CHAPTER XXVI.
MORE TROUBLE.
"You can believe me or not, but it feels pretty good to be back here."
The speaker was Frank as he stood upon the bridge of the U-6.
"It does, indeed," returned Jack, who stood by his side. "To tell thetruth, I was afraid we would never get away. I thought we were goners,sure. And see who we have with us, our old friend Davis."
For Davis at that moment came aboard from the small boat beside thesubmarine. He grinned at the two boys feebly.
"Well, I'm glad to be back along with you," he said.
"I don't imagine you'll be glad to be back very long," said Jack dryly."It seems to me you might as well have stayed where you were. The resultprobably will be the same. Only this time you'll have to face a Britishcourt martial and they'll probably hang you."
"While there's life there's hope," Davis spoke sententiously. "Which isthe reason I didn't say anything over there."
He waved his hand in the general direction of the German submarine theyhad so recently left.
"Well, I'm much obliged, I'm sure," said Frank. "If you had spoken whenyou recognized Lord Hastings, it would have been all off with all of us.However, I'm afraid I shall be unable to speak a word in your behalf."
Davis shrugged his shoulders and turned away as Lord Hastingsapproached.
"Below with you all, quick!" exclaimed the latter. "Don't you realizeyou are prisoners? What do you suppose some of these German officerswould say if they saw you making so free of this vessel, eh? They'dprobably come over to see what is wrong. Get below!"
Lord Hastings spoke gruffly, for he had risked much to assure theirsafety and he did not wish his plans to go for naught. Frank, Jack andDavis obeyed without a word.
"Now," said Lord Hastings when all were safely below, "we'll have to getaway from here."
"There should be no trouble about that," said Frank. "All we have to dois submerge and move off."
"And I suppose these other fellows will remain idle and watch us go,"exclaimed Lord Hastings sarcastically. "Don't you believe it. We arelikely to have trouble. They'll probably have a shot or two at us andwe'll be fortunate if one doesn't strike home. Besides which, if we doget down safely, they'll probably chase us."
"Well, they can't find us under the water," Frank stated.
"Perhaps not," agreed Lord Hastings, "but we'll have to come up sometime and when we do they are likely to be waiting for us. However, thereis no use hesitating now. Every minute makes our situation moreprecarious. You may submerge to five fathoms, Mr. Templeton."
Quickly Jack gave the command. Immediately the bridge wound into thelittle conning tower, which at once closed, and the submarine began tosink gradually.
Lord Hastings glued an eye to the periscope and watched developmentsabove.
"Just as I feared," he exclaimed. "They have seen through our ruse.There is excitement aboard all the enemy. Twenty knots, Mr. Templeton,and shape your course due north."
The little craft leaped ahead as Jack gave the command; and at the samemoment a torpedo, fired by the nearest enemy craft, flashed through thewater where the U-6 had been a moment before. It was a narrow escape.
A second torpedo flashed above the submarine just as it finallydisappeared beneath the water; and a third did likewise.
Lord Hastings drew a breath of relief as he moved from the periscope--hecould see no longer, the water having passed over the "eye" of thesubmarine.
"We're safe enough for the time being, at any rate," he declared. "Keepto your course, Mr. Templeton, until I give the command to alter it."
Jack saluted.
"Very well, sir," he said.
"And now," said Lord Hastings, gazing about, "the question remains as towhat is to be done with Davis. Where is he?"
Frank looked about hurriedly.
"He was here a moment ago, sir," he replied. "He was right behind me."
"Well, he's not here now," said Lord Hastings. "There is no doubt aboutthat. However, he can't have gone very far. We'll have a look for him."
Frank followed his commander aft.
They peered into every compartment in that end of the vessel. Theysearched the engine room and all other sections; but there was no signof Davis; Lord Hastings scratched his chin in perplexity.
"Now what do you think of that?" he said slowly. "But he was on thisvessel and he can't have got off. Therefore he must be here."
"There is one place we haven't looked, sir," said Frank.
"Where?" demanded Lord Hastings.
"Your cabin, sir."
"He would hardly have sought refuge there," said Lord Hastings.
"There is no telling, sir," replied Frank. "We may as well have a look."
"Yes, we may as well have a look," repeated Lord Hastings.
