FROM THE DEAD
At Jack's cry of amazement Frank slowly opened his eyes. His
constitution was not nearly as strong, as that of his huge
friend. He was almost unconscious as the result of his terrible
fall. But he recognized his chum in an instant, smiled feebly,
and then his muscles relaxed. He lay a dead weight in Jack's
arms.
Quickly the lad looked round for some sign of a vessel, or a
piece of wreckage to which to cling until he could be picked up.
There was none, so still carrying his friend he struck out in the
direction of the nearest ship, which could even now be seen
approaching.
The sounds of battle still continued, but they gradually grew
less as the Austrian fleet, or what was left of it, retired to
the protection of its land batteries.
Four warships sent to the bottom of the sea, three submarines
missing, and undoubtedly gone forever, and a half score of
torpedo boats sunk, was the Austrian loss. The French had lost
two battleships, a submarine and three torpedo boats. The
heaviest losses sustained by both sides had been to the air
fleets.
Now the approaching vessel drew closer to Jack, and he at length
realized that he had been seen. A small boat put off to him.
Strong arms gripped him and pulled him and Frank into the boat,
and a hearty voice exclaimed in English:
"By Jove! They're English! Now, how do you suppose they got
here?"
Jack was conscious of a pleasant sensation at hearing his native
tongue spoken thus, but he was too exhausted to take much
interest in it then. He fell back unconscious.
But, if the lad was surprised at thus being addressed in English,
there was still a greater surprise and joy in store for him--and
for Frank.
When Jack reopened his eyes, he lay in a small but well-furnished
cabin. Frank lay near him. He already had returned to
consciousness, and even now was glancing curiously about.
He glanced at Jack as the latter opened his eyes.
"By George!" he ejaculated. "I was afraid you were done for, you
lay there so quietly. How did I come here?"
"Why," said Jack, "you toppled into the sea right beside me, and
I grabbed you and held on until we were picked up."
"Then," cried Frank excitedly, "you were aboard the first plane
that dived into the dirigible?"
"I was there," replied Jack briefly.
"By Jove! I thought so. It looked like some your doings. And,
if you hadn't thought of that method of attack, the whole French
fleet probably would have been sunk!"
"Well, somebody had to do it," said Jack modestly. "I notice you
weren't far behind yourself."
"Well," said Frank quietly, "I am glad we accomplished the task
successfully. Where are we now?"
"I don't know exactly," replied Jack. "But, as we were picked
up, I heard someone talking in English. I believe that we are on
an English ship that happened on the scene just in time to get
into the battle."
"Well--" began Frank, and stopped suddenly, staring open-mouthed
at a figure now framed in the doorway of the little cabin.
Jack turned his eyes in that direction, and also was stricken
speechless.
"Am I dreaming?" muttered Frank at last. "It--it can't be."
"'But it is," exclaimed a well-known voice, and a dignified and
military figure marched into the room--the figure of Lord
Hastings, whom the boys had so long mourned as lost.
In spite of their exhausted condition, both boys were upon their
feet instantly, and each had him by the hand.
"But you went down with the Sylph," protested Jack.
"You were drowned," declared Frank. "I saw you go down."
"So you did," replied Lord Hastings, laughing a little. "But I
came up again. I came up near a piece of floating wreckage, to
which I clung for more than twenty-four hours before I was
finally picked up by a British torpedo boat."
There were tears in the eyes of both boys as they clung to their
old commander.
"But what happened to you?" Lord Hastings continued. "I inquired
everywhere, and could find no trace of you. I was certain that
you had gone down, and I was never so surprised and overjoyed in
my life as when you were lifted aboard the Sylph a few hours
ago."
"The Sylph!" ejaculated Jack.
"Yes," replied His Lordship, smiling a little, "I have christened
this vessel the Sylph II, but I always speak of her as the Sylph.
But come, tell me about yourselves."
Briefly Frank related the experiences they had gone through since
the Sylph had been sunk.
"Nothing you do can surprise me any more," declared Lord
Hastings, when Frank had finished his narrative. "But now, as to
the future, do you wish to remain aboard the Marie Theresa, or
would you like to come with me?"
"Would we!" ejaculated Jack fervently.
