CHAPTER XIII
A THREATENING SITUATION
"Who's there, Jimmie?" asked Ned, pressing forward.
"Nobody now," answered the other. "I thought I saw our friend Mackinderlooking down the hatchway, but possibly I was mistaken. At any rate he'sgone now and we'd better hurry on for dinner."
"Mackinder's a prisoner here," stated Ned, positively.
"Maybe he broke loose," suggested Harry.
"All right, I'm going up to the deck and look about," said Ned.
As the boys reached the narrow confines of the small deck at the top ofthe conning tower they saw a figure hastening along the foot planks thatled from vessel to vessel. The fleeing person was now almost at thebuilding on the wharf. In a moment the shelter of this structure had beengained. The figure dodged out of sight.
"Now, that's a funny thing to do!" mused Ned. "I wonder just what thefellow wanted. Are you sure it was Mackinder, Jimmie?"
"No, I'm not," admitted the lad. "Of course, the face was in shadow as helooked down the hatch. I'm not positive, but thought it was he."
"Well, let's not bother about it any more," said Ned, apparentlydismissing the subject. "We're too hungry for any more mysteries!"
As only hungry boys can the five attacked the ample dinner provided forthem. The dishes were strange but appetizing. Jimmie declared that heintended to remain in that location for some time in order to becomeacquainted with the chef. He said that he would be the envy of the entireWolf Patrol if he could cook in German style.
After dinner the boys gathered in the lee of a small building, where theywould be protected from the chilling blasts. Puffy squalls, bearingdashes of snow, sleet or rain, came threshing out of the west. Itappeared to the lads that the weather was growing decidedly worse.
In spite of the inclement weather a number of the hardy workmen wereindulging in out of door sports during their rest hour.
For some time the lads watched the games as the hardy men relaxed theirwork-tensed muscles. The sullen booming of surf on the rocky coastconstantly sounded in their ears.
"There goes our late rescuer!" announced Jimmie presently.
"Where?" asked Frank. "Whom do you mean?"
"The Sturmvogel!" answered Jimmie, pointing toward the harbor, wherecould be seen the speedy destroyer slipping quietly out to sea.
"Here's hoping you have a good voyage, friend!" said Frank.
"Yes," added Jimmie, "we'll see you a little later!"
"That reminds me," put in Ned, "we might as well get back to the 'U-13'and begin work. There's no use delaying the game!"
"That's right," agreed Harry. "These fellows are probably in a hurry forthat submarine. We might as well be decent."
"Wait a minute," suggested Jimmie. "You've given me an idea! Your mentionof the name of a certain undersea craft started a train of thought in myalleged brain. Take it easy for a moment!"
"Yes," cried Jack, in mock sympathy, "stand back! Give him air! If Jimmieis really going to think, let's give him lots of room!"
"Aw, you go on!" scorned Jimmie. "I've got a right to think if I want to,haven't I? I guess that's my privilege!"
"Not unless you have a union card!" protested Jack, laughing.
"That's all right," retorted Jimmie with a grin as he wrinkled a frecklednose at the other. "I was going to think about a scab, anyhow, so I don'tneed a card. Besides, this is on overtime!"
"All right, you win!" declared Jack, submissively. "Go ahead!"
"If you'll promise to never, never tell, I'll let you in on the scheme!"whispered Jimmie, glancing about to make sure that no strangers werewithin earshot. "Do you solemnly promise?"
"I do!" answered the boys in chorus, anxious to receive the news.
"Then here it is: If we could paint the name 'U-13' on that tub there'snothing to prevent our getting away in it!"
"Hush, Jimmie!" cautioned Ned, in a startled tone.
"Hush nothing!" declared the other boldly. "It's now or never! Thedestroyer's gone--everything's gone that could chase us. Mackinder'sloose on this island. He'll make us trouble if we stay. If we go now weare safe from pursuit until another German boat comes in unless theyflash the news by wireless. In that case, we have an even chance ofgetting away. If we don't go now tell me when we can get home?"
"I guess you're right, Jimmie, but how are you going to work it?"
"Simply putter along this afternoon," explained the lad, "fixing thewiring and so on. If necessary, rip out some and replace it. We can getin one another's way enough to kill a lot of time. After supper we'llmanage to slip back to the submarine, paint 'U-13' on the side, every manto his post, let go lines easy and skedaddle for the open sea."
"It sounds easy enough," assented Harry.
"Yes, unless you happen to get caught!" agreed Ned.
"What is there to catch us?" asked Jimmie, bristling at this hint ofopposition. "The guards are all wise to the fact that the channel ismined. They will be sleepy and lazy. They know that the torpedoes are notaboard yet and believe it impossible for the submarine to leave without acrew. The weather looks as if it were going to be rough. What more canyou want? It looks to me as if we'd never have another chance like it!"
"Right you are, Mr. Wolf!" declared Frank. "I, for one, am willing totake a chance. I'll go with you to the limit!"
"Here, too!" heartily agreed Ned. "How about it, boys?"
Eagerly the others signified their willingness to undertake the tasksuggested. They felt no compunction over the seizure of the boat.
"Now, we'll have to do some tall thinking before night comes!" statedJimmie. "Each of us'll have his station and we must know just what to doat the proper time. I had this in mind ever since we came up the harborpast those boats. I noticed particularly the buoys marking the safechannel leading into this harbor."
