CHAPTER XV
CUTTING THE WIRES
It seemed as though the time would never pass, and he tried to divert hismind by looking out of the glass windows or portholes, set in near thebow of the submarine. The boat was equipped with a powerful searchlight,which threw its brilliant rays far ahead, and lit up the ocean for aconsiderable distance all around. Even in his agitated state of mind,he found time to wonder at the dense and active life of the sea. Fishes,large and small and of every conceivable shape and coloring, swam closeup to the porthole and seemed to be trying to look in. Some, attractedby the beams of light, followed the course of the submarine, neverseeming to tire or fall back.
Every once in a while, some larger fish, engaged on a foragingexpedition, would cross the path of light, and there would be a generalscattering of the smaller fry, as they darted hither and thither in afrenzied search for safety. Some, indeed, the majority, were beautifullystriped and spotted, and most of them Bert had never seen before. As hewatched this teeming life, he grew more and more interested, and almostforgot his present surroundings. He was recalled to them by a light tapon the shoulder, and, turning around, he saw the officer, LieutenantWarren, who had thrown him the life preserver.
"Quite an interesting study, isn't it, Mr. Wilson?" he asked, with apleasant smile.
"I should say it was," exclaimed Bert, enthusiastically. "I neverdreamed of being able to see a sight like this. It's almost worth havinglived a lifetime just to have had this experience."
The other smiled at his earnestness.
"Yes," he said, "we all felt the same way you do, when we took our firstfew trips. There used to be hot arguments as to whose turn it was at theport hole, and we had to arrange regular times between us. The noveltysoon wore off, though, and now, as you see, there isn't muchcompetition."
"Well, it's new to me, yet, and I certainly find it very interesting,"replied Bert. "These fishes seem to be every color of the rainbow, andthe way they keep darting in and out reminds me of a kaleidoscope on alarge scale.
"It does, rather," the lieutenant assented, "and, believe me, we see lotsof things besides fishes, too. Why, I've come across all kinds ofwrecked ships, from rowboats to big four-mast-ers. In tropic waters,we've seen many a ship that I'm sure was an old Spanish galleon, and I'llwager there's many a fortune in gold and silver pieces that we've had topass over in the performance of duty. There are uncounted riches lyingat the bottom of this old ocean, my boy."
"I don't doubt it in the least," answered Bert, and then Mr. Warren wenton to tell him various yarns of strange adventures he had undergone andmarvelous things that he had seen. Bert listened, fascinated, for theofficer was a man who had not only been all over the world, but knew howto tell a story. The time passed more quickly than he had dared to hope,and just before dawn, he was told that they were almost at the entranceof the Canal.
The little submarine flew into the great new waterway, and hesitated nomore than the brave hearts guiding its course. Its powerful searchlightilluminated the Canal from side to side, and they were able to get anidea of the immensity of the completed enterprise. Mile after mile, thesmooth concrete wall slipped away back of them, thick, ponderous,designed to last as long as civilization lasted, and perhaps longer. AsBert gazed, his heart thrilled with a great pride at what his country hadaccomplished, and this feeling was succeeded by a fierce hatred of thosewho were plotting to set the great work at naught.
But now, the submarine had almost reached the mined gate of the Lock, andits speed was gradually reduced three-fourths. It nosed cautiouslyalong, until the searchlight revealed a vast structure directly ahead.Instantly the motors were reversed, and by the time the boat's speed hadbeen checked, it was not more than thirty feet from the gate.
In the meantime one of the crew had been encased in a diver's suit andnow made ready to leave. He was conducted into an air-tight room nearthe bottom of the submarine, and, after the door had been securelyfastened, water was admitted. When the room was full, the diver opened adoor in the hull and stepped out of the boat, which had previously beenlowered until it rested on the Canal bottom.
From the porthole in the submarine's bow he could be seen slowly makinghis way, following the luminous path made by the searchlight. In a shorttime he reached the gate of the lock, and began to follow its coursetoward the bank. He was soon out of the range of vision of those at theporthole, but, in a few minutes, returned; and it could be seen, by theway in which he still scanned the walls, that he had not yet found thewires leading to the explosives.
He had traversed perhaps half the distance from the center to the otherbank, when he was seen to stop suddenly and carefully examine somethingnear the lock.
"I'll bet he's found the wires," exclaimed Bert, excitedly.
"Very likely he has," replied Mr. Warren. "I was beginning to be afraidthat the plotters had buried the wires so cunningly that it would bealmost impossible to get at them."
But here, all doubts on the subject were set at rest, as they saw thesailor draw a pair of wire cutters from his belt and ply them onsomething near the wall. Immediately afterward he straightened up andwaved his hand, as a signal that everything was all right.
"By Jove," cried the lieutenant, drawing a long breath, "I guess nowwe've spoiled those fellows' plans for good. But, believe me, that wasrather ticklish work. I expected almost every minute to be waftedheavenward by a charge of dynamite. None of us would have had theslightest chance in the world, if that explosion had taken place."
"I rather think you're right," agreed Bert. "But why doesn't the mancome back? He seems to be continuing his search along the Lock gate."
