CHAPTER XVI.
AN ENEMY SUNK.
"Steamship off the port bow, sir!"
Frank gave the hail from the bridge. A moment later Lord Hastingsemerged from the little conning tower. For several moments he gazedsearchingly across the water through his glass.
"Britisher," he said finally. "Guess we had better submerge."
"Why, sir?" demanded Frank. "Surely we have nothing to fear from one ofour own vessels."
"You seem to forget about this German flag we carry," said LordHastings; "also, that, so far as we know, there are no Britishsubmarines in these waters."
"That's so, sir. I had forgotten just who we are supposed to be."
"We'll go below," said Lord Hastings.
He moved toward the conning tower, but even as he would have descendedbelow, Frank gave a sudden cry.
"Submarine approaching the steamer, sir."
Lord Hastings immediately turned his gaze toward the vessel again. Frankhad spoken truly. Halfway between the steamship and the U-16 a secondsubmarine had suddenly appeared. Even from where he stood, Lord Hastingscould see that the steamer had been ordered to halt.
"By Jove!" he exclaimed. "They're going to sink her!"
Jack came on deck just in time to hear his commander's last words, andhe took in the situation at a glance.
"And we can't remain here idly and let a thing like that happen," hedeclared. "Come, sir, we'll go below and we'll have a shot at our Germanfriend there."
"You forget," said Lord Hastings dryly, "that for the moment we are oneof our friend, the enemy."
"But we can't let them sink the liner, sir!" exclaimed Frank in dismay."We can creep up on them and launch a torpedo, sir."
"And be discovered ourselves?" remarked Lord Hastings. "Remember, we areplaying for bigger game than a single German submarine."
"But no one will know the difference, sir. See, there are no othersubmarines near. If we sink this fellow, who is to know how it wasdone?"
"Your reasoning is all right," replied his commander, "but anothersubmarine is likely to appear at just the wrong moment, and then what?"
"But surely, sir, you do not intend to remain here and let all thepeople aboard the liner drown?"
"The chances are that they won't drown," returned Lord Hastings. "Evennow you can see that the vessel has halted. The German will givepassengers and crew time to take to the boats."
"But they may not, sir."
"Well, we'll get as close as possible," said Lord Hastings, "and if theGerman threatens to sink the vessel before all are safely off, I'll givemy permission to sink her. But I do not wish to risk discovery unless itis absolutely necessary."
With this the lads were forced to be satisfied.
The U-16 had now come within perhaps a hundred and fifty yards of theother submarine, which in turn was possibly another hundred yards fromthe big liner. The voice of the commander of the German under-watercraft carried plainly to the U-16.
"Five minutes more," he called to the commander of the liner. "I canwait no longer. If all have not left the ship by that time, I shall sinkyou anyhow."
Instantly all became confusion aboard the steamship. Men, women andchildren ran shrieking up and down the deck; seeking a place of safety.
A boat was lowered over the side loaded with passengers. Hardly had itstruck the water when perhaps a dozen men and women flung themselvesover the side of the vessel into the boat. The little craft, alreadyoverloaded, could stand no more. It tilted gradually to one side andthen suddenly turned over.
The occupants were thrown into the water and disappeared beneath it.Soon heads bobbed up here and there and pitiful cries were borne acrossthe water to the U-16.
A second small boat, launched in haste, met the same fate, as did athird.
The panic aboard the liner became more acute. Hoarse commands of men andshrill cries of women and children rang out over the sea, while at thesame moment the commander of the German submarine called out:
"Hurry now! Five minutes more!"
Lord Hastings took his decision instantly.
"Below," he said quietly as he led the way. Frank and Jack followed.
"Submerge, Mr. Templeton," came Lord Hastings' sharp command.
Jack gave the order. The conning tower was hermetically closed instantlyand Lord Hastings took his place at the periscope. When the U-16 hadsubmerged until the periscope barely protruded above the water's edge,Lord Hastings ordered:
"Hold her there!"
Orders came thick and fast now. Gradually the U-16 swerved a bit, tobetter bring her torpedo tubes to bear. Lord Hastings gave a hurriedorder to Jack, who stood at his elbow.
"Let no one come near me here," he said. "It would not do to have Davisor one of the crew see what we are about to do."
"No one shall pass me, sir," was Jack's quiet response.
"Good. Signal No. 2 torpedo."
