ON ACTIVE SERVICE AGAIN.
For some reason unknown to Jack and Frank, when morning came, Lord Hastings announced that the start would not be made until after nightfall, at which both lads showed keen disappointment.
"I'll tell you what you can do," said Lord Hastings. "I'll give you an order for my motorboat and you can go to Gravesend during the day if you care to. I'll meet you there at the Lion Inn to-night at 10 o'clock."
Frank was delighted.
"That's better than hanging around here all day, waiting for night to come," he said. "What do you say, Jack?"
"Anything to humor you," replied the latter with a smile.
"Take all your things with you," said Lord Hastings; "and, above all, hang on to that motorboat. Don't let anybody get it away from you."
"We'll hang on to it, never fear," replied Frank. "Come on, Jack."
"Wait a minute," ordered Lord Hastings. "You'll need this written order to get the boat."
"I'd forgotten, sir," said Frank.
Lord Hastings scribbled rapidly on a piece of paper, which he passed to Jack.
"This will fix you up," he said. "Now remember, 10 o'clock sharp."
The boys nodded their understanding of this order, saluted and left. Getting their things together, they hurried to the river, where Lord Hastings kept his motorboat; and an hour and a half later they were proceeding slowly down the river.
"Guess none of the enemy will ever get in here," declared Frank, after a careful survey of the river.
"Guess not," replied Jack. "Look at the boats. You wouldn't think we were at war."
"Not if it wasn't for the warships," agreed Frank. "And there are enough of them to make it hot for any hostile fleet. But it's a wonder to me some of these German submarines haven't taken a little trip up the Thames."
"Mines," replied Jack briefly.
"True," said Frank, "but you will remember we took a pretty long jaunt up the Dardanelles, and passed through the Kiel canal."
"And when you stop to think of it, we're pretty lucky to be here right now," returned Jack dryly.
"Well, so we are, if that's the way you look at it. However, I wouldn't mind having another such chance."
"You'll probably get it."
Conversation lagged as the boys took in the scenes about them; and there was little more talk during the trip. They stopped more than once, and, loitering along, it was dark when they neared their destination.
As they would have drawn up to the wharf there was a sudden flash of light—gone in a moment—followed by a dark body that swished by them like a flash.
Frank uttered an exclamation of astonishment.
"See that?" he demanded.
"Yes. What could it have been?"
"You've got me, but it's heading toward the open sea. Great Scott! Maybe it's an enemy."
"An enemy?"
"Yes; you know how anxious the Germans are over this submarine business. Maybe this fellow has been spying about. May be going to report to a German submarine out there some place."
"Think we had better follow and have a look?" asked Jack.
"Believe it would be a good idea. Let's go."
Without another word, Jack brought the boat about and headed after the one that had so recently dashed by them. In the darkness ahead there was nothing to be seen.
"Like looking for a needle in a haystack," Jack called to Frank.
"That fellow can't be up to any good," declared Frank. "He showed no light and was going in a terrible hurry. There's something up."
"Does seem that way," agreed Jack.
"Say! Is this as fast as this thing can go?" demanded Frank. "We won't ever get any place this way. Let her out a bit."
Jack did so and the little boat seemed literally to fly over the dark water. This terrific speed Jack kept up for some time and then slowed down.
"We'll bump into something at this rate," he said; "and that would settle the whole business. We must be cautious."
"Cautious!" repeated Frank. "We won't find that German being cautious."
"If we weren't cautious, it wouldn't do us any good if we did find him," argued Jack. "First thing you know we would be at the bottom."
Frank considered this point a moment.
"Guess you're right," he said at last.
"Swish!" went something at this moment, and, turning quickly, Frank saw a dark shape speeding away up the river.
"Hey! There went one the other way," he cried to Jack.
"That so?" replied Jack anxiously. "There is something up here, and I'm going to find out what it is."
He slowed down even more, and, striking a match, lighted the searchlight, which, until this moment, he had not deemed advisable.
As the light flashed over the water, the lad made out another small motorboat dead ahead, upon which signs of life became apparent. Jack saw figures gesticulating violently; then the boat headed directly for the one occupied by the two boys.
"Guns, Frank!" said Jack quietly. "They are coming at us."
"Leave it to me," replied Frank. "You run the boat. I'll do the rest."
"Don't shoot unless you have to," warned Jack.
Frank made no reply.
Jack kept the light full upon the approaching boat. He could see several oilskin-clad figures and that was all; and then came a hail from the oncoming boat.
