"Great gracious, then that message wasn't a joke and that Britishcruiser may overhaul us and take all that bullion?"
"If she can catch us,--yes. She will also make prisoners of the Germanson board and take the ship to an English port."
"What had I better do?"
"Here comes young Poffer now. Tell him of zee message and get it to zeecaptain at once. If we are caught we may be delayed indefinitely and zeehaste is imperative with me at zee present time."
The German wireless man entered the cabin, gnawing at a huge pretzel. AtJack's information of the message that had come, he dropped it to thefloor in his astonishment and stood staring for a moment.
"Himmel!" he exclaimed, when he found his voice. "Englandt is go varmidt Yarmany! Undt a Bridish sheep chase us. _Ach du lieber_, if theycatch us, Hans Poffer goes by a prison yet midt nudding to eat but breadundt vater----"
"Never mind about that now," interrupted Jack quickly; "take thatinformation to Captain Rollok at once. Take it yourself. Don't give itto a steward. If the passengers knew of this, there'd be a panic in ajiffy."
Poffer, still with his mouth and eyes wide open, hurried off on hiserrand.
"Captain Rollok will probably come back himself," declared de Garros,"and vee will be ordered out of the cabin. Ve had better go now. But veemust not say a word of zees till zee time comes. Vee have more as twothousand passengers on board and if zey zink a warship chaseus,--_sacre!_"
CHAPTER III.
ON DECK ONCE MORE.
Jack was lolling in a deck chair fifteen minutes later, still digestingthe astonishing news that had come out of space, when a deck stewardapproached him and, with an air of caution, leant over the lad and said:
"Captain Rollok would like to see you in the wireless room at once,please."
"Now what's up?" wondered Jack, as greatly astonished by this message,he made his way to the radio cabin. "I guess I'm in for a call down forsitting in at the key. Poor Poffer, I'll see that he doesn't get intotrouble if I can help it, and as for me--I'm a passenger now andcaptains have no terrors for me."
These thoughts occupied him as far as his destination. Within the cabinwere Captain Rollok, a giant of a man, with a fresh complexion and hugeblond beard, one of his officers and Hans Pollak, the latter looking infear of his life as the big captain berated him, in German, with forceand vigor. As Jack entered the cabin, the great bulk of the captainswung round on him.
"So you are de young mans who sits in at der vireless vile discabbage-head goes stuffing himself midt pretzels, is it?" he demanded,with what appeared great severity, but with an underlying twinkle in hiseyes.
Jack contented himself with nodding and a brief admission that he hadtaken Poffer's place at the key while the latter refreshed himself. Hehalf-expected an outburst from the big German but, to his astonishment,the captain clapped him on the back with a force that almost knocked himoff his feet.
"_Ach, du lieber!_" he exclaimed; "it was goot dot you vod dere,uddervise dis foolish Poffer would haf left der key anyvay undt dotBritish cruiser would have overhauled us. Now I got a proposition tomake to you. You are a vireless man. Our second operator is sick undtidt is necessary dot dere is someones at der vireless all of der time.Vill you take der chob?"
Jack hardly knew what to say. The proposal had come so abruptly that hefound it hard to make up his mind.
"You would want me to help out all the way to Europe?" he asked.
"We are not going to Europe," was the reply. "I am going to run back forder American coast undt try to dodge capture. Six million dollars is abig enough prize to make der search for us pretty active. I don'tbelieve dere would be a chance for us to reach der udder side."
"Well," said Jack, after some consideration, "I guess my holiday is offanyhow, and I might as well get down to work now as later on. All right,Captain, you can count on me."
"Goot for you. I vill see dot you are no loser by idt," said the bigGerman, and so Jack, by a strange combination of undreamt-ofcircumstances, became the wireless man of the "gold ship," whosesubsequent adventures were destined to fill the world with wonder.
Poffer's hours of duty ended at dinner time that evening, and by thetime Jack sat down at the key, it was dark. No more word had come fromthe British cruiser, and so far the _Kronprinzessin's_ course had notbeen altered. A hasty message in cipher had been sent to the offices ofthe line in New York, but so far no orders to turn back had come throughthe air.
