WEIGHING THE EVIDENCE.
"Let's go below, mates," suggested Dick, "and overhaul all this.
There's meat in it for us, and it will stand us in hand to get at it."
"I'll not go below this night, Dick," said Matt, "and we'd better all
of us stay on deck and keep our eyes peeled for Japs. Carl can go and
bring me up some dry clothes, an extra pair of shoes and stockings, and
an extra coat."
"Dot's me, bard," chirruped Carl, making for the conning tower.
"Get the boat on her proper course, Speake," said Matt; "we must get
out of this neighborhood as soon as we can--and as quick as we can.
Watch the torpedo as we come about, Dick, you and Glennie. See that the
cable doesn't foul the guys or the periscope mast."
Speake signaled for a fresh start, and as the submarine described a
circle and pointed the other way, Dick and Glennie kept the hawser
clear. The torpedo took its scope of cable, and the drag of it was
plainly felt as soon as the submarine began to pull.
"It's main lucky, mates," remarked Dick, as Carl regained the deck with
Matt's dry clothing, and the young motorist began to get out of his wet
togs, "that we've such a smooth sea. If the wind was blowing hard and
the water was choppy, Matt would have a hard time with that torpedo of
his."
"A lucky thing, too," added Glennie, "that there's a thick fog. If
Matt's enemies had seen him, they'd have finished the work they set out
to do with that lariat."
"On the other hand, Glennie," put in Matt, "we don't want to forget
that it was the fog that enabled them to come so close. Their boat must
have got within seventy-five feet of the _Grampus_ in order for any one
to drop that noose over my head."
"I'll be keelhauled if I can understand how such a trick was done,"
said Dick. "From my experiences on the cattle ranges of Texas, I should
say that a seventy-five-foot cast with a riata is a mighty big one, and
liable to be successful about once in a hundred times. But here's this
swab that lassoed Matt, snaring him the first crack--and throwing from
a boat's deck and across water, at that!"
"Then, too," proceeded Glennie, "their boat has less noise to it than
any craft I ever heard of. It shoved along within seventy-five feet of
us--and none of us heard a sound!"
"I thought I heard a noise, Glennie," returned Matt, "and that was what
took me aft."
"I can't understand how it was done," muttered the ensign.
"Veil, anyvays," struck in Carl, "id vas done, no madder vedder anypody
oondershtands it or nod. Kevit making some guesses aboudt der vay it
vas pulled off und look der pitzness skevare in der face. It vas der
Chaps--who else vould dry to plow der _Grampus_ oudt oof water? So
vat's to be done aboudt it?"
"Carl's talking sense, fellows," said Matt. "Those Japs are against us.
We thought we had left them behind, and that we should be able to reach
San Francisco before they could make us any trouble, but here they are,
going for us harder than ever."
"They're not using that steamer of theirs, mates," averred Dick.
"The steamer might have torpedo tubes," answered Glennie.
"Ay, so she might; but she couldn't lie along within seventy-five feet
of us without making noise enough to wake the dead. The Sons of the
Rising Sun have changed boats--and how have they had time to do that,
and reach this part of the coast almost at the same time as ourselves?
We've plugged right along ever since leaving the strait."
"That gives me an idea," said the ensign, "and you fellows can take it
for what it's worth. Our knowledge of the Sons of the Rising Sun is a
trifle hazy, but we know them to be a secret organization whose aim
is to help Japan. The organization is not sanctioned by the Japanese
government, for its members commit deeds which would plunge the nation
into war if it sanctioned them. Now, this secret society is probably
quite extensive. Perhaps we are not dealing with the branch of it that
kept us busy most of the way to the Horn, but with another outfit of
the Sons of the Rising Sun that has been laying for us here."
"That's possible," agreed Matt. "The question is, shall we put into
Lota and try to find out something more regarding our enemies, or keep
on to Valparaiso, as we had originally intended?"
"I'm for putting in at Lota," said Dick. "We can't tow that infernal
Whitehead all the way to Valparaiso."
"It will be just as well to stop there, in my opinion," seconded
Glennie. "If we're dealing with another branch of the Sons of the
Rising Sun, perhaps we can get some information about them in Lota."
"Meppy," ventured Carl, "ve could lay in a sooply oof gasoline in Lota,
und vouldn't haf to shdop at Valparaiso, huh? Dot vould safe dime, und
I am gedding hungry for a look at der Unidet Shtates again. Der more I
see of odder gountries, der more vat I like my own."
"His own!" laughed Dick, who, now that Motor Matt had been safely
recovered, was feeling in fine fettle. "You could tell he was a Yank,
just by the way he talks, eh?"
