MORE TROUBLE.
"You can believe me or not, but it feels pretty good to be back here."
The speaker was Frank as he stood upon the bridge of the U-6.
"It does, indeed," returned Jack, who stood by his side. "To tell the truth, I was afraid we would never get away. I thought we were goners, sure. And see who we have with us, our old friend Davis."
For Davis at that moment came aboard from the small boat beside the submarine. He grinned at the two boys feebly.
"Well, I'm glad to be back along with you," he said.
"I don't imagine you'll be glad to be back very long," said Jack dryly. "It seems to me you might as well have stayed where you were. The result probably will be the same. Only this time you'll have to face a British court martial and they'll probably hang you."
"While there's life there's hope," Davis spoke sententiously. "Which is the reason I didn't say anything over there."
He waved his hand in the general direction of the German submarine they had so recently left.
"Well, I'm much obliged, I'm sure," said Frank. "If you had spoken when you recognized Lord Hastings, it would have been all off with all of us. However, I'm afraid I shall be unable to speak a word in your behalf."
Davis shrugged his shoulders and turned away as Lord Hastings approached.
"Below with you all, quick!" exclaimed the latter. "Don't you realize you are prisoners? What do you suppose some of these German officers would say if they saw you making so free of this vessel, eh? They'd probably come over to see what is wrong. Get below!"
Lord Hastings spoke gruffly, for he had risked much to assure their safety and he did not wish his plans to go for naught. Frank, Jack and Davis obeyed without a word.
"Now," said Lord Hastings when all were safely below, "we'll have to get away from here."
"There should be no trouble about that," said Frank. "All we have to do is submerge and move off."
"And I suppose these other fellows will remain idle and watch us go," exclaimed Lord Hastings sarcastically. "Don't you believe it. We are likely to have trouble. They'll probably have a shot or two at us and we'll be fortunate if one doesn't strike home. Besides which, if we do get down safely, they'll probably chase us."
"Well, they can't find us under the water," Frank stated.
"Perhaps not," agreed Lord Hastings, "but we'll have to come up some time and when we do they are likely to be waiting for us. However, there is no use hesitating now. Every minute makes our situation more precarious. You may submerge to five fathoms, Mr. Templeton."
Quickly Jack gave the command. Immediately the bridge wound into the little conning tower, which at once closed, and the submarine began to sink gradually.
Lord Hastings glued an eye to the periscope and watched developments above.
"Just as I feared," he exclaimed. "They have seen through our ruse. There is excitement aboard all the enemy. Twenty knots, Mr. Templeton, and shape your course due north."
The little craft leaped ahead as Jack gave the command; and at the same moment a torpedo, fired by the nearest enemy craft, flashed through the water where the U-6 had been a moment before. It was a narrow escape.
A second torpedo flashed above the submarine just as it finally disappeared beneath the water; and a third did likewise.
Lord Hastings drew a breath of relief as he moved from the periscope—he could see no longer, the water having passed over the "eye" of the submarine.
"We're safe enough for the time being, at any rate," he declared. "Keep to your course, Mr. Templeton, until I give the command to alter it."
Jack saluted.
"Very well, sir," he said.
"And now," said Lord Hastings, gazing about, "the question remains as to what is to be done with Davis. Where is he?"
Frank looked about hurriedly.
"He was here a moment ago, sir," he replied. "He was right behind me."
"Well, he's not here now," said Lord Hastings. "There is no doubt about that. However, he can't have gone very far. We'll have a look for him."
Frank followed his commander aft.
They peered into every compartment in that end of the vessel. They searched the engine room and all other sections; but there was no sign of Davis; Lord Hastings scratched his chin in perplexity.
"Now what do you think of that?" he said slowly. "But he was on this vessel and he can't have got off. Therefore he must be here."
"There is one place we haven't looked, sir," said Frank.
"Where?" demanded Lord Hastings.
"Your cabin, sir."
"He would hardly have sought refuge there," said Lord Hastings.
"There is no telling, sir," replied Frank. "We may as well have a look."
"Yes, we may as well have a look," repeated Lord Hastings.
