CHAPTER XXV.
THE MYSTERIOUS SCHOONER--CONCLUSION.
"Bulkley, do you see some object in the air--off there to thenorthwest?"
Commander Dunham, of the Dreadnought _Manhattan_, paused in his steadypacing of the after deck, and turned to Ensign Bulkley, the officer ofthe deck.
Ensign Bulkley brought into play the insignia of his diurnal office, apowerful telescope, done in brown leather, with polished, black metaltrimmings. With it, he swept the sky in the direction indicated by hissuperior, for some minutes.
"I do see something, sir," he said presently, "a black object, like alarge bird. But it's bigger than any bird I ever saw. By Jove, sir,it's--it's an aeroplane!"
"An aeroplane! Impossible. How could one find its way to BlackhavenBay? And what could be its errand here?"
"I've no idea, sir. But I'll wager my commission that it is one.Suppose you look yourself, sir?"
The officer of the deck handed his telescope to his commanding officer.Commander Dunham gazed intently through it for a few moments. Then heturned to Bulkley.
"By all that's wonderful, you're right, Mr. Bulkley. It seems to becoming this way, too."
"Not a doubt of it, sir. But at the rate it is advancing it should notbe long before we are aware of its errand."
"At all events, it will relieve the monotony, Bulkley. Anchored heresince yesterday and no orders yet. However, I suppose mine practice andgeneral gunnery will be the program."
"I expect so, sir," was the response.
Both officers gazed over the leaden expanse of the landlocked bay aboutthem.
Five battleships, two cruisers, and three torpedo-boat destroyers layat anchor, in regular files. Hard by was a "parent ship," with herflotilla of submarines nestling alongside, like small chickens round amotherly old hen.
"Desolate country hereabouts," said Commander Dunham presently. "Ishouldn't have thought that an airman could have found his way here."
"It hardly seems possible," agreed his junior; "it's as barren a bit ofcoast as can be imagined."
The aeroplane drew closer. Its outlines were quite apparent now. Onevery vessel of the fleet excitement over its approach was now visible.Bright bits of bunting began to "wig-wag" the news from ship to ship.On every foredeck jackies almost suspended the tasks in hand to watchthe oncoming of the aerial craft.
"What a contrast, Bulkley," observed Commander Dunham presently. "Seethat old sloop off there to seaward? She is of an almost obsolete type,while above us is coming the herald of a new era in peace, as well aswar."
"That is so, sir. But that sloop, obsolete as she may appear, is quitefast. I understand she has been tacking about the fleet all day. Iwonder what she wants?"
"Some fisherman, probably. However, see that she does not come tooclose. In confidence, Bulkley, I have been warned, in common with everyother commander of the fleet, to beware of a band of daring anarchistswho, it appears, have made no secret abroad of their intention todamage the United States navy."
The navy officer showed no surprise. It is a common enough incidentfor warnings of the same character. The mail of the navy departmentat Washington is always full of letters--some of them menacing intone--from over-zealous apostles of "universal peace." Occasionally,too, a spy is unearthed serving in Uncle Sam's uniform. Such fellowsare usually deported quietly and swiftly.
"I shall keep an eye on that sloop, sir, in that case," said theensign, "but I'm afraid it will be difficult to do so before very long."
"How is that, Bulkley?"
The ensign waved his hand seaward. A hazy sort of atmosphere envelopedthe horizon.
"Fog, eh?" commented the commander.
"Yes, sir. It will be all about us soon, or I'm mistaken. But look,sir, that aeroplane is almost above us."
"By George!--so it is. What's the aviator doing? He's signalling us.He's pointing downward, Bulkley, too."
"Looks as if he wanted to land on our decks, sir."
"It does. Hark! What's that he's shouting? Pshaw, I can't hear. Tellyou what, Bulkley, order the aerial landing platform rigged at once. Itought not to take more than fifteen minutes."
"I'll have it done at once, sir."
The officer hastened off on his errand. A scene of bustle ensued. Ahundred jackies were busy transporting sections of the adjustableplatform on which Ned had landed on the occasion of his great triumph.The scene appeared to be involved in inextricable confusion. But eachman had his task to perform, and each pursued it industriously. Beforelong the platform was up--all but the flooring. The work of layingthis on the steel uprights and skeleton supporting structure was soonaccomplished.
