Fighting Byng Part 20

"Then you are just the man I want."

He became jubilant and came over to me stronger than ever when I told him what had happened and how he had helped by delaying the Boche cutter. After another "drap of Scotch" he said he would go to h.e.l.l for me.

I told him what I wanted and warned him that it would not be a joy ride, but probably very dangerous.

"If you've got two guns, I'd swim from here to the Tortugas for a chance at 'em."

"All right, Scotty, stay here till I come for you and keep your eyes open."

When I got back to "Canby's bay" day was breaking. After breakfast I told Howard about Scotty and what I received from Was.h.i.+ngton.

"Even though Ramund and the manager are admitted to bail, what can they do down here? You have a clear case against them," he said.

"None too strong, Howard, without little Jim. As I see it, everything depends on her testimony. Have you decided about her?"

"Yes, I have," he began, relieved when the subject was raised. "We talked all night about it. For a while she would cry bitterly and say she would never leave me here alone, then for an hour we would be planning for her to go, only for her to come back and curl herself in my lap and tearfully declare she would never leave me here alone. We both realize it's a turning point in our lives that requires courage and, Wood, do you know I believe she is the braver. Well, in the night we came to this definite conclusion--that if you will help us she will go as soon as I can get her ready. Do you realize what it means for me to part with her? It's like tearing my heart and soul out."

"Howard, I believe I do, but her safety is most important now. We may be away a week and you can't leave her here."

"I know that, but she has been raised here on the Keys, dressed like a boy, and has never known either girls or women. Just what clothing she will need, and how to get it, is a puzzle to both of us."

That was a complication I had overlooked and hesitated a moment. I thought of Mrs. Ike Barry.

"Howard, a friend and his wife are at the hotel at Key West. I believe she would be glad to help us out and fix little Jim for the trip. Her permanent outfit and clothing it is best to leave to someone with whom I can arrange at the school."

"That sounds good, but, Wood, I am afraid that would be loading you unduly with my personal affairs."

"You will have ample opportunity to square yourself with me before we get through," I replied, laughing. "Little Jim partly belongs to me; besides, she has become an important Government witness."

During the afternoon we brought the _Anti-Kaiser_ to the nearest safe anchorage. We put aboard water and provisions for a week. Then, in the afternoon, I went with Howard and little Jim to Key West to prepare her for her journey into a new world. She acted at times as though moving in a dream, first delighted then sad because she was leaving her chum, teacher, father,--and such a wonderful father.

Mrs. Barry told me afterward it was a rare pleasure to select little Jim's outfit and clothing, to witness her perfect delight in the first possession of pretty things. Howard and I stood by as helpless as though run out of gasoline or the steering gear had gone wrong. Little Jim evidenced her femininity. Motherly Mrs. Barry delighted her. She talked of her and her new things all the way home, when the depression of parting was not on her mind.

Going to the wireless again I reported details. Little Jim was a vitally important witness for the Government and all was soon arranged. Venerable, fatherly Henry Woburn, a sort of messenger of the Department, would arrive the next day to whisk her away by rail to the gates of the school inside of which she would be safe. The school took great care of young girl pupils; an additional caution, quite unknown to her, being exercised in her case because of her importance as a Government witness.

I shall not attempt to describe the last scenes between father and daughter and the delightful simplicity with which she bade me good-bye. I could not if I tried. Both felt it was a distinct crisis in their lives, a turn in life's road which was separating them--how long--and where would it lead? Spiritualists, soothsayers, fortune-tellers, astrologers, who pretend to look even one minute into the future, are lying mountebanks. They would usurp infinity. I do know that Howard Byng's life, so far, had been stormy, one of great activity, but who could say not useful. No one can fail to admire intense action, and his intentions were good. His life so far was a wonder to me, and I had faith that such tremendous energy would be utilized for the general good. Little Jim, half of his blood, primitive, fierce when aroused, but pure and real red, the other half from the purposeful, refined, delicate but no less iron-willed Norma Byng likely could not escape the responsibility of its possession.

Action, vital action, would be expected. As now const.i.tuted she had the simplicity of extreme childhood, and the knowledge and power of execution of a man, making a combination that might be difficult to balance. Little Jim, now a real girl for the first time, looked splendid; little Jim, crack rifle shot and unerring with the pistol; little Jim, champion swimmer and diver of the Gulf; little Jim, who ran a big motor boat forty miles an hour alone, who dynamited the Huns' boat, made their capture possible, and saved her father's life, was gone, it seemed to me, forever.

