
to the no small astonishment of the men on the deck of the vessel.
Then, just to show what the _Porpoise_ could do, the inventor darted
around the war-ship in a circle. He sunk below the surface, went under
the keel of the _Sylph_ and came up on the other side. Then he went the
whole length of her, under water, starting at the stern and ending at
the bow, where he brought the submarine to a rest in a smother of foam.
"Great! Wonderful! Surprising!" were some of the adjectives Lieutenant
Muchmore used as he stepped from the conning tower, with Captain
Henderson, onto the deck.
At the appearance of the officer and the inventor a group of those on
the _Sylph_ gave three cheers for the little vessel.
"Is she for sale?" asked Captain Wackford.
"No, thank you," replied Mr. Henderson with a laugh.
"Because if she is I'll give you free passage to England with her, on my
ship," went on the commander. "My government would give a fortune for a
boat that can do what yours does."
"It is not for sale," repeated Mr. Henderson, "but I have some one on
board who would appreciate a free passage to England, or any northern
port."
"Who is it?" asked Captain Wackford.
"A Mrs. Johnson and her daughter."