CHAPTER XIII
PREPARING FOR BATTLE
"Eleven o'clock!"
Jack returned his watch to his pocket.
"Not much time to gather the fleet together," he said quietly to Frank.
"No," was his chum's reply, "but you can rest assured that all can bedone will be done."
Captain Raleigh, upon the bridge, had issued orders swiftly. The _QueenMary_, which had been heading southward after Frank and Jack returnedaboard, was quickly brought about. After several sharp commands to hisofficers, Captain Raleigh motioned to Frank and Jack.
"Come with me," he said. "You shall tell me what you have learned as wego along."
The two lads followed him.
Straight to the wireless room went the commander of the _Queen Mary_.
"Get the _Lion_ quickly," he ordered the wireless operator.
"_Lion! Lion_!" the call went across the water.
There was no reply.
"Try the _Indefatigable_," was the next command.
"_Indefatigable! Indefatigable_!" flashed the wireless.
The receiving apparatus aboard the _Queen Mary_ clicked sharply.
"_Indefatigable_ answering, sir," reported the operator.
"Send this," ordered Captain Raleigh, and passed a slip of paper onwhich he had scribbled rapidly to the wireless operator.
The message read as follows:
"German high sea fleet to attack off Jutland tonight. Inform AdmiralBeatty. Relay message. Am steaming for Danish coast to engage enemy.Information authentic. Follow me!
(Signed) "RALEIGH."
A short pause and again the receiving apparatus on the _Queen Mary_clicked sharply.
"O.K., sir," said the operator.
"All right," this from Captain Raleigh. "Call the _Invincible._"
Again the wireless began to click. Two minutes later the operatorreported:
"_Invincible_ answering, sir."
"Send the same message," instructed Captain Raleigh.
It might be well to state here that all these messages were sent incode, for it was probable that a German vessel of some sort might bewithin the wireless zone and, if able to read the messages as theyflashed across the sea, would have communicated with the main Germanfleet.
One after another now the wireless of the _Queen Mary_ picked up thebattle cruisers _Defense, Black Prince, Warrior_ and thesuper-dreadnaught _War-spite,_ all of which chanced to be within rangeof the _Queen Mary's_ wireless. The destroyers _Tipperary, Turbulent_and _Nestore_ also answered the call and were instructed to proceed tothe Skagerak at full speed.
And to each vessel, as it answered, the single word "relay" wasflashed. This meant that Captain Raleigh wanted the word sent to othervessels of the British fleet not within her own wireless radius. Andthe answer to this was invariably the same:
"O.K.!"
Still in the wireless room, Captain Raleigh turned to Frank and Jackand said:
"Now, I shall be glad to know how you boys learned this information."
Jack explained as briefly as possible. Captain Raleigh interruptedoccasionally as Jack proceeded with his story and when the lad hadconcluded, he said quietly:
"You have done well, young sirs. England has much to thank you for."
"But will the others arrive in time, sir?" asked Frank, anxiously."That," said Captain Raleigh, "I cannot say. You may be sure that theywill come to our assistance at all possible speed, however."
"But you will not await them there, sir?"
"No; I shall engage the enemy single handed if necessary."
With this Captain Raleigh turned on his heel and would have left thewireless room. At that moment, however, the wireless began to clickagain, and the commander of the _Queen Mary_ paused.
"For us?" he asked.
The operator nodded.
"Admiral Beatty, aboard the _Lion_, calling, sir."
"Take his message!"
There was silence for a moment, and then the operator called off theclicks of his apparatus.
"Admiral Beatty wants to know your source of information," he reported.
Captain Raleigh dictated a reply.
Again silence for a few moments; and then the operator said:
"The _Queen Mary_ is ordered to the Skagerak under full speed. Hold theenemy until the arrival of the main fleet. Assistance on the way._Indefatigable, Defense_ and _Black Prince_ also steaming for Jutlandto lend a hand. Open the engagement immediately you sight the enemy."
"Sign O.K.," said Captain Raleigh.
