CHAPTER IX
THE FRIENDLY DEEP
Prince Von Hertzwohl looked up from his bureau. He was sitting in hisstateroom, which was of some considerable size, and opened out of thesaloon. His ears had caught the sound of a hasty entrance of thelatter. His luminous eyes were alert and questioning. The man wascompletely changed from the simple inventor who had told the story ofhis submersible to Sir Andrew Farlow and his son. There was a restless,nervous tension about him, altogether at variance with his customarycalm.
He leapt from his seat. His thin, bent figure moved almost electricallytowards the door. The next moment he had entered the saloon. The otherside of the room, and just within the entrance doorway, stood RuxtonFarlow, still clad in his German naval uniform, and still bearing inhis arms the two brass cylinders. There was an urgent look in his eyes,and, at the sight of it, the Prince's question came sharply.
"What is it?" he demanded, with the imperiousness of a man accustomedto high command.
"Von Salzinger," replied Ruxton quickly. A laugh followed hispronouncement. It was the laugh of a man who is alive to the danger ofa situation.
"Yes?" The Prince's further enquiry was surcharged with eagerness, andin broad contrast.
"He demands my presence. I have to conform to regulations and registermy visit to Borga at--headquarters. He has sent an officer to conductme to him--at once. The officer is awaiting me on the landing-stage.The situation has possibilities."
Ruxton's outward calm was not shared by his companion. The Princedisplayed his realization of the necessities of the moment. His eyeswere bright and concentrated. Ruxton watched the emaciated featureswith their crowning, upright white hair. There was an ominous sparklebeneath the bushy brows.
"I saw it in Von Salzinger's eyes when I sent him off," the Prince saidat last. "That is why I left you. Had his order come in my presence,while ashore, it would have been awkward. That is also why I left youto bring those cylinders, and with instructions to bring them straighthere. I knew you would make this vessel _with me on board_." He pressedan electric bell in the panelling.
A moment later a uniformed officer appeared. He stood awaiting thePrince's commands. The latter seemed absorbed in thought. Quiteabruptly he broke the silence with a series of sharp orders.
"Send a man ashore at once, Captain Ludovic. There is an officerwaiting there with certain orders from the Captain-General. Convey tohim my compliments, and ask him to step aboard as I wish him to conveyan important message to the military governor. For yourself, you willstand-by. The moment he enters the tower you will have the mooringscast off. Just keep the boat held to the quay fore and aft by lightlines which can be released at a moment. When the officer reappears youwill, the instant he has passed ashore, clear the gangway, cast off thelight moorings, and full power ahead out of the harbor. I do not knowthe effect of my message on the military governor, but I expect he willendeavor to stop me. This must not be permitted. You understand?"
"Yes, Excellency." The man offered no further comment.
"For the present that is all."
The man saluted and retired.
"Is that man a German, or a----?" Ruxton began as the man disappeared.
"He is a Pole." Then the Prince clasped his fingers and bent them back,cracking the joints. It was an expression of intense excitement. Helaughed. "He hates Prussians, and Von Salzinger is a Prussian."
"The matter is going to be serious?" Ruxton's eyes searched the smilingface of the Prince.
"I cannot tell--yet. Von Salzinger has given an order that is about tobe disobeyed. Von Salzinger is a powerful force in Borga. Even I haveno right to disobey the military governor's regulations here, nor todefy openly his orders. Von Salzinger may do anything. Remember, he isa Prussian. One thing is certain, he does not get you before hisinquisitors. No, I cannot tell what he will do. Ah, here comes ourvisitor. Give me the cylinders."
The Prince possessed himself of the cylinders and was closelycontemplating them when the youthful Prussian officer appeared in thedoorway. He was so intent upon his study of them, tenderly handlingtheir shining cases with his long fingers, that he did not appear toobserve the officer's entrance, and, in gently modulated voice,continued to address his pretended nephew.
