CHAPTER XI.
DICK MAKES A DISCOVERY.
The ability of the king of the motor boys to "keep his head" in tryingsituations had more than once turned the tide for himself and hischums. Matt could become as excited as anybody, but excitement neverinterfered with the steadiness of his nerves or with his ability tothink quickly and resourcefully in time of danger.
Far beyond Dick Matt could see a black, triangular fin slitting thewater, tacking this way and that, but coming closer and closer to theyoung sailor.
Dick was swimming rapidly, but the shark, of course, was cuttingthrough the water at a much faster gait. Had the shark laid a straightcourse for its intended victim, the latter would long since have beenovertaken.
With a keen eye Motor Matt made a quick estimate of the distanceseparating Dick and the shark from the boat. He concluded that Dickcould not by any possibility reach the _Grampus_ before the shark wouldbe upon him, but the sea scavenger would be close enough for a goodshot.
Carl, in a veritable tremor of excitement, rolled over the top of theconning tower with the rifle in one hand and a coil of rope in theother.
"Don'd led dot shark ged avay mit Tick," he pleaded, handing the rifleto Matt. "Pud a pullet righdt indo dot shark, Matt, mitoudt vaiting anylonger as bossiple."
"I've got to wait until I can get a good shot, Carl," answered Matt,"and that time will come when the shark goes over on its back."
"Ven id does dot," quavered Carl, "id iss retty to bite. Oof you make amiss, Matt, id iss all ofer mit Tick."
"I'll not make a miss. Get a clamp on your nerves and be ready to throwthe rope as soon as Dick comes near enough."
"My teet' chatter a leedle," whimpered Carl, "aber my nerfs iss allrighdt. Don'd you be afraidt pecause I am, Tick," he cried. "Schvimlike der Olt Poy vas afder you!"
Dick had need of all his breath and could not waste any in uselesswords. He was coming through the water at a fierce clip, his armsworking like piston rods in a fine, steady, overhand stroke. He couldsee Matt on the deck with the rifle ready, and he knew that whateverthe king of the motor boys could do would be done.
"Ach, shood, shood!" implored Carl, watching the black fin zigzaggingnearer and nearer. "Don'd vait, Matt!"
But Matt paid no attention to Carl. He knew what kind of a target hewanted, and that the shark would give it to him if he waited.
When Dick was about a dozen feet from the boat, the right moment came.With a flip of its tail the shark leaped partly out of the water andturned on its back, its great jaws opening.
Matt had braced himself firmly and lifted the Marlin repeater to hisshoulder.
"Fire avay, kevick!" clamored Carl, and just then Matt pulled thetrigger.
It was a bull's-eye hit. Straight to its mark leaped the murderous bitof lead, and the shark, stunned by the impact of the bullet, snappedits jaws harmlessly together and sank downward in the reddening water.
"You're all right, Dick!" cried Matt. "Toss the rope, Carl."
Carl threw the line and Dick laid hold of it. The report of the riflebrought Gaines from the periscope room, Glennie and Clackett from thetank room, and Speake from the torpedo room in short order. All of themwere on the deck just as Matt and Carl assisted Dick out of the water.
"What's the rumpus?" inquired Gaines.
Matt pointed to the shark, which was floating, belly up, on the water.
"Your rifle did it, Glennie," said Matt. "If it hadn't been for that,nothing could have saved Dick. I didn't think there was a shark withinmiles of us when Dick went into the water."
Dick was nearly fagged. The tremendous exertion he had put forth hadtried him severely.
"It was foolish of me to go around that point," said Dick, leaning backagainst the conning tower, "but I'm glad I did."
"Dot's funny," returned Carl. "Glad you vent aroundt der point undshdirred oop dot shark! How you make dot oudt?"
"Well, I made a discovery," went on Dick. "If I hadn't made thatdiscovery, like enough I'd have kept on swimming and have got so faraway the shark would surely have nipped me before I could have got backclose enough for Matt to shoot."
"What was the discovery?" asked Glennie.