The operator obeyed and heard the operator aboard the _Lion_ repeat hismessage.
"I guess that is about all we can do," said Captain Raleigh. Again heturned to leave the room and once more paused at the door.
"Keep your instrument going," he ordered the operator. "Pick up anyship that may not have heard the message. Come, boys," this last toFrank and Jack.
The boys followed their commander back to the bridge; thence to hiscabin.
The interchange of messages had taken time, and glancing at his watchnow, Frank saw that it was after one o'clock.
"Great Scott!" he exclaimed. "I had no idea we had been in the wirelessroom so long."
Back in his cabin, Captain Raleigh seemed to have forgotten the boys'presence. He was busy for perhaps an hour poring over a mass of chartsand other papers. Frank and Jack stood at attention. They were becominguneasy, when Captain Raleigh looked up suddenly.
"Pass the word for the first officer," he instructed.
Jack sprang to obey and in a moment the first officer of the _QueenMary_ was in the cabin.
"Shape your course for Jutland proper," ordered Captain Raleigh.
The first officer saluted and obeyed.
"We'll go back to the wireless room," Captain Raleigh informed the twolads. "I want to keep you boys near me for I may desire to ask aquestion at any moment."
The lads followed their commander back to the wireless room.
"Any calls?" he asked the operator.
"One coming now, sir."
"Repeat it as it comes."
"Very well, sir. _Indefatigable_ calling."
"Ask her position."
"Five miles south by southwest, sir."
"Inform Captain Reynolds that we shall slow down and wait for him tocome up with us."
"Very well, sir."
The operator sent the message.
"O.K., sir, signed, 'Reynolds,'" the operator reported a few momentslater.
"Ask her if she has picked up any other vessels."
"Destroyers _Fortune_ and _Shark_, sir," reported the operator a littlelater.
"Good. Give Captain Reynolds our position and tell him to keep workinghis wireless. Tell him we are likely to need every ship we can bringup."
"Very well, sir."
The operator sent the message.
"O.K., again, sir," he reported.
Captain Raleigh passed a slip of paper to the operator.
"On this," he said, "are enumerated the ships that should be somewherein these waters. Pick up as many of them as you can. As you give thewarnings when answered check them off on the list. If any informationis asked, call me."
"Very well, sir," replied the operator, taking the slip of paper. "Noother instructions, sir?"
"No. Send the same message as you sent to the _Indefatigable_."
Captain Raleigh motioned Frank and Jack to follow him and left theroom.
"I want you two to attend me closely," he informed the lads. "I shallhave lots of leg work that must be done from now until we sight theenemy and even after that. You shall act as my orderlies tonight andwhile the battle lasts."
Frank and Jack were considerably flattered by this. They knew thatCaptain Raleigh had been pleased with their work.
They saluted.
"Very well, sir," they exclaimed in a single breath.
"I want one of you to report to the wireless room, room, ready to bringme any message that may come," instructed Captain Rale
igh. "The otherwill stay here. You can suit yourselves about your positions."
"I'll go to the wireless room, then, sir," said Frank.
"Very well. Report to me instantly a message is received."
Frank saluted and took his departure. Jack stood at attention inCaptain Raleigh's cabin as the commander of the _Queen Mary_ againplunged into a mass of charts.
Captain Raleigh sprang to his feet and opened his watch.
"Four o'clock," he said. "We won't reach Skagerak until well after six.I am in hopes the Germans will not try to pass through before earlymorning. We shall be ready for them then."
"How big a fleet have we there now, sir?" asked Jack.
"None, to speak of. Two or three cruisers and a couple of torpedoboats. I believe we have a submarine or two there also, though I cannotbe sure of that."
"We'll lick 'em, sir," said Jack, enthusiastically.
Captain Raleigh smiled.
"I hope so," he said quietly.
At that moment the first officer called from the bridge.
"Battleship overhauling us fast, sir."
"Probably the _Indefatigable_," said Captain Raleigh.
He went on deck. Jack followed him.