CHAPTER XV.
INTO THE BALTIC.
Lord Hastings called Frank and Jack into consultation to decide uponwhat should be done.
"We are likely to have all the German submarines in these parts on ourtrail," he said, "and while we might hope to dispose of some of them, wecan hardly hope to beat them all. My advice is that we get out of theKiel canal at the earliest possible moment."
"I agree with you, sir," said Jack.
"And I, too, sir," declared Frank.
"Good," from Lord Hastings. "Then we shall do so. As long as we areheaded for the Baltic, we may as well go in that direction."
So it came about that the British submarine, D-16, plunging swiftly on,struck out boldly for Russian waters.
From the prisoner Lord Hastings was able to get his bearings, and thisfact, together with his charts, permitted him to lay a course thatwould, he believed, bring the submarine into the Baltic Sea in safety.
"Don't you think it would be advisable," asked Frank, "to attempt tosink a couple or more Germans?"
"I hardly think so," was his commander's reply. "We already have doneconsiderable damage and the next venture might not have the samesuccess. No, I believe that we had best be content with what we havedone, and get away now."
Jack agreed with Lord Hastings, and Frank, finding that the sentimentwas against him, was convinced that he was wrong, and said so.
As the submarine made her way along, Lord Hastings decided that, as theyhad been so long without news of what was going on at other points inthe great war zone, it would be advisable to question their prisoneralong this line.
"We'll have him up and learn what's what," he told the two lads.
Accordingly Frank went to fetch him, and a few minutes later all werecomfortably seated in the commander's cabin.
Lord Hastings informed the prisoner what they desired of him, and thelatter was nothing loath to enlighten them.
"Possibly the matter of greatest moment at this time," said the prisonerwith some show of pride, "is the German blockade of Great Britain andthe coast of Northern France."
Lord Hastings was on his feet in an instant.
"Blockade of Great Britain!" he ejaculated. "Why, it's impossible. TheGerman fleet itself is bottled up by our ships. How, then, can theyblockade England?"
The German smiled.
"It is a blockade, nevertheless," he replied, "if it is only maintainedby submarines. No ships of war, nor merchant ships flying the flags ofany of our enemies are immune. The blockade went into effect yesterday,and already two merchantmen have been sent to the bottom."
"And their crews?" asked Lord Hastings.
Again the German smiled.
"Who knows?" he replied with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Do you mean to say that they were left to their fate?"
"What else could be done?" asked the prisoner. "The submarines could notprovide for them."
"But such action is against all the rules of civilized warfare,"exclaimed His Lordship.
"Perhaps so," was the reply. "But as England has not hesitated to takewhatever steps she considered necessary, neither will Germany, in thefuture."
"But the vessels of neutral nations," said Lord Hastings, "are they notin danger because of this blockade?"
"They are--yes," was the reply, "and for this reason: Several Britishships already have made their escape by hoisting the Red, White andBlue. However, Germany has defined a well established line of passagefor neutral ships, and any found outside of these channels are subjectto the same fate as ships of England and France."
"But great Scott, man," exclaimed Lord Hastings, "the sinking of anAmerican ship would more than likely bring the United States into thewar against Germany. Surely, you do not desire that."
The German shrugged his shoulders.
"If it cannot be helped," he said quietly, "we are ready to engage theUnited States also."
"But surely," cried Frank, "you do not believe you can whip the wholeworld."
"Perhaps not," was the reply, "but neither do we believe the whole worldcan whip us."
Frank threw up his hands with a gesture of dismay.
"You Germans are about the limit," he said. "It seems to me that youalready have bitten off a bigger portion than you can chew, and here youare trying to bring the rest of the civilized world against you."
"We might just as well be whipped by the whole world as a portion ofit," said the prisoner.
"And that is my idea of what the Kaiser himself believes," said Jack,who up to this time had taken no part in the conversation. "My opinionis that the German emperor, realizing already that he is fighting alosing fight, is seeking to embroil the whole world."
"But we are not fighting a losing fight," protested the prisoner.
This time it was Lord Hastings who shrugged his shoulders.
"That's a matter of sentiment, of course," he said. "But we didn't callyou here to argue with you. What other events of importance are takingplace?"
