Dave Darrin and the German Submarines Part 6

Then Dave addressed the young German officer:

"You understand English?"

"Yes," came the reply, with a scowl.

"We are coming alongside. Your officers and men will be searched for weapons, then transferred, in detachments, to our launch, and taken aboard our craft."

The German nodded, addressing a few murmured words to his men, who moved well up forward on the submarine's slippery deck.

As the launch drew alongside two seamen leaped to the submarine's deck and held the lines that made the launch fast to it.

Half a dozen armed seamen sprang aboard, with Darrin, who signalled to the second launch to come up on the other side of the German boat.

"Be good enough, sir, to order the rest of your men on deck," Dave directed, and the German officer shouted the order in his own tongue.

More sullen-looking German sailors appeared through the conning tower and lined up forward.

"Did you command here?" Dave demanded of the officer.

"No; my commander is below. I am second in command."

Dave stepped to the conning tower, bawling down in English:

"All hands on deck. Lively."

Another human stream answered. Darrin turned to the German officer to ask:

"Are all your crew on deck now?"

Quickly counting, the enemy officer replied:

"Yes; all."

"And your captain?"

"I do not know why he is not here. I cannot give him orders."

By this time the marines were aboard from the second launch. Already the first detachment of German sailors, after search, was being transferred to the launch.

"Corporal," called Darrin, "take four men and go below to find the commander. Watch out for treachery, and shoot fast if you have to."

"Aye, aye, sir," returned the corporal, saluting and entering the tower.

His men followed him closely.

"I've seen the outside of enough of these pests," said Dave to his chum.

"Suppose we go below and see what the inside looks like. The German submarines are different from our own."

Dalzell nodded and followed, at the same time ordering a couple of stalwart sailors to follow. A boatswain's mate now remained in command on the submarine deck.

"You get back there!" growled the corporal. Dave reached the lower deck just in time to see the corporal pointing his revolver at a protesting German naval officer.

"Look what he's been doing, sir," called the corporal. "Look on the floor, sir."

On the deck lay a heap of charred papers, still smoking.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Charred papers still smoking.]

"If I'd got down a minute earlier, sir, he wouldn't have had a chance to have that nice little bonfire," grumbled the corporal.

Dave gave a great start as he took his first look at the face of the German captain.

As for the German, he seemed at least equally disconcerted. Dave Darrin was the first to recover.

"I cannot say that I think your German uniform becoming to a man of your name, Mr. Matthews," Darrin uttered, in savage banter.

"Matthews?" repeated the German, in a puzzled voice, though he spoke excellent English. "I cannot imagine why you should apply that name to me."

"It's your own fault if you can't," Darrin retorted. "It's the name you gave me at the hotel."

"I've never seen you until the present moment," declared the German, stoutly.

"Surely you have," Danny Grin broke in. "And how is your firm in Chicago, Mr. Matthews?"

"Chicago?" repeated the German, apparently more puzzled than before.

"If Matthews isn't your name, and I believe it isn't," Darrin continued, "by what name do you prefer to be addressed."

"I am Ober-Lieutenant von Bechtold," replied the German.

"Very good, von Bechtold; will you stand back a bit and not bother the corporal?"

Dave bent over to stir the charred, smoking heap of paper with his foot.

But the job had been too thoroughly done. Not a sc.r.a.p of white paper could be found in the heap.

"Of course you do not object to telling me what papers you succeeded in burning," Darrin bantered.

Ober-Lieutenant von Bechtold smiled.

"You wouldn't believe me, if I told you, so why tax your credulity?"

came his answer.

"Perhaps you didn't have time to destroy all your records," Dave went on. "Under the circ.u.mstances I know you will pardon me for searching the boat."

Thrusting aside a curtain, Dave entered a narrow pa.s.sageway near the stern. Off this pa.s.sageway were the doors of two sleeping cabins on either side. Dave opened the doors on one side and glanced in. Dan opened one on the other side, but the second door resisted his efforts.

"This locked cabin may contain whatever might be desired to conceal,"

Dan hinted.

Turning quickly, Darrin saw that von Bechtold had followed. This the corporal had permitted, but he and a marine private had followed, to keep their eyes on the prisoner.