CHAPTER XXIII
CAPTURING A SUBMARINE
Nothing more was said until Frank and the naval officer were once moreaboard the fishing vessel. Then, as the boat ran down the coast, Frankrelated his experiences of the past two days.
"Holy men!" chuckled the lieutenant-commander. "It'll be sacrilege,then. After this war I shall cruise about the world in search of aGerman with a sense of humour. You say you know that fellow?"
"Yes, and I've a bone to pick with him. He nearly did me out of acarpet."
"Oh! How was that?"
Frank told as much as he cared to of the incident in Erzerum. The navalofficer laughed.
"It was amusing, certainly, until the ruffian had me locked up," saidFrank.
And then, bit by bit, his companion drew from him the details upon whichhe had kept silence.
"I wish we had a Ruhleben in England," growled the officer. "Ourprisoners have too easy a time. But this Wonckhaus shall have anopportunity of cultivating holiness in an English prison, and I hope hewon't like it."
Presently he went forward, and sent a few flashes seaward from a lanterncarefully screened from the shore. There were answering flashes out atsea. In half an hour a destroyer loomed up out of the darkness. Thelieutenant-commander went aboard with Frank and the seamen, and thefishing vessel was made fast to a hawser from the stern. There was abrief conference on deck.
"That's all right then," said the officer. "Now, my dear chap, you mustbe dead tired. Tumble below. I'll wake you when I want you."
While Frank slept, the destroyer ran slowly up the gulf. He awoke at atouch.
"Sorry to disturb you so soon, but you must come up."
Frank rose sleepily and went on deck. The destroyer was moving deadslow.
"We're on a course parallel with the shore," said the officer. "Justkeep your eye lifting over the port quarter, will you?"
Frank did as he was instructed. In a minute or two he saw two dimlights on shore, which vanished almost immediately.
"The question is, are they the lights of a farmhouse, or somewhere inthe channel?" said the officer.
"It's late for a farmhouse."
"Exactly. Wait a little. Keep looking out."
The vessel stopped, then moved slowly backward. The lights appearedagain.
"Now I'll tell you my inference," the officer went on. "From yourdescription of the place, lights in the bungalow or the huts could notbe seen from the sea. But lights placed somewhere on the cliffs at theend of the channel could be seen as we pass across the mouth, and onlythen; a movement of a few yards forward or astern will shut them off. Itake it, then, that the lights are in fact at the inner end of thechannel--and we know why."
"I haven't any doubt of it," said Frank.
"Then go below and get into your own toggery. You may then sleepanother hour or two."
About two hours after midnight Frank was again awakened. With thelieutenant-commander, a lieutenant, a warrant-officer, and two sturdyseamen in addition to the boat's crew, he got into the fishing vessel,which cast off and stood in towards the shore. The destroyer steamedaway out to sea. The officers were armed with revolvers, the men withrifles.
It was about two hours before dawn when the party landed from the dinghyat the spot on the beach where the matting showed up darkly against thesand. Placing himself at the head, Frank led the way up through thetrees, the rest following about a yard apart. They marched in perfectsilence; not a word was uttered. Every now and then as they penetratedthe dark woodland Frank halted. The officer next to him touched him onthe shoulder, the next touched him in turn, and so on along the lineuntil all were accounted for. The necessity of caution made theirprogress slow, and they took more than an hour to cover ground whichFrank alone had traversed in twenty minutes. Then they stopped, and laydown in the wood to await the dawn.
According to Frank's calculation it was about seven miles from theirlanding-place to the bungalow by the road, possibly a little shorterdistance along the cliffs. But they would gain nothing in time bytaking the shorter way, owing to the denseness of the woodland. Toproceed along the road would almost certainly be fatal, for unfrequentedthough it was, no one could say that some member of the Turko-Germanparty, or some messenger from a distance, might not happen to pass on anerrand, and the sight of eight men in British uniform would give thegame away. As soon as a glimmer of daylight filtered through thefoliage, therefore, Frank led them on as close to the shore as possible.During their pause they had taken the opportunity to eat some bread andcheese they had brought with them.
"There won't be time for breakfast in the bungalow," murmured Frank witha smile.
