CHAPTER XII
THE BOYS GIVE THE WARNING
One other adventure, it transpired, was to befall Frank and Jack before they found themselves once more aboard the British battleship, Queen Mary; and while it did not result seriously, both lads once more approached the very door of death.
The morning sun was well above the horizon when Jack, shading his eyes, made out in the distance a smudge of smoke.
"Smoke ahead, Frank," he called.
"Hope it's the Queen Mary" replied the lad. "It should be if I have calculated correctly."
A few moments later the outline of a large ship of war loomed up ahead.
"Can you make her out yet?" asked Jack.
"No; but she's built like the Queen Mary"
The hydroplane sped on.
"By Jove! She is the Queen Mary" cried Frank, a few moments later.
"We're in luck."
Frank was right. As the hydroplane drew nearer it was plain to make out that the vessel was the giant battleship the lads had quitted the day before.
"Wonder what Captain Raleigh will think of our information?" said
Frank, with a chuckle.
"Don't know. We've been pretty fortunate, though. I hope we are in time."
"So do I. The trouble is, our ships are scattered so far apart that they may not be able to assemble quick enough in sufficient strength to beat off the enemy."
"Don't worry; they won't get very far," said Jack, confidently.
"Oh, I know that. But if they should happen to come upon a small portion of our fleet we are likely to get the worst of it."
"Well, there is no reason why they should be able to do that now. We know their plans."
"That's true, too. And they won't, unless it is decided to engage them in spite of their numbers, trusting reinforcements will arrive in time."
And, though the lad had no idea he was making a prophecy, that is just what actually occurred.
The hydroplane now was less than a quarter of a mile from the Queen Mary and Frank reduced its speed abruptly. Whether this sudden slowing down had anything to do with what followed it is hard to tell; but, no sooner had Frank reduced the speed of the craft, than the plane wabbled crazily.
"Look out, Jack!" shouted Frank. "She's going down!"
Jack had not realized that there was anything wrong and now he did not grasp the full significance of Frank's words. What Jack thought Frank meant was that he was going to glide down to the deck of the battleship. Frank, however, knew that there was something seriously wrong with the craft. His first thought had been to jump after crying out to Jack, but seeing that his friend had not understood, Frank stuck to his post, trying as well as he knew how to bring the plane to the sea as gently as possible.
For a moment it seemed that he would succeed, for, as it neared the water, the plane righted itself. Frank drew a breath of relief. But his relief was short-lived.
After remaining upon a level keel for one single instant, the hydroplane turned turtle.
There came a cry of warning from aboard the Queen Mary, and even before the falling boys struck water, boats were lowered over the side, manned, and dashed to the rescue.
Although Frank had been unable to maintain the plane on an even keel, his efforts had done some good; for the distance was not so great from the water when the plane capsized as it would have been but for his strenuous efforts.
Jack uttered a cry of alarm as he felt himself being hurled into space, for he had not realized what was about to happen. Frank, on the other hand, had realized his position full well and no sound escaped him as he was thrown into the water.
In falling, Jack was thrown clear of the machine, which struck the water with a great splash. Not so Frank, who, held in by the wheel, was carried down with the plane. The lad was very close to death at that moment and he knew it.
He had caught a deep breath as he was drawn under, however, and this stood him in good stead. Calmly the lad reached for the large pocketknife he always carried, and with this, under water as he was, proceeded quietly to cut the sides of the craft sufficiently to allow him to escape. And in this he was successful.
At last he was free and struck upward as swiftly as possible. When it seemed that his lungs must burst for want of air, his head suddenly bobbed upon the surface. He gasped as he inhaled great breaths of the fresh air. A boat approached at that moment and he was drawn aboard, where he sank down.
Jack, when he came up from below, had thought first of Frank. Rapidly he scanned the surface of the sea for some sign of his chum or of the wreckage. Seeing neither, he knew what had happened. Taking a deep breath he dived.
It took the lad some time to locate the sinking mass of wreckage below and when he did come upon it there was no sign of Frank. Jack stayed below until he could stand it no more; then rose to the surface. There rough hands seized him and dragged him into a boat.
In vain the lad struggled. He wanted to get loose so he could make another attempt to rescue his friend.
"Frank!" he cried.
"Be still," said a voice kindly. "Frank is safe in the next boat."
Jack uttered an exclamation of relief and lay still, resting from his exertions.
And so they came again to the Queen Mary and were lifted aboard. Frank and Jack clasped hands when they stood on deck and Jack exclaimed:
"By Jove! I thought it was all over when I couldn't find you down there."
"I thought it was all over myself for a minute," said Frank. "That's one time when this old knife of mine helped out. I brought it back with me."
He displayed the knife and patted it affectionately.
"How do you feel?" asked Jack.
"First rate. And you?"
"Fine. Now we want to see Captain Raleigh."
At this moment the third officer approached.
"Captain Raleigh will receive you the moment you have put on some dry clothes," said the third officer.
"But we must see him at once," exclaimed Frank.
"Change your clothes first," said the third officer kindly.
"But——" Frank began.
"I have Captain Raleigh's orders for you to report to him the moment you have changed," said the third officer sharply. "You will hurry, if you please."
Frank could see that there was no use protesting further. He shrugged his shoulders and the two boys made their way to their cabin.
"The big chump," said Frank, as he slipped off his wet clothing. "The whole British navy might be sent to the bottom while we are doing this. What are a few wet clothes?"
"I guess it was the way we went at it," said Jack. "If we had blurted out what we knew——"
"To tell the truth, I've a good notion to say nothing about what I learned," said Frank.
Jack looked at his companion in the greatest surprise.
"Oh, no, you've not," he said at last, as he slipped on a dry shirt.
"Don't you believe I haven't," declared Frank. "I'm mad. I don't like that way of doing things. Now if it had been Lord Hastings——"
"Well, it wasn't," said Jack. "I'm afraid that's one trouble with us."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Why, simply that he allowed us to get too familiar with him. The result is we expect it from others, and when they don't treat us that way we are disappointed."
"That may be it, of course," Frank conceded. "But at the same time, I didn't like the tone of the third officer just now."
"Perhaps I didn't either," said Jack, "but I've got more sense than to show it. As a matter of fact, I suppose we should have obeyed without question."
Frank continued to mumble as he slipped into a dry coat. He picked up his cap and moved toward the door.
"Ready?" he asked of Jack.
"Almost. How's that shoulder?"
"All right. How's your wound?"
"Just a scratch. Didn't even bleed much." Jack picked up his cap and also moved toward the door of the cabin. "Guess maybe he'll let us see Captain Raleigh now," he said. "Come on."
Frank followed his chum.
On deck almost the first person they encountered was the third officer.
"Didn't take you long," he said with a smile.
"That is because we have important news," said Frank.
"Come, then. I'll conduct you to the captain myself," said the third officer.
Frank and Jack hurried after him.
Captain Raleigh greeted the two lads with a smile, as they stood at attention before him.
"You are back really sooner than I expected you," he said quietly.
"Have you learned anything?"
"If you please, sir," said Jack, "I shall skip the details until later. The German high sea fleet will be off the coast of Denmark before midnight!"
"What's that you say?" he demanded.
"It's true, sir," replied Frank, quietly, stepping forward. "The German high sea fleet, in almost full strength, will attack our patrol squadron in the Skagerak, off Jutland, tonight!"
For one moment Captain Raleigh looked at both lads closely. Then he cried sharply, including all in the cabin with his words:
"Follow me!"
He sprang for the bridge!