CHAPTER IX
THE MYSTERIOUS CABIN
Ned nudged his two chums as they stood in the now almost completedarkness, waiting near their boat station for what was next to happen.
“Did you hear that?” asked Ned Slade in a low voice.
“I did,” answered Jerry. “Don’t repeat it.”
“But, if we’re disabled,” whispered Bob, “doesn’t that mean we’ll sinksooner or later? And I haven’t noticed any other ships near us--notsince we started the second time.”
“Disabled doesn’t mean that we’re sinking,” said Jerry, “and there’sno use starting another near-panic by scattering that word broadcast.If we’re disabled it may only mean that we can’t proceed under our ownsteam.”
“How else are we going to proceed?” demanded Ned.
“Send out a wireless call for help and be towed back to port,” wasJerry’s answer. “That’s easy.”
“I didn’t think of that,” murmured Ned. “But say, isn’t it bad luck tohave to go back to port twice on the same voyage?”
“Not half as bad luck as it would be to go once to Davy Jones’slocker!” declared Jerry, with a trace of mirth--just a faint trace,for the situation was still too tense to admit of any great feeling ofjollity.
“Well, of course there’s something in that,” admitted Ned.
“A whole lot in it!” came from Bob. “Say, have you fellows got anythingto eat?” he demanded, still speaking in a whisper, for the word of“silence in the ranks” had gone forth.
“Eat!” exclaimed Jerry in tense tones. “What do you think we are,anyhow? Walking cupboards?”
“I didn’t know but what you might have stowed away a cake or two ofchocolate apiece,” sighed Bob. “Lots of times they forget to provisionthe boats when they abandon ship in a hurry. Chocolate is nourishing.I’ve got three big cakes. That’s one each. Here,” and he extended oneto Ned and another to Jerry.
“What’s the idea?” demanded the tall lad, with amused curiosity.
“We might get separated,” answered Bob. “Better take this when you canget it. That cake of chocolate will keep you alive several days.”
“He’s got it all figured out,” said Ned. “Well, you aren’t so bad atthat, Chunky. It may come in handy!” and he put his cake away.
Jerry did likewise, and then they stood waiting for the nextdevelopment. It was not long in coming.
Following the conference of the colonel and his army officers with thecaptain of the _Sherman_ there was a tense period for a little while,until the colonel made another announcement.
“I regret to inform you, men,” he said, “that the accident in theengine room is more serious than at first was thought. The transportis disabled, and will not be able to proceed under her own power--atleast, not until extensive repairs are made. An effort will be made tohave the engines patched up, but this may not be possible.
“In the latter case we shall have to be towed back to France. I knowthat seems hard,” he said quickly; “but it is better than sinking inmid-ocean, and that possibility confronted us all for a time.
“Now we shall all be saved, but it may take some little time. Theship’s captain will at once order wireless calls for assistance to besent out, and we should have an answer within a short time. Then, inanother day, or, at most, two, we should receive help. So make the bestof a bad situation. You will presently be ordered back to your sleepingquarters, for there is no danger of the ship’s sinking. She will floatfor years in this condition. Only one compartment is flooded, and thathas been shut off from the rest of the craft.
“The wounded will first be carried back to the hospital quarters, andthen the others may go back to bed. I regret this occurrence, but you,who have fought in the Great War, will recognize this as only a minorhappening compared to others.”
“Three cheers for the colonel!” called some one, and right heartilythey came.
“Three cheers for Captain Munson!” some one else demanded, and thetribute to the commander of the disabled vessel was no less genuine.
The taking back of the wounded who had been brought up on the boat deckto be ready for quick transfer to the small craft went on in orderlyfashion, though not so quickly as they had been brought from thehospital. The same need of speed was not present.
Then Ned, Bob, Jerry and the others were allowed to go back to wherethey had been sleeping, or trying to. And once more peace and quietseemed to settle down over the ship. The list had been correctedsomewhat, though in what manner the three friends did not know, andthe _Sherman_ was now riding more easily, though she was still withoutforward motion, save that perhaps imparted to her by the wind or theocean currents.