The way along the cliffs proved unexpectedly arduous, and it was pastmidday when they arrived at the outer fence, at a spot not far distantfrom where Frank had first encountered it. Here the warrant officerwent forward, cut the wire in two places, and, when the party had passedthrough, joined the severed ends in such a way that they could bereadily loosened, though only a close examination would discover whathad been done. Once more Frank took the lead, following his scarcelydistinguishable track of two days before. Leaving the rest of the partyamong the trees, he went on alone until he reached the live fence, andhaving enlarged the small excavation through which he had wriggled, hecrept to his hiding-place on the bank of the stream to observe what wasgoing on at the bungalow and the pool.
Things were apparently very much as when he left nearly twenty-fourhours before. There was one new feature in the scene. A rough countrycart stood in front of one of the huts, and two Turks--one of them thevictim of German discipline--were unloading it and carrying the storesinto the hut. No driver was visible, and Frank remembered that thecountry people were not allowed to come within the fence. At the gate,then, must be at least one man on guard. A man crossed between thebungalow and the adjacent hut: probably he was cook and servant to theofficers. The engine-man sat on an upturned tub, smoking, andexercising his German wit on the labouring Turks. A look-out wasperched on his platform in the tree, peering through a telescope. Nodoubt the officers were in the bungalow, possibly sleeping after awakeful night. The whole party appeared to consist of eight men--asmall force considering the importance of their duties; but Frankreflected that a larger force would have endangered the precious secretthey were guarding.
To him, of course, it was a secret no longer. This secluded pool hadbeen chosen, with admirable judgment, as the base of one of the Germansubmarines which had lately been mischievous in the AEgean. It wasprobably the very submarine whose periscope he had caught a rapidglimpse of at Panderma. Wonckhaus had been put in charge of the base,no doubt because the injury to his leg had temporarily unfitted him forthe heavy work required of the German infantry officer. He had expectedthe vessel to run in on the previous night, until the telegraph wirebrought news that enemy torpedo boats were watching in the gulf. Thatit had not arrived was clear at a glance. The only vessel in the poolwas the lighter, and Frank suspected that the packages he had seenlowered into it contained supplies for the submarine crew, and had beenremoved from the hut for greater facility in transferring them to thewar vessel. The "holy men," to do them justice, did not consume thewhole of the immense consignments which had amazed the Turkish carrier.
The object with which the small British party had come to this secretspot was nothing less than the capture of the submarine. As apreliminary to that they must seize the settlement and its inhabitants,a feat for which the seven British seamen who had come under hisguidance should be amply competent. They had four Germans, trained men,to deal with; three Turks, of whom one was an officer, the two othersmenials; and the servant, whose nationality Frank did not know; he mightbe a Levantine, and of no account. With the advantage of surprise and ofBritish daring and discipline the task of the adventurous eight shouldbe easy enough. The one essential condition of success was that none ofthe German's party should get away. The esc
ape of a single man mightruin the enterprise.
Frank waited some time at his post of observation, to make sure that hisestimate of the number of the enemy was accurate. He saw the last loadcarried from the cart to the hut; it was a nine-gallon cask of beer;then one of the Turks mounted, and drove off down the road. As soon ashe no longer heard the rumbling of the wheels, Frank hastened back tohis friends.
"I thought you were never coming," said the lieutenant-commander. "Isshe there?"
"No. Evidently she couldn't get through."
"I didn't think she would, but I'm glad to be sure of it, for wecouldn't have tackled the whole crew. Why were you so long?"
Frank gave the result of his observations. The officers smiled happily.
"Now then," said the lieutenant-commander, "the first thing is to raidthe bungalow, and collar the officers. They control the telegraph andtelephone. You know the place, Forester; I'll give you two of the mento assist. They'll take their instructions from you. I'll wait until Iget a signal from you that you have done the trick, or until I hear arow in that direction. They are sure to show fight. But I needn't saythat if you can manage it quietly, so much the better for our ultimatesuccess."
"I'll do my best," said Frank. "It's a good deal later than when I washere yesterday, and I shouldn't be surprised if they're taking theirsiesta."
"Very well. Now let me take my bearings. How do I steer?"
"You go straight on until you reach the stream. You'll see the placewhere I have scooped a passage for you at the foot of one of the postssupporting the wire. The men must be careful, or they'll beelectrocuted."
"I'll see to that."