"There's another cove around the point, a good deal like this one. The_Pom_ is there, close inshore, and----"
"Der Chaps!" breathed Carl, thunderstruck.
"The _Pom_!" exclaimed Glennie.
"Here's a piece of luck!" ground out Gaines. "Who'd have thought we'dmoor ship alongside the same island picked out by the Japs! There seemsto be a fatality about our dealings with these Sons of the Rising Sun.Even after we dodge them we have the knack of dropping right into theirhands again."
"Mebby," suggested Speake, "they saw us and followed us to the island."
"Hardly that, mate," spoke up Dick. "They've beached that torpedo, andall four of the Japs are ashore, tinkering with it."
Matt was puzzled to know what to do. If the Japs had not heard therifle shot, it would be possible for the _Grampus_ to haul in heranchor and slip away, unnoticed, providing the tank valves wererepaired and she could leave the bay under water. But this manoeuvrewould leave a threatening danger behind, and Matt and his friend wouldnever feel safe from an unexpected attack.
In that critical moment, Motor Matt would have given a deal if he couldhave known all about the _Pom_ and her capabilities. For a few momentshe stood on the deck, turning the situation over and over in his mind,his eyes on the point around which lay the hostile submarine.
"How far is the _Pom_ anchored off the shore, Dick?" he asked.
"Not more than half a cable's length."
"Do you think the Japs saw you?"
"I'm sure they didn't--they were too busy with that torpedo. But theymay have heard me yell, or the report of that gun may have reachedthem. They have good ears, those fellows."
"Get into your clothes, Dick," said Matt, having at last made up hismind as to what he should do. "After that, take the rifle and sit hereon the deck. Watch that point of land. If the Japs fix that torpedo sothey are able to use it, they will have to come around the point inorder to launch it at us. Finish getting the breakfast, Speake. Gaineswill pass it around as soon as you have it ready. Clackett and I willgo below and see what we can do with those valves. Don't bother us withany breakfast until we have them once more in working order."
"What are Carl and I to do, Matt?" inquired Glennie.
"Stay up here with Dick, and keep your eyes peeled."
Matt, Clackett, and Speake went below. Matt and Clackett were an hourat the valves before they were finally made dependable. All the whilethey were at work a deep silence reigned throughout the boat. Every onerealized the necessity of keeping quiet so as not to arouse the Japs.
Matt, after swallowing a cup of coffee, came out on deck and begantaking off his clothes.
"What's the game, matey?" asked Dick. "You're not going into the waterand give the sharks a chance at you, are you?"
"I'm going ashore," said Matt.
"I wouldn't do that, Matt," counseled Glennie. "Why is it necessary?If the valves are in shape, we can pull out of here and make our waynorth under water. The Japs will never be the wiser."
"I'm tired of bothering with these Sons of the Rising Sun," Mattanswered. "We never know what they're going to do, or when they'regoing to do it. I thought we had dropped them for good, down belowEnglish Reach, but they were clever enough to get away from Sandovaland play that trick in Lota. If possible, let's put them out of therunning, now, for keeps."
"How will you do it?" questioned Gaines.
"I'm not just sure of that, and won't be until I do a littlereconnoitring ashore. I've a scheme in mind, but I want to be positiveit will work before we try it. Go down to the engine room, Gaines, and,Clackett, you take your usual place in the tank room. Heave up theanchor, Speake. Glennie, you get into the conning tower. If the currentsets inshore and causes the _Grampus_ to drift that way when the anchoris up, have the motor run just enough to hold the b
oat where she is.Dick, you hang on to the rifle. When you go down, Gaines, pass up thestrongest cable we have, so that Carl can bend it on to the mooringring at the stern. Understand?"
"I guess we all understand what we're to do," replied Glennie, "butI'll be hanged if I know why we're to do it."
"You'll know--perhaps sooner than you imagine."
Matt, stripped to his trousers, stepped to the landward side of theboat.
"Sharks always go in pairs, mate," cautioned Dick.
"If you see one take after me, Dick," returned Matt, "treat it the sameas I did the one that took after you."
With hardly a splash Matt dropped into the water and swam toward thebeach.