“Don’t you think we’d better tell what we know about old pepper-pot?”asked Ned of his chums, as they reached their sleeping quarters.
“I suppose, after what has happened, that it will be best to,” assentedJerry. “Mind you, I’m not saying he had anything to do with theexplosion of the boiler. But later on, if anything should come up, Isuppose we’d feel better to remember that we had told. We’ll go to thecaptain in the morning.”
The boys were just composing themselves for some hours of rest in whatremained of the night when they heard the crackle of the wirelessoverhead.
“Well, anything new?” asked Bob the next morning, as he made about theonly kind of toilet possible on the crowded transport.
“I didn’t hear any,” responded Jerry. “Let’s get some eats, and thenwe’ll report to our captain what we know and let him do as he thinksbest.”
On their way to receive from the galley their usual daily ration, Nedseemed to be listening intently for something.
“Want to hear another explosion?” asked Jerry.
“No, I was listening for the crackle of the wireless. I don’t hear it;do you?”
“That’s so--it is silent,” commented Bob.
“Oh, well, maybe they’ve sent off a message for help, have received ananswer, and now there’s nothing to do but wait,” came from Jerry.
“That’s so,” admitted Ned. But his chums observed that he was deeplysilent during mess. And as soon as it was over he suggested that theygo up on deck.
“Better look for our captain first,” suggested Jerry. “His quarters areaft.”
“We’ll see him all right,” Ned declared. “I want to find out aboutsomething else, first.”
“What?” asked Bob.
“The wireless,” answered Ned. “I want to see if we’ve had any answer toour calls for help.”
As they approached the vicinity of the wireless room, the boys, andmany others, became aware that something unusual had taken place. Therewas a group of officers--both those of the ship and those in commandof the returning soldiers--gathered about the electrical cabin, andworkmen were hurrying to and fro.
“What’s up, buddy?” asked Ned of a fellow soldier.
“Don’t know, exactly,” was the answer. “But I think the wireless hasgiven out.”
“Before we got off any messages asking for help?” demanded Ned.
“So they say. But I’m not sure. Here comes my sergeant. I’ll ask.”
There was an exchange of confidences, and then the Motor Boys heardmore bad news.
“I thought so!” exclaimed Ned, as he turned away from where he had beenquestioning the two soldiers.
“Thought what?” asked Jerry.
“That the wireless had given out! That’s what happened. The storagebattery short-circuited, the auxiliary dynamo burned out, and theycan’t get off a single message.”
“Perhaps they had already sent out an S. O. S. call,” suggested Jerry,hoping to the last.
“They started one, the sergeant says,” replied Ned, “but the apparatuswent fluey before they could give our position.”
“Gee! that’s tough luck!” exclaimed Bob.
“Oh, it might be worse!” declared Jerry, with a hopefulness he did notaltogether feel. “They got off a message asking for help, and even
though our position wasn’t given, it can be pretty well guessed. Theyknow which way we started, and about how fast we have steamed. They cansend some one out to pick us up.”
“Maybe,” said Ned gloomily. “Well, there’s no use worrying over it.We’re still afloat, and that’s something. Now then, let’s go to see ourcaptain, or the first lieutenant. We’ll report on pepper-pot. It may benothing, and, again, it may be something.”
They started to find their own special company officers, and whilethey were inquiring they stood near a cabin that was among a number ofothers given over to officers.
Ned had just asked as to the probable whereabouts of his captain and alieutenant was in the act of replying when two marines, with rifles andfixed bayonets, came swinging along the passage. They halted in frontof the cabin, before which stood the lieutenant, and after their salutehad been returned, the officer said:
“You are to remain on guard here in front of this cabin until relieved.Let no one go in or come out without written authority from CaptainMunson. Remember--written authority!”
“Yes, sir!” answered the marines, and then the lieutenant turned tospeak to the three friends while they, in turn, gazed at the closeddoor of the mysterious cabin.