"You have, my dear Leder, committed the great fault which belongs toyour age. Practice and Principle must ever go hand in hand. I do notknow yet, of course, but I fear you have let Principle get his nose infront of Practice. It may mean much serious delay. We will take these,and have them more fully tested, and then----"
He broke off and looked up as an impatient clearing of the throatannounced the presence of the officer. In a moment the cylinders weredeposited on the table, and the big eyes were beaming simple kindlinessupon the visitor.
"You have an order from the Captain-General, is it not so?" he enquiredblandly.
The young Prussian pulled himself up with due regard for his office.Just for a moment his conceit had been a little overborne by thepresence of the Prince.
"Yes, Excellency," he said, with a sharp return to his military habit."It is an imperative order that I conduct, without delay, Herr Ledervon Bersac----"
"Ach, so!" exclaimed the Prince, his eyes suddenly flashing and hiswhole manner absorbing all his recent blandness in a quick-rising heat."Does the Captain-General think he can give his orders to men under thecommand of Prince von Hertzwohl? Your Captain-General has yet to learn.And those who serve under him also. My nephew, Herr Leder von Bersac,is under the command of his uncle, and no one else. YourCaptain-General knows that as well as I. The regulations of Borga areno concern of mine. But when I visit this pestilential place itsmanners are. Convey to your Captain-General that the manners of Borgahad best be improved. I shall not visit here again until I have seenthat they are. You can go back, and tell him that I leave at once, andthat Herr Leder von Bersac has no time to comply with any order issuedby the military governor of Borga."
The tide of the Prince's anger was too swift for the youthfulPrussian's armor of official effrontery. He came near to witheringbefore it. It was only the understanding of Von Salzinger's supremecommand in Borga that helped him to weather the storm. He waited onemoment to see if anything further was to be said, then, under the sterneyes of the Prince, he saluted and departed, darting up thecompanionway with hurried steps, and made his way ashore to thetelephone station on the landing-stage.
Had he paused to glance about him he might have been surprised that thePrince's threat had been so promptly put into execution. As it was hedid not notice even that the gangway followed him ashore, almostimmediately in his wake. But these things, however they might havesurprised him, were no real concern of his. It was for him to reportpromptly to the Captain-General, and make matters as safe as he couldfor himself.
By the time he reached the telephone station the vessel was glidingsilently from the landing-stage.
The throb of the powerful engines told Ruxton Farlow all he wished toknow. He sighed quietly, and it was the outward expression of therelaxing of his feelings.
He was smiling into the face of the man before him.
"Well?" he said.
But the Prince had become curiously abstracted. His eyes were on thecylinders in an unseeing contemplation. Ruxton watched him thoughtfullyafter his monosyllabic interrogatory. He was filled with not a littlewonder at the alertness of this man's mentality in a moment of crisis.It was an almost confounding realization in the midst of his earlyimpressions of him. For himself he could not see ahead with any degreeof certainty. The Prince had committed himself to a dangerous course indefying the German Government's representative in the place, which wasthe most treasured secret in the Teuton heart. He judged that certainpursuit would follow, or at least armed interference. Even with a powersuch as the Prince's, at whatever cost, Von Salzinger must enforceobedience to his order, or----
The Prince broke in upon his reflections.
"It is good to defy a--Prussian. It did me much good. But Borga is hisnursery.
He is its nurse. He must act. I wonder---- Ach, if he shouldtry to stop us I will see him in the deepest pit of hell."
He threw up his hands with his final explosion and in an action ofalmost schoolboyish delight. Then he smiled into the Englishman's face,half questioningly, half eagerly.
"Between us and the open sea lie a hundred batteries of heavy,compressed-air guns. One shell from any of those guns could send us tothe bottom, if it caught us at the surface. Then there is the minedchannel. We are without a pilot. If we submerge the mines are thickerstill. For myself and my vessel I do not care. For you?"
Ruxton shrugged.
"If I am caught and questioned I shall be shot. And you, too, forbringing me here. A gambler's chance is always attractive, even to aman who never gambles."