He led the way forward again and pulled up before the door of his cabin,which was closed.
"Now I could have sworn I left this door open," said Lord Hastings.
He laid a hand on the knob and turned it; but the door would not open.
"Hm-m-m," muttered Lord Hastings. "Somebody is in there all right. Guessit must be our friend Davis." He raised his voice and called: "Davis."
There was no reply and Lord Hastings repeated his call. Still there wasno response.
Lord Hastings was beginning to grow angry.
"Davis!" he called a third time, and when there was no answer, heshouted: "You come out of there this minute or it will be the worse foryou. There is no use pretending you do not hear me. Come out!"
This time Lord Hastings drew an answer.
"Thank you, sir, but I shall remain where I am," came back in Davis'voice. "It's very comfortable in here."
"By Jove! He's a pretty cool customer," muttered Lord Hastings to Frank.
"Yes, he's cool enough," responded the lad, "and cold-blooded, too.Shall we force the door, sir?"
"I don't like to do that," replied Lord Hastings, "but I am afraid itwill be necessary. I want to get that fellow tied up safely." He raisedhis voice again. "Davis," he said, "if you don't open that doorimmediately, I'll break it down."
"I wouldn't try it," was Davis' response. "I have appropriated a pair ofyour revolvers here and I'll have a shot at the first head that I see."
This reply threw Lord Hastings into some consternation. He turned toFrank.
"There is no use any one getting hurt on the fellow's account," he said."He's safe enough in there. Guess we may as well leave him."
"We'll have to get him some time, sir," said Frank. "We might as well doit now and have it over with. Two of us should land him without anytrouble."
"You mean one and a half," replied Lord Hastings, smiling. "Don't forgetyou are hardly whole with that wound on your head."
"I think I can prove a little better than a half, anyhow," Frank smiledback. "Shall we break the door in, sir?"
"I have a better plan than that," replied Lord Hastings. "I'll blow thelock off. Stand back out of range of fire from the door. Davis is likelyto shoot through it."
Frank did as commanded, and drawing his revolver, Lord Hastings placedthe muzzle against the lock.
There was a flash, a loud report and Lord Hastings leaped quicklybackward. And it was well that he did so; for a second later there camea second report and a bullet sped through the thin door and imbeddeditself in the wall beyond.
Standing well to one side, Lord Hastings thrust out a foot and kickedthe door open.
"Better come out, Davis," he said quietly.
"No, thanks," was the reply. "I'll get the first man who shows his headin the doorway."
Lord Hastings considered this point carefully. Then he said to Frank:
"Well, we've got the door open, but I don't see that we are any betteroff. We can't go after him. Now what, eh?"
An idea struck Frank.
"You stand guard until I come back, sir," he said, and made his way aft.
Lord Hastings stood his ground.
Frank was back in
a moment and again took his stand on the opposite sideof the door from Lord Hastings. He held something in his hand, and along snake-like object seemed to wiggle along behind him.
"What have you there?" demanded Lord Hastings in some surprise.
"Hose, sir," replied Frank calmly.
"And what are you going to do with it?"
"Rout Davis out, sir."
Lord Hastings chuckled.
"I am afraid you won't have much success," he replied. "It's a poorEnglishman who can't stand a little cold water."
"Maybe he won't like hot water, though, sir," replied Frank.
Again Lord Hastings looked surprised.
"Oho," he said at length. "Now I see what you are about. Going to scaldhim a little, eh?"
"That's the idea, sir. I have the engineer's word that this hose willthrow a pretty strong stream. Once it hits Davis he'll be glad to comeout."
"All right," said Lord Hastings. "Turn it on."
Still standing out of the line of fire, Frank, taking the hose well backfrom the nozzle, thrust it through the door and turned it on.
A thin vapor rose and the hose grew hot to Frank's touch.
"Pretty hot," said Lord Hastings. "Now if you can just locate him withit, you----"
A cry of pain interrupted him and there was the sound of hurriedfootsteps within.
"Got him," cried Frank gleefully.
He stepped into the open doorway, and as he did so, Davis raised arevolver and his finger tightened on the trigger. But even as he wouldhave fired, Frank turned the scalding water on him. With a howl of painhe dropped the revolver.
Boy Allies Under the Sea; Or, The Vanishing Submarines Page 26