"You cross the stream, turn to the left, cut along the bank--and thereyou are."
"Perfectly clear sailing directions. But what about the road?"
"Cross that: you can slip along among the trees. Better keep a look-outfor the Turk who went down with the cart. He'll be coming backpresently, with the German seaman who I suspect was on guard at thegate."
"You'll be a staff-officer some day, my friend. Well, it's all clear.We'll arrange our plans: you had better cut off. Here, Moggs andParker, you're under Mr. Forester's orders."
Two strapping seamen jumped up and saluted. One of them hitched up hisbreeches and spat on his hands.
"Good luck, then," said the lieutenant-commander.
Frank nodded, smiled, and led the men along the route he had followedthe previous day to the timber stack at the rear of the bungalow. Onthe way he halted for a few minutes to explain in general terms what hispurpose was, and to impress on them the need of absolute silence. Whenhe reached the trees, he left them there under cover, to await hissignal. Then he stole forward alone.
There was no sound except the servant moving about in the kitchen partof the building. He peeped through a chink in the wall of the verandah.No one was in view, but he now heard a succession of snores and gruntsfrom somewhere in the interior. Turning, he beckoned to the seamen tojoin him. They came swiftly on tiptoe, screened from the look-out inthe tree-top, not far away to their left, by the row of trees thatalmost overhung the bungalow.
Frank signed to them to stoop and follow him. Bending low, he creptalong below the verandah, stopped for a moment to peep into a room, andfinding that it was a bedroom and empty, led them on towards thekitchen. This, too, a glance showed to be unoccupied. But the servantmust be near at hand, for Frank heard the splashing of water and theclatter of crockery. He must be washing up.
Moving still more cautiously, Frank came to the corner of the building.He looked round. Just outside the door a young sallow-hued oriental waswashing up in a trough. Frank stole back to his men.
"Parker, you'll come with me," he whispered. "I'll leave you here,Moggs, to watch that fellow. If you hear a row inside the building,collar him and keep him quiet. But don't move otherwise unless I callyou."
"Ay, ay, sir."
Followed by Parker, he went to the French window of the empty bedroom,gently forced the catch with his clasp knife, and entered. Tiptoeingacross it, he passed out of the open door, into a short passage. Fromthe left he heard the faint sounds of the cook's movements: the kitchenwas in that direction. On the right, a few steps along, light fellacross the passage from an open door. Frank stole up to this and peepedin. It was another bedroom, like the first unoccupied. Almost oppositethis was a closed door; there was no other door on either side or at theend. This must be the sitting-room, parlour or sanctum of the holy men.Muffled by the timber, there came through the door the sound of snoringhe had heard outside. He listened for a moment. The snores were all inone tone: it appeared likely that he had only one man to deal with. Wasit Wonckhaus or the Turk? Or perhaps Wonckhaus was sleeping, and theother man admiring him.
He drew his revolver, very gently turned the handle of the door, andlooked in when the crack was wide enough. The room had only oneoccupant. Wonckhaus, big, ungainly, lay stretched in a long cane chair,his head lolling sideways, his mouth wide open, one arm hanging limp, along German pipe held loosely in the other hand. On a small round tablebeside him were a tobacco-jar, a black bottle, and a glass. Beyond thiswas another long chair, beside which stood a stool, bearing a glass, acarafe of water, and a few small pale lemons. And the room rang withGerman snores.
Frank's eye, swiftly ranging the room, passed from the lemons to theopen mouth. It was a happy chance. He turned to Parker at his elbow andwhispered a few words. The man nodded. Then Frank opened the door, andstole on his toes round the back of Wonckhaus's chair to the stool.From this he took up a lemon about the size of a hen's egg, and with thequickness of a conjurer slipped it into the gaping mouth. The Germanawoke with a convulsive start and shudder--and his eyes, bleared withsleep, fell on a revolver pointed within six inches of his temple, andabove it the face, a little grimmer than it had ever appeared in aphotograph, of the man whom he had not seen for many weeks, even in hisdreams.
Before he could collect his wits, Parker stepped up to him on the otherside and with some ends of thin rope which he had taken from hiscapacious blouse tied the German's hands and feet, with a Britishseaman's quickness and thoroughness.
"Now for the cook," said Frank.
