CHAPTER XIII
END OF THE SUBMARINE FLEET
There were now opposed to the four remaining submarines, two American and one British cruiser and two British torpedo destroyers. Two U-boats had been sunk by the allied fleet and so far the submarines had failed to deliver an effective blow.
Lord Hastings now commanded his ships to spread out a trifle more—this giving them more room to act while at the same time interposing an effective barrier against torpedoes before the transports.
Aboard these transports the men were straining their eyes to get a view of the battle and chafing at their inability to take a hand. And yet there was hardly a man aboard the transports who did not realize that in an encounter with a submarine, a troop ship nine times out of ten would come off second best.
Denied the privilege of taking a hand, therefore, they stood at the rails of the various ships and cheered on the fighting vessels.
There was an explosion as a torpedo found the hull of the destroyer Halifax. The ship wabbled crazily in her course, then dashed forward again. Apparently she was not badly hurt.
A shell from one of the guns mounted by the first submarine, a moment later, landed squarely aboard the same destroyer and carried away her superstructure. Men fell to the deck dead or badly wounded.
"First blood for the Germans," said Jack to himself.
Apparently angered at this German success, the second British destroyer, the Angelic, darted forward and attacked the submarine with such abandon and effectiveness that she was forced to give the destroyer its entire attention. Twice the Angelic maneuvered out of the path of a torpedo, and then, with a well directed shot, put the submarine out of the battle. This shell caught the U-boat along side the conning tower. Iron and steel flew high in the air, and, descending, scattered death among the crew. Thus crippled, a second shot from the Angelic disposed of her entirely and she sank beneath the waves.
There were now but three submarines left.
"Great Scott! It's a wonder they don't submerge," said Frank. "Wonder if they think they can lick us?"
The answer came from the enemy. All three simultaneously launched torpedoes at the Lawrence. It was absolutely impossible for Lord Hastings to maneuver the ship out of the way of all three missiles. He did the best he could, but one of the projectiles penetrated the side of the ship and pierce the engine room.
There was a loud explosion from below. Lord Hastings turned to Frank.
"Go below and report," he said quietly.
Frank hurried away. Meanwhile, unmindful that the Lawrence might have received a vital wound, Lord Hastings pressed even closer toward the enemy.
In the boiler room Frank found confusion. Three men had been killed by the explosion. Half a dozen others had been wounded by pieces of flying steel or splinters, while several had been badly scalded by escaping water and steam.
Frank approached McMullen, the chief engineer.
"What's your damage?" he asked.
"Just what you see," replied the engineer, with a wave of his band.
"We're still able to proceed?"
"Yes, sir; and we are proceeding."
Frank could see that this was right. He went on deck again.
"Three killed and a dozen wounded, sir," he reported to Lord Hastings.
"No vital damage, sir."
"Very good!" returned Lord Hastings, and turned away with a command for
Jack.
The British vessels were now pouring such a stream of shells upon the enemy that it seemed impossible the submarines could survive. But the little craft stuck doggedly to their work and launched torpedo after torpedo at the British and Americans.
"Looks like they had decided to lick us or to go down fighting," Frank said to Jack.
"If that's the case," was Jack's reply, "they'll go down fighting."
The German submarines made no offer to retreat. They stood their ground bravely enough.
Suddenly one of them blew up with a loud explosion. A shot from the cruiser Sandusky had found its mark.
"Only two now," said Frank. "Surely they, won't continue the fight."
But continue the fight the Germans did. Another torpedo struck the Lawrence forward and exploded with a loud detonation. The Lawrence staggered a trifle, but moved forward. Apparently the wound was not serious.
The British and Americans were right upon them now. Regardless of possible torpedoes, Lord Hastings pressed on. He knew that he now had the two remaining submarines in his grasp, and that while it was possible a torpedo would dispose of the Lawrence, other British and American ships would account for the enemy. Therefore, while not exposing himself needlessly, he advanced with more abandon than before.
One, two torpedoes exploded forward and each time the Lawrence staggered. Then the moment for which Lord Hastings had been waiting presented itself.
A brief command to the helmsman and the Lawrence again veered sharply. She headed straight for the nearest submarine, now only yards away. In vain the German commander attempted to get his boat out of harm's way. The sharp prow of the Lawrence found its mark and the German submarine was crushed like an egg shell.
So there was but one of the enemy left afloat.
"We'll lose him, sure," said Jack, alarmed that one of the enemy might escape. "He'll submerge."
Indeed, it seemed that this would have been the wise thing to do.
Instead, however, a white flag appeared from the periscope.
"Great Scott! Surrender!" cried Frank. "I wonder why? All he had to do was submerge."
Jack shrugged his shoulders.
"Too deep for me," he said. "However, I guess the German commander has had fighting a-plenty."
At the appearance of the white flag the British ships ceased their fire. A German appeared through the conning tower. He carried signal flags, which he waved. The signal officer aboard the Lawrence replied.
"Says he has surrendered and that he and his men will come aboard, sir," reported the signal officer.
"I read him," returned Lord Hastings, to whom signaling was no secret. "Tell him we'll send boats for him and his men and to be ready, for we shall sink his vessel as soon as all are safely aboard the Lawrence."
Again the flags flashed their message. Then the German disappeared.
He came on deck again a moment later, however. Men followed him. Lord
Hastings ordered several small boats launched, and these put off toward
the submarine.
"You can't tell me," said Frank to Jack, "that everything is right.
There is something funny about this."
"Well, what is it?" demanded Jack.
"I don't know what it is, but I've a feeling—"
Frank broke off suddenly and ran to Lord Hastings.
"Treachery!" he cried. "There is something wrong, sir."
Lord Hastings looked at the lad in amazement.
"What's that?" he demanded.
"There is something wrong, sir," said Frank quickly. "I have a feeling that the Germans are plotting treachery."
Lord Hastings smiled.
"I guess it's too late for that," he said grimly.
"However, I'm glad you warned me. I'll take the necessary precaution.
Have one of the forward guns trained on the submarine, Mr. Chadwick."
Frank hurried away with a feeling of some relief, but he was not fully satisfied.
The gun trained on the submarine, he stood by quietly.
Apparently all the Germans were now on the deck of the little submarine. The British small boats had approached close—almost close enough to take off the German crew and the German commander.
Suddenly there was a hiss from the submarine. A torpedo flashed from the side of the little vessel. It whizzed past the Lawrence and sped straight toward the closest American transport.
Frank gave a cry of alarm and then commanded the man who stood by the gun already trained on the submarine: "Fire!"
"Boom!" the big gun spoke.
Then there came a terrific explosion. The German submarine, with its officers and crew upon its deck, was hurled high in the air as the Lawrence's shell burst squarely amidships. It came down in a million pieces.
Alongside, the British boats sent to take off the Germans rocked crazily for several moments on the angry waves. When these became still, there was no German nor submarine to be seen.
Thanks to the watchfulness of the commander of the transport, the ship had been able to escape the torpedo so treacherously launched by the Germans; so no harm had been done.
Lord Hastings approached Frank and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Quick work, Frank," he said. "I should have listened to you.
However, nothing has come of the treachery. But I have learned that
there is nothing sacred in the Hun mind. I shall never trust another
German!"