"What do you want here?"
The query was in English. Jack answered the hail.
"What are you doing here yourself?" he demanded. "We are British officers. I command you to surrender."
"More likely German officers," was the response. "Heave to now. I'm coming aboard you."
"If you do you'll get a warm welcome," replied Jack.
He stopped the boat and drew his own revolvers.
"Stand back!" he cried, as the other boat came closer.
In the glint of the searchlight the men aboard the other boat made out the boys' uniforms. The boat slowed down and the men talked among themselves.
"They wear British uniforms," said one in a low voice.
"That's no sign they are English," said another.
"Tell 'em to give the countersign," said a third.
Another hail came from the boat.
"Pass the countersign," it said.
"I don't know any countersign," replied Jack, and would have said more, had not a voice from the other boat interrupted him.
"I thought not; hands up now or you are dead men. Quick!"
Jack made his decision in a moment. Much as he would have liked to fight it out, he determined upon a wiser course.
"Hands up, Frank," he said quietly. "They've got the drop on us."
He raised his hands in the air.
Not so Frank.
"They won't get me without a fight," declared the lad angrily, and, raising his voice, he cried:
"Come and get me, if you want me."
At the same moment he raised his revolver and fired.
"Here," cried Jack angrily, "don't be a fool. Give me that gun."
He seized Frank's wrist and wrenched the revolver from his grasp.
The latter turned on his chum angrily.
"What do you mean by that?" he demanded. "Have you turned coward, that you surrender to a couple of Germans without a fight?"
"I haven't turned crazy," replied Jack quietly. "They are too many for us; that's all."
The other boat came alongside now and an officer stepped aboard the boys' craft.
"Your weapons," he said in perfect English.
"Then please step aboard my boat. You shall be taken to Gravesend at once."
"Gravesend!" echoed Jack. "You couldn't take us to a better place. But if you are German, why should you take us there?"
"German," repeated the man. "You know we are English. You are the German spies."
"No such thing," declared Frank, taking a hand in things. "We are British officers and we thought you were German spies. That's why I fired at you. We thought you were here to learn the secret of the vanishing submarines."
"Frank!" cried Jack in warning, but it was too late.
"The vanishing submarines, eh?" repeated the stranger. "So you have given yourselves away. Who but a German spy would be here seeking word of the vanishing submarines?"
"But I tell you——" began Jack.
"Silence," thundered the officer. "You have betrayed yourselves, and that is enough. I give you my word you shall be shot in the morning."
"Oh, I guess not," replied Frank with a laugh. "I guess Lord Hastings will be able to get us out of this mess."
"Lord Hastings?"
"Why, yes, we happen to serve under him; that's all."
"Tell it to the marines," replied the man with sarcasm. "I am not asking you to admit anything, for I know enough now."
"Oh, all right," said Frank.
"Climb into my boat," ordered their captor.
The lads complied.
"Say," said Frank, "this is Lord Hastings' motorboat. He told us not to lose it. Tie it on behind and pull it along, will you?"
"We'll pull it along all right," replied their captor. "Now the best thing you fellows can do is to keep quiet."
The lads obeyed this gruff command, for they had nothing particular to talk about.
Half an hour later the motorboat docked at Gravesend and the boys were ordered to climb out, which they did, under the noses of their captors' weapons.
"Where to now?" asked Frank.
"Where I tell you," was the reply.
Jack was struck by a sudden thought.
"Will you tell me what time it is, sir?" he asked the leader of the party which surrounded them.
"As you ask in such a polite way, I shall do so," was the reply. "I wouldn't tell this other fellow anything. He's too smart." He produced his watch, and after a glance at it, said: "Five minutes to ten."
"By George!" exclaimed Jack. "And we were to meet Lord Hastings at the Lion Inn at 10 o'clock."
"I can promise you'll be at the Lion Inn at 10 o'clock," replied the leader of the capturing party, "but whether you will find Lord Hastings there I can't say."
"You mean you are taking us there?" asked Jack.
"Exactly."
"That's what I call luck," broke in Frank. "We'll be all right in a few moments now, Jack."
"You'll be all right till in the morning, I can guarantee that," growled their captor.
At the door of the inn he motioned them to enter ahead of him. They did so and the first person on whom their eyes rested was Lord Hastings.
"Well, I see you are on time——" the latter began, and then broke off as he saw the armed men behind them.
"Yes, sir, we are on time," replied Frank with a smile, "and we have brought company to see you, sir!"