CHAPTER XV
UNDER THE TRICOLOR
It was to be many a long day before Frank and Jack were destined to see London again.
All day, following the loss of the Lena, the little boats bobbed up and down on the smooth sea, as they headed eastward as fast as strong British arms could drive them. All day the sun shone brightly, but as night drew on the air became cold and penetrating. The men wrapped themselves up as tightly as they could but even this did not keep out the chill.
Frank and Jack took turns sleeping and in keeping watch. At length the darkness began to give way to light; and, in the cold gray dawn of another day Jack, standing watch in the first boat, made out something in the distance that caused him to utter a loud cry.
Because of the intense darkness they had approached thus close without having gained a glimpse of what Jack now saw.
It was land.
Frank, aroused by Jack's cry, was on his feet in an instant and echoed his friend's cry of joy.
"Where do you suppose we are?" he asked.
"At a rough guess, I should say off the coast of France," was
Jack's reply.
"Good! Then we should be perfectly safe."
"I wouldn't be too sure of that," said Jack. "You never can tell what is going to happen in times like these. However, we will land as soon as possible."
The sun was high in the sky when the first of the little boats, rounding a sharp promontory, came in sight of a large vessel. She was plainly a ship of war, anchored a mile off the coast in a little bay. Beyond the lads could make out the houses of what appeared to be a small town.
"Wonder what place that is?" said Frank.
"I don't know," replied Jack, "but we'll soon find out. See!
Our presence has been discovered."
Frank looked in the direction Jack pointed. It was true. They were close enough to the vessel now for the lads to make out several figures standing upon the deck, pointing toward them and gesticulating.
A moment later and the guns on the vessel shone in the sunlight, as the ship came about. They were pointed squarely at the little British flotilla.
A flag was quickly, run up to the masthead. The boys made it out in an instant—the tricolor of France. A cheer went up from the British sailors, and in one of the boats a sailor sprang to his feet and waved a British ensign above his head.
This was seen from the deck of the French vessel, and several small boats were hurriedly manned and came toward the British. Within hailing distance a voice cried out in French:
"Who are you and where from?"
"British prize crew aboard German merchantman, which was sunk by a German cruiser yesterday," Jack shouted back.
The French boats approached closer. The men in them were all armed, and it was plainly apparent they were not too confident of the identity of the British. They held their rifles ready for instant use, and small rapid-firers in the prow of each craft were ready for business.
But now that the French had approached close enough for their commander to distinguish the faces of the English sailors the tenseness of the French sailors relaxed, and they came on more confidently. The French officer ran his boat close to the one occupied by Frank and Jack and leaped lightly aboard it. The lads rose to greet him.
All three saluted, and the French officer said:
"I'm glad to see you."
"Not half as glad as we are to see you," replied Jack with enthusiasm. "This time yesterday we didn't know whether we would ever see land again or not."
"You have been adrift all that time?" questioned the officer.
"Yes, sir."
"You said something about having been sunk by a German cruiser.
Why didn't they pick you up?"
"Because they were already at the bottom of the sea," replied
Jack calmly.
"You mean that you sunk them with the small guns of your ship?" asked the officer in great wonderment.
"Yes," replied Jack briefly. "We were fortunate enough to do that with our last shot."
"Good for you!" ejaculated the officer. "But come! You must go aboard the Marie Theresa. Captain Dreyfuss will indeed be glad to greet two such gallant Englishmen."
It was fully half an hour later, the lads in the meantime having seen to the disposition of the British sailors aboard the French cruiser, before Jack and Frank were seated in the commander's cabin, relating their experiences to him.
"And what do you plan to do now?" asked the commander, after he had complimented the boys upon their gallant conduct.
"Well," replied Frank, "we had thought of returning to London.
By the way, just whereabouts are we?"
The commander swept an arm in the direction of the little town.
"That," he said, "is St. Julien, on the southern coast of France. Bordeaux is to the north, and, in the event that you are planning to return to London, it will be necessary to go that way. If I were bound that way, I would gladly land you there, but I am not."
"May I ask which way you are going?" asked Frank.
"I am bound for the Adriatic," replied the commander, "to join the rest of the French fleet blockading the Austrians there."
"By Jove!" ejaculated Jack suddenly, struck with a sudden idea.
"Why cannot we go with you, Captain Dreyfuss."
"Go with me?" echoed the commander of the Marie Theresa.
"Yes," cried Frank, falling in with the idea at once. "May we, captain?"
The captain mused silently for some time.
"It would be very irregular," he said at length.
"We would certainly be pleased to see service under another flag," persisted Jack.
"Indeed we would," agreed Frank; "and we would be willing to go in any capacity. If we go to London we may have a long wait before being assigned to another ship."
Suddenly Captain Dreyfuss slapped his leg with his hand and got to his feet.
"It shall be done," he said; "and, I may say that I shall be glad of your company. I will have you shown your quarters. As it happens, I am short handed. I shall see that your crew is set ashore and given passage for London."
At his signal a young midshipman entered the cabin and came to attention.
"I place these young men in your charge," Captain Dreyfuss said to him. "You will show them quarters. From this time on they will be your shipmates."
The young Frenchman saluted, and the lads followed him from the commander's cabin.
He showed them to very neat quarters and said abruptly:
"You will bunk here."
He departed without another word. Frank and Jack stared after him in some surprise.
"Nice, pleasant companion he'll make," said Frank with fine sarcasm.
