CHAPTER XXV
IN CHAINS
The conspirators--they were really that, though it was a conspiracy tosave their own lives--the conspirators, then, started half-guiltily asthey beheld the form of the insane commander. Had he overheard theirplot?
Jerry gave a quick glance at his allies--the machinists. He seemed tobe saying:
“If he has heard us we must act now. We must overpower him at once ifhe tries to attack us.”
Ted Rowland nodded as if he understood, and for a few seconds they allseemed to be waiting.
It was an awkward moment. Then Dr. Klauss spoke.
“How are the motors running?” he asked, and his voice sounded perfectlynatural.
“All--all right, sir,” answered Ted, hesitating slightly. It wasevident that Dr. Klauss had not overheard, or, if he had, he was goingto ignore the matter--for the time being at least--and for his ownpurposes.
“I’m glad of that,” he went on. “I want to try and run at top speedsoon, and I am going to give my ship a most severe test. I spoke to youbefore about this,” he said, looking at the other two machinists, whonodded. Jerry understood. It meant the taking of the _Sonderbaar_ to adangerous depth.
“I see you still hold your interest in my machines,” said the Germancommander to Jerry.
“Yes, I--I came in to see how the engines were running. I only wish,”went on Jerry, with a whimsical smile, “that they were running ustoward our homes--instead of away from them.”
“That will do!” cried the commander, harshly. “You have heard mydecision in this matter. Never speak of it again! I did not ask youto come aboard my vessel, but since you are here you must take theconsequences. This ends the subject forever!”
“Oh, no it doesn’t,” said Jerry to himself, and with a meaning look atTed and his companions. “This is only the beginning, Dr. Klauss. We aregoing to see our homes again in spite of you.”
“Work the engines up to top speed gradually,” ordered the commander tothe members of the crew. “See that the bearings do not get hot. Andyou, Bill Burke, will look after the ballast tanks. Make sure there areno leaks, and that the valves are tight. They may be a bit strainedwhen we go farther down than we have ever been before.”
“I should say they would!” burst out Ted Rowland. “Look here, Dr.Klauss, I wish you would give up this plan. Of course you know yourown ship better than we do--and know what she will stand. But we’remachinists, too, and we know that the terrible pressure you’ll be sureto meet with at even a mile in depth, to say nothing of two, or three,will do serious damage. We may all lose our lives. We don’t like it,and we wish you’d give it up!”
“Enough of that!” cried the German, sternly. “You are under my orders.When you shipped with me you agreed to obey. I order you to take thiscraft to a great depth, that I may test it, and you will do so. Youhave no choice. I am in command.”
“But the danger!” cried Tom Flynn.
“Bah! There is no danger!” exclaimed the insane commander. “You willbe as safe at the bottom of the sea as here. Now remember--this endsall objections! You will do as I say! I am going to the pilot house,to run my boat from there. And I want my every order and signal obeyedpromptly. That will be all.”
He turned abruptly on his heel, and went out. The men looked after himwith anger on their faces, while Jerry showed not a little fear.
“Well, that settles it!” exclaimed Ted, in a low voice. “We both gavehim a chance to back down, and let us out,” he said to the tall lad.“He refused. Now we’ll take matters into our own hands, and he’ll haveto stand the consequences. We’re all agreed on that?” and he lookedquestioningly at his companions.
“Sure--certainly,” they answered.
“Then you can tell your friends,” went on Ted to Jerry. “We’ll make thecaptain a prisoner, and we’ll be justified in law--if we ever get towhere there are laws again.”
“What about his two German friends?” asked Jerry.
“Don’t worry about them. If we have to we can secure them too, but allwe’ll have to do will be to lock them in their room, with pencils andpapers, and they’ll start figuring on how long they’ll be likely toremain there, or how much the sun weighs, or how long it would take thesubmarine to get there. That will dispose of them. Meanwhile we’ll turnthis ship about and sail for home.”
“And when--when shall we make the--attack?” asked Jerry.
“As soon as he gives an order to send this boat any deeper in theocean,” answered Ted promptly. “That will be the signal. She is nowrunning as deep as is safe,” and he glanced at the gage on the wall ofthe engine room. “The minute he signals to fill the ballast tanks more,and send her down, we’ll attack him in the pilot house. Better go tellyour friends what our plan is,” he concluded to Jerry.
