CHAPTER IX
THE CAPTURE OF THE SUBMERGED VESSEL
"Why does it still keep at this angle?" asked Ralph.
"Have you forgotten the stuff we carried back into the stern?" repliedAlfred.
"Do you think that really is the trouble?" asked Ralph.
"Yes; it is out of balance, and I suppose we may look out for anotherjob," said the captain. "That may be the opportunity we are seeking.Furthermore, what is to be done must be done just as soon as possible."
"What makes you think so?" eagerly inquired Alfred.
"Several things. The first is, that we are now in the English Channelunder the guidance of a man much less skilful than the lieutenant; and,secondly, the lieutenant, although badly wounded, may recoversufficiently to be able to direct affairs," replied the captain.
"When I was out there talking with the seaman," said Alfred, "I learnedthat the lieutenant was in a very low state."
"I should judge so, too," rejoined the captain, "for the reason that thedoctor has not left the room once since the lieutenant was taken there.In making a calculation of the forces against us I have considered thatthe lieutenant, the cook and the doctor are disposed of, so far as beingof any aid to the crew. Three others are also so badly injured that theydo not need to cause us much worry. I am not certain in my mind,however, where they are at this time."
"Do you mean the men who were injured?" asked Ralph.
"Yes."
"Two of them are in the bunks behind the compressed air tanks," answeredRalph.
"Are you quite sure of that?" queried the captain.
"I know it," was the answer.
"Well, that makes six accounted for, so that there are twenty-one wemust meet. Now I shall give a few general instructions before weproceed. The sub-lieutenant has gone into the conning tower. As heentered I tried to get a glimpse to ascertain whether or not the sun hadrisen, but was unable to decide, but I should judge that it is not yetdaylight or he would not be running on the surface. As a precautionarymeasure we must have the weapons ready, and have the revolvers put awayso as not to expose them before we are ready."
"Here they are," said Ralph, who cautiously brought them to the room.
"Shall we load them?" asked Alfred.
"By all means; and let me warn you of one thing: when you aim be sure tohit. There must be no pretense about it. The matter is too serious foranything but strict business. I hope we shall not have the opportunityor necessity for using the revolvers. Now pay attention to the details:the sub-lieutenant must be the first one captured, and he must be takeninto the conning tower. I suggest that you, Ralph, take your placebeneath the stairway, hiding, as much as possible, behind the amidshiptank, while you, Alfred, remain at the door of our room here."
"Shall I stay here so I can be seen or keep out of sight?" asked Alfred.
"Remain under cover inside the room, but in sight of the stairway. Youhave probably noticed that the under officer makes frequent trips to theconning tower, and that on returning each time he turns a short leverbelow the hinge," said the captain.
"I have noticed that several times and wondered what it was for," saidRalph.
"That is for the purpose of holding the hatch door so that it can beopened by him when he again ascends the stairway. Now, when the underofficer opens the hatch and comes down the hatch stairs, will be thetime for you to come out of the room and take up your position at theforward corner of the room; that will completely hide you from the eyesof the officer. I shall then go into the room, the moment he reaches thelast step, and thus he will not suspect me. The moment he reaches thepassageway opposite the door, I will hold him up with my revolver, andcompel him to enter the room. The moment that is done you will push thedoor shut, as you will see that it has a spring lock. Do you fullyunderstand the instructions so far?" asked the captain.
"I think so," answered Alfred, "although I don't exactly understand whyI am to go into the room first, and then come out the moment the hatchis being opened."
"For the reason that we must not be suspected by the others, some ofwhom are at all times not far away, and if, while we are waiting, someof the crew should pass the end of our room they would be sure to seeyou and consider that a peculiar place for you to be in. Do youunderstand it now?" replied the captain.
"Then, after that what will take place?" asked Ralph, his breath comingthick and fast.