All this time the mysterious aerial visitant had been hovering aloft.But his task of keeping above the battleship was getting momentarilymore and more difficult. The atmosphere was rapidly thickening. Inwhite wraiths and billows the fog, which Ensign Bulkley had prophesied,came rolling in. Beads of moisture gathered on everything. From thedeck the tops of the basket-like military masts grew every minute moredifficult to espy. The aeroplane, circling in space, was a mere blur.
"All ready, sir," announced Ensign Bulkley before long. By this timethe after-deck was crowded with officers. All were gazing upward intothe steamy fog.
"Give him a signal, Bulkley," ordered the commander.
"He'll find it hard to see one, sir."
"Signal the bridge, then, to blow three blasts on the siren. He canhear that."
"Hoo-oo-o-o-o! Hoo-oo-o-o-o! Hoo-o-o-o-o!"
A few seconds later the uncanny voice of the siren cut the mist.Without hesitation, the dim object in the fog above them, began to comedownward. It swung through the thick air rapidly. In a short time itwas off the stern of the _Manhattan_, and ten minutes after the signalhad sounded Ned Strong ran his aeroplane upon the landing platform sospeedily erected.
But if the manner of his arrival had been sensational, the effect itcreated was even more so.
"It's Strong! The man we were wirelessed had decamped with part ofLieutenant De Frees' funds!" exclaimed Captain Dunham amazedly.
Ned half staggered from his seat and came toward him. The sailorsstood to one side, in a half-awed fashion. Ned's face, after his longand trying strain, was ghastly. His eyes shone with an unnaturalbrightness.
"Well, my lad," said the commander briskly, "what is the meaning of allthis?"
"I--I--can I speak----" began Ned.
But suddenly the decks and the eager faces about him seemed to joinin a mad dance. He swayed weakly, and would have fallen, had not somejackies near at hand caught him.
"Send that man to the sick bay," ordered Commander Dunham. "There'ssomething out of the ordinary in all this," he said in a lower tone tohis officers.
Ned was half-carried, half-supported, to the ship's hospital. He soonrecovered from his temporary weakness, and asked to see the doctor atonce. When that dignitary responded to the summons, he drank in, witheager ears, Ned's astonishing story. The result was, that CommanderDunham was at once requested to visit the sick bay. A conferenceensued, which lasted till almost dark. By that time Ned was fullyrecovered.
It was after dark that a torpedo-boat destroyer, with Ensign Bulkley incommand, slipped away from the fleet and vanished in the fog. On theconning tower, beside the officer, was Ned Strong.
The powerful searchlight cut a bright path through the mist ahead.Somewhere in that smother lay the craft they were in search of, theanarchists' sloop, on board of which Herc was a prisoner. How eagerlyNed longed for the fog to lift, may be imagined. But they cruisedall night without a sign of its lifting. By daylight they were somedistance out at sea. When, at eight o'clock, the fog began to lift, theshore was revealed, before long, as a dim, blue streak in the distance.
But nobody had eyes for that when a sudden shout went up from thelookout forward.
The man had sighted a sail on the horizon. But as they drew closerto it, the craft was seen to be a schooner with a short, stumpymizzen-mast.
"That's not our boat,"
said the ensign disappointedly.
"But what can have become of the sloop, sir?" wondered Ned. "Surely,she couldn't have vanished from sight during the night. She's not afast enough sailer for that."
"True," said Bulkley. "By Jove!" he exclaimed suddenly, "you don'tthink those chaps have disguised her, do you?"
"They might have, sir. Don't you think it's worth while to board thatschooner, anyhow?"
"I do, Strong," agreed the officer.
The destroyer was headed toward the schooner. The wind had dropped andthe vessel was rolling idly on the oily sea.
"Aboard the schooner there!" cried the officer, as they came up closeto the vessel with the peculiar-looking after-mast. "Stand by! We aregoing to board you."
A bearded man stood at the helm. He was the only person visible.Ned scrutinized his face eagerly, but could not recognize him. Thisindividual only waved a hand in response to the officer's order. But,as the destroyer's way was checked, and she lay idly on the waves, hesuddenly vanished into the cabin. The next instant a square port at theschooner's bow was swung open, and, without the slightest warning, along, shining, cylindrical object was shot forth.
It struck the water with a swirl of spray, and then, with a line ofwhite wake, in its swift course, headed straight for the destroyer.
"A torpedo!" exclaimed the officer, who, with Ned, was just about toclamber into one of the lowered boats.
The men on board set up a horrified shout. So short was the distancebetween the two craft that between the launching of the torpedo andthe dreaded impact of its "war head" against the side of the destroyerseemed but an instant. It was a fearful instant, though, and lived longin the recollection of those who endured it.
