CHAPTER XV
A FRIGHTFUL MINE EXPLOSION
The order was given. There was no hope for the ship. "Lower the boats!"Everything was done with precision and in order, indicating that therewas no panic on shipboard. Up to the last moment the wireless S. O. S.,_St. Duneen_, 48, 50 N., 10 E., repeated and repeated the message of thedisaster.
At a signal the wireless operator obeyed the commander's orders, andemerged from the little room high up aft of the main stacks. He spranginto the boat, as it was moving down.
"Pull away! pull away!" shouted the commander, as the boats reached thesurface of the water. The order and its execution did not come too soon.Like a giant, in a death struggle, there were a few spasmodic movements,and more pronounced ones as the bulkheads gave way.
They were fully two hundred feet from the ship, when suddenly it seemedto roll around half-way, and they could look over the entire deck, sofully was it exposed to those on board of the dory in which the boys hadtaken refuge.
The vessel rested on its side for a moment only, then it slowlystaggered back, the bow quickly dipped, and failed to come back again.Then it seemed actually to slide forward into the depths, the sternrising higher and higher, as the bow moved under. More than fifty feetof the stern of the ship was still out of the water, when a peculiarthing happened. The hull ceased to move. It remained at an angle in theair for a quarter of a minute, while every one stared at it in silence.
"What is the matter with it?" asked Alfred, who was the first to breakthe silence.
"The bow is on the bottom of the ocean," said the captain.
That was, indeed, true. Soon it began to sink, by falling back, and itquietly sank beneath the waves, leaving scarcely a ripple above thesurface.
"That would have been different if she had been struck amidship, for thehull would have gone down on an even keel," remarked the commander.
The nine boats were now afloat near each other. In the distance could beseen smoke in two directions, evidence that vessels were not far away.Then, almost like an apparition, from the east came two of the speedylittle ships, which act like spit-fires and lie so low in the water thatthey are able to creep up unawares. They do not give forth any smoke towarn an enemy, or indicate their presence to friends.
Long before the ships, which had announced their positions by the smokeon the horizon, came into sight, the saucy chasers were sailing aroundand about the fleet of _St. Duneen's_ boats.
"It rather makes me feel good to think that we didn't get caught byeither of the submarines," said Alfred. "I would hate to give them thatsatisfaction."
"But what's the difference, after all?" replied Ralph. "So long as theysink the ships, what matter does it make whether they do it by mines orsubmarines?"
"Yes; one is as bad as the other, both done against all law," answeredAlfred.
The first boat to answer the signal was a French cruiser, which came uprapidly after the chasers arrived. There was ample room on board for thepassengers, but it took fully an hour before all were safe on board andorders were given to start. As the cruiser turned, a great, gray Britishbattleship came up to port, saluted, and passed on, followed by anotherfar in the distance, those two great vessels with their black smoketrailing out in the distance and moving along majestically seeming to bethe acme of power.
The boys were on the upper deck and watched the scene with admiration.Before the cruiser had proceeded far the smoke of more than a dozenships were visible, and the boys could not help but be impressed at thetremendous power of the Allies on the water, notwithstanding thecalamity which had just befallen their ship. After all, the ships hadbeen sunk by an enemy which dared not show his face above the surface ofthe water.
"Submarine sunk near the harbor of Brest and one off Cherburg," was thestartling announcement of the wireless operator. "Five American shipshave arrived at the Loire," was another message. "America is aflame withexcitement, and demands action," came later.
"Is it possible that the United States will go to war?" asked Ralph.
"The United States is now at war," replied the captain.
"What? do you mean to say that the President has declared war?" askedAlfred in astonishment.
"No; it is not necessary that America should declare war. Germany hasdone so by torpedoing your ships, and killing your citizens; that is anact of war; for every nation, and Germany itself, knows that itssubmarine war is illegal, and without any standing in International Law.It is no justification to say that to give notice makes it legal. If aman wished to commit murder it would not make him less a murderer if hehad given notice of his intention beforehand," said the captain.
"Then I'm not going back to New York," said Alfred.
"Nor I; we've been in it from the first, and we might as well stick itout;--if I only knew that mother was safe," concluded Ralph with ashadow across his face.
Within an hour the boys saw a faint streak of peculiar gray to the left,far ahead.
"That must be land," said Alfred.
"And that looks like a town, away in the distance," remarked Ralph.
"You are right; that is the coast of France, and the houses you seebelong to the town of Fecamp, a seaport and watering place, 22 milesfrom Havre," said the navigating officer.
Every minute brought them nearer the city of Havre. How they longed tohear some news of their parents, now that all excitement had died away,and they were permitted to think of home and those dear to them.
Vessels began to accumulate on all sides of them, indications that theywere now within the safety zone. For a period of eight days they had notknown what absolute quiet and rest meant. First, the terrible suspensewithin the hull of a submarine, the trying experience attending thecapture of the vessel, the unquiet feeling that they had desperate menbelow who might do anything to gain their liberty, the explosion andsinking of the submarine, their rescue, and then the last sinking,seemed to form a chapter of misadventures which constantly kept them onthe alert.
