CHAPTER VIII.
FRANK IN TROUBLE.
Now perfectly happy, the two boys rowed back to _The Hawk_ as rapidly aspossible. They were happy for two reasons--first because they were oncemore in active service, and second, because they had just emergedsuccessfully from a desperate venture.
A light glowed brightly aboard the little motorboat, now that the enemyhad been disposed of; so the two lads had no trouble making their wayback. Lord Hastings greeted them with outstretched hands as they wentover the side.
"A pretty good job you made of it," he declared.
"Well, we did pick off a couple before you got busy, sir," agreed Frank."But if you hadn't fired the moment you did they would have potted ussure. They had a couple of shots at us, but fortunately, they didn'thave time to get the accurate range."
"I had no idea you were so hard pressed," replied Lord Hastings. "Ifired the moment I caught sight of the foe. Even when the searchlightwas turned from _The Hawk_, it was a moment or so before I could makeout the enemy. The light had all but blinded me."
"There is no harm done, anyhow," Jack put in. "The enemy is at thebottom of the sea and we are safe again."
"Then we may as well continue a bit," declared Lord Hastings. He turnedto give an order, when Frank interrupted him.
"Are you sure we are safe, sir?" he questioned.
"What do you mean?" demanded his commander.
"Why, I was just wondering if by any chance there might be more of theenemy in these waters?"
"To tell the truth, I hadn't thought of that," replied Lord Hastings.
Without another word, he turned on his heel and made his way to thesearchlight, which still threw its brilliant rays across the silentwaters. Quickly he snapped it off; then returned to the lads.
"We won't be spotted so easily now," he remarked.
"Unless we have been spotted already," said Jack dryly.
And Jack proved to be a better prophet than he really meant to be.
At a signal from Lord Hastings, _The Hawk_ now moved slowly forwardagain.
"Can you tell us just where we are bound, sir?" asked Jack.
"Well, not exactly," was his commander's reply. "I have information thatleads me to believe an enemy, or several enemies, may be prowling aboutaround----"
An interruption came suddenly and from an altogether unexpected source,and with the interruption all aboard became suddenly silent, except LordHastings, who sprang quickly to the wheel, and before the astonishedhelmsman knew what was going on, threw the wheel over hard.
For the interruption which had come so suddenly was the voice of a biggun.
Lord Hastings threw the wheel over with such violence that the motorboatcareened desperately and all but capsized. Frank and Jack savedthemselves from being thrown overboard by a quick grasp at the rail, towhich they clung with all their might.
And then, before Lord Hastings could flash the searchlight across thewater, had such been his intention, a blinding glare lighted up _TheHawk_. The enemy had been too quick for those aboard.
Now another shot rang out and the boys heard a terrible whistlingoverhead.
"Pretty close," said Jack quietly. "They are liable to get us nexttime."
An idea suddenly struck Frank, and he dashed aft. There he picked up hisrifle and hurried forward again.
"Hold her steady a minute, sir," he called to Lord Hastings.
And the latter, realizing that the lad had some plan, did as requestedwithout asking a question.
Quickly Frank raised his rifle to his shoulder, and pausing just longenough to take careful aim, fired.
Frank's keen mind had detected the one hope of salvation for thoseaboard _The Hawk_. The enemy was very close and the lad realized thatthe next shot must find its mark. There was but one thing to do. Thelight aboard the enemy must be destroyed; without it _The Hawk_ couldescape, for minus the light, which was its eye, the foe could not hopeto detect them.
As Frank's finger pressed the trigger he knew that he had not missed;and at the same moment he cried to Lord Hastings:
"Hard-a-port!"
Again _The Hawk_ careened desperately in response to the quick turn ofthe helm; but it was well that Lord Hastings had acted upon the instant;for even as Frank had fired there was another heavy "boom" and a heavyshell passed the spot where _The Hawk_ had been a moment before.
But with the sound of the shot, the glare of the enemy's searchlightvanished. Frank's aim had been true.
"I shot her eye out, sir," he cried to Lord Hastings.
"I see you did," chuckled his commander. "Now it's time for us to getbusy. Mr. Templeton, see if you can pick up the enemy with our light."
Jack sprang to the searchlight eagerly, and under his guiding hand, itthrew its brilliant rays over the dark waters. He swept it in a widehalf-circle to the right without result; and then swung the glare aroundto the left; and there, presenting her stern, a little motorboat wasmoving swiftly away.
"She's running, sir!" exclaimed Frank, who stood forward, still holdinghis rifle. "Shall I give her a shot?"
"If you like," replied Lord Hastings. "It can do no harm. In themeantime we'll have after her."
