CHAPTER VII
ABOARD THE STRANGER
It was the steamer Gloucester that the Vaterland had sighted and which had heaved to in response to the Vaterland's shot across her bow. The Gloucester was a small steamer, more on the order of a pleasure yacht than a freight vessel.
In one of the cabins, as the vessel came to, sat a man in an invalid chair. Beside him stood a huge negro.
"See what the trouble is, Tom," ordered the invalid as the ship's engines stopped.
The negro hurried on deck, but was back in a few minutes, breathing excitedly.
"It's the raider, suh," he said. "The Vaterland."
"Good!" said the man in the invalid's chair. "Wheel me on deck, Tom."
The negro did as ordered. There the invalid passed the word for the captain, who came toward him.
"Yes, sir," said Captain Tucker, saluting.
"The vessel ahead, I understand," said the invalid, "is the Vaterland?"
"It is, Mr. Hamilton."
"Very good. Call the first, second and third officers."
The captain obeyed and a few moments later the three officers stood before Hamilton.
"You must not forget, gentlemen," said 'Hamilton, "that we are bound simply on a pleasure cruise. I was not willing that a German raider should interfere with the prescription of an ocean voyage ordered by, my physician. You understand?"
The officers nodded.
The men were: First officer, Mr. Sanborn; second officer, Mr.
Partridge, and third officer, Mr. Richardson.
"Very well, then," said Mr. Hamilton. "That is all."
He turned again to the negro. "Tom," he said, "bring my bags and stow them in the cutter yonder. We will be taken prisoners aboard the raider."
The negro did as commanded and again took his stand by Hamilton.
"Mind, Tom," said Mr. Hamilton, "no weapons."
"None, suh?" questioned the negro.
"Not a single one."
"Well, suh," said the negro, "dis ain't no weapon I got here. I just carry it for luck, Mistah Hamilton."
He displayed a pair of brass knuckles.
"Very well," said Mr. Hamilton, "but be sure you put them where they will not be found."
"Dey won't find 'em," chuckled the negro.
He rolled up the leg of one trouser and stowed the brass knuckles carefully in the top of his sock.
As the Vaterland's small boat approached the Gloucester, Captain Tucker ordered a gangway rigged. Mr. Hamilton's chair was wheeled to this gangway, and those aboard waited the arrival of the German officer in the small boat.
Lieutenant Blum, the Vaterland's officer, leaped nimbly over the rail.
"The captain?" he demanded.
Captain Tucker stepped forward. "I'm Captain Tucker," he said. "This," he indicated Mr. Hamilton, "is the owner, Mr. Hamilton, who is on a voyage for his health."
"I'm sorry his health cannot be given more consideration," said
Lieutenant Blum, "but I am under necessity of sinking your ship. Mr.
Hamilton may continue his voyage aboard the Vaterland."
The prisoners were safely transferred to the Vaterland and a short time later a rumbling explosion marked the end of the steamer Gloucester.
Mr. Hamilton, through the courtesy of Captain Koenig, was assigned one of the larger cabins, near the captain's own. Hamilton spoke to Captain Koenig in fluent German. The German captain seemed to take considerable interest in the invalid.
As the chair of the invalid was wheeled along the deck, the invalid glanced sharply at Jack and Frank. Neither lad manifested the slightest surprise and Mr. Hamilton was soon out of sight.
Members of the crew of the Gloucester, all except the negro Torn, who was to be allowed to tend Mr. Hamilton personally, were soon locked safely between decks and the Vaterland proceeded on her way.
Several hours later, Captain Koenig, in paying a visit to the cabin found the latter studying over a chess board.
"Ha!" exclaimed Captain Koenig. "So you play chess, eh?"
"A little," said Mr. Hamilton.
"That is fortunate," declared the captain. "I too love the game. I shall be pleased to have you play with me at some future time."
"I shall be glad, Captain," said Mr. Hamilton quietly.
The German commander soon took his leave. Hamilton turned to the negro, who, upon the captain's departure, had taken the brass knuckles from his sock and was examining them carefully.
"Tom," said he, "if you don't keep those knuckles out of sight I shall heave them overboard."
"Yussuh," exclaimed Tom, and hid the knuckles hastily.
"Listen to me, Tom," said Hamilton. "Whenever I am in here I want you to station yourself outside the door. And I want you to tell me before you let any one in, understand?"
"Yussuh."
"And mind you keep those knuckles out of sight. There'll be no use for them until I give the word. Remember that."
"Yussuh."
There came a knock on the door and Hamilton fell back on his cushions as he ordered Tom to open the door. A moment later girl introduced herself and then said:
"I've come to see you because we are fellow prisoners, Mr. Hamilton, and to see if there is anything I can do for you. I know you cannot help yourself, being an invalid."
Mr. Hamilton smiled.
"Don't you worry about me, young woman," he said. "I'm not half so helpless as you think. See?"
Mr. Hamilton stood up, dropped the robe from his lap and skipped nimbly across the cabin.
Elizabeth Wheaton stepped back in surprise.
"But I thought—" she began.
"So does Captain Koenig," said Hamilton with a smile. "By the way,
Miss Wheaton, are you armed?"
"No."
Hamilton explored the seat of his chair. He produced a box, which he opened. There lay at least a dozen shining automatics. Hamilton gave one to the girl.
"Take this," he said simply. "You may have need of it, although if nothing goes wrong with my plans, all will be well."
The girl took the weapon and hid it in the folds of her dress. At that moment Tom poked his head in the door indicating that some one was approaching. Miss Wheaton left the cabin without another word.
A moment later Jack and Frank entered the cabin. Mr. Hamilton, who was again in his invalid chair covered with a robe, leaped to his feet and extended a hand to each lad.
"By Jove! We are glad to see you, sir," said Frank, "although we did not expect you so soon."
"I started sooner than I had expected," laughed Lord Hastings, for such
Mr. Hamilton proved to be. "Have you found out the lay of the land?"
"Yes, sir," replied Jack, and explained briefly. He produced a long sheet of paper, which he passed to Lord Hastings.
"What's this?" demanded the latter.
"Deck plan, sir," said Jack quietly. "I obtained it from Captain
Koenig, sir, though he doesn't know it."
"Very good," said Lord Hastings, and examined it carefully.
Jack put a finger to the paper.
"There," he pointed out, "is the second deck. In here are the prisoners of the Algonquin and the Gloucester. In the compartment below are perhaps two hundred other prisoners. Abaft this compartment is the strong room in which are the small arms and ammunition. Lieutenant Blum carries the keys. In there, too, are hundreds of rifles."
"Very well," said Lord Hastings, and briefly sketched a plan of action. Then he added:
"This work must be done promptly and there must be no slip. A slip means failure. Now follow the instructions I give you."
He spoke softly for perhaps fifteen minutes, and when Frank and Jack took their leave at the expiration of that period, the faces of both were flushed.
"At 11 o'clock tomorrow morning," Jack whispered.
"Be a sailor," Frank instructed. "You mean six bells."
"All right," laughed Jack. "Have it your own way. Six bells or 11 o'clock. We'll be ready."