The Boy Allies Under the Sea Part 33

"Yes, you tried, all right. I saw you. You just missed him and then he landed on you--twice, and hard. That's why you're here."

"He couldn't do it again," said Frank feebly.

"Maybe not and maybe yes," said Jack. "However, you're not going to have another trial. You've been licked, and licked good and proper, and that's all there is to it. See if you can get up now. I'll take you to our own quarters."

Frank pulled himself to his feet, and, leaning on Jack, walked from the room.

Davis now had donned his coat and stood near as the two pa.s.sed out.

There was a sneering smile on his puffed face, and he spoke.

"Perhaps you fellows will pay a little more attention to me when I say something after this," he muttered.

Jack whirled on him sharply.

"See here," he said quietly, "if you make any trouble in the future I'll take you in hand myself. You'll find that the result will be somewhat different."

"So?" sneered Davis, feeling not a little proud of himself. "You are at liberty to try at any time. Right now, eh?"

He made as if to discard his coat. Flushed with victory, he manifested no doubt that he could handle Jack as well as Frank.

In spite of himself, Jack was forced to smile.

"We won't fight now," he said quietly. "You're not in condition in the first place. But when you have been fixed up, I just want to tell you not to trifle with me."

"Threats, eh?"

"Call them what you please. I don't want to have to spank you, but I may have to. Don't bother me, that's all."

He helped Frank from the room without another word. Lord Hastings, about to leave the room, stopped for a word with Davis.

"Just a word of advice," he said. "As you know, we are on a perilous duty. Any more trouble and I'll have you ironed if necessary. You're in no position to make a nuisance of yourself."

Davis made no reply. He recognized Lord Hastings' authority to do as he said and he was smart enough to say nothing. Lord Hastings left Davis with the sailors.

An hour after leaving the spot where the U-16 had so recently sent a German submarine to the bottom, Lord Hastings again gave the command to come to the surface; and the vessel proceeded then upon the top of the water.

Frank and Jack, tired out, had retired for a brief rest before their services would again be required; but had they been in Davis' cabin they would have overheard a strange conversation.

Davis and three of the German sailors were engaged in a deep and apparently serious discussion. They talked in subdued tones and cast occasional furtive glances at the door. Occasionally the three nodded their heads affirmatively as Davis talked, each occasionally volunteering a few words himself.

"Then you are with me?" asked Davis at length.

The men nodded.

"Good. But we shall have to bide our time. A false step and it would be the end of all of us. This Commander Bernstorff, I should say, is a bad man to fool with. But once we can get him in our power and silence the others, we can make something of ourselves."

"Yah!" muttered one of the sailors. "What is this war to us anyhow? You are English and we are German; but what of it? Why should we take orders from such men as Herr Commander Bernstorff and others of his kind?"

"Why, indeed?" echoed another.

"You are right," said Davis. "Now, when we take possession of this vessel we will be our own masters. No one to tell us what to do. We won't have to risk our lives for some one else's gain. And what booty we can get shall be evenly divided among us. There is rich prey upon the sea."

"But first," said one of the sailors, "to come into possession of this vessel, we shall have to dispose of Commander Bernstorff, his lieutenants, and others of the crew."

"How," exclaimed one of the others suddenly, "how if some of the others would join us? I have no doubt they would if approached in the right way."

"We don't want too many," protested the third. "The fewer of us, the fewer to share in the spoils."

"True enough," said Davis, "but we must have men enough for a crew. I, of course, shall command. You three will be my officers. We must have a crew."

"How about the English sailors?" asked one of the Germans. "They must be dissatisfied. Here they are prisoners and will be kept under guard until the end of the war. Certainly they should be willing to join us. It will mean freedom and a share in the rich spoils."

"With which to retire when the war is over," put in another. "Why, we can go to America and live at ease for years to come."

"Which is my plan exactly," declared Davis. "Yes, we must have a crew.

Hans, do you think you could approach these prisoners?"

"Leave that to me, sir," replied Hans with an evil wink. "I think I can convince them, sir."

"Good; but in the meantime, do not talk this among yourselves. I believe we had better wait until after the end of the expedition we are now on.

Vigilance, probably, will relax then. In the meantime, we must try and show ourselves to be perfectly loyal to the Kaiser."

"Very well, sir."

"All right then," said Davis. "You fellows clear out now. I want to get a little sleep."

Silently the three conspirators made their way from the traitor's cabin.

No one saw them go and the success of the plot seemed a.s.sured as the U-16 continued on her journey, Lord Hastings, Frank, Jack and the other British aboard unaware and unsuspecting.

Shortly after dusk of the night upon which the German under-sea fleet expected to spring its coup, the U-16 lay upon the calm surface of the water still some distance from the point set for the gathering of the submarine flotilla at the midnight hour, and likewise a considerable distance from Dover.

Explaining his reason for stopping here, Lord Hastings said: "There may be British patrol boats about--probably are. I want you boys to remain in charge here, while I take a boat and try to reach the British authorities."

"One of us had better go along, sir," declared Frank.

Lord Hastings considered this a minute.

"I don't know but you are right," he finally said. "Frank shall go. Jack will take command in my absence."

He addressed the latter. "Arm Edwards and our other men," he continued, "though do it unknown to the Germans. I don't altogether trust this Davis. Of course he is in the pay of the Germans; but once a traitor always a traitor. Watch him closely."

"I'll watch him," said Jack quietly.

"Very well. Frank and I shall leave at once."

Lord Hastings ordered a small boat over the side, the two jumped into it and rowed rapidly away, leaving Jack to pa.s.s the word among the crew that Commander Bernstorff had gone on a little scouting expedition.

For half an hour Lord Hastings and Frank rowed along without incident until they could see a few dull lights in the distant town of Dover.