He gave the signal, "Full speed ahead," and _The Hawk_ leaped forward.
Again Frank took careful aim at a moving figure upon the deck of theenemy and again his finger pressed the trigger. Not for nothing had hebeen called a crack shot. The figure, as Frank could see in the glare of_The Hawk's_ searchlight, threw up its arms and pitched into the sea.
And now suddenly misfortune befell _The Hawk_. The enemy had stolen anidea from Frank, and one of the men aboard, taking aim at the powerfulsearchlight of _The Hawk_, fired. His aim was as true as had beenFrank's; and the ray of light disappeared from the surface of the water._The Hawk_ also was blind now.
Lord Hastings gave an exclamation of dismay.
"Pretty tough," he muttered.
"But we should have guarded against it, sir," declared Jack. "We shouldhave figured that what we could do the other fellow could do also."
"True," replied his commander; "but it's too late now. We'll keep afterher. Maybe we can pick her up in the darkness."
"Not much chance," muttered Frank to himself.
But again fortune was to smile on them, although it came near beingmisfortune.
An hour later, _The Hawk_ having been slowed to a bare five knots, Frankthought he caught the sound of another moving object. He called LordHastings' attention, and _The Hawk's_ engine was shut off. Again camethe sound, as of a choked automobile engine.
"She's off there, and pretty close," whispered Lord Hastings, with agesture to port.
"Shall we try a shot in the darkness, sir?" asked Frank.
"No; that would be folly," said Lord Hastings. "There is not one chancein a thousand that the first shot would go home; and then she would beon the move again. Now, from the fact that the sound has come twice fromthe same place, I judge she is standing still--hoping that we shall runpast her."
"If you please, sir, I have a plan," said Jack.
"Let's have it," said Lord Hastings briefly.
"Well, why can't Frank and I take to the boats again. Not one boat thistime, but two. We can approach from different directions. One of us canopen fire, and if a light is shown aboard, the other can do likewise.Caught between two fires, I believe a light will be shown, that theenemy may try to pick us up. That will betray the enemy's presence toyou and you can sink her."
"That's not a half bad idea," decided Lord Hastings after a moment'sreflection. "You shall each have a man. Here, Edwards! Williams!"
The two men came forward quickly.
"Williams, you lower a boat and go with Mr. Templeton. Edwards, youaccompany Mr. Chadwick. Get your rifles first, men."
The men hurried aft to obey, Frank and Jack in the meantime giving theirattention to lowering the boats. This done, all leaped in and rowed inthe general direction of the foe.
Upon Jack's suggestion, Frank and Edward
s rowed some distance aheadbefore pointing the nose of their little craft toward where theybelieved the enemy to be, and then rowed a considerable distance.
"We should be beyond her now," declared Frank, after some furtherrowing. "We'll double back a bit."
They did so; and five minutes later a dark shape loomed up beside them,so close almost, that Frank could have thrown a rock aboard.
"Cease rowing!" Frank commanded, laying down his own oars.
Edwards did likewise.
"Get your rifle ready," Frank instructed.
Edwards obeyed.
"Now," said Frank, "the first man you see show himself aboard thatcraft, pick him off. I'll wait for the second one."
"Very well, sir," replied Edwards quietly.
He brought his rifle to bear upon the deck of the enemy and sat quietly,waiting, as the little boat bobbed gently up and down with the swell ofthe sea.
And he had not long to wait.
A dark shadow appeared aboard the enemy and Edwards and Frank caught thefaint glow of a cigar or cigarette as the man puffed upon it. The lightfrom this made his face plainly visible.
"A very indiscreet sort of a gentleman," remarked Edwards. "Here goes,sir."
He pressed the trigger.
A howl of pain rewarded this effort and Edwards smiled grimly tohimself.
"Got him," he said cheerfully.
The sound of the rifle brought another figure to the deck. Now it wasFrank's turn and he acted instantly. Again there was a faint report andthe second man toppled over.
"Two," said Frank quietly.
"Right, sir!" replied Edwards. "All ready for another, sir."
"I guess the next will be along in a minute," said Frank dryly."Besides, it's about time for Jack and Williams to take a hand in thegame."
"Wouldn't want to leave them out all together, would we, sir," grinnedEdwards.
"I should say not," replied Frank.
"No, sir; they wouldn't like that."
They waited patiently, but ten minutes passed and no other form appearedaboard the enemy.
"Guess Jack is playing a waiting game on the other side," mutteredFrank. "Now, I wonder----"
There came an abrupt interruption to his thoughts.
"Throw up your hands!" came a sharp voice from behind, a trifle to theright. "Surrender or you are dead men!"