They went back into the passage. The cook was still washing up.Entering the kitchen noiselessly, they crept to the door. Frank made asign, Parker rushed out, caught the unsuspicious servant by the throat,and in two minutes had laid him, gagged and trussed, just inside thekitchen door. It was a credit to the discipline of the British navythat Moggs, watching these proceedings with amazement round the corner,neither moved nor uttered a sound.
It was now time to bring up the rest of the party, who, he guessed, hadby this time reached a point from which he could be seen if he moved afew yards from the bungalow towards the hut opposite. But in makingthis movement he would be seen also from the tree-top. The look-outmust be prevented from giving the alarm. Frank showed the seamen howthey might approach the tree from the rear unperceived, and ordered themto make the man their prisoner. When that was done he would give theexpected signal to the others.
The seamen had only just disappeared among the trees when Frank wasstartled by the sound of a horse cantering up the road towards thebungalow. Running to the window of the room facing the road, he sawthat the horseman was the Turkish officer who had been with Wonckhaustwo days before. It seemed that the naval party had not yet arrived, orthey would certainly have intercepted the Turk.
Frank weighed the chances of tackling this opponent alone, and quicklymade up his mind. With two of the enemy already accounted for, and athird, the look-out, soon to be helpless, the noise of a struggle wouldbring up the rest of his party before the remaining four men couldinterfere to his harm. He waited within the room. The Turk reined upand dismounted at the door, and walked in unsuspiciously. At thismoment there was a shout from the direction of the look-out tree, andthe officer turned quickly and ran out into the open. Frank sprangafter him. The Turk
heard his footsteps and faced round, not rapidlyenough to brace himself for the shock of Frank's sudden onset. He washurled to the ground, shouting an alarmed call for Wonckhaus.
A CRITICAL MOMENT]
Though taken by surprise, the Turk proved to be a more formidableantagonist than Frank had expected. His frame was well-knit and sinewy,and he held Frank in a fierce grapple. They heaved and rolled on theground, each struggling desperately to throw off the grip of the other.In less than a minute Frank was aware that the contest, if fought out,must be a long one. By a sudden convulsive twist, indeed, the Turk hadmanaged to reverse the positions and get above him. There were shoutsnear at hand, and the sound of running feet. Frank feared that theGermans were coming to the officer's help, and wrestled vigorously toregain the upper hand. Just as he felt that his opponent was weakening,the Turk suddenly relaxed his grip wholly and fell over. Springing up,Frank found that one of the seamen from the lieutenant-commander's partyhad run ahead of the rest, and finished the struggle with the butt ofhis rifle.
Meanwhile the officers and the rest of the men had been busy at thehuts. The few inmates, alarmed at the shouts, had started to runtowards the bungalow, but came to a sudden stop when, on the other sideof the buildings, they saw five British naval men charging in the samedirection. They hesitated, paralysed by surprise; and when thelieutenant-commander rushed up with drawn revolver and called on them tosurrender, they yielded without a show of resistance, and were soonprisoners in their own huts.
"Where's Wonckhaus?" were the lieutenant-commander's first words as hejoined Frank at the bungalow.
"Come and see."
He led him into the room where Wonckhaus lay bound in his chair, thelemon still wedged between his teeth. The naval officer concealed asmile.
"Perhaps the gentleman would prefer some beer," he said. "Remove thatplug, Simpson," he added to the warrant officer, indicating the lemon."Give the major some beer, and then lock him in his bedroom. We shallwant this room."
Wonckhaus glared at Frank with unspeakable hate, but uttered no word.When he had been removed, the warrant officer went to see what hadbecome of Moggs and Parker, and met them returning in high feather withtheir prisoner. The look-out had caught sight of them just as theyreached the tree, and given the shout which had alarmed the Turkishofficer. But seeing himself immediately covered by the sailor's rifleshe had surrendered at once. The place was won, and all its personneldisposed of.
Having ordered his men to prepare dinner from the bungalow's abundantstores, the lieutenant-commander with his second and Frank sat down todiscuss the more difficult problem--the capture of the submarine.
"Our only chance is if it comes in to-night," said thelieutenant-commander. "As it was expected last night, it is prettycertain to come to-night, and our ships have ostentatiously cleared off.If it doesn't come, we are done, for we can't remain here undiscoveredfor another day."