"Oh, that's because the captain gave him orders before he went out toexamine the wall from end to end for traces of a second set of wires.But I guess that the Japs had such confidence in their handiwork thatthey had no doubt of the success of their one set. I must confess that Ihaven't much doubt regarding them, either, if we hadn't happened along tospoil the whole show for them."
"Yes, the whole country owes Mr. Wilson a debt of gratitude it can neverrepay," broke in Captain Clendenin, who had come up and overheard thelieutenant's last remark. "It would have been a heavy blow, and one thatwould have required the expenditure of thousands of lives to recoverfrom. The value of your services cannot be rated too highly, sir."
"I'm grateful for your high opinion of me, I'm sure," replied Bert, muchconfused by such high praise, "but it was as much by luck as anythingelse that I first got wind of the plan, and after that, of course, therewas only one thing for me to do."
"That's all very well," responded the captain, "but nevertheless not manymen I know would have done it, and I abide by my statement. It is nolight thing for a young man to attempt, singlehanded, to thwart the plansof a great and powerful nation."
The diver had by this time completed a very thorough inspection of everyinch of the gate, and in a short time returned to the submarine. Heentered the water-filled room from which he had stepped forth, and, afterhe had closed the door in the vessel's hull, pulled a signal rope, and ina very few minutes the powerful pumps had emptied the room of water.Then the man was admitted to the body of the boat and relieved of hiscumbersome suit.
This done, he immediately reported to the captain, and gave him adetailed account of what he had found.
"There were two sets of wires, sir," he said, "so that if one had notworked, the other would. I looked very carefully along the walls forother wires, but didn't find any."
The captain dismissed him, with a word of approbation, and then gaveorders for the submarine to get under way. This was done, but CaptainClendenin had no intention of rising directly to the surface. The waterchambers were pumped out very slowly, and, as the boat gradually rose, itwas steered slowly back and forth across the face of the gates, and menwere stationed at the portholes to look for any indication of otherwires. They found none, but were able to see where the dynamite chargeshad been placed. Evidentl
y the walls had been charged with enough ofhigh explosives not only to derange the machinery but possibly to blow itinto fragments.
The men in the submarine shuddered as they thought of the awfulcatastrophe that would have occurred, and thanked the Providence that hadenabled them to avert it. Bert became a veritable hero to all on board.Of course, by this time, the crew had gained a pretty good idea of howmatters stood, and had as strong an admiration for him as had theofficers. They were all picked men, chosen for their intelligence andbravery, and were therefore well fitted to appreciate these qualitieswhen found in others. And Bert's exploit was after their own heart.
He had free run of the ship, and had learned the uses of most of theingenious devices that were scattered everywhere about the boat.Accordingly, as he now stepped into the control room, he saw at a glancethat they were nearing the surface of the water, being at this momentonly twenty feet beneath it.
The gauge indicated less and less depth, and suddenly a burst of sunshineentering the porthole told Bert that they were at the surface. Thehatchway was thrown open and he ascended to the deck. The pure, sweetair was very grateful after the somewhat confined atmosphere of thesubmarine, and Bert drew in great breaths of it. Pretty soon LieutenantWarren joined him on the little platform and shared with him the beautyof the morning.
"It certainly gets pretty close in here at times," he remarked. "Once wegot stuck on the bottom and had all sorts of a time getting off. Ourreserve supply of air was used up and we all thought we'd suffocate,sure. But we managed to get loose from the wreck we were mixed up with,just in time, and I don't believe that I ever enjoyed the sight of theblue sky as I did then. It was a narrow squeak, and no mistake."
"I should say it was," answered Bert, and then, after a pause, he asked:"But where are we bound for, now, Lieutenant? What's the next move inthe game?"
"Why, we'll get news of this plot to the Canal authorities and the WarDepartment, as soon as possible, and then it will be up to them to act asthey see fit. You've done your part and we've done ours, and they intheir wisdom can decide the future policy of the nation."
"But what do you think that will be?" queried Bert. "They'll declarewar, now, won't they?"
"That's a hard question to answer," mused the other, "but it's my privateopinion that the whole matter will be hushed up. You may be sure thatthose engaged in this affair have covered their tracks very skillfully,and it would be practically impossible to prove that they were accreditedagents of the Japanese Government. And in a case of that kind, theworld requires more than mere suspicion, you know."
"Yes, I guess you're right," said Bert, thoughtfully. "Come to think ofit, I'm the only one who overheard the plotters, and my evidence probablywouldn't be sufficient to prove a connection between them and theJapanese Government. I hadn't thought of that before."
"Well, I rather think that is the way it will work out," said thelieutenant. "However, you never can tell which way the cat will jump atWashington, and this may be the first move in a great war. We won't havemany days to wait to find out, anyway."
The submarine made all haste to the nearest cable station at Colon, andfrom there ciphers in the navy code were sent to the authorities,narrating all the events connected with the plot.