"Then we amuse ourselves at the expense of our friend Von Salzinger.When you are safe in England I will forestall him in Berlin. I have nofear when you are--safe. Let us go on deck."
Five minutes later they were standing on the deck of the submersible.They were standing at the rail, with the conning-tower interveningbetween them and the shore. They were the only souls visible on thedeck. The captain of the vessel was in the turret, but the crew wereall below.
Ruxton observed this at once, as he also observed that the skylightswere all sealed ready for submersion.
"Your captain is ready for any emergency," he said, indicating thesepreparations.
But the Prince was searching the harbor side of the shore with a pairof powerful glasses.
Receiving no reply Ruxton permitted his attention to wander over therapidly passing panorama. They were travelling very fast, and a greatwhite wake was thrown up behind them. The moored shipping droppedastern of them at an almost incredible speed. Ahead he could see thefrowning narrows coming towards them shrouded in their gloomy hood ofmist, like the cowled skulls of skeleton sentinels. But even such athreat was preferable to the intolerable, sulphurous atmosphere theywere leaving behind.
"There is no movement from the shore," said the Prince presently,lowering his glasses. Then he passed into the conning-tower to conferwith his chief officer.
In a few moments he returned.
"He thinks it is the narrows where we shall be held up. He says theCaptain-General would not believe a Pole would face that mine-field.Perhaps it is that he is right--Ludovic, I mean. We will wait." Then herubbed his hands with absurd glee. "It is interesting."
Ruxton was forced to smile. A delightful sensation of excitement wasgrowing within him again. He had told himself that it was life ordeath, but the full significance of his assurance had been powerless topossess him. He had often dreamed of Death. He had imagined it inalmost every form. Nor, in his dreams, had it ever succeeded interrifying him any more than the thought of it did now.
No, the whole situation had contrived an impersonal atmosphere forhimself. He was looking on, watching a great contest between the brainof this man, his courage and soul, against the military rule and powerof the Captain-General Von Salzinger.
A low chuckling laugh broke upon his reflections.
"It is an illustration," said the Prince, his eyes now steadily fixedupon the jaws of the narrows ahead.
"The test is even greater than I could have hoped. We are an unarmedsubmersible merchantman. Such as we have talked of. Here we are, underthe enemy's batteries--at war. We are carrying butter, hey? Butter toyour shores, in war time, in face of a blockade. Your countrymen arestarving for--butter. We must reach them, and so save your country fromdestruction--with butter."
"Make it copper, Prince," smiled Ruxton.
"Ha! Yes, copper. It is very necessary in war time." The Prince smiledin appreciation. Then he pointed ahead. "But see, Ludovic is right."
He was indicating a dark object moving towards them on the water out ofthe gloomy shadows of the rocky sentries of the narrows.
"It is a patrol. Under normal conditions it would gladly pilot usthrough the mine-field. Now it has no such friendly desire."
His regard became less smiling, and he relapsed into silence. The deadflat water was thrown up into two great wings as the patrol boatpressed on towards them.
The excitement was more and more taking possession of the Englishman.His faith in the Polish prince was invincible.
"Shall you hear what he has to say?" he enquired presently, hisbreathing quickened in spite of an outward calm.
The Prince did not turn to answer, but his slight laugh was full ofquiet confidence.
"Why waste time--valuable time?" he retorted whimsically. "We are in ahurry to reach the open sea. No, I do not listen to theCaptain-General's commands to me. He is my subordinate." Then he addedwith the ingenuous subtlety of a schoolboy, "If I listened to the orderto stop, and refused to obey, I should commit myself in the eyes ofBerlin. No. Come below. It is time."
The patrol boat was less than four hundred yards away, and travellingat a great pace. It was almost within hailing distance. Ruxton couldeven count the occupants at that distance. He was certain there weresix at least. The other patrol boat had contained only two officersbesides the engineer. The difference was significant.
He followed his host into the conning-tower and the steel door wasclosed with a slam behind them. It automatically sealed itself.
