CHAPTER XIII
PURSUED
It was hours later that Frank first noticed signs of returningconsciousness in his wounded comrade. Jack's pale face took on alittle color, his eyelids fluttered, and a minute later he openedhis eyes.
Frank bent over him.
"How do you feel, old fellow?" he asked gently.
It was some seconds before Jack replied. His gaze roved aboutthe cabin, and Frank could see that for the moment his friend wasunable to recognize his surroundings. At last, however, a lookof understanding passed over his face, and he spoke:
"It was a great old scrap, wasn't it?" and he smiled up at hisfriend.
"It was all of that," replied Frank. "But tell me, how do youfeel?"
"Well, I don't feel tip top, and that's a fact," replied Jackfeebly, moving about on his bed.
He made as if to sit up, but Frank held him down.
"You stay where you are," he ordered.
"What's the matter?" demanded Jack. "Can't I get up if I feellike it?"
"No," replied Frank, "you can't. You'll stay where you are untilthe doctor says you are out of danger."
"Danger!" echoed Jack. "You ought to know by this time that Iwas not made to be killed so easily."
"Nevertheless," said Frank, "you are badly wounded. It will beseveral days before you will be able to get about."
"Several days!" cried Jack in dismay. "You take my word for it,I'll be up tomorrow."
"You'll stay right where you are until the doctor gives hispermission for you to get up," said Frank firmly, "if I have tohold you in."
"Don't you believe it," cried Jack. "I'll be up and out of heretomorrow, or I'll know the reason why."
But he wasn't; for, as Frank had said, he was too badly woundedto be able to get about. The next day and the following one,while the Lena continued steadily on her course toward England,Jack was forced to lie in his bed.
It was not until the dawn of the third day that the surgeon gavehim permission to go on deck. Supported by Frank's arm, theinjured lad made his way to the bridge, where he took a deepbreath of the invigorating air.
"By Jove! this feels good," he exclaimed, as a stiff breeze sweptacross the ship. "Think I'll camp out up here a while."
"Oh, no, you won't," replied Frank. "Just one hour, and thenback to bed for you."
"By George! you'd think I was a baby the way you tell me what todo," said Jack, with some show of temper.
"You'll go back when your hour is up, if I have to drag you,"said Frank. "And I don't believe you are in condition to put upmuch resistance."
"I guess you are right," replied Jack ruefully.
His hour up he returned to his cabin and Frank once more tuckedhim comfortably in bed.
It was several days before Jack was able to get about the shipwith his accustomed alacrity; and then the Lena was well out ofAfrican waters, steaming up the coast of Portugal--the Englishchannel and London now not far away.
Jack had now resumed command of the ship, and the boys, standingtogether on the bridge one fine morning, were congratulatingthemselves upon the success of the voyage, when from the lookoutcame a cry:
"Cruiser off the starboard bow, sir?"
"How is she headed?" demanded Jack.
"Coming right this way, sir."
"Can you make her out?"
"Not yet, sir."
"Let me know as soon as you can," was Jack's command.
It was fully half an hour later, and the cruiser was not yetplainly discernible to the naked eye, when the lookout called:
"She's British, sir."
"I wouldn't be too sure," muttered Jack to Frank. "She may beflying the English flag and still be an enemy. I don't trustthese Germans much."
"Nor I," agreed Frank. "However, we will soon know whether sheis friend or foe."
Slowly the cruiser drew nearer. Now the boys were able to makeout the British flag flying at her masthead. There came a puffof smoke from the stranger, and a shot passed over the bow of theLena.
"Signal to show our colors," muttered Frank.
At his command the British ensign soon fluttered gaily in thebreeze.
Came another shot from the cruiser.
"What's the matter now, do you suppose?" asked Frank. "That's asignal to heave to. If she's British, what does she want us toheave to for?"
The vessels were still a considerable distance apart, and nightwas drawing on. The answer to Frank's question came from theapproaching vessel.
The British ensign flying at the masthead of the approachingcruiser suddenly came fluttering down, and a moment later theRed, white and Black of Germany fluttered aloft in its stead.
"By Jove!" exclaimed Jack. "I was afraid of it!"
At the same moment another shot crossed the Lena's bow.
Jack acted with decision and promptness. At a quick command theLena raised the German flag. Then, as the German commanderhesitated, fearing to fire lest the vessel really be of his owncountry, Jack signaled the engine-room for full speed ahead.
The Lena seemed to leap forward, and in a moment had turned herstern to the enemy, thus making her a harder target to hit. TheGerman, evidently taken by surprise, could not bring her guns tobear in a moment, and that moment undoubtedly saved the Lena.
The small guns on the Lena, at Frank's command, were made readyfor instant use, and the men were piped to quarters. Althoughwell aware he was outranged by the enemy, Jack determined tofight his ship to the last.
"They'll know they have been in a battle unless they sink usbefore they come in range of our guns," said Jack grimly.
"You bet they will," replied Frank.
"Everything ready?" demanded Jack.
"All ready, sir," replied Frank, with a slight smile and asalute.
The second and third officers made their reports. The Britishwere ready for instant action, and eager for the fray.
"We'll run as long as we can," said Jack, "but, if we can'toutrun them, we'll turn about and give them a fight, anyhow."
This word was passed along to the crew, and a loud British cheerrang out across the waters of the North Atlantic. Frank and Jackwere forced to smile.
"The British sailor would always rather fight than run," saidFrank.
"Right," said Jack. "This running rather goes against me, too."
Now the forward guns of the German cruiser were brought intoaction, and heavy detonations rang out across the water. But theGerman gunners had not yet found the range, and the fact that theLena was so maneuvered as to keep her stern to the enemy made thetask of the enemy that much harder.
Darkness fell, and still the flight and pursuit continued, but sofar the Lena had not been struck by a single shell. She hadfired but one shot at the foe--from one of her small guns aft--butthis had shown that the German cruiser was not yet withinrange of the Lena's guns.
Now that darkness had fallen the huge searchlight of the Germancruiser played full upon the Lena. Suddenly Jack and Frank felta terrific shock, and the Lena, for a moment, seemed to pause inher stride. A shell had struck the stem of the vessel. There wasan explosion and a single high mast crashed to the deck.
Quickly a score of sailors sprang forward, and at a word fromFrank, cleared away the wreckage and tumbled it overboard.
"Nothing serious, sir," reported the second officer, after ahurried investigation.
"Good!" said Jack calmly.
Then, so suddenly that it appeared to be the hand of magic, thesearchlight of the German cruiser faded from view. Darkness fellover the Lena intense darkness.
The glare of the searchlight had vanished so suddenly that for abrief moment Frank did not determine the cause of it.
"What is it?" he demanded anxiously.
"Fog," replied Jack laconically, "and just in time. With luck,we may make our escape."
The course of the Lena was quickly altered, and she once moreheaded toward the coast of England.
Boy Allies under Two Flags Page 13