TOWARD OSTEND AGAIN.
Jack had been ready for this command and repeated Lord Hastings' words immediately. Not a second was lost, and a moment later the tanks began to fill and the submarine sank lower and lower in the water.
Jack, who had glued his eye to the periscope, gazed at the German battleships as long as it stayed above water. In the few moments that it took the craft to submerge, he saw that two of the enemy's craft had been struck and that the other two had trained their big guns upon the U-6. His heart beat fast, for he was afraid the submarine would be unable to put a thick enough blanket of water above it to withstand the German shell, should the first shot be gauged accurately.
Just before the periscope disappeared beneath the surface, cutting off the lad's view, he heard the faint sound of a gun. He braced himself for the shock that he expected; but none came. The first shell had gone wide and he breathed easier. Before the second shot came, the U-6 was safe in the depths.
"Pretty close," the lad muttered aloud.
"What was pretty close?" demanded Frank, who had not heard the sound of the shot. "Didn't we hit either one of them?"
"Oh, yes, we got them both," replied Jack. "I was talking about our own escape. The Germans fired one shell at us and they can't have missed very far. Fortunately, we came down before a second."
"Shape your course due east, Mr. Templeton," commanded Lord Hastings at this juncture. "We'll have a try at another of them."
Jack gave the command.
"Twenty knots!" ordered Lord Hastings.
The U-6 leaped forward beneath the water like a thing alive. For fifteen minutes she sped on and then rose until her periscope showed above the surface.
"As I expected," said Lord Hastings. "The enemy is making for home, but we have outrun them and are now between them and their goal." He gauged the range carefully and then ordered: "No. 2 torpedo!"
Again all was expectancy aboard the submarine as all eagerly awaited the next command. It was not long coming.
"Attention!" the signal board read.
And a moment later came the next command:
"Fire!"
A shell sped across the water straight for the third German battleship. Through the periscope Lord Hastings saw the German vessel give a great lurch, then leap almost clear from the water, where it seemed to hang suspended for a full minute, before it came down again. As it did so there was a blinding flash and a detonation that was heard in the submarine.
"Pierced her magazine!" said Lord Hastings quietly.
He stepped aside that Jack might have a look above.
The latter's eyes sought out the spot just in time to see the giant battleship split in twain and disappear beneath the sea. Farther back he saw the two others of the enemy listing badly to port, and knew that they had received their death blow.
The fourth and last vessel was still unharmed and was bearing down on them at full speed. Even as Jack looked there came a puff of smoke from one of her forward turrets and a great splash, less than a hundred yards ahead of the U-6, told that the submarine had been discovered.
"Submerge!" cried Jack.
Lord Hastings repeated the command immediately for he realized that the vessel must be in danger. Even as the periscope disappeared from sight, there was a second flash from the German and a shell glanced off the bow, sending the U-6 staggering and hurling the officers and crew to the floor.
The men picked themselves up quickly and all stood silent for a moment.
"Test the pumps quick!" was Lord Hastings' first command after he had regained his feet.
"No damage there, sir," came the cheering news a moment later.
"Signal the engine room! Something may have given way," ordered Lord Hastings.
This was done, but the engineer reported no damage.
Frank and Jack both breathed easier, as did Lord Hastings.
"A pretty narrow squeak," remarked Lord Hastings calmly.
"Rather, sir," agreed Jack dryly. "And now shall we go after the other one, sir?"
"I guess not," replied his commander. "After this day's work we can afford to let one escape. There is no use taking further chances. Besides, she'll be on the lookout for us and might cripple us the moment we showed ourselves. No; we'll head west again and won't come to the surface until we are well out of this. You may come about, Mr. Templeton, and proceed due west at ten knots."
This was done and the U-6 did not come to the surface again until her commander felt sure that he had no longer need to fear the single remaining German battleship. Then, upon the surface again, Lord Hastings, Frank and Jack ascended the bridge.
Through their glasses, far back, they could still see the German battleships, which, though wounded unto death, were still afloat, apparently battling desperately to resist the sea that was trying to draw them under. The water was still full of bobbing heads—the German sailors who had leaped into the sea.