"I shall go up the stairway, followed by Alfred. While this is going onit will be your duty, Ralph, to watch the workers at the dynamo and theaft tank. They are the only ones who will be able to see the stairwayclearly. If you see any look of alarm on their faces, or see that theynotice what is going on, move around into the opening, and level bothrevolvers at them, without, however, making any sound. Hold them in thatposition until I raise the trap-door and warn the sub-lieutenant. Alfredwill follow close and hold the trap-door from being sprung. Then move upthe companionway as fast as you can. There, he is going up now. Takeyour place, Ralph."
The crucial time had come. Alfred retreated into the little room as thecaptain leisurely moved along the narrow passageway toward the dynamos.Thus they waited and waited, five, ten minutes. Ages seemed to pass.Then the hatch door opened slowly. Alfred came out quietly withoutlooking around, moved forward, and then walked back and slid into thecorner of the room.
The petty officer closed the hatch and moved down the steps, brushingpast the captain. As he did so the captain entered the door andimmediately turned with the revolver pointing at the officer's breast.
"Not a sound, or I fire," said the captain in a voice which could not beheard a dozen feet away. The captain stepped aside, and pointed to theopen doorway, at the same time indicating by motions that the Germanshould enter it. The officer gritted his teeth and finally obeyed. Asthe captain stood there with the revolver at his side, but pointed atthe man, Alfred slowly closed the door.
The captain now turned and moved up the stairway. With his revolverdrawn he pushed open the trap-door quietly, and, in a quiet voice, said:"Hands up!"
The sub-lieutenant turned quickly, to look into the muzzle of therevolver. His hands reached out to seize a lever.
"_Stop!_" said the captain, and the officer quickly raised his hands.
Alfred was now in the tower, and Ralph, walking up backwards, had hishead through the hatch opening, when a shot was fired. He dropped one ofhis revolvers, and Alfred quickly seized him by the shoulders and drewhim up. The hatch cover came down with a bang.
"Are you hurt?" asked Alfred, as Ralph dropped down, but he wasreassured as the latter arose. For the moment the captain's gaze wasaverted, when, quick as thought, the officer's hand touched a lever.
The captain smiled, as he said: "I am afraid the valve of the submergingtank will not work; I prefer running on the surface. But, in themeantime, as I am commander of this vessel, and I notice that you aretrying to interfere, I shall have to restrict your movements somewhat."
Saying this he drew a small cord from his pocket and instructed Alfredto bind the arms at the wrists. The hands of the officer were thencarried around to the back and the cord fastened to a stanchion at oneside, where he was out of reach of the instrument board.
This gave the captain an opportunity to examine Ralph's wound. Thelatter had quickly rallied. It was the shot, coupled with the extremetension, which caused him momentarily to collapse, for it was found thatthe wound had passed through the fleshy part of the arm above the elbow.
"I suppose you want the destroyers to sink us," said the officer.
"Not at all," replied the captain. "Unscrew the bolts of the door,Alfred. And now a word more, Mr. Officer. Where are your flags?"
"I refuse to inform you," said the officer, with a look of determinationin his face.
"I expect a shot every minute," said the captain, "for I know as well asyou do that there is a cruiser on our port side. I shall give youanother opportunity; where are the flags?"
"You must open the hatch for them," said the off
icer.
"All the bolts are out," said Alfred, turning to the captain.
"Guard the officer while I go out and signal," said the captain.
Before the captain reached the door there was an ominous boom in thedistance. Alfred could see the officer's face grow pale. A shower of seawater sprayed over the deck, and some of the water entered the opendoor. Looking out he saw the captain, who had thrown off his coat andvest, and was now drawing off his white shirt, which he held up andwaved to and fro, just as the second shot boomed.
Fortunately, the shot was too far away to be at all dangerous, as Alfredthought, but the voice of the captain explained it.
"Signal to stop!"
"Which lever?" inquired Alfred.
