CHAPTER XII
PRISONERS OF WAR
"YOUR bird," wirelessed Lieutenant-Commander Ronald Tressidar, D.S.O., of H.M. Destroyer "Antipas."
"Thanks," was Barcroft's laconic reply.
"Stand by and pick up the pieces."
The "Antipas" approached rapidly, manoeuvring to keep bows on to the U-boat's stern. Fritz is a treacherous skunk to deal with. The modern pirates lack even the faint spark of chivalry that was to be occasionally met with in the German Navy during the earlier stages of the Great War. If the crew of the surrendered craft had an opportunity it was just possible that they might have let fly at the destroyer with a torpedo; consequently, in the knowledge that there was no sting in the submarine's tail, Tressidar took the precaution already referred to.
"Away whaler," ordered the lieutenant-commander. "I suppose the bounders have opened the sea-cocks, Mr. Holcombe, but make sure on that point."
The whaler was manned and lowered, with Sub-Lieutenant Holcombe in command. Only a distance of two cables' lengths separated the "Antipas" from Barcroft's prize.
"We surrender!" announced von Loringhoven, as the boat ran alongside U 254.
"So I understand," replied Holcombe. "If you've been trying to scuttle your hooker, take my tip and close the valves. We are about to take you in tow."
"Himmel!" ejaculated the ober-leutnant. "It is impossible. Every plate in the hull is strained."
"I'll satisfy myself on that point," rejoined the sub. "If you play any monkey tricks there'll be trouble for the whole crowd of you."
Agilely Holcombe boarded the submarine, bidding the whaler lay off at two lengths' distance and not to take off any of the prisoners until he gave orders.
"I suppose," he remarked, addressing the ober-leutnant, "that every man on board is now on deck?"
"Yes, every man," declared von Loringhoven in an assumed tone of pained surprise. "For why do you ask?"
"Because," replied Holcombe, looking the ober-leutnant straight in the face, "one of our destroyers picked up two survivors of the s.s. 'Guiding Star' yesterday. Something seems to have gone wrong with your spurlos versenkt plans, Herr Kapitan. One of the men stated that the master of the tramp was taken on board U 254 as a prisoner. Where is he?"
Von Loringhoven was trembling like a leaf.
"I had forgotten him," he stammered.
It was only half a truth. In the wild rush for the open air the ober-leutnant had overlooked the fact that the staunch old British merchant skipper was still locked up in one of the store rooms. Afterwards he had decided to let the prisoner stay, since his appearance might lead to awkward questions being asked. With the amount of water already in the hull of the submarine, he argued with himself, no inquisitive Englishman would dare to go below to investigate. But he was very much mistaken.
"It is not too late to make reparation for your thoughtlessness, Herr Kapitan," said Holcombe sternly. "Lead the way below to where the prisoner is confined. I will accompany you."
Von Loringhoven began to give instructions in German to one of his men, but the sub shut him up very promptly.
"No deputies are permitted for this business," he observed. "Lead on, Herr Kapitan. For the second and last time, I order you. Until the master of the s.s. 'Guiding Star' is rescued, not a man of the crew of this vessel will be removed."
Several of the Huns who understood English immediately offered their services, but Holcombe "turned them down." His anger was aroused and he meant to give the brutally callous ober-leutnant a practical lesson.
In desperation von Loringhoven descended the steel ladder in the interior of the conning tower, Holcombe following him closely. By the aid of an electric torch the sub realised that the ober-leutnant's description of the state of the prize was not exaggerated. Already the water was ankle-deep above the floor, surging sullenly with every sluggish motion of the slowly foundering U-boat. In a dozen places jets of water were squirting through the strained plates, the sound of splattering liquid echoing and re-echoing in the confined space.
With a master-key von Loringhoven unlocked the door of the prisoner's cramped quarters. If he had expected to see a terrified man he was mistaken, for the sturdy old skipper was at least outwardly unperturbed.
"Glad you've come, sir," he exclaimed as he caught sight of a British naval uniform. "I thought it was all U P with me this time, but there was one consolation: I wasn't going to Davy Jones with a crowd of dirty Huns for messmates."
"If you don't look sharp and get a move on you'll have one at all events," said Holcombe, indicating the still trembling ober-leutnant, who was casting anxious glances, first at his late prisoner and then at the steadily rising water.