Immediately upon going below Frank had ordered the men to their posts,where they now stood, eagerly expectant--the German members of the crewbecause they believed a British ship was to be torpedoed, and theEnglishmen because they knew a German craft of some kind had beenencountered.
The electric signal board aboard the submarine now flashed red:
"No. 2 torpedo!"
The man on duty there, who chanced to be a German, stood tense andexpectant.
"How does she go above, sir?" asked Jack.
"Still a panic on the liner," returned Lord Hastings. "Several boatshave been lowered safely, however, and are picking up those in thewater. If the German will withhold his fire for ten minutes, all will besaved."
"Does he seem to be ready to fire, sir?"
"He seems to be holding off and I hope he does. However, I'm ready, andwe'll beat him to it."
"I----" began Jack, and whirled about suddenly. He had caught the soundof footsteps behind him.
The lad looked into the face of Davis.
"Stand back there!" he commanded sharply.
"Why? What's the matter? What's going on?" demanded the latter.
"None of your business," replied Jack. "Back now, quick!"
"Look here----" began Davis.
"You heard me," said Jack slowly and very quietly. "Now obey and bequick about it."
"By whose command?" inquired Davis with a leer.
"By mine," returned Jack, restraining his temper with difficulty.
"I don't recognize your authority," declared Davis, and took anotherstep forward.
Lord Hastings had been peering intently into the periscope and had paidno attention to what was going on behind him. He had given Jack hisorders and he knew they would be carried out. However, now turning fromthe periscope to speak a word to the lad, he saw what was going on andhe caught Jack's last words and Davis' reply.
"Then perhaps you will recognize mine," he said. "Stand back, sir!"
Without awaiting a reply he again turned to the periscope. For a momentDavis hesitated and seemed about to protest, but Jack gave him time forno further words.
The lad stretched out a long arm quietly, seized Davis by the elbow,drew him toward him a pace, and then hurled him violently backward.Davis went tumbling head over heels. Jack wasted no further thought onhim, and turned to Lord Hastings.
Davis, very angry, pulled himself slowly to his feet and glared at Jackevilly. Suddenly he put his hand to his belt, whipped out his revolver,and levelled it straight at Jack.
But before his finger could press the trigger his wrist was seized in astrong grasp from behind and the weapon was twisted from his hand.Whirling angrily Davis looked into the face of Frank, who was smilingquietly.
"What's the meaning of this?" demanded the latter.
Davis face turned dark with rage.
"I'll show you," he cried, and struck a vicious blow at the lad.
But Frank had been prepared for some such move and stepped back quickly.
Davis missed.
Frank realized that this was neither time nor place to se
ttle hisgrievance with Davis, so he took the simplest way out. His hand flashedto his belt and his revolver came to a level.
"That's enough," he said sharply. "One step forward and I'll shoot, sosurely as my name is Frank Chadwick."
There was no mistaking the menace in the lad's tones, and growling tohimself, Davis dropped his hands. Then, still muttering and keeping atsome distance, he slunk away, hurling over his shoulder:
"I'll get you for this yet. Remember that."
Frank did not take the trouble to reply, but instead approached Jack andLord Hastings.
"How are things, sir?" he asked.
"At a standstill," replied Lord Hastings. "The German is withholding hisfire, but there are still people on the liner. If he will restrain hisimpatience for a few minutes everything will be all right."
"Perhaps he will, sir," said Jack hopefully.
"I trust so. It will be better for all concerned. Everything ready,Frank?"
"All ready, sir. You're sure No. 2 torpedo has the range?"
"Perfectly. It will reach the enemy's bridge at its present angle."
"Could I have a look, sir?" asked Frank.
For a brief moment Lord Hastings hesitated, then stepped aside andmotioned Frank to his place at the periscope.
"Give the command to fire if anything happens," instructed LordHastings.
Frank nodded, and placed his hand on the signal button, at the same timepeering into the periscope.
Above everything was perfectly plain. The lad could see that the captainof the liner and some passengers still remained aboard; and, a shortdistance away, he saw the German submarine, with her commander standingupon the bridge, watch in hand.
Suddenly the German's watch closed with a snap. Frank drew a sharpbreath, for he realized what was coming. Slowly the German officer'shand moved upward. Frank divined that he was about to give the signal tofire a torpedo at the defenseless vessel.
Frank's heart leaped into his mouth; and he pressed the little buttonbeneath his finger. And once again the signal board on the U-16 glowedred:
"Fire!"
Boy Allies Under the Sea; Or, The Vanishing Submarines Page 16