"I peen an American mit a Dutch agsent," protested Carl, "und I t'ink
so mooch oof der Shdars und Shdripes as anypody. I vould schust as soon
shtep on der Pritish lion's tail as anyt'ing vat I know."
"If you step on the British lion's tail, and I find it out, matey,"
laughed Dick, "I'll have you hauled up and fined for cruelty to
animals. One of these days I'm going to write to the kaiser and tell
him about you."
"Vat I care for der kaiser?" snorted Carl. "He iss a pooty goot feller,
aber he ain'd so big like der Bresident oof der land oof der free und
der home oof Modor Matt."
"Fine-o!" chuckled Dick.
"A dandy sentiment, Carl!" exclaimed Glennie. "What do you think of
that, Matt?"
"Why," returned Matt, "I think that if the lot of us don't stop
joshing and attend more to watching our immediate neighborhood that
the land of the free and the home of the brave is liable to be minus
one submarine and a lot of motor boys. That Jap boat is a particularly
noiseless craft; she came close enough to us to launch a torpedo, and
close enough to tangle me up in a rope and pull me into the ocean. If
she did it once, she can do it again. We've got to keep sharp eyes
forward, aft, and on both sides. Dick, you'll be the bow lookout, and
Glennie can go aft; you watch the port side, Carl, and I'll watch the
starboard. Can you steer for the rest of the night, Speake?" he added
to the man in the conning tower.
"I guess I can stand this extra duty if you can, Matt," replied Speake,
"considering what you've been through."
"A dip in the ocean and a ride on a torpedo doesn't count," said Matt,
dropping his wet clothes down the hatch; "it's what may happen to us if
we don't keep on our guard that bothers me. This boat is going to be
delivered at Mare Island, Japs or no Japs."
"Und righdt site oop mit care, you bed you!" cried Carl, dropping down
on the port side of the conning tower. "I feel so easy in my mindt as
oof I vas alretty pack in der best gountry vat efer vas."
"Carl is full of patriotism to-night, mates," observed Dick, from the
bow.
"I vas dickled pecause Matt is alife und kicking. Dot inshpires me
mit batriotic sendiment, und odder feelings oof choy. Be jeerful,
eferypody."
Weighing the evidence offered by the torpedo attack, and the snaring
and dragging of Matt into the water, had not resulted in bringing out
very much that was of importance. It served, however, to emphasize the
need of vigilance by developing the resourcefulness and malevolence of
a wily foe.
At 4 a. m. the submarine was close to the land lying south of the Bay
of Lota, and, as the mist was still too thick to make out the distance
and bearing of the coast, Matt thought it advisable to stop the motor
and wait for the fog to clear with the sun.
Advantage was taken of this stop to prepare breakfast. While all hands
were eating, Gaines and Clackett, who had been at their posts during
the exciting occurrences of the night, were duly informed of all that
had taken place.
At 6 a. m. the morning was bright enough so that Matt felt they could
proceed with safety.
The passage into the Bay of Lota, between the island of Santa Maria and
Lavapié Point, is narrow and difficult, abounding with sunken rocks and
other hidden dangers that have not been surveyed and charted.
Luck, however, was with the motor boys, and the passage into the bay
was succesfully accomplished. Just as the sun broke through the mist
and brought out the beauties of the bay, the _Grampus_ nosed her way
into it.
On three sides the bay is surrounded by wooded hills, which shelter it
in every direction except on the north.
"Dowse me," muttered Dick; "this coast looks like that of Cornwall and
Devonshire, with that red earth, those granite cliffs, and the trees
running down to the water's edge. What are those chimneys and all that
smoke over there?"
"Smelting works and potteries," explained Glennie. "They are owned by a
woman, Madam Cousiño, one of the richest women in Chili."
The _Grampus_, being of light draught, was able to go close inshore.
Anchor was dropped within a couple of cables' length of the wharf. The
"mud hooks" had hardly taken hold before a man in a tawdry blue uniform
came off from the shore in a boat. He was rowed by two negroes, and
appeared to be very much excited.
When his boat was laid alongside, the official stood up, flourished his
arms, and spouted a stream of language. It was Spanish, and came in
such a torrent that Matt, who knew something of the lingo, could make
nothing of it. Glennie was better versed in the tongue, and listened
attentively and with growing concern.
"Here's a go, Matt!" exclaimed the ensign, as soon as the official
paused to catch his breath. "This man is the captain of the port, and
he has placed us all under arrest."
"Arrest?" cried Matt incredulously. "What for?"
"He says we're thieves, and that we have stolen this submarine boat."
"Dot's aboudt der lasht t'ing vat I oxpected!" muttered Carl. "Take der
uniform off dot feller, und ve vill find he iss a Son oof der Rising
Sun, I bed you. Led's go to der pottom oof der pay und infite him to
come down und ged us."