"Why not?" asked the lieutenant.
"Well, apart from possible visits from Germans or Turks, there's thetelegraph. A message is sure to come through, and it will be in Turkishprobably. It was the Turk who took the message when you were herebefore, Forester?"
"Yes."
"Very well. You can work the telegraph, Bickford, but you don't knowTurkish. Forester knows Turkish, but----"
"I can't work the telegraph," said Frank.
"Then if we are called up we must simply ignore the call. That willlead to investigation and discovery. There's my proposition proved. Wemust help the submarine to come in to-night. Where are those lightsworked?"
"Let's go and see," said Frank.
After no long search two electric lamps, fed from the dynamo thatcharged the fence wire, were discovered in the cliff opposite the centreof the channel. They were so placed as to give a straight course to anyvessel coming up from the sea. Another lamp, invisible from the sea,marked the entrance to the pool. It was decided to switch on thecurrent at dusk.
To guard against trouble on the landward side, two seamen were stationedin hiding near the gate of the inner fence, which was left open. Ifanyone should approach, he was to be allowed to pass in; but the gatewas then to be closed, cutting off his retreat. For safety's sake, theelectric current was switched off from the fence.
It was now about four o'clock. The lights would not need to be showntill nearly seven. There were three hours for rest and for recruitingtheir strength from Wonckhaus's larder. The officers hastened back tosee what sort of a meal had been provided for them. It beggared theirmost hopeful expectation. There were pork cutlets--"the place is allpig, sir," remarked the extempore cook--several kinds of sausage, manyvarieties of pickle and relish, pots of caviare and pate de foie gras,smoked salmon, a mellow gruyere cheese, as well as a very strong Germancheese which the lieutenant-commander ordered to be removed immediately,tinned fruits, good white bread--"none of your potato flour forWonckhaus"--and oceans of beer. Neither officers nor men had had such ameal for months.
"Please, sir," said Moggs, coming to the bungalow after the men hadfinished their dinner in the hut opposite.
"Well, what is it?"
"Can we strafe some more beer?"
"No, you've had enough. We've got work to do to-night."
Moggs looked disappointed.
"Then it won't be done, sir," he said.
"What won't be done?"
"Why, sir, Parker said if we was allowed to strafe another barrel he'dbe screwed up to concert pitch, and would be very happy to sing the Hymnof Hate to the German gentleman abaft yonder. He must want cheering up,says he."
"Get out with you! Parker can sing what he likes when we get backaboard. Tell him he's to take first watch on the cliff to-night."
At dusk the men went to their appointed stations. Parker was posted onthe cliff near the entrance to the channel. The warrant officer tookcharge of the donkey-engine, Moggs was entrusted with the crane; theother men hauled from the storehouse several cases of ammunition,weighing in all three or four tons, piled them near the crane, chainedthem together, and covered them with a thick blanket taken from thebungalow. The lieutenant's task was to do what was necessary in thepowerhouse. Frank sat with the lieutenant-commander in one of the huts.
It was about ten o'clock when Parker came in hurriedly from his post onthe cliff.
"Submarine coming in, sir," he reported. "I heard her purring underwater first; then the engines stopped, and I saw her come awash justoutside the channel. She'll be nearly here, sir."
The officers went to the door of the hut, and listened anxiously. Nosound was audible above the dash of the waterfall. Had the commander ofthe submarine become suspicious and run out to sea again? In a fewminutes, however, the sound of the engines came faintly on the breeze.Looking through the darkness to the gap in the cliffs where the pool andthe channel met, they at last saw the dark shape glide in. The engineswere stopped, but the vessel's steerage way carried her into the pool,and she was brought up deftly alongside the lighter.
From below came a hail in Turkish. Frank, now standing beside the crane,replied.
"Why didn't you answer our signals?" demanded the voice, huffily.
Frank, who was unaware of any signals, answered at a venture:
"There is something wrong with our lamps."
"Who are you? Where is Talik?"
"He is invalided. I am taking his place. Are you coming up?"
"Yes. Why isn't Major Wonckhaus here?"
"He'll be here directly."
"Well, switch on the light: what are you waiting for?"