Upon regaining the deck the sub ordered the whaler alongside. The master of the "Guiding Star" was assisted into the stern-sheets: he was too weak with the reaction following his release to trust to his own limbs. Then, one by one, the prisoners were ordered into the boat, while Holcombe, with the ensign of the prize under his arm, was the last to leave. He was only just in time, for the U-boat's deck was now awash. Before the whaler had rowed a hundred yards U 254 brought her career of black and ignominious piracy to a close by seeking a final resting-place on the bed of the Atlantic.
"It's fortunate for those fellows that you are on board the 'Antipas,'" was Lieutenant-Commander Tressidar's greeting to the master mariner. "My sub, Mr. Holcombe, had definite instructions on that point."
"Murderous swine!" growled the skipper of the torpedoed tramp. "I haven't a doubt that they deliberately killed my two boats' crews in cold blood, although I didn't see it myself."
"All but two," corrected Tressidar. "One of our destroyers found them clinging to the wreckage of a boat. The bow portion was cut clean away and floated bottom upward. The poor fellows had the sense to get underneath, and so balked the Huns. Yes, justice will be done, although, thank goodness, retribution is in worthier hands than mine."
There was no sloppy sentimentality in Ronald Tressidar's character. Knowing the U-boat's crew to be pirates and murderers he treated them with scant consideration. Von Loringhoven, Kuhlberg, and their men were ordered below and placed under lock and key, while the "Antipas," having hoisted in the whaler, started off to overtake the still manfully labouring "Tantalus."
"By Jove, Holcombe!" observed the lieutenant-commander to his sub as they stood upon the bridge and kept the torpedoed cruiser under observation by means of their binoculars, "the old hooker looks like fetching home after all. She doesn't appear to be listing much more. Wonder where Barcroft has bundled off to?"
"The Blimp did jolly well, sir," remarked Holcombe. "Only I can't quite make out why she didn't pulverise the U-boat."
"Nor can I," agreed Tressidar. "I'd dearly like to pull Barcroft's leg over the business, only he might retaliate by asking how we came to miss the strafed Hun with our depth charge. Hullo! there's the Blimp—still strafing something, I believe."
The airship, almost invisible against the grey sky, was about ten miles astern. Two faintly muffled reports indicated the present nature of her business.
"Any wireless from 144A?" inquired Tressidar of the telegraphist.
"No, sir."
"Then get a message through. Inquire if any assistance is needed."
It was five minutes later, by which time the Blimp was lost to sight, that the reply came through.
"No assistance necessary. Mine-laying sub-marine properly strafed this time."
The lieutenant-commander and the sub exchanged glances.
"That's a nasty one," remarked Tressidar. "Barcroft's evidently blaming us for getting in his way when he kippered U 254. I remember——"
"Look, sir," interrupted Holcombe. "The old 'Tantalus' is going."
Levelling his glasses in the direction of the stricken cruiser, Tressidar realised that her end was nigh. Apparently a bulkhead had given way, admitting an enormous quantity of water, for the vessel was heeling to an angle of forty-five degrees, while her stern was lifting until the blades of the remaining propeller were churning the water into cauldrons of foam.
While the "Antipas" was hurrying to the assistance of the foundering "Tantalus" the lieutenant of the destroyer mounted the bridge.
"Here's a curious bit of documentary evidence to find on the person of a Hun, sir," he remarked, tendering Tressidar a folded piece of paper. "While we were examining the pirate chief's belongings I came across this. It was in his pocket-book."
"H'm!" commented Tressidar. "This will want some explanation. A bill for a dinner for two at the Imperial Hotel, Trebalda. That's somewhere in North Cornwall, I believe. Let me see, what's the date? By Jove! The consummate cheek of the fellow. He was evidently ashore a little more than forty-eight hours ago."
"Up to some underhand mischief, I'll be bound, sir," remarked the lieutenant.
"Looks like it, Mr. Palmer," agreed the lieutenant-commander. "If you have no objection, I'll take charge of this scrap of paper. Meanwhile we have more urgent work in hand."
And he indicated the stricken cruiser, still battling gamely in her attempt to reach shallow water.