CHAPTER V
UNDER THE SEA
But there was to be no sleep for any aboard the German submarineX-9 that night. As the boys were just about to tumble into theirbunks, there was the sound of a sudden commotion on the vessel.
Lieutenant Stein sprang to his feet, hastily donned what fewclothes he had removed, and dashed from the cabin. With allpossible haste, the boys followed suit.
Men were rushing to and fro and no one heeded the boys' presence,although they were rudely thrust aside by hurrying members of thecrew several times.
"Wonder what's up?" said Jack.
"Don't know," replied Frank, "unless they have sighted one of ourships."
"By Jove! Let us hope not," breathed Jack.
But this was indeed the cause of the excitement aboard thesubmarine. A British battleship had been sighted in thedistance, and Captain Von Cromp was preparing to attack theunsuspecting vessel, which had failed to sight her enemy,although the latter was fully exposed to view.
Frank and Jack approached the foot of the periscope, where theystood awaiting developments.
Outside a sudden storm swept the water of the North Sea in angrywaves. The water lifted up the little vessel with the regularmotion of a high-running sea. All was pitch dark.
The fact that men were hurrying about on deck, was only shown bythe somber figures who now and then passed in front of a singlelantern. From out the engine room, already under water, arosethe pound of heavy pounding and the weird crackling of theengines, as they were tried out.
Jack glanced at his watch. It was 10:30. Suddenly there came ashrill whistle from the little bridge of the submarine, standinghigh above the vessel, and covered with heavy canvass. Theofficer in command, Captain Von Cromp himself, dressed hi heavyoilskins, raised a hand, the signal to go ahead.
A short, sharp signal to the engine room, a loud whirr of themotor, and the X-9 was speeding ahead. On both sides of the shiplong waves formed, shimmering with light foam in the blackness ofthe sea. The X-9 moved westerly--toward the still unsuspectingbattleship.
The heavens were covered with clouds. Not a star was visible.It was impossible to see more than a few feet away from thestrange craft. Captain Von Cromp, with his experienced eye,tried in vain to penetrate through this wall of solid blackness.The wind kicked up the sea and the bridge was entirely floodedwith water. There was hot a sound to be heard, save the heavydroning of the motor and the swish of the water passing along thesides.
Suddenly, in the near distance, loomed up a great gray bulk,swinging high above the submarine upon the water. It was theBritish battleship.
And now submarine X-9 had been discovered. A heavy boom rangout, but the little craft was not damaged.
Another signal came to the ears of the two boys. Men rushed upondeck and soon the submarine was prepared for action. Theflagpole was taken down. Part of the bridge was folded togetherand securely fastened. The periscope was fixed at its properheight. Then the entrance through the combined bridge andconning tower was hermetically sealed. A moment more and thetanks were opened, telling the lads that the submarine was aboutto submerge. The gasoline motors stopped their endless song.From now on electricity would drive the vessel forward.
Near Frank and Jack, at the periscope, stood Lieutenant Stein,looking at the British ship. The sailors took their stationsnear the torpedoes. The interior of the boat was now lightedwith two small electric bulbs. They made the darkness visible,but gave no light outside. Everywhere was the stale smell ofoil. The boys found it impossible to speak to each other becauseof the noise of the engine and the water. The heat wasoppressive.
From time to time the officer in command of the three torpedoeslooked at his watch or at the compass, both of which he carriedaround his wrist. Intently the men all watched the signboard onthe wall in front of them. The storm without made itself felteven in the depth. Every motion of the water caused thesubmarine to rock up and down and up and down again.
Jack found himself thinking of the advantage of the man on boarda warship. He, at least, could go down with a last look at theworld about him. Below, nothing could be seen, nothing could beheard. If the submarine went down, all would suffocate in thedarkness beneath the water.
It was plain to Jack that Frank, as well as all the sailors andofficers, was thinking along similar lines. The expression onall faces was plain proof of it.
Suddenly the sailors sprang forward, forgetting in an instantheat, bad air and discomfort. Following the gaze of the sailors,the lads turned their eyes to the signboard. There, as if bymagic, had sprung up the word:
"Attention!"
The officer in command of the torpedoes had his hand on the leverwhich would release the first deadly projectile already in thetube. The sailors made ready to launch the second as soon as thefirst was gone.
Several seconds passed. Frank and Jack stood in deathlikestillness. Both realized the tragedy that was about to beenacted, and both were aware of their powerlessness to avert it.
Into the minds of both flashed a thought of springing upon theircaptors, but each, after a moment's reflection, realized thefutility of such an action. It would merely delay the firing ofthe first torpedo.
And so they stood while the seconds passed, the heart of each inhis throat. Suddenly the first sign on the board disappeared. Amoment later and a second command appeared. Frank and Jack readit simultaneously, and both started forward with a cry.
The word that now stared them in the face, in red, glowingletters, was:
"Fire!"
With a single jerk, the officer released the first torpedo, evenas both lads, unable to endure the suspense and inaction anylonger, leaped upon him. There was a short, metallic click, thenoise of water rushing into the empty tube, and it was over. Thefirst torpedo had sped on its errand of destruction and death.
The German officer turned just in time to grapple with Jack, whowas now upon him.
"Seize them, men!" he cried, and struck out sharply at the lad.But Jack was too quick for him, and his right fist went crashinginto the German's face. Frank was with him now, and the twoturned to face the onrushing sailors.
Both struck out rapidly, but in spite of their resistance, theywere soon overpowered by the numerical superiority of their foes,and thrown to the floor.
There, realizing the uselessness of further struggling, they gaveup and lay still.
The German officer, having struggled to his feet in the meantime,now approached and stood over them. Perceiving they were nolonger offering resistance, he motioned the sailors to let themup.
The lads arose and faced the officer.
"I realize your position better than you are probably aware," hesaid, speaking coldly, "and for that reason I shall overlook yourattack upon me. I would have done as you did. I could not standby and see a German ship sent to the bottom without raising ahand to prevent it. Go to your cabin, sirs." The boys bowed,and obeyed.
But while the boys were scuffling with the German officer andsome of the sailors, others had pushed a second torpedo into thetube. And a sailor shouted, making himself heard by dint of avery powerful voice: "Did we hit her?"
Instinctively all kept count--one hundred meters, two hundredmeters, three hundred, four hundred. Under the water no soundpenetrated. Waiting was all that could be done. For a fewmoments nothing happened.
Then, suddenly, every man on the boat, Jack and Frank in thecabin, the captain, officers and all, were almost thrown fromtheir feet by a terrific jerk of the submarine. Another jerk,and still another.
Then the submarine rolled as before--evenly. A moment and theregular purring of the engines was heard again. The submarinemoved rapidly eastward.
She was on her way back home.
And an English battleship was at the bottom of the sea.