CHAPTER XXI
THE S. O. S. FROM THE "GRISWOLD"
"Belle on her way, and due soon to arrive!" Dave Darrin cried, joyously,as he read the cablegram that had been handed to him on his arrival atthe American admiral's headquarters.
That cablegram had lain there for days, having arrived the same forenoonthat Darrin had put to sea on the voyage of the "Prince" with Dalzell incommand.
Belle was his wife, his schoolboy sweetheart, whom he had not seen inmany months. He had known that she was trying to induce the Red Crossauthorities to send her to France, but had had no word to the effectthat she had been successful.
Now he knew, from the number by which the expected ship was designatedin the cablegram, that she was on the passenger liner "Griswold."
"When is the 'Griswold' due?" Dave asked a clerk at headquarters.
"Arrival date hasn't been reported," answered the clerk, "but it shouldbe in to-day. I've an idea, sir, that the 'Griswold' cannot be far outnow."
"Your sailing orders, Darrin!" hailed a staff officer, walking brisklyup and holding out a bulky envelope.
"Do I have a few days in port?" Dave inquired, hopefully.
"Sorry to say that you do not. You are required to drop out with thetide at four this afternoon."
"Very good," nodded Dave, pleasantly, though he did deeply regret thathe could not have a few days in port. He must miss meeting Belle, whowas bound for this same port.
"Your orders, too, Dalzell," continued the staff officer, handing Dan anenvelope of appearance similar to that which Darrin had received.
"Sailing orders for to-day for me, too?" he grinned.
"Same time as Darrin's," and the staff officer had hurried away.
While the friends had been out on their last cruise two big, newdestroyers, lately commissioned, had arrived from the United States.
To Darrin and Dalzell, in recognition of their fine work againstsubmarines, had fallen the commands of these new sea terrors.
The "Asa Grigsby" was Dave's new craft; to Dan had fallen the "JosephReed."
Ordinarily Dave would have been glad of his fine new command and promptsailing orders. Now, he wished regretfully that he could have had a fewdays ashore. That he might meet the "Griswold" at sea, of which therewas not more than half a chance, meant little to him. He would, in thatcase, pass the ship on which Belle journeyed, but that would meannothing.
"Oh, well, it's war-time," Dave sighed, when Dan expressed sympathy. "Afew years of war, you know, and then a man will have a chance to see hishome folks again, once in a while."
"It's tough, that's what it is," answered Dan, sympathetically.
"No, it isn't even that," Dave rejoined, quickly. "There are thousandsof men at sea on ships who may not see their wives again unless we chapsdo our duty all the time. There are scores of women on the sea whosehusbands will never see them again if we sleep or lag. The men of thedestroyer fleet have no right to think of their own pleasure orconvenience. I'm ready for sea, and I pray for a busy and successfulcruise against the enemy!"
Only from the deck of the "Prince" had the two chums seen their newcraft. Now they went down the hill toward the harbor, ready to reportand take over their ships.
It was the first time during the war that the two chums had sailedseparately. It was also Dan Dalzell's first regular command, for the"Prince" had been handed over to him only on temporary detail.
"We'll miss each other, Danny-boy," cried Dave, regretfully, as thechums gripped each other's hands at the quay. "We've been used tosailing together."
"We can have a radio talk once in a while," Dan returned glumly.
"Yes, but we're supposed to talk by radio only on official matters."
"We can at least find out when we're near each other."
After they had entered their respective gigs, and had started towardtheir craft, the chums waved hands toward each other.
Then Darrin, turning his thoughts to duty, tried to forget hisdisappointment over his inability to meet Belle.
Going up over the side of the "Grigsby," Dave was greeted by the watchofficer. Then his new executive officer, Lieutenant Fernald, reported tohim and greeted him. Dave's baggage was taken to the commandingofficer's quarters, and he followed to direct his new steward in theunpacking.
This done, Darrin went out on deck and ordered all officers and menassembled that he might take over the command formally by reading theorders assigning him to the "Grigsby."
