CHAPTER VIII
SIX BELLS
It was at 10 o'clock the following morning that Lord Hastings receiveda call from Captain Koenig.
"Ah!" exclaimed the German commander. "I find that I have time on myhands. Would it be too much to ask you to have a game of chess with menow?"
"Indeed, no," was Lord Hastings' reply. "I shall be pleased. I shallhave my man roll me to your quarters within fifteen minutes."
"Very good!" said Captain Koenig. He bowed and departed.
Lord Hastings quickly ordered the negro to find Frank and Jack andorder them to his cabin. A few moments more and they stood beforehim.
"Frank," said Lord Hastings, "you approach the bridge and stand there.When the men come from below, it may be that we will need a man nearthe bridge to pick off the gunner should he train one of therapid-firers on us. Do not move, however, unless it is necessary. Ifwe can reach the bridge without attracting attention by firing a shotit will be infinitely better. Jack, you come with me. I shall nowengage the captain in a game of chess."
Frank stooped and from his boots brought out two automatics. Jack didlikewise. These they put in their pockets. Then Frank left hiscommander's cabin.
Above he encountered Miss Wheaton, who approached him.
"I have learned what is about to happen," said the girl, "and I want toknow if I can be of some assistance."
"You can help most," said Frank, "by going to your cabin and stayingthere. Make sure that none of the women come on deck."
"But," said the girl, "I had hoped to be of more value than that."
"Believe me," said Frank, "if you can make sure that the women remainin their cabins you will have done much."
Elizabeth Wheaton nodded her head. "None shall come out," she saidquietly. She turned on her heel and made her way to her own cabin.Then she summoned the other women prisoners and when they were insideshe locked the door, taking care, however, that none saw her turn thekey, for she did not wish to answer unnecessary questions.
Frank took a position where he could cover the bridge. There were onlytwo men there--the officer of the deck and the quartermaster at thewheel.
Below, Lord Hastings motioned to the giant negro to wheel him toCaptain Koenig's cabin.
"I'm depending on you, Tom," he said quietly. "When I give the word--"
"Yussuh!" said Tom, grinning. "I'll be watching you, suh."
He wheeled Lord Hastings to Captain Koenig's cabin. Jack followed.
The German commander expressed his pleasure at the opportunity ofmatching his wits against his prisoner across the chess board. Heespied Jack and eyed him askance.
"I'm somewhat of a chess player myself," Jack explained. "I thought Iwould enjoy the battle. Mr. Hamilton, here, has no objections to mypresence."
"Nor have I, in that event," said Captain Koenig.
The chess board stood upon a small table. The pieces were in place.Johnson wheeled Lord Hastings into position and fell into positionbehind him. Captain Koenig drew up a chair. Jack remained standing.
The ad was perfectly calm in spite of the excitement that raged in hisbreast. Lord Hastings played silently and without anxiety, as thoughnothing were about to transpire. Even the negro, Tom, showed nothingof the excitement that he felt. Now and then, though, his hand touchedthe pair of brass knuckles which he had transferred from his sock tohis right-hand pocket.
As the game progressed Captain Koenig became manifestly pleased, for hefelt that he was winning. Lord Hastings glanced at the clock. Itlacked five minutes to 11. He looked at Tom significantly, and thenegro shifted his position closer to Captain Koenig.
Suddenly six bells struck.
As the last stroke sounded, Lord Hastings, apparently accidentally,brushed one of the chessmen from the board.
"Your pardon," he said to Captain Koenig.
He bent over, apparently to pick up the chessman. Instead, his handsought the box in his chair and when he sat straight again, hisrevolver covered Captain Koenig.
The commander of the Vaterland started up with an inarticulate cry. Atthe same moment Tom sprang forward, and his two hands grasped theGerman commander's throat.
Captain Koenig was fat and he was conceited and he had been foolishlylax. But he was a competent commander in the German navy, which meansthat he was a brave and resourceful man. He allowed his body to relaxin the negro's clutch. His foot sought for and found a tiny buttonbelow the chess table. He pressed it.
A buzzer sounded in another cabin.
The men in the cabin worked with swift and silent precision.
In answer to the pressing of the button there came a knock at thedoor. A moment later Lieutenant Blum entered. He took in thesituation at a glance. Tom released his hold upon Captain Koenig andjumped for the lieutenant. As the negro's arms went round the man,Jack dipped quickly into the lieutenant's pocket and produced the keysto the quarters occupied by the prisoners, and to the store room.
The lieutenant writhed in the negro's grasp and with a kick caught Tomon the right shin. Immediately Tom released his bold and sought hisbrass knuckles. Before he could strike, however, Lieutenant Blum haddisappeared through the door.
Jack whipped out his revolver and fired, but the German did not stop.The lad muttered an imprecation.
"Quick, now!" ordered Lord Hastings.
He was calm, cool and collected. Revolvers in the box were disposed ofbetween the three, and then all dashed below to where the prisonerswere locked.
Two men guarded the deck at this point. Seeing their enemies bearingdown on them, both opened fire. The revolvers of Lord Hastings flashedsimultaneously and the two Germans dropped.
Quickly Jack fitted one of the keys to the door, and the crews of theAlgonquin and the Gloucester streamed forth. The first man out wasCaptain Stoneman. Jack gave him a pair of revolvers. The otherweapons were divided up as far as they would go.
"To the bridge with you, Stoneman!" cried Lord Hastings. "You'll findChadwick there. Take the bridge and hold those machine guns until weget there. Much depends on your getting there before the enemy canrecover from their surprise." Stoneman dashed away. Lord Hastingsdesignated that the others who were armed should follow. These hurriedafter Stoneman.
"Now for the rifles!" cried Lord Hastings.
Jack led the way and Lord Hastings and members of the Algonquin andGloucester crews followed.
At the same moment a bugle blared above and there came the hoarsesounds of commands.
"We've been discovered!" shouted Jack.
"There is no time to lose, sir."
He fitted a key to the door of the compartment where the rifles,ammunition and small arms were stored. The men, perhaps sixty alltold, rushed forward and grabbed weapons and ammunition.
"I'll lead these men, Jack," said Lord Hastings.
"One of those keys fits the other prisoners' compartment. Go below andrelease them. Arm them and then come on deck. You go with him, Tom.If any of the prisoners hang back, lock them up or shoot them. This isno time for fooling. You other men, follow me."
Lord Hastings dashed on deck, closely followed by his men.
Jack wasted no time. Quickly he descended to the deck below where theother prisoners were held. These, too, were under guard from theoutside. Sounds of confusion from within told the lads that theprisoners had heard the sounds of firing above. Men kicked upon thebarred door. They were eager to get out and join in the fray, thenature of which they could not tell.
The two Germans on guard there were plainly uneasy. No orders hadreached them, and they appeared afraid that the door would give beneathkicks and blows rained upon it from within; and they knew that therewould be no stopping the prisoners should they break through.
Consequently they were watching the door when lack and the negroappeared in sight and the attackers had the advantage. One swervedsuddenly, however, and raised his weapon. Jack fired and the mandropped.
Tom account
ed for the second. Then Jack opened the door. He held up ahand as the men streamed forth.
"Follow me and get guns!" he shouted to make himself heard above thebabel of voices.
The others understood the import of the words. There was a wild cheeras they dashed after Jack and the negro Tom.