"Good for you!" cried Ned, administering an affectionate slap uponJimmie's shoulder. "I knew you had something up your sleeve!"
"So did I!" added Jack. "I couldn't guess what it was, though!"
"It was my arm!" declared Jimmie, with mock gravity. "Now, let's go backto this 'Untervasserbootschiff' and stall around a while."
"Correct!" cried Harry. "We'll rehearse for this evening. We shall dependon Jimmie to be the pilot, though!"
"Leave it to me!" declared the younger lad. "I know where the buoys are!I have them all located in my head!"
"But we must be mighty careful," declared Ned. "We don't know how muchEnglish these fellows understand. They must not suspect!"
"Mum's the word!" put in Frank. "Everybody mum!"
First visiting the warehouse at the wharf, where they procured a quantityof supplies, such as might be needed to carry out the work which theywere supposed to be doing, the lads proceeded aboard the submarine.
Upon their arrival they found a painter at work inscribing the vesselwith identifying marks. He had proceeded so far as to place "U-1--" oneach side of the vessel. Jimmie joyfully declared that fortune wasplaying into their hands in this respect, and that if something wouldcompel the man to quit work for a while the disguise could be quicklymade.
At Ned's request Harry began fitting wires from the storage batteries tothe motors used for propelling the vessel. The boys were startled to hearhim utter an exclamation of dismay. They found upon inquiry that he hadendeavored to strip the insulation from a wire by using his pocket knifeand had cut a finger badly.
"Pooh, pooh!" stated Jimmie, upon discovering the wound. "Don't make somuch fuss over a little thing like that. We'll soon have you fixed up.Here, just hold the wound closed with your other hand while I hunt upsome bandages. You'll be all right in a minute!"
But Harry declared that the wound pained excessively. He refused to treatthe matter lightly, but gathered up the tools with which he had beenworking. These he deposited in a canvas bag in which they had beenbrought aboard the vessel.
Presently Jimmie located a first aid kit among the stores. He was notlong in cleansing and bandaging the wound.
/> "There you are!" he stated. "Just as good as new! Now go lie down for alittle while. I'll finish this job if I know enough."
Chatting together in a somewhat nervous manner the boys anxiously awaitedthe approach of evening. As the time wore on their restlessnessincreased. Again and again they carefully went over each detail of theirproposed plan for escape in the submarine.
It was decided that Jimmie should take the wheel while Harry stood watchat the engines. The others were assigned to various other duties atfavorable positions. Nothing remained except to wait for night.
A short time before darkness settled an orderly visited the craft. He wasable to converse slightly in English.
"How are you getting along, boys?" he asked, as he stepped down the ironladder. "Can we put the torpedoes aboard tomorrow?"
"Yes, I think you will be able to place the torpedoes after tomorrowmorning," replied Ned. "We will have our work all done then."
"That is good!" was the other's comment. "Where is Mackinder?" was hisnext question. "He will have to come ashore now!" he added.
"Mackinder?" was Ned's startled response. "He's not here."
"But he was here!" firmly declared the orderly. "He was seen by one ofthe sentries to come aboard this vessel, and has not since been noticedgoing ashore, although a close watch has been kept!"
"We haven't seen him at all!" stated Ned, just as firmly.
"We shall have to search the vessel!" affirmed the orderly. "You willplease remain aboard for a short time."
Quickly ascending the ladder the man summoned another soldier from theshore. Together the two made a hasty examination of the boat.
Unable to discover any trace of the missing prisoner they shook theirheads as if greatly puzzled. Now and again they glanced at the boys,exchanging at the same time comments in German.
"Come with us," finally said the first visitor.
Obediently the lads followed ashore. They were conducted to the officebuilding, where they were shown into the presence of General Gruenwold atonce. In a few words the orderly stated the case.
"This looks serious, boys," commented the General. "Can you not explainthe whereabouts of Mackinder? He is a prisoner, you know!"
"We know nothing of the man!" declared Ned, earnestly. "We don't like himand surely would not think of assisting him to escape!"
"If you please, sir," began the orderly, "it is the opinion of my comradeand myself that the boys have done away with Mackinder!"
"What!" almost shouted Gruenwold, rising from his chair.
"Yes, sir," continued the man. "There was found in the boat much blood. Ahammer in their tool kit was also blood-stained. We think they possiblymade away with him and might have dropped his body into the harbor veryquietly without being seen from shore!"
"This is serious, indeed!" gasped Gruenwold. "We shall investigate thisin the morning. Meanwhile, search the vessel again. The boys will be putin the guardhouse until tomorrow."
Protests on the part of the lads were unavailing. Gruenwold wasdetermined in his decision. Ned's explanation of the presence of theblood in the vessel was listened to, but without influencing the general.
Directly the lads found themselves in a room used for the accommodationof such prisoners as might need confinement for a time. The islandboasted no regular prison, but a house not far from the water had beenutilized for the purpose. A guard paced a beat in the vicinity.
Disappointed and angry at the turn of affairs the lads made but a poorsupper of the food that was brought to them. Presently they composedthemselves to sleep on the floor.
A tapping at the window attracted their attention.
Boy Scouts in the North Sea; Or, The Mystery of a Sub Page 13