CHAPTER VIII
PATROLLING THE SOUTH SEA
The boys learned from Captain Marcus that they had reckonedrightly and that at the moment they were off the port ofAmsterdam, Holland.
"Our course," the captain explained, "will take us through theEnglish channel into the Atlantic, thence south to the Africancoast. How far south we shall go, I cannot say at present."
He called a midshipman to show the boys to the cabin which was tobe their quarters while on the Cumberland. It was verycomfortable, but not much like the one they had aboard the Sylph."However," said Jack, "it's plenty good enough for anyone."
For several days the boys were not assigned to duty, CaptainMarcus declaring that they needed, a chance to rest up aftertheir strenuous experience with the submarine. He introducedthem to all the officers, with whom they speedily becamefavorites. It was very evident to both the boys that theirrelationship to Lord Hastings was well known to Captain Marcusand they felt that the many little favors shown them was becauseof this. They frequently talked of their former commander andfriend and their hearts were sad at his untimely end.
In spite of their new surroundings, the days that they sailedsouthward were somewhat monotonous, and the boys were more thanpleased when the Cumberland put into Lisbon, Portugal, for coal.Here they were given a day ashore and bought a number of thingsthat they greatly needed as all their effects had gone down withthe Sylph.
Continuing her journey, the Cumberland sailed south through andpast the Tropic of Cancer, almost to the equator, without a signof an enemy. It was in fact just a day's sail from the equatorbefore the Cumberland sighted another ship.
Quickly the wireless was put to working and it was found that theapproaching vessel was the small British cruiser Dwarf. Thecruisers came to anchor a short distance apart and the commandersof the two ships exchanged visits.
Upon Captain Marcus' return aboard the Cumberland, both shipsimmediately got under way, the Dwarf taking the lead.
"Something up!" said Jack to Frank, as they stood leaning overthe rail.
"You are right," replied Frank, "and I'll bet you a little redapple I can tell you what it is."
"You can?" exclaimed Jack in surprise. "Let's have it then."
"In my spare moments," explained Frank, "I have been making astudy of the maps and charts. We are now almost in the Gulf ofGuinea. A small but nevertheless very deep, river called theCameroon, empties into the gulf. Do you follow me?"
"Yes, but I don't see what you are driving at."
"Well, the Cameroon region is a German possession. Its largesttown, several miles up this navigable river, is Duala, stronglyfortified. This, if I am not badly mistaken, is our objectivepoint."
"Perhaps you are right," said Jack somewhat dubiously, "but won'tthe forts be too strong for the cruisers?"
"Not these, I am sure."
"Well," said Jack, "I hope we see some action soon, whether it isat Duala, as you call it, or some other place. This is growingmonotonous."
Frank's prophecy proved correct. Even now the Cumberland and theDwarf were well into the Gulf of Guinea and making all headwaytoward the mouth of the river Cameroon, which point the vesselsreached early the following morning, intending to anchor in themouth of the stream.
At the approach of the cruisers, however, a fort guarding theharbor broke into action.
A few well-directed shots from the big guns of the Cumberland,and the fort was silenced. Then, instead of coming to anchor,the cruisers steamed slowly up the river.
Rounding a bend in the stream, Duala could be seen in thedistance; likewise the forts guarding the town, and a bombardmentof the fortifications was at once begun.
The shore batteries promptly returned the fire, but it soonbecame apparent that the guns on the ships outranged them.
For several hours the bombardment continued, and then twomerchant steamers were seen making their way from the shelter ofthe port directly toward the British ships.
"Wonder what's up now?" said Frank, who at that moment, havingbeen relieved from duty, stood beside Jack at the rail.
"Don't know," was the latter's brief reply. Nor did anyone else,so those on board the cruisers watched the movements of theoncoming steamers with much curiosity.
When the approaching vessels were little more than a mile up theriver they came to a stop. Small boats were lowered over thesides and put off hurriedly in the direction from which they hadcome. Shortly after, a blinding glare rose to the sky, there wasthe sound of two terrific reports, one immediately following theother, and the two steamers slowly settled into the water.
Captain Marcus, on the bridge of the Cumberland, cried out:
"They have blockaded the river!"
It was true. The ruse was plainly apparent now that it was toolate to prevent it. The two sunken vessels made further progressup the river by the British ships impossible.
"Wonder what we shall do now?" asked Frank.
"Haven't any idea," said Jack briefly.
Night drew on and still the British guns continued to hurl theirshells upon the German town.