"Well," said the prisoner, "in the eastern theater of war we have beensuccessful. Field Marshal Von Hindenburg has defeated the Czar's troopswith terrible losses, practically annihilating an entire army corps.Also in the Carpathians and in Northern Poland the Russians have beenforced back. In the western war area, reports are conflicting. Frenchand British reports claim some slight successes and the German reportstell of material advances. Of course, we believe the German report to betruthful, while you probably will put more faith in the others.
"But the news that will be the most pleasing to you is the fact that thecombined French and British fleets are even now attempting to force apassage of the Dardanelles. Even German reports show that they have metwith some success. The first lines of defenses have been shattered, theforts being dismantled and razed. The allied fleets have penetratedtwelve miles into the straits."
"By George, that is good news," exclaimed Jack.
"You bet," agreed Frank.
Even Lord Hastings lost his habitual calm and smiled.
"The attempt to force the passage of the Dardanelles," continued theprisoner, "is being led by the monster dreadnought _Queen Elizabeth_,and it is due to the heavy caliber of her guns that so much success hasbeen attained."
"She is a powerful ship," said Lord Hastings quietly.
"She must be," replied the prisoner. "The others of the fleet follow inher wake, and when she has practically put a fort out of commission theycome up and finish the work. She fires her terrible projectiles, andwith accuracy, too, a distance of almost twenty miles."
"Twenty miles!" exclaimed Frank.
"Exactly," replied Lord Hastings. "The _Queen Elizabeth_ is probably themost powerful ship of war afloat today."
"Of course," continued the prisoner, "reports received through Germansources would indicate that the damage being inflicted by the alliedfleet is insignificant. However, reports from other sources lead us tobelieve that the damage may be greater than even England claims."
"In other words," said Lord Hastings, "it would seem that the forcing ofthe Dardanelles is only a question of weeks."
"Or even of days," agreed the German.
"Which will clear the road to Constantinople for the Allies."
"Exactly; and Constantinople, according to an agreement between England,France and Russia, is to be turned over to the Czar as a war prize, incase Germany is defeated," said the prisoner.
"Quite a piece of diplomacy," said Lord Hastings. "It will bind thenations of the Triple Entente closer together."
"There is no doubt about that," replied the prisoner. "But that is aboutall the news I can tell you."
"We are grateful for what you have told us," replied Lord Hastings, "andhope we have not bored you."
"You have not," said the German simply. "But I would like to ask whatyou intend to do with me?"
Lord Hastings hesitated.
"Well," he said at length, "it is probably plai
n to you that we cannotafford to be burdened with prisoners. For that reason, if given anopportunity, I had intended to set you adrift in one of the small boatswhen we were able to come to the surface and are close enough to shorefor you to reach if safely."
"You are kind captors, sir," said the German with a bow. "Until such atime, then, I shall return to the quarters you have assigned me. Also, Igive my word that I shall make no attempt to escape, nor to interferewith your plans."
"Your parole is accepted, sir," replied Lord Hastings. "The freedom ofthe ship is yours."
The German bowed low and left the room.
"Do you not fear to trust him?" asked Jack. "Remember the trouble we hadwith the other officer."
"I am not afraid to trust this one," replied his commander.
"Nor I," agreed Frank. "He is as different from the other as day fromnight."
Lord Hastings rose and glanced at his watch.
"If I have calculated correctly," he said, "we should by now be beyondthe confines of the Kiel canal."
"But," said Frank, "there are still German war vessels and mines in thebays at this end of the Baltic."
"True," replied his commander, "but once out of the canal we will besafe enough, for we can submerge to a greater depth and continue underwater until we are safe."
He gave the command to bring the submarine to the surface, and when itfloated upon the water, made his way to the bridge. The lads followedhim.
"As I thought," said the commander, looking about. "We have reached theBaltic--not the Baltic proper, perhaps, but still Baltic waters."
It was true. Behind could be seen the narrow entrance to the Kiel canal,and ahead the broader expanse of the western arm of the Baltic Sea.There was not a vessel of any kind in sight.
"Well," said Jack. "Looks like we were safe enough here."
"Looks that way," agreed Frank, "but you never can tell, you know."