CHAPTER XI
NEW YORK
News of the capture of the German raider Vaterland had preceded thevessel into New York, having been flashed by wireless while the shipwas still several days out. Therefore there was a large crowd on handto see the Vaterland anchor in the North River. Lord Hastingssurrendered the vessel to American naval authorities and then theofficers, crew, erstwhile prisoners and German captives all wentashore.
Captain Koenig and his crew were taken in charge by the authorities anda few days later were sent to one of the big American internment campsin the south, where they would remain until the end of the war.
There was considerable cheering as Lord Hastings and his officersstepped ashore. The British commander dodged as much of this aspossible and with Jack and Frank jumped into a taxicab and were drivento the Biltmore, where they registered and were assigned to a suite ofrooms. There, Lord Hastings decided, they would remain pendinginstructions.
The successful capture of the Vaterland was flashed across the Atlanticto the British admiralty and a cable message of congratulations wasreceived a short time later, together with orders for Lord Hastings toremain in New York until other orders reached him.
It was at the dinner table that evening that Frank asked Lord Hastings'permission to run home for a day or two. Lord Hastings assentedreadily, for he knew that Frank naturally was anxious to see hisfather.
"Why don't you take Jack with you?" he asked.
"I shall be glad to," replied Frank. "Do you want to go, Jack?"
"Sure," said the young Englishman. "I shall be glad."
"How about you, Lord Hastings?" questioned Frank. "I should like tohave you go also."
"I appreciate your invitation," said Lord Hastings, with a smile, "butI thought I would run over to Washington and see the Britishambassador. But you see if you can't bring your father back to NewYork with you, Frank. I should be more than pleased to see him."
"I'll see what I can do, sir," replied the lad.
Thus it was arranged. Jack and Frank took a train for Boston early thefollowing morning and Lord Hastings caught a train for Washington.
"You should have sent your father a telegram, Frank," said Jack, asthey left the train in Boston.
"I want to take him by surprise."
"Maybe he won't be home."
"By George! I hadn't thought of that. I guess he will be, though.He's usually home in the afternoon."
The boys took the elevated from the South station to the North station,where they found they could catch a train to Woburn, the town whereFrank's father lived, in ten minutes.
It was only a little more than ten miles from Boston to Woburn and thetrip was made quickly. As they alighted from the train, Frank let hiseyes rove over the familiar landmarks, which he had not seen for threeyears. There was little change to be noticed. Frank led the waytoward his home.
He paused before an old-fashioned New England house and Jack, glancingup, saw this sign on the door:
"Dr. R. G. Chadwick."
Frank mounted the steps rapidly and rang the bell. An elderly womancame to the door. Frank had never seen her before.
"Is the doctor in?" he asked.
"Yes, but he is busy right now. Step in and have a seat."
Frank led the way into the doctor's waiting room, where he and Jack satdown.
Frank's mother was dead. She had passed away when the lad was not morethan five years, and in the days that followed Dr. Chadwick had beenfather and mother both to him.
From the little room beyond Frank caught the sound of his father'svoice. The lad could hardly, restrain his impatience.
A few moments later, however, a door slammed, signifying that thephysician's patient had left by, another door. A moment more and thedoor into the waiting room was flung open and Dr. Chadwick stepped intothe room.
He looked at the two figures who now rose to greet him, and then hejumped forward with a cry.
"Frank!"
A moment and the lad was in his father's arms.
Dr. Chadwick held the lad off at arm's length and looked at him.
"You've grown," he said. "Sit down and tell me about yourself. I wasafraid you had been killed. I haven't had a letter from you for almosta year."
"Before I recount my adventures, father," said Frank, "I want you tomeet my chum, Jack Templeton, of whom I have written you."
Jack and Dr. Chadwick shook hands. Then Frank sat down and gave anaccount of his adventures in the three years since he had beenseparated from his father in Naples, Italy, soon after the greatEuropean war had broken out.
"And you say your commander, Lord Hastings, is in New York?" said hisfather.
"He's in Washington today, sir," said Jack, "but he probably will beback day after tomorrow, when we must return, sir."
"I shall do myself the honor of calling on him," declared Dr.Chadwick.
"He asked me particularly to bring you back with us, father," saidFrank. "I'm glad you will go."
"Of course I'll go," said Dr. Chadwick. "Now, son, I have a patient tosee, so if you and Jack care to you can go down the street. You maysee some of your old friends."
Jack and Frank were the heroes of the town the two days they remainedin Woburn. Frank saw many of his old friends, and there is many a ladin the American navy today who enlisted as a result of Frank'sharrangue that he answer his country's call.
True to his word, Dr. Chadwick accompanied the lads back to New York.Lord Hastings had returned to the metropolis ahead of them, and was intheir room when they arrived. The boys' commander and Frank's fathershook hands warmly, and the lads withdrew to let them talk.
Over the dinner table that evening Lord Hastings recounted some ofFrank's adventures which the lad had been too modest to tell. Dr.Chadwick listened eagerly.
"It is as I would have had him do," he exclaimed.
"When I lost him in Naples I was terribly worried and I had the policescour the city for him. At last I gave up hope that he was still aliveand returned home. Then I received a letter from Frank telling me thathe had joined the British navy.
"I am of old English descent and naturally enough my sympathies werealways with the Allies. Therefore I sanctioned Frank's choice, but Ihave been fearful that I would never see him again."
"How long will you stay in New York, Lord Hastings?"
"It's too bad," said Lord Hastings, "but we shall leave here in themorning."
"Is that so, sir?" exclaimed Frank eagerly.
"Where to, sir?"
"We have been ordered to Halifax," was Lord Hastings' reply. "There Ishall take command of the British cruiser Lawrence. We will be one ofthe convoy to protect the crossing of the first contingent of Americantroops."
"I am sorry it is so soon," said Dr. Chadwick. "However, what must be,must be."
In spite of the fact that Frank hated to leave his father so soonagain, he nevertheless was glad that the time of inaction wascomparatively short. Jack also showed his pleasure at Lord Hastings'announcement.
Dr. Chadwick remained in New York over night as the guest of LordHastings. The four had breakfast together and then all repaired to theNorth station, where Dr. Chadwick took a train for Woburn and LordHastings and his two officers boarded a through train for Canada.
"How does it happen," asked Frank, as they rode along that afternoon,"that American troops will go across by the way of Halifax?"
"Submarines," returned Lord Hastings. "The channel from Halifax iswell guarded, and it is believed that there is less danger bytraversing that route."
"Have you any idea how many men will form the first contingent?" askedFrank.
"No, I haven't," replied Lord Hastings. "That is something that isbeing well guarded by the United States war department. It is just aswell, too. Nevertheless, I understand that there will be several largetransports, at least."
The trio reached the Canadian city the following day, and Lord Hastingsat once reported himself to the Brit
ish commandant. Before eveningLord Hastings had taken command of the Lawrence. As of yore, Jack andFrank were his first and second officers.
"And when will we sail, sir?" asked Jack.
"Tomorrow at nightfall," was his commander's reply.
Jack and Frank turned in early. They were happy and eager for action.