The Prince's voice at the foot of the steel companion-ladder, leadingup to the chief officer's post, rang out sharply.
"Submerge!"
Then he turned to his companion.
"We will go below. We will go forward, where Ludovic will join us in amoment. I will show you that which I hope may interest you. We haveseen the last of Von Salzinger and his command--for some time."
The nervous energy of the Prince led Ruxton at a rapid rate. Theypassed down the companion, and, instead of entering the saloon, turnedfor'ard, down an alleyway which took them past the moving steel bowelsof the vessel. The low purr of the great Diesel engines fell pleasantlyupon the Englishman's ears. There was no hiss of steam. There was noneof the clanging of high-pressure mechanism. Just a steady, powerfulthrob which vibrated throughout the length of the vessel's hull, andtold him of the enormous mechanical effort going on.
They left the engine-rooms behind and passed by the kitchens, to whichvery careful and elaborate attention had been given. They left thequarters of the crew, beautifully kept and equipped, and without a signor suggestion of that inferiority of appointment which is to be foundon all commercial vessels. They passed a number of carefully disguisedbulkheads, and finally came to a doorway in a steel bulkhead whichseemed to mark the limit of the forward end of the vessel. The Princewithdrew a key from his waistcoat pocket. He opened the door, and bothof them passed within.
Once the door was closed he slid his fingers up the steel wall in thedarkness and pressed a switch. In a moment the room was flooded withlight, and Ruxton blinked under its power as he gazed about him.
The Prince was standing in front of him gazing half smilingly at theexpression of his face. He was seeking that surprise which to hissimple nature meant much satisfaction.
Nor was he disappointed. The moment Ruxton recovered under the dazzlingglare he realized that that which he now beheld he had witnessed in thevessel at Borga, whence he had brought the cylinders. This was theU-rays room of the private submersible. It was--yes, it was the U-raysin active operation.
A question promptly sprang to his lips.
"But the light is perfect," he said. "There is nothing wrong with ithere?"
He moved across the narrow triangular room to its apex, where a greatdisc of magnifying glass, like a porthole, came in direct contact withthe water outside. He stood for a moment peering out through it. Thewater beyond was lit with a ruddy glow that left it extraordinarilytranslucent. It was powerful, and seemingly the power of the raysextended a considerable distance. But though the water was thus lit itwas not rendered transparent. For some silent moments he gazed out,then a shadow moved across the field of light--and he understood.
He turned to the silent invent
or.
"That was a fish which crossed our bows," he said, in suppressed toneswhich indicated something of his feelings. "I think--yes, I understand.This light will reveal any solid body ahead, any obstruction--mines,rocks, any danger to progress."
The Prince beamed his satisfaction.
"The submersible need no longer be a blind lumbering monster," he said."The mine-field we are shortly going to pass through is not the dangeryou may have anticipated. The moment we have passed the patrol boat weshall rise till our periscope is above water. Then we shall moveslowly. The helmsman will remain in the conning-tower, but he will becontrolled from here by---- Ah, here is Captain Ludovic."
The steel door was thrust open and the chief officer entered the room.
"The mines begin about sixty fathoms on, Excellency," he said, with abrevity and utter lack of anything approaching the servility one mighthave anticipated in his relation to so powerful a master as the Prince.But Ruxton understood. The Prince's simple nature demanded nothing ofthat from those intimately associated with him. Hence, perhaps, thedevotion of those who served him. "If you will forgive, Excellency, Iwill take _sole_ charge here."
The Prince turned to his guest with a laugh of genial humor.
"Come, my friend, we will leave the excellent Ludovic to his work. Weare dismissed." Then he turned to the captain, who had taken his placeat the forward porthole, and had adjusted the telephone receivers overhis ears. He raised his voice so that the man could hear. "Once clearof the last batteries, Ludovic, we travel on the surface," he said.
"Yes, Excellency." The man made no attempt to turn from his watch uponthe ruddy field ahead.