However, Jack had not been on duty an hour before the expected commandcame. The passengers strolling and sitting about the decks were suddenlyaware that the big ship was slowing up and being turned about. Theincredulous ones among them were speedily convinced that this wasactually the case when it was pointed out that the moon, which had beenon the starboard side of the ship in the early evening, was now to beseen off the port quarter.
Rumors ran rife throughout the great steel vessel. There had been anaccident to the machinery, there were icebergs ahead, some plot againstthe security of the gold in the specie room had been discovered--these,and even wilder reports, were circulated. The captain and the otherofficers were besieged for explanations, but none were forthcoming, forthe time being.
Shortly before midnight, however, the captain in person entered thesmoking room with a telegram in his hand.
"Gentlemen," he announced to those assembled there, "I am sorry to saythat var has been declared bedween England and Germany, Great Britainsiding against my Vaterland mit France and Russia."
He held up his hand to quell the hub-bub that instantly broke loose.When a measure of quiet was restored, he resumed:
"Id is therefore imbossible for the voyage of this ship to continue. Asyou haf observed, her course has been altered. Ve are on our way back toAmerica."
"To New York?" demanded a score of voices.
The captain shook his head.
"New York vill be vatched more carefully than any udeer port on derAtlantic coast," he said. "I haf not yet decided for vere I vill make;but I ask you all to take der situation philisophically and try to quietany alarm among der lady passengers."
The turmoil of questions and answers and excited conversation broke outagain, and in the midst of it the captain's broad form disappearedthrough the doorway. A few moments later, Raynor was in the wirelessroom after a fruitless search for his chum in other parts of the ship.
"Say, what are you doing sitting at that key?" he demanded. "Have yougone to work for the ship?"
"Looks that way, doesn't it?" smiled Jack.
"Did you know that we are running away from British cruisers?" askedRaynor, breathlessly.
"Knew it before the ship was turned around," said Jack, calmly. "But Icouldn't have told even you about it at the time. It was confidential.But there's no reason why you shouldn't hear it all now," and helaunched into a narration of the events just passed which had had such astrange culmination. He was in the midst of it, when one of the juniorofficers of the ship appeared.
He told the boys they would have to close the door of the wireless roomand cover the ports. Not a ray of light must be visible about the ship,he informed them. In the darkness even the glow of a single port-lightmight give a clue as to the whereabouts of their quarry to the lurkingBritish cruisers. In the passengers' quarters of the great ship, similarorders were issued. Stewards went about blanketing portholes and turningout all unnecessary lights. By ten o'clock, except in the "working"quarters of the ship,--and there, they were carefully concealed, as inthe wireless room,--there was not a light on board.
In order to insure obedience to his orders, the captain had had thecabin lights disconnected from the dynamos at that hour. On the darkeneddecks, little groups of timid passengers, who refused to go to bed,huddled and talked in low tones, constantly gazing seaward to catchsight of a tell-tale searchlight which would tell of pursuit orinterception.
Through the darkness, the great ship was driven at top speed withoutwarning lights of any de
scription. Watches were doubled, and on thebridge, the unsleeping captain kept vigil with his anxious officers.
Through the long hours, Jack sat unwinkingly at his key. But it was nottill the sky was graying the next morning that anything disturbed thesilence of the air. Then came a break in the monotony. The Britishcruiser _Essex_ was speaking to the _Suffolk_. But the messages were incode and told nothing except that Jack caught the name of the liner andknew the radio talk between the warships concerned her.
At breakfast time the passengers assembled in the saloon, for the mostpart anxious and haggard after sleepless nights. The captain spokeencouragingly, but even his words had little effect. Every one on boardfelt and showed the strain of this blind racing over the ocean withwatchful naval bull-dogs lying in wait ready to pounce on the richestprize afloat on the seven seas.
CHAPTER IV.