Bert was put ashore, as soon as the submarine reached harbor, and partedfrom her officers with warm expressions of mutual esteem. The morningwas well advanced, as he hurried toward his hotel. There was a hum ofpreparation apparent, the streets were crowded with throngs hastening tosecure a point of vantage for the coming spectacle, and flags and buntingfloated everywhere. And just then, as he turned a corner, Dick and Tom,with a wild yell pounced upon him. The anxiety and fear written on theirhaggard faces were replaced by a look of inexpressible delight. Theygrabbed his hands and pounded him on the back and otherwise acted asthough suddenly deranged.
"You old rascal," shouted Tom. "Where on earth have you been?"
"Glory, hallelujah," cried Dick. "We've searched high and low and havenearly gone crazy."
Their queries rained on him without stint, but not till they had reachedthe hotel and he had bathed and dressed did he pour out the details ofthe astounding plot. The boys were thunderstruck at the peril, missedonly by a hair's breadth, and their pride in Bert's achievement and joyat his return were beyond all words.
They were sitting on the upper veranda, as they talked, and the hugeAmerican flag that flew over the hotel, floated past them, just brushingthem, as though in a caress.
"Old Glory," murmured Bert.
"The flag still waves," added Tom.
"Yes," exulted Dick, "and not at half-mast, either."
CHAPTER XVI
THE FOILING OF THE PLOT
It was noon, and Namoto sat in his library, waiting.
He was alone. All preparations had been made for instant flight. Hishousehold treasures, his heirlooms, his followers, with Togi in charge,had been sent to the yacht, that, with steam up, was lying at itsmoorings. The captain had reported the disposition of the prisoner, andhad received his master's commendation. And now, after measureless toiland risk and scheming, Namoto prepared to taste the sweets of victory.
How near that victory was! The ceremonies were to begin at twelve. Hesaw in imagination the crowded wharves and banks, the shouting throngs,the stately ships, as, decked with flags, they moved slowly up the bay tothe entrance of the Canal. As the first one entered the locks there wasto be a salvo of artillery from all the vessels of the fleet. And then,his turn would come. A slight pressure on that button, and there wouldbe a crash, a roar that would echo around the world. Japan would hearand rejoice; America would hear and tremble. To the one, it would be thesignal of glorious triumph; to the other, the crack of doom.
There it was, now! Through the window came the boom of guns. He waitedtill the echoes died away.
Then, smiling, he forced the button down, and listened for the thunder ofthe explosion.
Silence!
Wonderingly, he pressed again.
And again, the silence of the grave!
Wildly, desperately, frantically, he pushed down with all his strength.Then, pale as ashes, he rose to his feet.
He had failed. How or why, he did not know. But, he had failed. He hadgambled for great stakes and lost.
He could still escape. His yacht was waiting. He walked with a firmstep over to the wall, and took down a dagger that had belonged to hisancestors.
And when Togi and the captain, alarmed at his non-appearance, burst intothe room an hour later, they found him there. His home in Japan, hisbeloved Nippon, would never see him again. His soul had gone in searchof that other home, promised by his creed to those who die for theircountry--the home of the immortal gods.
* * * * * * *
And all through that day and many days succeeding, the great Atlanticfleet climbed over the ridges of the continent and dropped into thePacific. And out on that vast expanse, other ships, under another flag,melted away on the horizon, like the passing of an evil dream. Thethreat of invasion was over. In Tokio, they writhed in secret over themiscarriage of their plans, while in the inner circles of Washingtonthere was unfeigned relief and rejoicing. And all America, unknowing ofthe peril so narrowly escaped, gloried over the successful opening to theworld of the great Panama Canal.
For, as had been predicted, the matter was hushed up and buried in theofficial archives--that graveyard of so many tragedies, actual andimpending. Those who knew were pledged to secrecy. Some day, perhaps,when the time was ripe, America would demand with interest the debt duefrom Japan. But while there could be no public recognition of Bert'sservices, he cherished as one of his choicest treasures a personal letterfrom the President thanking him for his splendid achievement in behalf ofthe nation.
And now they were on their way home, their hearts aglow with patriotism,after the stupendous proof of their country's genius and destiny, asshown in the great Canal.
Wah Lee, who
had been under the close watch kept on all the household,after Bert was discovered, had escaped from the yacht, in the confusionfollowing the death of Namoto, and sought refuge with the boys. Hisdelight at finding Bert safe and sound was only second to that of Dickand Tom. At his earnest entreaties, they had agreed to take him to"Amelika" and look after his future fortunes. He was hobnobbing now withsome of his yellow-skinned compatriots in the steerage, while the boyssat on the upper deck of the liner, as it drew away from Colon.
"It's a burning shame," Tom was saying, hotly. "You saved the countryfrom disaster, and scarcely anyone knows it."
"Yes," asserted Dick, emphatically, "your name ought to be a householdword all over the United States."
"Easy there, fellows," said Bert. "Anyone else could have done it. Isimply had the chance and took it. It was sheer luck."
"No," cried Dick. "It was sheer pluck."
He had struck the keynote of his comrade's character. And, in Bert'slater career, that quality of pluck persisted. In the field of sport itwas soon to be as prominent as in the dashing adventure through which hehad just come triumphant. How brilliantly it came to the fore in theexciting struggle that awaited him will be seen in "_Bert Wilson'sTwin-cylinder Racer._"
The End
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