FRANK IN TROUBLE.
Now perfectly happy, the two boys rowed back to The Hawk as rapidly as possible. They were happy for two reasons—first because they were once more in active service, and second, because they had just emerged successfully from a desperate venture.
A light glowed brightly aboard the little motorboat, now that the enemy had been disposed of; so the two lads had no trouble making their way back. Lord Hastings greeted them with outstretched hands as they went over the side.
"A pretty good job you made of it," he declared.
"Well, we did pick off a couple before you got busy, sir," agreed Frank. "But if you hadn't fired the moment you did they would have potted us sure. They had a couple of shots at us, but fortunately, they didn't have time to get the accurate range."
"I had no idea you were so hard pressed," replied Lord Hastings. "I fired the moment I caught sight of the foe. Even when the searchlight was turned from The Hawk, it was a moment or so before I could make out the enemy. The light had all but blinded me."
"There is no harm done, anyhow," Jack put in. "The enemy is at the bottom of the sea and we are safe again."
"Then we may as well continue a bit," declared Lord Hastings. He turned to give an order, when Frank interrupted him.
"Are you sure we are safe, sir?" he questioned.
"What do you mean?" demanded his commander.
"Why, I was just wondering if by any chance there might be more of the enemy in these waters?"
"To tell the truth, I hadn't thought of that," replied Lord Hastings.
Without another word, he turned on his heel and made his way to the searchlight, which still threw its brilliant rays across the silent waters. Quickly he snapped it off; then returned to the lads.
"We won't be spotted so easily now," he remarked.
"Unless we have been spotted already," said Jack dryly.
And Jack proved to be a better prophet than he really meant to be.
At a signal from Lord Hastings, The Hawk now moved slowly forward again.
"Can you tell us just where we are bound, sir?" asked Jack.
"Well, not exactly," was his commander's reply. "I have information that leads me to believe an enemy, or several enemies, may be prowling about around——"
An interruption came suddenly and from an altogether unexpected source, and with the interruption all aboard became suddenly silent, except Lord Hastings, who sprang quickly to the wheel, and before the astonished helmsman knew what was going on, threw the wheel over hard.
For the interruption which had come so suddenly was the voice of a big gun.
Lord Hastings threw the wheel over with such violence that the motorboat careened desperately and all but capsized. Frank and Jack saved themselves from being thrown overboard by a quick grasp at the rail, to which they clung with all their might.
And then, before Lord Hastings could flash the searchlight across the water, had such been his intention, a blinding glare lighted up The Hawk. The enemy had been too quick for those aboard.
Now another shot rang out and the boys heard a terrible whistling overhead.
"Pretty close," said Jack quietly. "They are liable to get us next time."
An idea suddenly struck Frank, and he dashed aft. There he picked up his rifle and hurried forward again.
"Hold her steady a minute, sir," he called to Lord Hastings.
And the latter, realizing that the lad had some plan, did as requested without asking a question.
Quickly Frank raised his rifle to his shoulder, and pausing just long enough to take careful aim, fired.
Frank's keen mind had detected the one hope of salvation for those aboard The Hawk. The enemy was very close and the lad realized that the next shot must find its mark. There was but one thing to do. The light aboard the enemy must be destroyed; without it The Hawk could escape, for minus the light, which was its eye, the foe could not hope to detect them.
As Frank's finger pressed the trigger he knew that he had not missed; and at the same moment he cried to Lord Hastings:
"Hard-a-port!"
Again The Hawk careened desperately in response to the quick turn of the helm; but it was well that Lord Hastings had acted upon the instant; for even as Frank had fired there was another heavy "boom" and a heavy shell passed the spot where The Hawk had been a moment before.
But with the sound of the shot, the glare of the enemy's searchlight vanished. Frank's aim had been true.
"I shot her eye out, sir," he cried to Lord Hastings.
"I see you did," chuckled his commander. "Now it's time for us to get busy. Mr. Templeton, see if you can pick up the enemy with our light."
Jack sprang to the searchlight eagerly, and under his guiding hand, it threw its brilliant rays over the dark waters. He swept it in a wide half-circle to the right without result; and then swung the glare around to the left; and there, presenting her stern, a little motorboat was moving swiftly away.
"She's running, sir!" exclaimed Frank, who stood forward, still holding his rifle. "Shall I give her a shot?"
"If you like," replied Lord Hastings. "It can do no harm. In the meantime we'll have after her."
He gave the signal, "Full speed ahead," and The Hawk leaped forward.