"I should say we would!" declared Frank decisively.
"Well," said Lord Hastings, "I have no doubt that it can be
arranged. I shall speak to Captain Dreyfuss at once."
"Is Lieutenant Hetherington alive?" asked Jack suddenly.
"No," replied Lord Hastings sadly, "we three are the sole
survivors of the Sylph."
"But what are you doing in these waters?" demanded Frank.
"Well," replied Lord Hastings, "it's somewhat of a secret, but I
don't mind telling you. I am on the trail of the German cruiser
Emden."
"The Emden!" ejaculated both lads.
"Exactly. She has become a terrible menace to British shipping.
While she is probably more than a match for the Sylph, if I come
up with her I shall stay on her trail until I can raise a cruiser
big enough to tackle her. My job is to find her, and, when I do,
I guarantee I shall never lose sight of her."
"Good!" cried Jack. "Now, if you can fix it up with Captain
Dreyfuss, we are ready to go with you."
"Would you like to accompany me?" asked the commander of the
Sylph.
The lads signified their assent. An hour later they were all
seated in Captain Dreyfuss' cabin aboard the Marie Theresa.
"And where is Pierre?" demanded Captain Dreyfuss of Jack.
"Gone!" replied the lad quietly. "He died the death of a hero."
"And do you mean to tell me," demanded the captain, "that you two
lads were in the machines that dived head first into the enemy?"
"It was Jack who conceived the idea and made the first attack,"
replied Frank.
Captain Dreyfuss turned to Lord Hastings.
"And these are the two lads you are asking me to give up to you,
eh?" he said severely.
"Well," replied Lord Hastings, "I certainly should like to have
them back again. But, of course, if you do not give your consent--"
Captain Dreyfuss interrupted him with a wave of the hand, and
turned to the boys.
"And what do you say, sirs?" he demanded. "Have you not been
treated well aboard my ship?"
"Yes, sir," replied Jack, "but--"
Frank's heart fell. From the captain's tone, it was apparent
that he did not intend to let them go.
"And you, sir?" demanded the captain of Frank.
"We have no cause to complain," replied Frank. "But Lord
Hastings--"
"Enough!" interrupted Captain Dreyfuss. "It shall be as you
say." He turned to Lord Hastings.
"Take them," he said, "and I am sure you will never find two
braver lads."
"Thank you, sir," said both boys.
The commander of the Marie Theresa arose to his feet, signifying
that the interview was over, and extended a hand to each lad.
"Good luck," he said simply. "You may go now. I have some
matters to discuss with your new commander."
The boys saluted and went on deck, where they awaited Lord
Hastings.
It was several hours later before they returned aboard the Sylph.
No sooner were they aboard, however, than Lord Hastings ordered
that the vessel be put under way immediately.
"I have wasted time enough here," he told the lads. "I must get
on the trail of the Emden at once."
The lads were given quarters corresponding to the ones they had
had on the old Sylph. The vessel was built along the same lines
as the Sylph I, and had been fitted out just as luxuriously and
comfortably. It was, in times of peace, well adapted for a
pleasure yacht.
The Sylph II carried a goodly array of fighting material,
however, and a crew of 150 men.
It was while dining that night that Lord Hastings gave the boys
the surprise of their lives.
"I presume you know," he said quietly, "that as the two surviving
officers of the Sylph, you now move into the vacancies left by
the death of my first and second officer?"
"What!" exclaimed both lads in the greatest surprise.
"Oh, you heard me," replied Lord Hastings. "But which of you is
to be which?"
"But how about your present officers?" demanded Jack.
"They will understand when I explain to them," replied Lord
Hastings. "Now, which is to be my first officer?"
"Jack, sir," said Frank.
"Frank, sir," said Jack.
"Come," said His Lordship, "I have a way to decide."
He took two toothpicks, and broke one off a little shorter than
the other. He put them behind his back for a moment, and then
held his hand out in front of him.
"Whoever draws the shortest stick," he said, "shall be my first
officer. Draw!"
Jack took one of the toothpicks and Frank the other. Then they
compared them.
Frank dropped his and slapped Jack heartily on the back.
"Good!" he said joyfully, "you've won."