For an hour or more the consul and the naval officer sat spellbound as
the four--for they each had a part to tell--related their adventures
since they left the destroyer.
“We gave you up for dead!” exclaimed the lieutenant, as they concluded.
“In fact, to-day I was about to send cables home concerning you.”
“But you didn’t, sir?” asked Midshipman Stark anxiously.
“No, I did not, you young scamp. I don’t know, though, but that you
deserve it.”
But Colonel Thompson, the consul, was delighted.
“Great Scott! Mr. Timmons!” he exclaimed, “it’s capital, sir, capital.
These boys are of the real American stuff. They should be promoted,
sir, every one of them.”
“Unfortunately,” said the officer, “their services have been such as
cannot be mentioned in the dispatches. At Washington they would not
understand. But, at any rate, I have a pleasant surprise for those two
boys.”
He indicated Ned and Herc. Our boys colored with pleasure and
anticipation at his tone. Eagerly they watched him as he drew from his
uniform pocket two folded papers, one of which he handed to each.
They were the long-awaited official confirmations of their promotions.
No wonder the boys’ eyes shone as they regarded their superior officer.
Their hearts were too full for words, but they looked their thanks. It
was Ned who found his voice first.
“Thank--you, sir,” he stammered, “I--we----”
“There, don’t try to make speeches, Strong. You are too good a fighter
for that,” laughed the officer. “I expect to see both of you rise far
higher than this in the service.”
“If it depends on us, sir, we will,” Ned assured him.
“By the way,” broke in the consul, “about that document in which this
young man is interested?”
“Oh, yes, that will. Well, Strong, as I gather from your story, you
have found the young woman to whom it belongs. I had better turn it
over to you.”
It was finally decided, however, to leave the document with the consul
till the legal formalities, insuring Senorita de Guzman and her mother
their rights, could be completed.
It may be of interest to our readers to know that the next day it was
Midshipman Stark who obtained leave and volunteered to ride to the
hacienda with the good news.
Suddenly, while they still sat talking, the door was thrown open and
a wild figure burst in. With a cry of surprise, the Dreadnought Boys
recognized Hank Harkins.
“I claim the protection of the American consul! I am an American,” he
began crying and groveling on the floor. Hardly had the words left his
lips before some government soldiers entered. Addressing the consul,
their leader explained that Hank had been detected fleeing from the
insurgent ranks before the Hill of the Ten Saints, and was wanted as a
prisoner.
“They’ll shoot me!” screamed Hank miserably. “Save me! Save me!”
Suddenly he noticed the Dreadnought Boys, and appealed frenziedly to
them.
“Don’t let them take me,” he cried.
Ned briefly explained to the consul who the groveling wretch was,
and then Colonel Thompson, who had some influence with the president
of Costaveza, agreed to take charge of Hank. With this assurance the
soldiers left the room. But Hank still sobbed convulsively. He had
spent the hours of the battle crouched behind a tree, but the savage
fighting had terrified him. When it was all over, he tried to sneak
into the town unseen, but already the government troops had been told
to watch for him, as well as for Charbonde.
“Where is Charbonde?” asked Ned sternly of the cringing creature.
“Dead,” wailed Hank. “He fell, shot in the back, as he was running
toward me.”
“A fitting death,” remarked Lieutenant Timmons. “Do you know anything
of de Guzman’s whereabouts?”
“No,” Hank declared. He added that he had seen the general in retreat
with some of his officers, but had lost sight of him.
It was afterward learned that de Guzman, after seeking shelter with a
relative on the other side of the island for a time, finally escaped
to Paris, where he now lives--an outcast and almost a beggar. As for
Hank, he was ultimately given up to justice, but, on the pleas of the
consul, escaped being shot. He was deported from the country, and was
speedily lost sight of. And Jim Prentice? He was found missing one day,
and doubtless deserted the service he disgraced.
Little more remains to be told. The next day the boys were astonished
by the arrival of several big battleships in the harbor, the squadron
being in command of their old commander, Captain Dunham. It appeared
that the squadron had been cruising in West Indian waters, but had
been ordered by cable to proceed to Costaveza, when the government
became convinced of the seriousness of the situation. In some
mysterious way Captain Dunham soon learned the eventful history of the
boys in Costaveza, and they were sent for by him to relate the whole
story. Their former commander roared with laughter and astonishment
by turns as they related their experiences, but finally his face grew
grave.
