Then there came an explosion even louder than the rest. The great ship parted in the middle as though cut by a knife. A huge tongue of flame shot high in the air. Hoarse cries from aboard, screams and frightful yells. Split in twain, the vessel settled fore and aft.
A second huge tongue of flame leaped into the sky; and then the vessel disappeared beneath the sea.
Giant waves leaped in the direction taken by Jack, Frank and Harris. The sea churned angrily about them and the three had all they could do to keep their heads above water. Then the water calmed down. Frank looked around and there, not fifty feet away, rolling gently on the waves, was the small boat so recently lowered over the side of the German vessel.
With a cry to the others to follow him, Frank turned about and headed for the boat with powerful strokes.
CHAPTER XX
FRIENDS AND FOES
There was reason for Frank's haste.
Swimming close together and bearing down upon the boat from the opposite direction—almost as close from their side as Frank was from his—four German sailors were racing.
They espied Frank and his friends at almost the same moment Frank saw them. One uttered a cry and the others redoubled their efforts to beat Frank to the boat.
Jack and Harris took in the situation quickly. It was then that Jack exerted himself to the utmost. His great, powerful strokes sent him skimming through the water as lightly as a denizen of the deep. A dozen strokes and he had passed Frank. A few more only, it seemed, and he laid hold of the boat and drew himself aboard. Standing erect he looked around quickly. Then, stepping forward, he picked up an oar. He moved to the side of the boat where the Germans were approaching and raised the oar aloft.