It was such a different feeling now, and, as such things generally do,caused a reaction. They actually felt ill, and Alfred, especially, afterthe last accident, felt too weak to remain on deck.
They retired to the cabin assigned to them in the officers' quarters,and were soon asleep. The captain, missing them, made a search and soonfound them. He smiled, and, turning to the officers, said:
"They are fine fellows; the experiences have been most trying, and wouldtest the mettle of most men; but they went through with it, obeyed allorders, without asking why, and never showed the white feather."
"Who are they?" asked one of the cruiser's officers.
"American boys, caught in the war, where they helped the fighting untiltwo months ago, and were just returning to the United States on my ship.That is how I happened to meet them and learned to love them," repliedthe captain with pride in his voice.
As they were leaving the cabin, Alfred awoke. "Are we near Havre?" heasked anxiously.
"We are now turning the point; we expect to reach the dock in ahalf-hour," answered the officer.
Every one crowded the rails and watched the ever-changing panorama, forHavre is the second seaport in France, has the largest foreign trade,especially with America, and is noted for its great docks, andship-building facilities.
"Hurrah for the Stars and Stripes!" shouted Ralph, as he pointed to thebanner above the mast on a ship, which was just being warped out of thedock.
The passengers, as well as officers and seamen of the cruiser, took offtheir hats and cheered. Ralph blushed at the hearty response, but heknew that it was a tribute which they were paying to America, about tobecome a new ally. The seamen on board the American ship gave a heartyresponse to the salute, and this swelled the pride of the boys beyondmeasure.
How slowly the ship moved, now that they were nearing the end of theirjourney from the perils of the sea. How anxiously they awaited the timethey could step ashore and visit the consul's office, there to learn, ifpossible, the fate of their parents.<
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"They are going to take us to the main foreign dock," said the captain,as he approached. "And I want to say that you must not get away from mein your eagerness. There are some people who want to talk to you andtell you how they appreciate your bravery and good work."
"Thank you, Captain," said Alfred. "We had no cause to fear, as long asyou commanded."
"Indeed not," chimed in Ralph. "Even if we knew other perils that mightcome to us, we would be glad to follow you again wherever you ordered usto go; that's the way we feel about it."
"That is, indeed, a compliment," replied the captain.
"We have never felt the slightest fear or doubt," said Alfred, "but, ofcourse, we have been sad many times, to think that our parents wereseparated from us, after we had not seen them for over two years."
"There is the dock. We will be off within fifteen minutes now. You mustallow me to conduct you to the consul's office; I know him very well,"said the captain.
As the vessel touched the dock the captain turned to the boys, and saidwith a wicked grin on his face: "Get your luggage, boys, and come on."
The boys laughed at the remark. "For my part," answered Ralph, "I hadforgotten that there was such a thing as luggage, or baggage, oranything of that sort."
"Ralph! Ralph! who is that coming across the dock? Look! it is just likefather! I believe it is!" almost shrieked Alfred.
"It is! yes; I am sure of it; and there is mother, too," replied Ralph,now all excitement.
"Of course, they are there; I knew it; I told you it would be allright," said the captain with a jubilant voice.
The boys glanced at the captain, and Ralph turned his head slyly, as hesaid: "And did you know they were here?"
"Well, I think they got my message this morning," replied the captainwith a laugh. "Where is your father; point him out," said the captain toAlfred.
"The tall man with the gray overcoat; do you see him coming?--and thereis mother, too," shouted Alfred.
The boys were the first ones down the plank, closely followed by thecaptain, the passengers standing by and witnessing the reunion of thefamilies.
The captain came forward and shook hands with Mr. Elton. "Thank you forthe wireless; we had about despaired, when it came to the hotel."
"I didn't tell the boys," replied the captain. "I left that pleasure fortheir own eyes; and here are the mothers; how I must congratulate you onhaving such sons. I know their worth."
"And is it true what they say about your doings with our boys, that youcaptured the submarine, while it was under the water?" asked Mrs. Elton.
"Yes, that was true, and much more," answered the captain.
"We felt so proud about it," replied Mr. Elton, "and it was somecompensation for having been twice torpedoed within a week."
"What? did you say that you were torpedoed the second time?" askedRalph.
"Yes," replied Mr. Elton. "We were picked up by a ship, the nextmorning, which was bound for New York. Two days afterwards, when out ofthe danger zone, our ship went down, and we had to take to the boats.This time we were picked up by a ship that landed us in Havre, threedays ago. Then we heard of your exploits, of which the French paperswere full, and we determined to remain here until we heard from you."
"But I cannot understand how it was that the captain happened to reachyou by wireless?" asked Ralph.
"The cruiser wireless telegraphed the fact of our rescue to the U. S.consul, and I wired the commander of the cruiser," replied Mr. Elton.
"I answered Mr. Elton's message," said the captain with a smile. "Butare you going back to America now?" continued the captain.
"Why, what has happened?" asked Alfred.
"America is at war with Germany," was the reply.
We shall now take leave of our young friends, but we do so with thefeeling that before long we shall hear more about them, and be able tofollow their adventures enlisted under the banner of their own belovedland in the fight against oppression and savagery.
THE END
Boy Volunteers with the Submarine Fleet Page 17