"The switch is broken." Frank referred to the switch of an electriclamp at the top of the crane. "You must come up in the dark. Look out!The chain is running out."
The engine had started, and the chain was swinging down over the arm ofthe crane. The commander of the submarine caught it, set his foot inthe loop provided, and was hauled slowly up, and swung inward towardsthe huts. Meanwhile the men in waiting had removed the blanket from thepi
le of cases, and the moment the commander's feet touched the ground hewas muffled closely in the blanket, and carried struggling into a hut,where his captors had materials ready for securing him.
"Good man!" murmured the lieutenant-commander, clapping Frank on theback. "With him out of the way all's well, I think. Now, I'll take upthe running.--Look alive with those cases," he added, still in a lowtone, addressing the seamen who were attaching the massed cases to theend of the chain. The crane swung out, and the weighty mass dangleddirectly over the submarine, on whose deck the crew could be dimly seen,gazing up in surprise: surely they were not to take in ammunition atthis hour of the night. How much greater was their astonishment whenthey heard from above a ringing voice in English.
"Below there! Any of you speak English?"
After a short interval a man replied in the affirmative.
"Thank you," called the lieutenant-commander. "I am in command of anEnglish landing-party. Your commander is a prisoner. If your vesselattempts to move, I'll cut away the weight you see above you, and sinkyou. I give you three minutes to surrender."
The terse sentences, the peremptory tone, left no room for doubt.Before the three minutes were up, the crew had come to a unanimousdecision. They would surrender.
"Thank you. Now every one of you go aboard the lighter and leave yourarms behind."
The men went silently from one vessel to the other. Then the craneswitch was suddenly found to be in order, and a light flashed from thetop. From the lighter the men were hauled up by ropes, one by one.
"How many are there of you?" asked the lieutenant-commander of thefirst.
"Twenty."
The same question put to one or two more received the same reply. Asthe men passed him, the officer counted them.
"Eighteen! Nineteen! No more?" He turned to two British sailors."Down you go!"
They slid down the rope, boarded the submarine, and dived below. In afew moments they returned, hauling a man between them. They made himfast to the chain, and by the time he was hoisted they had swarmed upthe rope.
"Just going to fire the magazine, sir," said one.
"Tie him up."
Half an hour later the submarine was heading out to sea, running on thesurface. On the deck, uncomfortably crowded, lay a number ofwell-trussed figures--the commander and crew, and Wonckhaus: hissubordinates at the station were left behind. Beyond Mitylene, asmorning dawned, the lieutenant-commander exchanged signals with adestroyer out at sea. The vessel stood in, and in due time thesubmarine came alongside her. Cheers broke from the men on her deck.Willing hands hoisted the prisoners on board and loosed them from theirbonds at the bidding of the commander.
"I much regret it was necessary to bind you, gentlemen," he said to theofficers. "The necessity was clear."
They heard him in glum silence--all but Wonckhaus.
"Necessity!" he blustered. "Is necessity to override the laws ofcivilised warfare? What sort of treatment is it to choke a Germanofficer with lemons, tie him up, and sling him from a crane? It isunfair; it is barbarous."
The commander glanced at Frank, standing in the background.
"Is it wise to talk of civilised warfare, Herr Wonckhaus?" he saidquietly, stepping forward. "Shall I refresh your memory of whathappened at Erzerum?"
"You were in my power," snarled the German, not a whit abashed, andsublimely unconscious of inconsistency. The humour of the situationtickled the British officers: they laughed aloud.
"That is unanswerable, sir," said the commander, with ironical courtesy."You will no doubt do me the favour to go below. Mr. Watson, please showMajor Wonckhaus the way."
The smallest midshipman on the ship came forward, gravely saluted, andrepressing a smile with obvious effort, said:
"This way, sir."
Wonckhaus looked from the midshipman to the commander. Something in theexpression of the latter helped him to make up his mind. And a broadgrin enwrapped the whole ship's company as the big German stalked awayunder convoy of the boy.
CHAPTER XXIV
V.C.
Two months later a little party were lunching together in a hotel on oneof the AEgean islands. Mr. Forester was there; Isaac Copri and his son;Tomlinson, promoted lieutenant, and enjoying a week's leave; and Frank.The last had his right arm in a sling.