ICEBERGS AHEAD!
That night a dense fog fell. But the pace of the fleeing liner was notslackened by a fraction of a knot. Without running lights, and withdarkened decks and cabins, she raced blindly onward through the smother,facing disaster if she struck an obstacle. The passengers, alreadynerve-racked for the most part, almost beyond endurance, named acommittee which was sent to the captain to protest against the recklessrisk he was taking in ploughing ahead at top speed through the blindingmist.
They returned with a report that the captain had refused to slackenspeed. With reckless fatalism, it appeared, he was prepared to lose hisship in a disaster rather than run the chance of its capture by cruisersof the country with which his ruler was at war. A new feeling, one ofindignation, began to spread through the big ship. Little knots gatheredand angrily censured the captain's action. Some even visited him inperson, but while he was polite to all, he firmly refused to reducespeed or display lights.
This was the condition of affairs when Jack came on duty accompanied byBill Raynor, who had agreed to share his lonely vigil, for, from beingone of the most sought out places on the ship, the wireless room was nowdeserted by the passengers, for strict orders had been given against thesending or receiving of any wireless messages lest the watching cruisersshould get definite information of the liner's whereabouts and pounceupon her.
There was little for Jack to do under this "ukase" but to lean backrestfully in his chair, with the receivers over his ears on the lookoutfor what might be coming through the air. He and Raynor chatted,discussing the wild flight of the "gold ship," intermittently, as thehours passed. But suddenly Jack became alert. Out in the dark,fog-ridden night, two ships were talking through the air. They were, ashe learned after a moment of listening, the _Caledonian_ of the EnglishAnchor Line and the _Mersey_, which also flew the British flag.
The young wireless man listened for a time and then "grounded" with agrave face.
"What's up now?" asked Raynor, noticing this. "If it's the cruisers, Idon't mind, for only the Germans and Austrians would be held asprisoners. I'd kind of like to be 'captured,' as a novelty."
"This trouble's worse than cruisers," rejoined Jack, in sober tones.
"What is it then?"
"Icebergs," said Jack, sententiously.
"Icebergs at this time of the year?" asked Bill, incredulously, forbergs are rare in August on the usual steamer lanes, though occasionallyseen.
"That's what," rejoined Jack; "the _Caledonian_ was telling the_Mersey_. She says they are sown thick to the northwest of us. You'vegot to remember that we're a long way to the north of the usual steamertracks now, so it's not surprising that the 'growlers' are about."
"No, but it's mighty unpleasant," said Raynor. "What are you going todo?"
"Tell the captain about it at once," said Jack, decisively, rising andputting on his cap.
"I hope he puts on the brakes when he hears about it," commented Bill."I'm not particularly nervous, but going full speed ahead through thefog into a field of bergs doesn't just exactly feel good."
"I'm only glad that the passengers don't know about it," said Jack."They're scary enough now. If they knew about the bergs, I firmlybelieve some of them would have to be put in strait jackets."
"Yes, about the only cool ones on board are the Americans and theEnglish," declared Bill. "I heard to-day that a party of Americanmillionaires got together in the smoking room and laid plans to make anoffer to buy the ship and run her across anyhow."
"That sounds like the American spirit all right," chuckled Jack. "Whatbecame of the idea?"
"The captain told them the ship was not for sale," said Bill, "even ifthey offered to throw in the millions in the specie room."
Jack found Captain Rollok and his officers in anxious consultation inthe former's cabin.
"Ha, so you haf the news, is it?" demanded the captain, as Jack entered.
"Yes, and not very good news, I'm sorry to say," said Jack. "The_Caledonian_ has just been telling the _Mersey_ that there are icebergsahead."
The officers exchanged glances. They all looked at the captain.Evidently some orders were expected, with the greatest peril the seaholds lying ahead of the racing vessel.
One of them,--Second Officer Muller, who had the watch,--put his anxietyinto words.
"Is it that you will change the course or reduce speed, Captain?" heinquired.