The latter hesitated. He glanced out the door and then at the boy. Torefuse meant that the ship was doomed and his companions below withouthope of rescue.
The captain, with the white signal in his hand, stepped to the door, andwith the revolver pointing full into the face of the officer, said:"Stop the ship or you will never have an opportunity to save yourselvesor your companions."
"Pull the second lever," he said, and Alfred did as directed.
"Reverse!" demanded the captain.
"The lever below," said the officer.
A mile away was a small, speedy craft, sailing around the submarine. Itseemed fairly to skim over the surface of the water, and cast the sprayastern like a mist. It had come up unnoticed by the captain.
"Look at the little boat," shouted Ralph, who had now recovered and hadmoved to the open door.
The captain turned quickly toward the stern, waving the white flag in afrenzy. It must have been regarded as a remarkable thing to those onboard the little cutter to see a German submarine hoisting a surrenderflag. It seemed too good to be true. They evidently supposed the whiteflag was a ruse of some kind, for they did not venture nearer.
Meanwhile, the cruiser, which had fired the two shots, came up behindthe little craft, and the latter cautiously steamed up. The small vesselwas one of the speedy torpedo boat chasers, carrying two three-inchguns, and drawing less than six feet of water. The safety of these boatslies in their great speed and in the shallow draft, which prevents thesubmarine from reaching them with their torpedoes.
Once abreast the commander called out: "I am sending a boat for yourofficers."
"I have only one here, that we can get at, at present," shouted thecaptain.
"What is that?" asked the commander of the chaser.
"I have one of the chief officers in the conning tower, and the othersare below," said the captain.
"Who are you?" asked the commander.
"Captain Leclere, of the French service," replied the captain.
"Captain Leclere!" almost shouted the German officer in the conningtower.
"That's the man," said Alfred.
"Then I am not surprised," said the officer in a low voice.
"Surprised?" said Ralph. "Did you say 'surprised?'"
The officer sighed, turned his head away, and was silent.
A lieutenant and four seamen reached the side of the submarine, and weredrawn aboard.
"Ah! it was your ship that went down in the bay last Wednesday," saidthe chaser's lieutenant.
"Yes; we were picked up by the submarine, together with my two youngfriends here," said the captain.
"And how does it happen that you are in command of this vessel?" heasked in surprise.
"We captured it about a half an hour ago, and have the chief officer andthe crew below," replied the captain.
"That is certainly a remarkable exploit," replied the lieutenant. "Isuppose you will be glad to meet the commander of _l'Orient_?" said thelieutenant.
"Ah! Captain Tournai, you mean! I recognized the French colors. But Isupposed he was in the Mediterranean; it will be quite a pleasure,indeed. Do me the honor to signal him," said the captain.
The lieutenant gave the necessary instructions, and the flags wig-waggedfrom the bridge of the little vessel.
The sub-lieutenant was called out of the conning tower, and Alfreddirected to unloosen the cords.
"I suppose you will take charge of the prisoners," said the captain.
"I should be glad to do so, with your permission, although you have aright, of course, to turn them over to _l'Orient_," said the lieutenant.
"No; it is sufficient gratification to know that we have the vessel,"said the captain, "and I shall be glad to leave to you the dispositionof the men and the vessel."
"What procedure would you suggest?" asked the lieutenant.
"I shall give an order to the sub-lieutenant directing the men to comeout of the hold," said the captain. Then, turning to the sub-lieutenant,he said:
"You will inform the men below that they are to present themselves atthe hatch."
The officer bowed, and entered the conning tower He immediatelydescended. Before he had, reached the bottom the captain said:
"Halt! Notify them from where you are. I shall not permit you to go anyfarther."
All the men were found to be stationed near the hatchway steps. One byone they appeared, and were escorted out, a dozen marines in themeantime having appeared in two boats. As they emerged from the doorthey were escorted to the side and directed to take their places in theship's boats.
"That makes twenty-one," said Alfred.