The torpedo struck the side of the destroyer with a metallic clang. Butno explosion followed. Instead, the implement floated harmlessly off.
"Phew!" exclaimed the officer, wiping his forehead. "What an escape! Ithought we were all booked for Kingdom Come. Come, lads, man the oarsquickly. We'll get those anarchistic rascals out of their rat-holes andmake them suffer for this outrage. But what the dickens was the matterwith that torpedo?" he muttered.
"I think I can explain, sir," rejoined Ned.
"By Jove, you can? Let's hear your explanation."
"You see, sir," said Ned, "while Herc and I were exploring that cabin,we found those torpedoes. Well, when an opportunity presented itself,I unscrewed the head of each, and withdrew the gun-cotton. But I wasafraid that, after they marooned me, the anarchists might have examinedthem and found out what I'd done and reloaded them. But I'm confidentnow that they haven't."
"No, you've drawn their teeth with a vengeance. I tremble to think,though, what would have happened if they had had an opportunity to useone of the loaded ones. They're a sharp outfit of tricksters, too, withtheir disguised sloop."
"But not sharp enough to fool Uncle Sam," exclaimed Ned, as the boatwas run alongside.
As it scraped the disguised sloop's side, a figure suddenly appeared onthe deck. It was Herc. He made a flying leap for the boat, and landedin a heap in their midst.
"Row for your lives!" he yelled. "That maniac, Muller, is about to blowup the vessel. I got away by knocking a couple of the crew galley-west."
"Give way, men!" shouted the officer, and willing arms pulled the boatfrom the schooner's side. But the explosion did not come. Instead, twofigures, recognized as those of Merritt and Chance, appeared on thedeck. They signalled for the boat to come closer.
"We captured Muller, just as he was about to blow up the sloop," theyshouted. "If we surrender, will you show us clemency?"
"I'll make no promises," was the grim reply of Ensign Bulkley.
Something like an hour later, the destroyer, with the disguised sloopin tow, re-entered Blackhaven Bay. On board her--a raving maniac--wasHerr Muller. His long-smouldering insanity had at last broken intoflame. He was confined on board the _Manhattan_ for a time and thenremoved to an asylum, where he now is. He will never recover hisreason, and unceasingly imagines that his mission is to destroy theUnited States navy. As for his followers, they received various termsin prison. Kennell, alone, escaped. It transpired that he had been sentashore after supplies, and so was not on board the disguised sloop whenthe futile attempt to blow up the destroyer was made.
Of course, the suspicion which had been directed against Ned and Hercwas speedily explained away, and they were rated higher than ever inthe estimation of their officers. Part of the substantial monetaryreward Ned received for his courage and resource in reaching thefleet, via aeroplane, was sent to Professor Luminetti, the King of theAir. The quartermaster at Dundertown received a severe reprimand forhis over-zealousness, but nothing more was done to him, as, after all,he thought he was performing his duty.
Had we space, we would like to relate the further aerial adventures ofNed and Herc on Aero Service. But sufficient have been related hereto convey some idea of the importance of such an adjunct to our navy.It will always be a proud boast of the Dreadnought Boys that theyhelped to establish the aeroplane as a valuable auxiliary of the modernbattleship.
But the scenes shift rapidly on the stage of naval life. Fresh placesand opportunities were shortly to be presented to the Dreadnought Boys.
Uncle Sam's navy was on the eve of its epoch-making, globe-circlingvoyage. If you care to follow further the careers of The DreadnoughtBoys, and learn how they conducted themselves amidst novelsurroundings and changing and exciting conditions, you will find it allset down in the next volume of this series, "_The Dreadnought Boys'World Cruise_."
THE END.
Transcriber's Notes:
Retained some inconsistent hyphenation (e.g. farmhouse vs. farm-house)from the original.
Italics are represented with _underscores_.
Page 1, added missing quote before "THE DREADNOUGHT BOYS ON ASUBMARINE."
Page 86, changed ? to , after "I guess that's just what we are, ma'am."
Page 178, corrected chapter number from XVI to XVII and removedunnecessary quote after "inclined to doubt him."
Page 196, corrected chapter number from XVII to XVIII.
Page 207, fixed typo "interruped" in "Further conversation wasinterrupted."
Page 243, corrected chapter number from XXII to XXIII.
Page 268, fixed typo "montony" in "it will relieve the monotony."
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