CHAPTER XXIX.
DEATH OF THE TRAITOR--OLD ENGLAND AGAIN.
Czar Nicholas shrank back.
In the hand of Count Blowinski, which flashed aloft above his head, aknife gleamed in the light. A cry of horror went up from those in thatpart of the room who were so far back as to preclude a possibility oftheir being able to interfere in time to save the Emperor.
Those closer to the Czar hurled themselves forward; but they hadhesitated a moment when the count sprang forward and they too would havebeen too late.
In all that room, among the score of officers and soldiers, there wasonly a single soul who had the presence of mind, the courage and thealertness to act in time.
Jack sprang forward.
In spite of the fact that Count Blowinski had seemed, apparently,resigned to his fate, there was something in the man's eye that hadwarned Jack and told him to be on his guard.
Even as he leaped Jack knew he was taking a desperate chance. Thethought flashed through his mind that even he would be too late to savethe Czar. But there was not a moment of hesitation; not a second ofindecision on his part.
Straight between the Czar and Count Blowinski Jack sprang, at the sametime raising a hand to catch the upraised arm, the hand of which graspedthe knife in a firm grip.
But in his haste the lad had not gauged the distance accurately. True hehad interposed his body between that of the Czar and the would-beassassin, but he failed to grasp the upraised arm.
The moment that he realized he had missed, Jack swerved a bit, and theknife, descending, slashed his right shoulder. Had he not swerved it hadbeen his heart.
Before Count Blowinski could move to strike again, Jack, whirlingsuddenly, seized the arm in his left hand and clung to it tightly, hisnow useless right arm hanging by his side.
The Czar was safe.
With a cry of baffled rage, Count Blowinski gave a desperate wrench andfreed himself from the lad's grasp.
With his eyes red with rage, he again raised the knife and cried out atJack:
"Now die!"
The knife descended, but even as it would have found its mark, it fellclattering to the floor as a revolver shot rang out.
Once, twice, Count Blowinski spun round on his heel, made a desperateeffort to keep his feet; then plunged to the floor on his face.
There was a breathless silence in the room as Jack moved forward, turnedthe count over on his back and laid a hand over his heart. Then helooked up and said quietly:
"He's dead."
The lad got to his feet and turned to Lord Hastings, who still held asmoking revolver in his hand--it was he who had fired the shot that hadsaved Jack's life.
"You, sir----" he began, then staggered, and before Lord Hastings couldraise a hand to catch him, pitched forward across the body of the count.
Instantly the Czar became greatly excited. He waved his arms above hishead and cried out:
"Summon my physician immediately! Hurry! What is the matter with you?Can't you see this lad is in need of immediate assistance? Myphysician! Quickly!"
Instantly all became confusion. Men rushed out the door, treading uponeach other's feet and jostling one another furiously in their effort toobey the Czar's command.
Lord Hastings and the Czar sprang to Jack's side at the same moment, butit was the Russian ruler who raised the lad's head to his knee andplaced a hand over the heart.
The effort was rewarded by a slight beating.
"He lives!" cried the Czar. "Some water quickly!"
Lord Hastings sprang to obey this command and soon the Czar himself wasbathing Jack's face and talking to him, as would a father to a son whowas ill.
And at last Jack opened his eyes.
The Czar breathed a sigh of great relief.
"Thank God!" he exclaimed fervently.
Lord Hastings also now stooped over Jack.
"How do you feel, Jack?" he asked anxiously.
Jack smiled up at him feebly.
"Shoulder hurts considerably, sir," he replied, and winced with thepain. "Foolish of me to topple over like this, though, sir."
"Foolish!" repeated the Czar, and then sprang to his feet and exclaimedexcitedly:
"My doctor! My doctor! Where is he? Doesn't the man have sense enough tohurry? By my soul, I'll have him sent to Siberia if he is not here intwo minutes!"
And His Majesty continued to rave until a few moments later a little manhurried in briskly.
"Where have you been?" exclaimed the Czar. "Don't you know enough tohurry when I send for you? See to this boy at once. At once, do youhear?"
The physician paid no attention to the Emperor of all the Russians morethan to push His Majesty aside as he said shortly:
"Stand back, now, all of you and give me room."
Not another man was there in all the empire who could speak to the Czarlike that.
He took no heed of any of those standing about, except to give anoccasional order as he worked; and after ten minutes he looked up at theCzar and said:
"There is no danger, sire."
"Thank God!" exclaimed the Czar again. "I will not have him die. Heshall have the best that the Empire affords. Have him taken to my ownsuite immediately."
And the Czar would hear of nothing else. Lord Hastings he commanded tobe his guest in the palace and the latter could do naught but comply.
And so, for the next three days, Jack lay ill in the Czar's palace.Daily he grew stronger, for he was of a vigorous and healthyconstitution and after the first day there was absolutely no danger.
