UNDER THE SEA
But there was to be no sleep for any aboard the German submarine
X-9 that night. As the boys were just about to tumble into their
bunks, there was the sound of a sudden commotion on the vessel.
Lieutenant Stein sprang to his feet, hastily donned what few
clothes he had removed, and dashed from the cabin. With all
possible haste, the boys followed suit.
Men were rushing to and fro and no one heeded the boys' presence,
although they were rudely thrust aside by hurrying members of the
crew several times.
"Wonder what's up?" said Jack.
"Don't know," replied Frank, "unless they have sighted one of our
ships."
"By Jove! Let us hope not," breathed Jack.
But this was indeed the cause of the excitement aboard the
submarine. A British battleship had been sighted in the
distance, and Captain Von Cromp was preparing to attack the
unsuspecting vessel, which had failed to sight her enemy,
although the latter was fully exposed to view.
Frank and Jack approached the foot of the periscope, where they
stood awaiting developments.
Outside a sudden storm swept the water of the North Sea in angry
waves. The water lifted up the little vessel with the regular
motion of a high-running sea. All was pitch dark.
The fact that men were hurrying about on deck, was only shown by
the somber figures who now and then passed in front of a single
lantern. From out the engine room, already under water, arose
the pound of heavy pounding and the weird crackling of the
engines, as they were tried out.
Jack glanced at his watch. It was 10:30. Suddenly there came a
shrill whistle from the little bridge of the submarine, standing
high above the vessel, and covered with heavy canvass. The
officer in command, Captain Von Cromp himself, dressed hi heavy
oilskins, raised a hand, the signal to go ahead.
A short, sharp signal to the engine room, a loud whirr of the
motor, and the X-9 was speeding ahead. On both sides of the ship
long waves formed, shimmering with light foam in the blackness of
the sea. The X-9 moved westerly--toward the still unsuspecting
battleship.
The heavens were covered with clouds. Not a star was visible.
It was impossible to see more than a few feet away from the
strange craft. Captain Von Cromp, with his experienced eye,
tried in vain to penetrate through this wall of solid blackness.
The wind kicked up the sea and the bridge was entirely flooded
with water. There was hot a sound to be heard, save the heavy
droning of the motor and the swish of the water passing along the
sides.
Suddenly, in the near distance, loomed up a great gray bulk,
swinging high above the submarine upon the water. It was the
British battleship.
And now submarine X-9 had been discovered. A heavy boom rang
out, but the little craft was not damaged.
Another signal came to the ears of the two boys. Men rushed upon
deck and soon the submarine was prepared for action. The
flagpole was taken down. Part of the bridge was folded together
and securely fastened. The periscope was fixed at its proper
height. Then the entrance through the combined bridge and
conning tower was hermetically sealed. A moment more and the
tanks were opened, telling the lads that the submarine was about
to submerge. The gasoline motors stopped their endless song.
From now on electricity would drive the vessel forward.
Near Frank and Jack, at the periscope, stood Lieutenant Stein,
looking at the British ship. The sailors took their stations
near the torpedoes. The interior of the boat was now lighted
with two small electric bulbs. They made the darkness visible,
but gave no light outside. Everywhere was the stale smell of
oil. The boys found it impossible to speak to each other because
of the noise of the engine and the water. The heat was
oppressive.
From time to time the officer in command of the three torpedoes
looked at his watch or at the compass, both of which he carried
around his wrist. Intently the men all watched the signboard on
the wall in front of them. The storm without made itself felt
even in the depth. Every motion of the water caused the
submarine to rock up and down and up and down again.
Jack found himself thinking of the advantage of the man on board
a warship. He, at least, could go down with a last look at the
world about him. Below, nothing could be seen, nothing could be
heard. If the submarine went down, all would suffocate in the
darkness beneath the water.
It was plain to Jack that Frank, as well as all the sailors and
officers, was thinking along similar lines. The expression on
all faces was plain proof of it.
Suddenly the sailors sprang forward, forgetting in an instant
heat, bad air and discomfort. Following the gaze of the sailors,
the lads turned their eyes to the signboard. There, as if by
magic, had sprung up the word:
"Attention!"
The officer in command of the torpedoes had his hand on the lever
which would release the first deadly projectile already in the
tube. The sailors made ready to launch the second as soon as the
first was gone.
Several seconds passed. Frank and Jack stood in deathlike
stillness. Both realized the tragedy that was about to be
enacted, and both were aware of their powerlessness to avert it.
Into the minds of both flashed a thought of springing upon their
captors, but each, after a moment's reflection, realized the
futility of such an action. It would merely delay the firing of
the first torpedo.
And so they stood while the seconds passed, the heart of each in
his throat. Suddenly the first sign on the board disappeared. A
moment later and a second command appeared. Frank and Jack read
it simultaneously, and both started forward with a cry.
The word that now stared them in the face, in red, glowing
letters, was:
"Fire!"
With a single jerk, the officer released the first torpedo, even
as both lads, unable to endure the suspense and inaction any
longer, leaped upon him. There was a short, metallic click, the
noise of water rushing into the empty tube, and it was over. The
first torpedo had sped on its errand of destruction and death.
The German officer turned just in time to grapple with Jack, who
was now upon him.
"Seize them, men!" he cried, and struck out sharply at the lad.
But Jack was too quick for him, and his right fist went crashing
into the German's face. Frank was with him now, and the two
turned to face the onrushing sailors.
Both struck out rapidly, but in spite of their resistance, they
were soon overpowered by the numerical superiority of their foes,
and thrown to the floor.
There, realizing the uselessness of further struggling, they gave
up and lay still.
The German officer, having struggled to his feet in the meantime,
now approached and stood over them. Perceiving they were no
longer offering resistance, he motioned the sailors to let them
up.
The lads arose and faced the officer.
"I realize your position better than you are probably aware," he
said, speaking coldly, "and for that reason I shall overlook your
attack upon me. I would have done as you did. I could not stand
by and see a German ship sent to the bottom without raising a
hand to prevent it. Go to your cabin, sirs." The boys bowed,
and obeyed.
But while the boys were scuffling with the German officer and
some of the sailors, others had pushed a second torpedo into the
tube. And a sailor shouted, making himself heard by dint of a
very powerful voice: "Did we hit her?"
Instinctively all kept count--one hundred meters, two hundred
meters, three hundred, four hundred. Under the water no sound
penetrated. Waiting was all that could be done. For a few
moments nothing happened.
Then, suddenly, every man on the boat, Jack and Frank in the
cabin, the captain, officers and all, were almost thrown from
their feet by a terrific jerk of the submarine. Another jerk,
and still another.
Then the submarine rolled as before--evenly. A moment and the
regular purring of the engines was heard again. The submarine
moved rapidly eastward.
She was on her way back home.
And an English battleship was at the bottom of the sea.