Again Frank took careful aim at a moving figure upon the deck of the enemy and again his finger pressed the trigger. Not for nothing had he been called a crack shot. The figure, as Frank could see in the glare of The Hawk's searchlight, threw up its arms and pitched into the sea.
And now suddenly misfortune befell The Hawk. The enemy had stolen an idea from Frank, and one of the men aboard, taking aim at the powerful searchlight of The Hawk, fired. His aim was as true as had been Frank's; and the ray of light disappeared from the surface of the water. The Hawk also was blind now.
Lord Hastings gave an exclamation of dismay.
"Pretty tough," he muttered.
"But we should have guarded against it, sir," declared Jack. "We should have figured that what we could do the other fellow could do also."
"True," replied his commander; "but it's too late now. We'll keep after her. Maybe we can pick her up in the darkness."
"Not much chance," muttered Frank to himself.
But again fortune was to smile on them, although it came near being misfortune.
An hour later, The Hawk having been slowed to a bare five knots, Frank thought he caught the sound of another moving object. He called Lord Hastings' attention, and The Hawk's engine was shut off. Again came the sound, as of a choked automobile engine.
"She's off there, and pretty close," whispered Lord Hastings, with a gesture to port.
"Shall we try a shot in the darkness, sir?" asked Frank.
"No; that would be folly," said Lord Hastings. "There is not one chance in a thousand that the first shot would go home; and then she would be on the move again. Now, from the fact that the sound has come twice from the same place, I judge she is standing still—hoping that we shall run past her."
"If you please, sir, I have a plan," said Jack.
"Let's have it," said Lord Hastings briefly.
"Well, why can't Frank and I take to the boats again. Not one boat this time, but two. We can approach from different directions. One of us can open fire, and if a light is shown aboard, the other can do likewise. Caught between two fires, I believe a light will be shown, that the enemy may try to pick us up. That will betray the enemy's presence to you and you can sink her."
"That's not a half bad idea," decided Lord Hastings after a moment's reflection. "You shall each have a man. Here, Edwards! Williams!"
The two men came forward quickly.
"Williams, you lower a boat and go with Mr. Templeton. Edwards, you accompany Mr. Chadwick. Get your rifles first, men."
The men hurried aft to obey, Frank and Jack in the meantime giving their attention to lowering the boats. This done, all leaped in and rowed in the general direction of the foe.
Upon Jack's suggestion, Frank and Edwards rowed some distance ahead before pointing the nose of their little craft toward where they believed the enemy to be, and then rowed a considerable distance.
"We should be beyond her now," declared Frank, after some further rowing. "We'll double back a bit."
They did so; and five minutes later a dark shape loomed up beside them, so close almost, that Frank could have thrown a rock aboard.
"Cease rowing!" Frank commanded, laying down his own oars.
Edwards did likewise.
"Get your rifle ready," Frank instructed.
Edwards obeyed.
"Now," said Frank, "the first man you see show himself aboard that craft, pick him off. I'll wait for the second one."
"Very well, sir," replied Edwards quietly.
He brought his rifle to bear upon the deck of the enemy and sat quietly, waiting, as the little boat bobbed gently up and down with the swell of the sea.
And he had not long to wait.
A dark shadow appeared aboard the enemy and Edwards and Frank caught the faint glow of a cigar or cigarette as the man puffed upon it. The light from this made his face plainly visible.
"A very indiscreet sort of a gentleman," remarked Edwards. "Here goes, sir."
He pressed the trigger.
A howl of pain rewarded this effort and Edwards smiled grimly to himself.
"Got him," he said cheerfully.
The sound of the rifle brought another figure to the deck. Now it was Frank's turn and he acted instantly. Again there was a faint report and the second man toppled over.
"Two," said Frank quietly.
"Right, sir!" replied Edwards. "All ready for another, sir."
"I guess the next will be along in a minute," said Frank dryly. "Besides, it's about time for Jack and Williams to take a hand in the game."
"Wouldn't want to leave them out all together, would we, sir," grinned Edwards.
"I should say not," replied Frank.
"No, sir; they wouldn't like that."
They waited patiently, but ten minutes passed and no other form appeared aboard the enemy.
"Guess Jack is playing a waiting game on the other side," muttered Frank. "Now, I wonder——"
There came an abrupt interruption to his thoughts.
"Throw up your hands!" came a sharp voice from behind, a trifle to the right. "Surrender or you are dead men!"