CHAPTER XXIII

Soon the Pullman car carrying little Jim, my star witness, was out of sight, actually in the protecting arms of Uncle Sam, in the person of Father Woburn. After getting Scotty we made for home--I mean Canby's--as fast as the _Sprite_ would carry us. Howard was very thoughtful but not depressed. He locked the store and put up a notice.

We took Don along to cook, as we didn't want an unknown quant.i.ty in any form with us on a mission of such tremendous importance.

The next morning we anch.o.r.ed the _Anti-Kaiser_ over the spot where the sunken U-boat lay. We brought the little _t.i.tian_ along with which we could run errands. Scotty's work consisted of standing watch and looking out for all kinds of danger, to use the deck guns, and take no chances.

It was slow work getting started, though the weather favored us.

Howard was timid about the diving suit first, but finally grew confident, and the fourth day without an interruption we had all the drowned crew in the forward hold, and about everything else loose of any value in the captain's, officers' and crew's quarters, which, as I explained, were separated by a water-tight bulkhead from the cargo-hold forward.

It was a very unpleasant, gruesome job. There were twenty-four, instead of a crew of ten or twelve, of the sunken cargo sub, the name of which must remain covered until the Government sees fit to divulge it. All had to be moved from a boat in sixty feet of open roadstead water, searched and photographed individually and in group, in both cases showing as much of the faces as their condition would permit.

Arduous, nauseating work and we were glad that it was over. I thought it would get on Howard's nerves, but they seemed of iron again.

Don had gone with the _t.i.tian_ to get mail and telegrams for me, and possibly hear from little Jim. We had eaten in the evening and were smoking forward. Scotty patrolled as lookout as though serving on a dreadnaught. Howard was quiet and thoughtful. I thought it was because he was tired and depressed after ransacking a wreck for dead Huns and having to fight swarms of sharks. I was congratulating myself on getting a lot of supplementary proof of much importance, especially the records of the s.h.i.+p and the loading and sailing orders of the captain.

"Wood," he began quietly. "How much is that vessel worth; that is, what would it cost built now?"

"I don't know, Howard; what would you guess her dead-weight tonnage?"

"The last time I was down I went all around her. She is over three hundred feet long and twenty-five or thirty-foot beam, amids.h.i.+ps, tapering a little toward each end."

"Perhaps five thousand tons?"

"I would guess her that big anyway."

"A submarine that size cannot be built at the present time for less than a million dollars; two hundred dollars a dead-weight ton, I think, is the ruling price now."

"The Government wants submarines now, don't it?"

"The Government wants all kinds of s.h.i.+ps, anything that can carry a ton of freight, Howard," I replied, looking at him sharply, but he did not answer for some minutes.

"Supposing by any chance she could be floated, where would we stand?"

"I am not even an amateur authority on Admiralty laws. Practically, you would have a first-cla.s.s, 'made-in-Germany' submarine to sell the Government after you had removed the cargo. Howard, do you--do you think there is a chance?" I asked, intensely interested.

"I don't know. So far as I can see the hull, the outside sh.e.l.l is intact. It may be in the rivet joints aft. I do know that there was no water in her freight hold, the inrush nearly killing me when I finally got it open. With the water out of there and her submerging tanks, she might rise."

"You think you are right; the freight hold is the biggest part?"

"At least two-thirds and if her submerging tanks are pumped out she is bound to come up, the long, dangerous work of raising the cargo through the water is unnecessary and the sharks are pretty thick," he said, looking out toward the barren Tortugas, dotting the evening horizon southward. "And--and we would be rich, our fortunes would be made."

"Howard, why do you use the plural?"

"Because this time you have got to take it. This is to be a fifty-fifty deal. You are not going to get away from me again. You told me how to get turpentine and rosin from stumps and then walked away, leaving me to feel like an ingrate for not making you take half. No, sir, you will never have another chance to serve me that way. Half is yours this time. You've got to take it."

"Howard, I understand the spirit that moves you. I am glad your big, generous heart is working again normally, but there are two good reasons why you must count me out. First, by reason of my employment, it is forbidden, absolutely forbidden, and again, I have no interest either by discovery or recovery. Keep it--keep it for--little Jim. She did it all when she swam under water and hung a 'terror' to the Hun's bow."

"I can recall that I accepted such a plea twice and felt like a dog for doing so. I tell you, you are not going to get away from me this time. There will be plenty, but, if there wasn't----"

"Don't bother about that now, Howard," I interrupted, "plenty of time to count the chickens after they are hatched. I can see Don coming.

Four days is a long time to be out of the world," I said, glad to change the subject. I was elated that there was a prospect of floating the U-boat that told such a vital story. What more glory did I need than to have been even indirectly responsible?

CHAPTER XXIV