This formality over, Dave sent a messenger after one petty officer whomhe had observed in the crew. A boatswain's mate came promptly, salutedand reported.
"I noted your face, Runkle, and I'm glad indeed to see you on thisship," Darrin informed him, heartily.
"I'm glad to hear you say that, sir," replied Runkle, with anothersalute. "I was ordered to this craft only this forenoon, sir."
"Yes; I'm glad to have you aboard, Runkle, for I remember that I've hadsome of my best luck when you were at hand. I think I shall have toappoint you my personal mascot," Darry laughed.
"I'll be that, or anything else that will serve, sir," Runkle declared,gravely, his face flushing with pleasure over Dave's cordiality.
"This is a fine new craft, Runkle."
"Yes, sir; one of the two best destroyers that the United States has putin commission since the war began. I'm eager, sir, to see the best thatthe 'Grigsby' can do."
"The best that the 'Grigsby' and her complement can do," Dave Darrinamended.
Then, accompanied by the executive officer, Darrin started on a tour ofinspection of the "Grigsby."
"It seems a shame, doesn't it," Dave asked, "to think that a magnificentcraft like this, costing a huge fortune, can be destroyed in a moment bycontact with a single torpedo fired from some sneaking Germansubmarine."
"But it seems just as good the other way, sir, to think that such acraft as this can, perhaps, sink a dozen of the submarines before shemeets her own fate."
"I never fully appreciated before this war what war to the hilt meant,"Dave went on, thoughtfully. "Of course I knew that it spelled 'death'for many of the fighters, but it also means the destruction of so muchproperty, the ruining of so much material that the world needs for itscomfort! The world will be hard up, for a century to come, on account ofthe waste of useful materials caused by this war's destructiveness."
"But may the 'Grigsby' do her share of that destructive work!" saidLieutenant Fernald, fervently. "The property that we destroy belongs tothose who would set the world back a thousand years!"
"I'm afraid we must go on destroying enemy property, and our own, too,in accomplishing harm to the enemy, Mr. Fernald. The more swiftly wedestroy, the sooner our struggles against the German madmen will beended!"
All was in readiness to sail. Punctually to the minute the "Grigsby" andthe "Reed," with anchors up, began to move out of the harbor. Both hadtheir general orders as to the course to be followed, the length andduration of the cruise, too, with discretion as to changing their ordersin emergencies such as might arise.
Hardly had they put out from port when the "Grigsby" and the "Reed"parted company.
For the first hour Darrin, following orders, ran at full speed, thenslowed down to cruising speed. Night came upon the waters, with acrescent moon off in the western sky.
"And somewhere out on this wide waste, somewhere west of here, probably,is the 'Griswold,' with Belle aboard. And, unless she has liberty toremain in port, I shall not see her in months, perhaps, or maybe inyears."
Dave put the thought aside. He was out again in the haunts of theassassins of the sea; out, also, in the track of vessels bringing menand supplies for the world's greatest fight. Disappointed as he was overthe impossibility of meeting Belle, he realized how small his ownaffairs were as compared with the fate of the world.
At midnight he went below, for he had confidence in the new juniorofficers whom he had met to-day, and he wanted to be awake and on thebridge again just before dawn. So, leaving orders for his calli
ng, hewent below to his quarters.
And there he slept, dreaming of Belle, undoubtedly, until an hour beforedawn, when an orderly entered hurriedly, shaking him hard by theshoulder.
"Message from liner 'Griswold,' sir, reports by radio that she has justdodged torpedo fired by submarine that is still following."
"The 'Griswold!'" echoed Darrin, awaking instantly and leaping to hisfeet. "You're sure of the name?"
"Yes, sir!"
Dave pulled on rubber boots and snatched his cap and sheepskin coat.
Then, a second orderly reported:
"S. O. S. from 'Griswold', sir! Just struck and believed to be insinking condition!"
Dave Darrin and the German Submarines Page 22