"Yes," the elder Kopri was saying, "Mirza Aga's carpet is now on its wayto London. I contrived to get it shipped at Athens, and it is on thebill of lading of the steamship _Eirene_, that left the Peiraeus a weekago."
"Splendid!" said Frank. "I must find out where Wonckhaus is imprisoned,and let him know. His fury will be my revenge.... I hope you didn'twait long for me at Gallipoli."
"I waited until I gave up all hope of seeing you again. We searched theruins of Benidin's house, Joseph and I, for traces of you, and stayed inthe port two or three days in case you should appear. Then we heardthat the massacres had broken out, and we escaped to Dedeagatch, just intime."
"How did you get your wounds, sir?" asked Joseph.
"Oh! I was just potted in a gully."
Tomlinson laughed.
"Strictly true, but hopelessly inadequate," he said. "It was likethis."
"Dry up, Tommy; it's an old story now."
"All the better, like this port."
"Well, bottle it up, then."
"I should like to hear the full story, Mr. Tomlinson," said Mr.Forester. "Frank has told me little more than the bare fact."
"There you are, Frank. You want uncorking. Well, when Frank came backto the peninsula I didn't see him for a while. He was interpreting; asoft job, by all accounts, for the Turkish prisoners are very reticent.But the battery on Sari Bair began to be very troublesome, and ourfliers couldn't locate it. Frank offered to have a shot, and crept upthe gully one night, in rags borrowed from a prisoner; you wouldn't haveknown him. He spotted the guns overlaid with scrub near that sepulchreof his, reported next morning, and offered to go up again and set lightto the hollow tree, as a beacon for our gunners. If that didn't deservethe D.S.O.--well, I know what Anzac thinks."
"Cut it short, man. I knew the place, and if the Turks had seen methey'd have taken me for a ghost and skedaddled."
"The fellow who potted you didn't take you for a ghost, anyway. He wentup, sir, with a lot of pills in his pocket--small incendiary bombs, youknow; fired the tree and the brushwood round, and made a fine old blaze,by the light of which somebody gave him two bullets in the arm as he wasrunning down the gully. Our guns got the range in a few minutes--andwe've had no more trouble from that particular battery. I tell you, allAnzac was mad with delight, and carried Frank round the camp cheeringlike----"
"Have you seen this?" interrupted an officer at the next table. "Icouldn't help overhearing."
He handed Frank a copy of the _Times_, pointing to a paragraph half-waydown a column headed "New V.C.'s." Frank looked, flushed, and passedthe paper silently to his father.
"Read it out, sir," cried Tomlinson.
Mr. Forester rubbed his glasses, and had some trouble in clearing histhroat. He mumbled a word or two, then, more distinctly, read:
"For signal bravery in volunteering twice to locate an enemy battery,and enabling our naval guns to destroy it ... had already shownconspicuous proofs of courage and resource."
"And that's all they say about it!" Tomlinson exclaimed. "Is it D.S.O.,sir?"
"It appears to be V.C.," said Mr. Forester.
"Hurray!" cried Tomlinson, flinging up his cap. "That's news to carryback to Anzac."
At this moment, from somewhere outside came the strains of a band.
"Ah! It couldn't have come in more pat," added Tomlinson.
The officers stood at the salute as the band played "God save the King."
THE END
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HERBERT STRANG'S WAR STORIES
FIGHTING WITH FRENCH: A TALE OF THE NEW ARMY.
A HERO OF LIEGE: A STORY OF THE GREAT WAR.
SULTAN JIM: A STORY OF GERMAN AGGRESSION.
THE AIR SCOUT: A STORY OF HOME DEFENCE.
THE AIR PATROL: A STORY OF THE NORTH-WEST FRONTIER.
ROB THE RANGER: A STORY OF THE GREAT FIGHT FOR CANADA.
ONE OF CLIVE'S HEROES: A STORY OF THE GREAT FIGHT FOR INDIA.
BARCLAY OF THE GUIDES: A STORY OF THE INDIAN MUTINY.
THE ADVENTURES OF HARRY ROCHESTER: A STORY OF MARLBOROUGH'S CAMPAIGNS.
BOYS OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE: A STORY OF THE PENINSULAR WAR.
KOBO: A STORY OF THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR.
BROWN OF MOUKDEN: A STORY OF THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR.
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