He led the way forward again and pulled up before the door of his cabin, which was closed.
"Now I could have sworn I left this door open," said Lord Hastings.
He laid a hand on the knob and turned it; but the door would not open.
"Hm-m-m," muttered Lord Hastings. "Somebody is in there all right. Guess it must be our friend Davis." He raised his voice and called: "Davis."
There was no reply and Lord Hastings repeated his call. Still there was no response.
Lord Hastings was beginning to grow angry.
"Davis!" he called a third time, and when there was no answer, he shouted: "You come out of there this minute or it will be the worse for you. There is no use pretending you do not hear me. Come out!"
This time Lord Hastings drew an answer.
"Thank you, sir, but I shall remain where I am," came back in Davis' voice. "It's very comfortable in here."
"By Jove! He's a pretty cool customer," muttered Lord Hastings to Frank.
"Yes, he's cool enough," responded the lad, "and cold-blooded, too. Shall we force the door, sir?"
"I don't like to do that," replied Lord Hastings, "but I am afraid it will be necessary. I want to get that fellow tied up safely." He raised his voice again. "Davis," he said, "if you don't open that door immediately, I'll break it down."
"I wouldn't try it," was Davis' response. "I have appropriated a pair of your revolvers here and I'll have a shot at the first head that I see."
This reply threw Lord Hastings into some consternation. He turned to Frank.
"There is no use any one getting hurt on the fellow's account," he said. "He's safe enough in there. Guess we may as well leave him."
"We'll have to get him some time, sir," said Frank. "We might as well do it now and have it over with. Two of us should land him without any trouble."
"You mean one and a half," replied Lord Hastings, smiling. "Don't forget you are hardly whole with that wound on your head."
"I think I can prove a little better than a half, anyhow," Frank smiled back. "Shall we break the door in, sir?"
"I have a better plan than that," replied Lord Hastings. "I'll blow the lock off. Stand back out of range of fire from the door. Davis is likely to shoot through it."
Frank did as commanded, and drawing his revolver, Lord Hastings placed the muzzle against the lock.
There was a flash, a loud report and Lord Hastings leaped quickly backward. And it was well that he did so; for a second later there came a second report and a bullet sped through the thin door and imbedded itself in the wall beyond.
Standing well to one side, Lord Hastings thrust out a foot and kicked the door open.
"Better come out, Davis," he said quietly.
"No, thanks," was the reply. "I'll get the first man who shows his head in the doorway."
Lord Hastings considered this point carefully. Then he said to Frank:
"Well, we've got the door open, but I don't see that we are any better off. We can't go after him. Now what, eh?"
An idea struck Frank.
"You stand guard until I come back, sir," he said, and made his way aft.
Lord Hastings stood his ground.
Frank was back in a moment and again took his stand on the opposite side of the door from Lord Hastings. He held something in his hand, and a long snake-like object seemed to wiggle along behind him.
"What have you there?" demanded Lord Hastings in some surprise.
"Hose, sir," replied Frank calmly.
"And what are you going to do with it?"
"Rout Davis out, sir."
Lord Hastings chuckled.
"I am afraid you won't have much success," he replied. "It's a poor Englishman who can't stand a little cold water."
"Maybe he won't like hot water, though, sir," replied Frank.
Again Lord Hastings looked surprised.
"Oho," he said at length. "Now I see what you are about. Going to scald him a little, eh?"
"That's the idea, sir. I have the engineer's word that this hose will throw a pretty strong stream. Once it hits Davis he'll be glad to come out."
"All right," said Lord Hastings. "Turn it on."
Still standing out of the line of fire, Frank, taking the hose well back from the nozzle, thrust it through the door and turned it on.
A thin vapor rose and the hose grew hot to Frank's touch.
"Pretty hot," said Lord Hastings. "Now if you can just locate him with it, you——"
A cry of pain interrupted him and there was the sound of hurried footsteps within.
"Got him," cried Frank gleefully.
He stepped into the open doorway, and as he did so, Davis raised a revolver and his finger tightened on the trigger. But even as he would have fired, Frank turned the scalding water on him. With a howl of pain he dropped the revolver.