“You boys acted for the best,” he said, “and I admire you for what you
did. But the pity of it is your pluck and bravery can never become
known. However, if you care to be appointed by me to some special work,
I think I have some ahead for you in the near future.”
With kindling eyes the boys thanked him.
The next day they had leave ashore, and spent it in walking about the
city, recalling the eventful things that had happened to them in its
vicinity. Suddenly Ned was almost suffocated by an arm being thrown
about his neck, and a bristly face being pressed to his.
“Ah, my brave, I salute you!” exclaimed a voice in his ear.
It was little Captain Gomez. Drawing the boys into a sheltered
eating-place, he ordered cooling refreshments, and then related to
them all over again how they had captured the insurgent navy, ending
with the information that he was to be made Minister of Marine for his
services in the revolution.
“But I owe it all to you!” he exclaimed warmly. “To you and your brave
comrades.”
“But don’t ever tell any one so,” laughed Ned.
The fleet remained in the harbor for three days more, during which time
Midshipman Stark’s leave was much occupied with visits to the hacienda
of Senorita de Guzman and her mother. On one occasion the boys and
their faithful comrade, Stanley, accompanied him, and received--much to
their embarrassment--the warm thanks and embraces of the two women for
their part in the rehabilitation of their fortunes.
One bright morning an orderly stepped up to Lieutenant Timmons and
reported that the expected signal for getting under way was about to
be set on the vessel of the commanding officer of the division.
An hour later the American squadron steamed slowly seaward, out of the
landlocked harbor of the turbulent republic. Seaward with them for many
miles came the _General Barrill_, firing furious salutes at every knot.
Captain Gomez was saying farewell.
“Well, there is good-by to a stirring chapter in our lives, Herc,”
said Ned, as the hazy outline of the Costavezan coast grew dimmer, and
finally dissolved into the sky line.
Herc nodded. For once the red-headed youth was devoid of words.
For some time the boys stood silent, gazing westward, where lay the
vanished shore. Then Stanley came up behind them, and together the
three began to talk over once more the subject of which they never
tired--their adventures ashore and on board a destroyer.
But, although none of the three realized it, more stirring experiences
than any they had yet known lay ahead of them. In the future both Ned
and Herc and their rugged companion were to be participants in many
thrilling scenes and perilous adventures. What these were must be kept
for the telling in another volume of this series: THE DREADNOUGHT BOYS
ON A SUBMARINE.
THE END.
* * * * *
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* * * * *
DREADNOUGHT BOYS SERIES
By Capt. WILBUR LAWTON
Modern Stories of the New Navy
Cloth Bound Price, 50¢ per volume.
THE DREADNOUGHT BOYS ABOARD A DESTROYER.
The adventures of two young men of wars--men on board one of the
wickedest types of sea-fighters,--the speedy, deadly, torpedo-boat
destroyer. On board one of these sea-tigers the Dreadnought Boys voyage
to a turbulent South American republic, in the internal troubles of
which our country has, on account of her citizens’ interests, a duty of
protection and supervision to perform.
The part the boys played in the revolution which threatened to bankrupt
several American interests, and how they saved the day for the
government by clever means and clear grit, is well told. At one stage
of their adventures, the boys handle a South American destroyer with
such cleverness and seamanship that they avert disastrous consequences
to our flag and interests. Like its predecessor this book possesses
the tang of the sea. Its action also takes place against the shifting,
kaleidoscopic background of the revolution.
The excitement of warfare on sea and land, the thrill of sustained
interest in the lads’ scrapes and difficulties is on every page.
Best of all, the volume shows the part that our navy takes shaping
world politics; how it does big things without fuss or fireworks.
Emphatically a book for every lad who has felt the call of the sea or
the thrill of good fighting and adventure in tropic climes.
SOLD BY BOOKSELLERS EVERYWHERE
HURST & CO. Publishers New York
* * * * *
Transcriber’s note:
Illustrations have been moved to paragraph breaks near where they are
mentioned.
Punctuation has been made consistent.
Variations in spelling and hyphenation were retained as they appear in
the original publication, except that obvious typographical errors have
been corrected.