"I should say so," answered Jack. "From his actions you'd think we had done something to offend him."
"Oh, well," said Frank, "I guess we don't need to worry a whole lot about him."
"No," said Jack, "but just the same I would rather be on good terms with all on board."
The British sailors had now been gathered on deck and Frank and Jack went up to bid them goodbye. As they were rowed away in the direction of the little town the sailors stood up in the boats and gave three lusty cheers for both lads. The lads waved their hats at them.
"You'd think these English were somebody," came a voice from Frank's elbow, and turning the lad saw several French midshipmen standing nearby. "They leave us to do all the fighting," continued one, whom Frank now recognized as the one who had escorted them to their quarters. "If they fought as well as they talk, this war wouldn't last long."
Frank took a quick step toward the speaker, but Jack's hand fell on his arm and stayed him.
"Quiet," said Jack. "We don't want to have any trouble with them. Besides their words do not apply to you. You are American."
"You are right," said Frank, and turned away.
Suddenly Captain Dreyfuss' voice rang out on the bridge. Instantly all became bustle and confusion. The Marie Theresa was about to get under way. Not yet having been assigned to their duties, Jack and Frank stood a little to one side.
Slowly the big battle cruiser got under way. With her flag flying proudly, she turned her stern toward the shore and made for the open sea. Soon she was heading southward at full speed.
Now a second midshipman approached the lads.
"I am instructed to show you your duties," he said, without enthusiasm, and the boys could see that he was not well pleased with his task.
Frank stepped up to him and held out his hand. "See here," he said, "why can't we be friends?"
The Frenchman took the proffered hand and shook it half-heartedly. He glanced furtively about, evidently in fear that some of his comrades might see him in this compromising situation. Then, as rapidly as possible, he instructed the lads in their tasks.
"And now," he concluded, "dinner is ready. You will mess with the other midshipmen. Come, will show you the way."
Without a word the lads followed him. The long table was already filled. + But there were still some vacant seats. Frank and Jack dropped into these.
"Midshipman Templeton and Midshipman Chadwick," said their escort, introducing them to the rest, with a sweep of his arm.
Frank and Jack rose from their seats and bowed. The young Frenchmen barely acknowledged the introduction with nods of their heads.
Frank's face flushed, and he made as if to rise, but, again Jack stayed him, and they fell to eating in silence. Several times during the meal some Frenchman inadvertently made a remark derogatory to the fighting ability of the English.
Frank held his temper, though his face burned,'' and Jack was fearful that his friend would soon be mixed up in trouble again. However, the meal finally came to an end, and Jack and Frank arose with the others to leave the room.
To the deck below, where the midshipmen were wont to spend most of their leisure hours, the lads followed the Frenchmen. Here some drew cigarettes from their pockets, and, in spite of the regulations against this practice, proceeded to light up in most approved style.
Then they broke up into little knots, and Jack and Frank found themselves left to themselves.
"Come," said Jack at length, "we might as well go on deck."
He took Frank by the arm and started away. As they neared the door, a big, hulking Frenchman suddenly stretched forth a foot, and Frank, who had not noticed this obstruction, tripped and fell heavily to the deck.
He was up in a moment, his face a dull red. He turned on the now giggling midshipmen, angrily.
"Who did that?" he demanded, taking a step forward and doubling up his fists.
A laugh went round the room, but there was, no reply.
"Who did that?" demanded Frank again.
The big French middie who had tripped the lad stepped forward.
"I did it," he replied, thrusting out his face. "What of it?"
"Just this," replied Frank, and started forward. Jack stopped him.
"Here's where I get into this," he said quietly. "I tried to keep out, but it's no use. Stand aside, Frank, can't you see you are no match for him."
"Step aside nothing," said Frank, struggling, in Jack's grasp.
"I never saw a Frenchman yet I couldn't lick."
"Well," said Jack calmly, "this is one you won't lick. I'm going to do it myself. It's my fight, anyway in vain did Frank struggle. He was like a child in his friend's strong hands."
The big Frenchman thrust his face forward again.
"So you are going to interfere, are you?" he said.
"Yes," said Jack pleasantly, "and you'll wish I hadn't."
"Then take that," cried the Frenchman, and struck out suddenly.
Jack leaped back quickly, but he was not swift enough to entirely avoid the blow. A tiny stream of blood trickled from his nose. Without a word he calmly drew a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped away the red drops. Then he stepped forward and spoke to all.
"Now," he said quietly, "this chap is going to pay for that. Are you gentlemen here? Will you see that this is conducted in a proper manner, or is it to be a rough-and-tumble?"
One of the French middies stepped forward suddenly. He offered
Jack his hand.
"I'll see that it is conducted ship-shape," he said. "You impress me as a brave man, and I'll see that you get fair play."
"Thanks," said Jack laconically, accepting his hand.
"I might as well tell you, however," continued the Frenchman, "that you are up against more than your match. This man is one of the heavyweight aspirants for the championship of the French navy, and has several scalps to his credit."
"I guess he hasn't bumped up against an Englishman," was Jack's reply.
"What's it to be?" asked the Frenchman.
"Anything suits me," said Jack.
"To a finish," grumbled Jack's antagonist.
Quickly a square was marked off, and, enjoining the spectators to silence, the young Frenchman who appeared more friendly than the rest as self-appointed referee called time.
Jack and his opponent squared off.