With the fall of darkness there came an answer to Frank'squestion.
Captain Marcus summoned Frank and Jack.
"The Germans have effectually blocked the river," he told them."Therefore we cannot capture the town that way. Because of yourexperience, I have called you two lads to undertake a mostdangerous mission.
"You," pointing to Jack, "will lead 400 sailors around throughthe woods and attack the enemy from the flank. You, Mr.Chadwick," turning to Frank, "I shall put in command of a fleetof four small boats, armed with rapid-firers, and it will be yourduty to try and crawl up the river without attracting theattention of the forts. Attacking from two sides, simultaneously,we should take the town. In the meantime we shall continue toshell the town, stopping our bombardment at such a time as Ibelieve you will be prepared for a sudden attack. Therefore,when you reach your positions, you will not attack until thebombardment ceases. That shall be your signal. Do I make myselfclear?"
"Perfectly," both lads agreed.
"Good, then. Everything shall be in readiness for you in anhour."
The lads saluted and left the commander's cabin.
Two hours later found Jack, with 400 British sailors at hiscommand, already disembarked from small boats and stealing intothe woods. Frank, with his little fleet, was picking his waycarefully up the river.
The lad easily found a channel between the two sunkenmerchantmen, and the little boats pushed on.
"Careful of mines!" had been Captain Marcus' parting injunctionand the lad peered keenly ahead constantly.
He made out several small objects floating upon the water, andthese were carefully avoided.
By dint of careful rowing the boats finally drew up safely, notmore than a quarter of a mile from the German forts, where thelittle party awaited the signal agreed upon.
Jack, in the meantime, had led his men through the dense woods,and by making a wide detour, had penetrated almost to the rear ofthe enemy's fortress, which, he figured, would be the most likelyto be improperly guarded.
Here he and his men lay down, awaiting the signal to attack. Butstill the British bombardment continued, and shells rained uponthe little African town.
Suddenly the sound of screeching shells ceased. Jack sprang tohis feet and listened intently for a moment. But the big guns onthe warships were now silent. It was time to act.
"Attention!" called Jack, and his men stood ready about him.
Silently they crept forward to the very edge of the little town.Here, moving figures in the glare of many fires gave evidencethat the German troops and their native allies were on the alert.But as Jack had surmised, they were not expecting an attack fromthis direction.
Approaching closer and closer, Jack finally gave the command:
"Fire!"
The crack of 400 rifles followed this command, and under thewithering fire of the British, the Germans we
re mowed down on allsides.
At the same instant, from the river, the rapid firers in Frank'scommand shattered the stillness of the night with their noise ofdeath. Thus attacked on two sides, the Germans for a momentstood as if paralyzed, men dropping on all sides.
But for a moment only. Then they leaped forward ready toencounter the unseen foe. Under the command of their officersthey formed coolly enough, and volley after volley was fired intothe woods.
But Jack and his 400 British sailors were not to be stayed.Right in among the Germans they plunged, shooting, cutting andslashing. The Germans at this end of the town were graduallybeing forced back--back upon their comrades who already wereretreating before the rapid-firers of Frank's command at theother end of the town.
Caught between two fires, they nevertheless fought bravely,pouring in volley for volley. Suddenly the British under Jackceased firing altogether and rushed upon the foe with cutlassesand clubbed rifles.
The shock of this attack was too much for the Germans, and withthe fierce hail of bullets from Frank's end of the field, therewas but one thing for them to do.
The officer in command raised a handkerchief on the point of hissword. Jack could barely make it out in the half-light. At thesame moment the officer commanding the Germans opposing Frank'ssmall force cried out:
"We surrender!"
Instantly the sound of firing ceased, and the German officerwalked up to Frank and delivered his sword. At precisely thesame moment, the other German officer, who it turned out was incommand of the town, presented his sword to Jack.
Jack gallantly passed the weapon back to him, saying:
"Keep it, sir. I could not deprive so brave a man of his sword.However, I must ask you to accompany me back to my ship."
The German signified his assent, and Jack called out to Frankwhom he could now see approaching with his prisoner:
"Are you hurt, Frank?"
"No," came the reply, "are you?"
Jack made haste to reply in the negative.
The boys decided that Frank should stay with the sailors left toguard the town, and that Jack should escort the German commanderto the Cumberland. Accordingly the two took their seats in oneof the little boats, and were rowed back down the stream.
Frank, after giving the necessary orders to guard the town andfort, established himself in the commander's quarters, where heawaited some word from Captain Marcus.