THE RED CROSS TRAGEDY
"NO, sir!" said Dave, promptly. "I love my wife, and it will not surprise
you to hear me say it, but in the discharge of my duty Mrs. Darrin has
exactly the same status as a stranger. I shall be glad, for my own sake,
to bring through in safety any ship on which she sails, but I shall be
just as glad to be able to insure the safety of any wounded Tommy Atkins
on the 'Gloucester' who is longing for a sight of his loved ones at
home."
"By Jove, that's a bully attitude, and I know you mean it!" cried the
staff officer, holding out his hand. "I must not delay you. Good-bye,
Darrin, and the best of good luck to you!"
A moment later the British officer was over the side and being borne back
to the flagship, while quick orders rang out on the "Grigsby." In as
short a time as the thing could be done the anchor was stowed, and the
destroyer was on her way out of port at half speed.
Just beyond the harbor Darrin gave the order for full speed ahead. From
the bridge, three miles farther out on the course, he made out the two
mine-sweepers.
"All starts well," commented Dave to Lieutenant Fernald. "May all end as
well! By the way, Mrs. Darrin is said to be on board the 'Gloucester'."
"Congratulations," said Fernald, heartily. "And you may look, sir, for
every officer and man aboard this craft to redouble his efforts to make
the day's task a complete success."
"I don't want it for that reason, although I expect from all on board the
fullest efficiency. Fernald, I'm not running an American naval vessel
primarily for the safety of my family."
For this trip the lookouts were trebled. They stood at every point of
vantage from which anything on the sea might be sighted.
Mile after mile the "Grigsby" logged, plunging and dipping in the sea,
her decks running water and spray dashing continuously over the bridge.
It was wet work, and over all was the roaring racket of the ship's
powerful machinery. To Darrin it was music; the dash and the sense of
responsibility thrilled him.
At last came the anxiously awaited hail from the lookout aloft:
"Topmasts of a ship almost dead ahead, sir."
"Keep her constantly in sight, and as soon as you can make out the hull
report whether she displays the hospital Red Cross," the watch officer
called back.
"Aye, aye, sir."
To those on the bridge the mastheads were soon visible. After that came
the lookout's hail:
"She's a hospital ship, sir. I can make out the Red Cross plainly through
the glass."
"It must be the 'Gloucester,' then," remarked Lieutenant Fernald.
"Pass the word that the first man really to sight a periscope or a
conning tower shall have a fortnight's shore leave extra," Dave ordered.
He smiled as he heard the scattering cheer that greeted that
announcement.
"The real way to the sailorman's heart lies through extra shore leave,"
he told Fernald.
"I wouldn't mind winning that prize myself," muttered the executive
officer. "That is, if I were sure that I could honestly accept the leave
without prejudice to duty."
"Find the periscope, then," smiled Darrin. "I am sure I can win the
promised reward, even for the executive officer."
Not long afterward they were in plain sight of the "Gloucester." On she
came, the smoke pouring from her pair of funnels. A fast craft, the
hospital ship was making about her best time in her hurry to get safely
across with her precious human cargo.
Then the "Grigsby" swung far out to port, cut a part of a circle, and
came back on the hospital ship's port bow, darting ahead again, cutting
across the hospital ship's bow far ahead and to port, then turning and
crossing once more.
After the two craft had proceeded some distance farther the two
mine-sweepers were sighted well ahead. These craft would soon turn and
sweep the waters for mines ahead of the hospital ship.
Not mere fancy capers was the "Grigsby" cutting. As she crossed the
"Gloucester's" bows time and again her lookouts were able to keep sharp
watch to port and starboard of the ship that bore a human cargo of pain
and suffering. It was the only way for a solitary destroyer to keep
effective watch on both sides of the ship she was convoying.
Twice Dave used his glass to glance along the nearer rail of the
steamship in search of Belle Darrin. He did not find her thus, and did
not try again, for he must not fail in his unceasing watch for the ship's
safety.
The mine-sweepers signalled their message of greeting, then turned and
swung into place. From this point the "Gloucester" and her escort slowed
down speed to accommodate that of the smaller craft.
The vessel wearing the emblem of the Red Cross had not yet reached the
spot at which the sweepers had turned.
Over the sea came a sullen, significant roar. The "Gloucester" shivered
from stem to stern. A wail of anguish went up in concert from the
soldiers on board the hospital ship who were worst wounded.
It had come so suddenly that, for an instant, Dave Darrin was dazed.
"That wasn't a torpedo!" he cried, hoarsely, a second or two later.
"She hit a mine, sir," reported Lieutenant Fernald. "It wasn't the fault
of the sweepers, either, for they hadn't time to get that far. But it's
awful--awful! There'll be hundreds of the poor fellows drowned!"
Dave quickly recovered his presence of mind. As the "Gloucester" shut off
speed Darrin turned and dashed at full speed to the aid of the stricken
craft.
Even as the race of rescue began Darrin sent to the radio operator this
message to send broadcast through the air:
"S. O. S.! Hospital ship 'Gloucester' has struck mine and must founder
soon. Rush at best speed to give aid. S. O. S.!"
In the message Darrin included also the exact position of the stricken
vessel.
Two launches were swung outward on the davits. Darrin sprang down to the
deck to personally select the men to man the launches. Into the launches
were thrown several rolls of heavy canvas and rolls of cordage, as well
as such tools as might be needed.
By the time that the "Grigsby" had shut off speed and lain to, the decks
of the "Gloucester" were observed to be crowded with people.
The two launches, with Dave Darrin in one of them, shoved off and were
quickly alongside the hospital ship. Two ship's ladders were let down
over the side. Up these went the two boarding parties as rapidly as they
could move. Lines came swirling down, and canvas rolls and other supplies
were hoisted to the deck. This work was all quickly done.
Not a second must be lost. Dave ordered Ensign Peters and several men
forward to the bow of the hospital ship. With the remainder, Dave,
carrying a roll of canvas over one shoulder, and all hands carrying some
burden, started to go below.
With a group of Red Cross nurses who stood silently and calmly by the
patients who were being borne to the deck, Darrin was sure that he caught
sight of Belle.
But he did not look a second time. There was too much to be done now when
seconds were precious. Nor did Belle look up from the work that she was
doing among the wounded on stretchers.
A member of the crew led the American party below. Here Dave found two
mates and a score of sailors already at work. They were trying to
accomplish the very thing Darrin had come prepared to do--to rig canvas
over the hole in the hull to shut out as much of the water as was
possible.
If this could be accomplished, and if the "Gloucester's" pumps could
drive out most of the water that got in past the canvas patch, then it
might be possible for the hospital ship to keep afloat until other rescue
craft could reach the scene.
"We'll take your orders, sir," spoke up one of the mates, saluting, as
Dave and his party reached a forward hold where, despite the flimsy
canvas patch already rigged, the water was almost waist-deep.
"We'll work together," returned Dave, briefly. "It may turn out that the
ship can be kept afloat for an hour or two."
"The bulkheads were shut, sir," the mate explained, hurriedly, "but
fragments of the mine entered this first water-tight compartment, and
also the second. You'd better go down into the second compartment, too,
sir."
Darrin hurried up to the deck, followed by the mates and their men. The
hole in the first compartment extended some six inches below water line
and some two feet above. It was a long, jagged hole. Trying to descend
into the second compartment with the chief mate, Darrin found that the
hole here extended at least a foot below water line.
"It's going to be no use, sir," said the mate, sorrowfully. "I don't
believe the ship can be kept afloat more than ten minutes before she goes
down by the head. These are our two biggest compartments."