“I was afraid he had heard us,” spoke the tall lad. “We had a narrowescape.”
“That’s what we did,” agreed Ted.
The news was received by Ned and Bob with satisfaction.
“I’m glad we’re going to do something besides sit around this submarinewaiting,” commented Ned.
“And I’d like to try my hand at cooking again,” confessed Bob, with asigh. “They won’t let me in the galley here.”
“Well, that all may be changed in a few hours,” said Jerry hopefully.
“Oh, I’m so glad!” cried Grace, whose face showed traces of tears.“Then we will see our friends again, Papa.”
“Yes, my girl! It has been a severe strain on you, but you’ve borne upwell. It was a lucky day when the boys came aboard.”
Jerry rapidly told of his experience with the crew, and the decisionarrived at. On Mr. Sheldon’s advice the boys got together a quantity ofstout rope, which was placed in readiness to bind Dr. Klauss after heshould have been subdued.
“We’ll lock him in his own cabin,” went on Bob’s uncle, “and we’llhave to arrange to stand guard over him. Maniacs are very tricky, andhe may escape. About his two friends--I think, with the members ofthe crew, that they will give no trouble. Now, who is going to do theactual attacking, Jerry?”
“Oh, we all may have to take a hand,” was the answer. “But I think MissGrace had better keep to her own cabin.”
“So do I,” spoke her father gravely.
“And I’m going to stuff cotton in my ears so I can’t hear it,” said thegirl, smiling slightly. “It’s a terrible thing to do, but it is more tofeel that we may always be prisoners on this fearful ship.”
There was another consultation with the crew. Meanwhile Dr. Klauss keptto the pilot house and his two foreign friends had not left the cabinwhere they seemed to be always working over some intricate problem.
It was decided that Ned and Bob, with Mr. Sheldon, should remain nearthe pilot house. Jerry would go to the engine room, and, when thesignal came to send the boat deeper, he and the three men would rushforward, and attack Dr. Klauss. They agreed to use no more force thanwas necessary to safely bind him.
“Then all we have to do is to wait,” said Jerry, as he sat down nearone of the humming dynamos.
The submarine was running along at about her usual depth. It was only aquestion of time when her fanatical commander would signal to have hersent to the bottom.
Suddenly there came a buzzing sound from one of the electric signals.Then, in the glass-fronted box below it, appeared a certain number.
“That means to go down to the limit!” cried Ted. “Come on, friends!It’s now or never!”
There was a moment of hesitation and then Jerry and the three menstarted. Mr. Sheldon, Bob and Ned heard them coming, and heldthemselves in readiness.
At the end of the lighted corridor they could all see the big German inthe pilot house. He was manipulating various levers and turning wheels.
“Come on!” said Jerry in a low voice.
As noiselessly as possible they advanced on the crazed commander. Justas they reached the door he heard them and turned.
He started, and something in
the attitude and looks of the men and boysmust have told Dr. Klauss what was their intention. He sprang up, andhis hand sought a certain lever.
“Don’t let him reach that!” yelled Ted. Jerry fairly threw himselfon the infuriated man, and Ned followed. Then Ted and his companionsclosed in.
There was a short, sharp fight, and several of the attackers wereknocked down, but they got up again, and renewed the struggle. Dr.Klauss was very strong, and his madness added to it, but four menand three boys were more than a match for him, especially in suchcontracted quarters.
In a few seconds the maniac, panting and disheveled, as indeed they allwere, was held by many hands.
“The ropes!” called Jerry, and Mr. Sheldon passed them in.
“They’ll do temporarily,” said Ted Rowland, “but we’ll have to usechains. That’s the only thing that will hold him. He’ll break theseropes. There are some chains in the engine room.”
“What--what does this mean?” gasped the enraged commander. “Unbind meat once! You shall pay dearly for this outrage! Help!” he called, andthen, adding something in a foreign tongue he struggled with all hismight to break his bonds.
The ropes strained and creaked, and Ted at once sent for the chains.These were placed about the unfortunate doctor, and, just as they weremade secure, and he had been lifted up to be carried to his cabin,the two old Germans came running from their rooms. They were greatlyexcited.