The big, bearded captain turned on him like a flash. He raised hismassive fist and brought it down on the table with a crash that badefair to split the wood.
"We keep on as we are going!" he exclaimed. "Rather than let this shipget into the hands of the English, I'll send her to the bottom."
"But the passengers!" exclaimed Jack; "surely----"
"Herr Ready," said the captain, "I am in command of this ship. Theorders are full speed ahead."
CHAPTER V.
A CLOSE SHAVE.
Bill Raynor received Jack's news with a shrug.
"I'm not surprised, to tell you the truth," he said. "I've met a goodmany Germans in the course of my sea-going years, and that's usuallytheir idea,--rather sink the ship than give it up."
"But the fearful danger, Bill," protested Jack. "At any moment there maycome a crash and----"
"We've got iceberg detectors," said Bill, "and maybe they'll sound thewhistle and locate a big berg by the echo."
"They won't sound any whistle to-night," declared Jack. "That skipper isdetermined not to give any cruiser the least inkling of his whereabouts.I'm going to take a run on the deck, the wireless bell will call me ifsomething comes. Want to join me?"
"All right. But it's not much of a night for a stroll outside."
"Anything's better than sitting in that cabin waiting foryou-don't-know-what to happen."
"You're getting nervous, Jack."
"Not so much for my own sake as at the thought of all these thousands oftons of steel being raced through this fog at a twenty-four knot clipand icebergs ahead. It's sheer madness."
"Well, the captain's word is law at sea, so it's no use protesting. Wemust hope for the best."
The upper decks were deserted except for the boys. On the lower deck thepassengers huddled in the darkness behind canvas screens erected toprevent any chance ray of light from filtering out. It was an uncannyfeeling this, of speeding through an impenetrable pall of blackness withthe thought of the iceberg warning ever and anon recurring to both lads,though they tried to talk of indifferent subjects.
The hours wore on and the fog did not lighten. Chilled to the bone,although it was August, Jack and Bill had about decided to turn in whenthere came a sudden sharp cry from the lookout forward. Involuntarily,Bill clutched Jack's arm. The strain had affected them both more thanthey cared to admit.
Suddenly, dead ahead of them, as it seemed, there reared, seen whitethrough the mist, a monstrous spectral form. It towered above thesteamer's masts and appeared to their alarmed imaginations to hang likean impending cliff above the ship.
From the bridge came quick shouts. Or
ders were given and harshly echoed.Somewhere down on the passenger decks, a woman screamed. Then came criesof consternation. The next moment there was a slight shock and a long,shuddering grind passed along the vessel's side. The mountainous icemass appeared to sheer off, but in reality the ship was swinging clearof it. By a miracle she had escaped with a mere graze of her side. Atdiminished speed, she continued on her course.
"Phew, what a narrow escape!" exclaimed Jack, as the fog shut in aboutthe monster berg they had sheered.
"I thought we were goners, sure," declared Bill, soberly. "A little ofthat sort of thing goes a long way. I---- Hark!"
From the lower decks there now came the confused noise of a frightenedcrowd. Now and then, above, could be heard the shrieks of an hystericalwoman. Sharp, authoritative voices belonging, as the boys guessed, tothe officers, who were trying to quiet the panic-stricken throngs,occasionally sounded above the babel.
"They're coming this way!" cried Jack suddenly, as a rush of feet couldbe heard making for the ascents to the boat deck, where the wirelesscoop was situated. "Bill, we'll be in the middle of a first-class panicin a minute."
"Yes, if that crowd gets up here among the boats, there's going to bethe dickens popping," agreed Bill. "What will we do?"
"Run into the wireless room. In the drawer of the desk by the safe thereare two revolvers. One's mine and the other belongs to Poffer. Get themon the jump."
It did not take Bill long to carry out his errand, but in even the shorttime that he had been absent, the forefront of the terrified crowd frombelow was almost at the head of the companionway leading from thepromenade to the boat deck. Jack had stationed himself at the head ofit.
The Ocean Wireless Boys on War Swept Seas Page 2