It was a dismal time for Lord Hastings, who now had both of his officerson the sick list; and the commander of the D-17 divided his time betweenthe sick room in the Czar's palace and the hospital, where Frank wasconfined.
But at last the time came when the physician decided that Jack could getup and move about a little. This was indeed welcome news to Jack, whoinsisted, the first day he was out of bed, upon being taken to seeFrank.
"Well," said Frank, as he greeted his chum with outstretched hand, "itseems that if I get into a little trouble, you must do likewise."
"That's not the reason I did it," was the reply. "Say, we're a couple offine officers for King George, aren't we? We're always in trouble ofsome kind. The first thing you know, he'll be asking for ourresignations."
"Oh, I guess not," said Lord Hastings, who had overheard this remark."However, I am greatly afraid that I am going to lose you both."
"Going to lose us?" repeated Jack in surprise.
"What do you mean, sir?" demanded Frank anxiously.
"Why," said Lord Hastings, "I shall have to report your conduct to HisMajesty, King George, and when I do----"
"I told you," broke in Jack. "His Majesty will ask us to resign."
"By George! I hope not," exclaimed Frank.
"And when I do," continued Lord Hastings, not heeding the interruptions,"I shall probably lose you both, for His Majesty probably will take youaway from me."
"What for, sir?" demanded Jack.
"Why," was the reply, "His Majesty will realize, as I have long ago,that you are too valuable officers to be fooling around as lieutenants.You will probably get the promotions you both deserve."
Jack and Frank fell suddenly silent. They had thought of nothing likethis. But after some moments Frank said:
"Well, sir, if there is any danger of such a catastrophe, I hope thatyou will be kind enough to say nothing to the king."
"Frank is right, sir," agreed Jack. "It would indeed be a catastrophe."
"It would be a catastrophe for me if I were to lose you," said LordHastings very quietly.
* * * * *
As the days passed the injuries of both lads healed rapidly. At the endof a week both were feeling perfectly fit and each expressed his earnestdesire to put to sea again.
"Not until you are absolutely fit," was Lord Hastings' decision. "Youmust remember that we
face a dangerous task passing through the KielCanal on the way home and I want you both to be absolutely in ship-shapebefore I attempt it."
"We've gone through three times now," said Jack quietly. "I guess we canmanage it once more."
"And going back," said Lord Hastings, "we shall go as we came this lasttime--with no stops and no thought of engaging a single one of theenemy."
"But, sir----" began Frank.
"There are no 'buts' in this case," declared Lord Hastings withfinality. "I'm the commander of the D-17, and what I say goes, if I haveto put you both in irons to keep you quiet."
When Lord Hastings took this tone, both lads knew there was no use ofarguing the matter; and while both felt they would like to strikeanother blow at the German fleet on their homeward journey, they wereforced to accept Lord Hastings' dictum.
At length the day for leaving came; but before they could go aboard theD-17, at the Czar's command, they needs must dine with him. This theydid, and in the presence of the many notables who sat down to table, theCzar, following the feast, arose and complimented each lad separatelyand highly.
And he closed with this injunction:
"If, at any time, during the war or after peace has come to bless ourseveral lands, you should chance to be in Russia, either of you, and youfail to come to me before another, I promise you that I shall seek youout and have you sent to Siberia for life--that I may see you whenever Ilose my sense of what is right and wrong and need something to set meright."
The Czar finished his remarks amid tremendous applause, much to theembarrassment of the two lads, who stood there, faces flushed andgrinning foolishly. But the banquet came to an end at last and LordHastings, Frank and Jack took their departure, the praises of the Czarstill ringing in their ears.
They went aboard the D-17 the same night and made ready for theirdeparture in the morning.
And as the D-17 steamed slowly along on the surface the followingmorning, what a terrible din and roar there was, as every Russian shipof war in the harbor fired a farewell salute!
Said Lord Hastings to his two officers:
"You may live many, many years, but it will be long ere you will havethe honors heaped upon you that you have earned in Russia."
There was no reply that either lad could make, so they stood silently onthe bridge, watching the city of Petrograd disappear in the distance;and presently they came once more to the broad expanse of the Baltic.
The journey back to the shores of old England was without a singleincident to mar its peacefulness. They passed through the Kiel Canalwithout going to the surface, nor were they disturbed by a foe in thedepths. The mines they steamed by safely also, and soon they once morefound themselves under the protection of the great British fleet.
Lord Hastings immediately ran for London; and six hours after the D-17had docked there, the lads found themselves once more in Lord Hastings'palatial home. And Lady Hastings took them both by the arms andaddressed them thus:
"You know how fond I have grown of you two boys. You have been away longand I have missed you. This time, I shall keep you with me."
As Frank and Jack blushed and bowed and scraped uncomfortably, LordHastings only smiled and nodded.
"Yes," said Lady Hastings quietly, "you have done much for England, allthree of you boys," and she glanced affectionately at her husband. "Now,for a time, you shall take orders from no one but me. You shall all stayhere and rest!"
THE END.
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