"Poor fellows," said Lord Hastings compassionately.
"Why didn't the other ship stop and pick them up?" demanded Jack.
"Didn't have time, I guess," returned Jack dryly. "Her commander was in too big a hurry to get away from there. He deserves the same fate for running away from them, if you ask me."
"He certainly does," agreed Lord Hastings. "However, there is nothing we can do for the poor sailors in the water; we have no room for them here. They will have to shift for themselves. It's the fortune of war."
"And now where to, sir?" asked Frank.
Lord Hastings looked at him amusedly.
"I guess that is the hundredth time you have asked me that question," he said. "However, I don't mind answering it, although you will find some day, should you chance to serve under another commander, that such questions are not received with very good grace. I believe we shall take another little run into Ostend."
"Good, sir!" said Jack. "We did very well on our last trip. Perhaps we shall be fortunate enough to learn something this time."
"Who knows?" said Frank, with a shrug of his shoulders. "However, the nearer the enemy we are, the more chance for action. The sooner we get started the better I shall be pleased."
"It's a short run from here," said Lord Hastings, "and I believe we shall be safe enough if we make the attempt in broad daylight. We'll take a chance."
He gave the command to go forward and the U-6 moved swiftly ahead.
As Lord Hastings had said, it was not a long run, and two hours later, standing on the bridge, the boys made out in the distance the lofty spires and steeples that they felt sure was the Belgian seaport. And they were right.
The U-6 was not molested, not even challenged, as she moved slowly into port, flying the German flag, her officers and crew all attired in German uniforms.
"Where are all the big German battleships?" asked Frank in surprise, after sweeping his eye over the water in all directions in a vain effort to locate one of them.
Jack smiled.
"You ought to know there are no German battleships here," he said.
"But——" began Frank.
"The battleships are still safely bottled up in Heligoland," Jack explained. "While Ostend is called a German naval base, it is, strictly speaking, nothing but a submarine base. The under-sea boats have been able to run in here without much difficulty, but the larger vessels could hardly get by on the surface."
"I see," replied Frank. "I hadn't thought of that."
"But it seems to me we are getting in pretty easily," said Jack. "It's a wonder we are not challenged. I'm always suspicious of anything that is attained too easily. I wonder if we can be suspected?"
"Not likely," remarked Lord Hastings. "We've come pretty straight, in spite of our short stop. They could hardly have had word of the sinking of their vessels in the Thames as yet."
"Unless from Davis and his crew, sir," suggested Frank.
"I don't believe they have learned anything from Davis," Jack declared. "That bunch of vagabonds are probably prowling about seeking whom they may devour."
"And I have a faint hope that they may seek to devour us before long," said Frank with a smile.
"I've sort-o had that wish myself," Jack seconded his chum. "However, I feel certain that we shall come upon them sooner or later."
"And still," said Lord Hastings, "there really is no telling where they are likely to be. They can't wander too far from their base. They'll have to put in some place every so often, you know."
"They will live off their victims, providing they have any," said Frank. "To find them is like looking for a needle in a haystack. We might have to search the seven seas."
"And then not find them," Jack added.
"Well, if we do come up with them, I'd like to lay my hands on Davis," declared Frank.
Jack smiled.
"You laid hands on him last time, if I remember rightly," he said. "Also he laid hands on you, and a deal more roughly, too. He might not let you off so easily again."
"Think so, do you," said Frank, a little sulkily. "He was just lucky, that's all."
"It may have been a little luck," Jack admitted. "At the same time, you will have to give the fellow credit. He can use his hands. I guess if we encounter him again it will be up to me to handle him."
"You don't seem to have much confidence in yourself," remarked Frank sarcastically.
"Well, a fellow has to have confidence in this world," was his chum's reply. "It may be that he would be too much for me, too; but I've an idea I could take care of him."
"Well, you won't. He's my meat next time," declared Frank.
"We won't argue about it," smiled Jack. "We'll let events shape themselves when the time comes. Only, if he falls to my lot, I'll try to even up your score, too."
"And if he comes to me," grinned Frank, "I'll put in a few blows for you, seeing that you are so obliging."