Then the D-16 turned in the direction of the allied fleet.
CHAPTER XXVII.
A DESPERATE UNDERTAKING.
The D-16 made the return journey very slowly, for the master hand of Lord Hastings was lacking and Frank, being no navigator and his knowledge of the lay of the land very poor, was forced to proceed cautiously. In Lord Hastings’ cabin, Jack was still busy dressing his commander’s wound.
He found, after an examination, that it was not as serious as he had at first feared. The long bladed knife had caught Lord Hastings on the left side, halfway between the waist and the shoulder, and, turning up, had opened a deep gash clear to the shoulder. Lord Hastings was very weak, for the wound had bled profusely, but he was in no danger.
Jack performed a creditable operation upon the wound, and after he had bandaged it carefully, Lord Hastings lay back and went quietly to sleep. Then Jack took command of the vessel.
It was early morning when Jack gave the signal to rise, for he wanted to be sure that he had passed all danger points before coming to the surface. When they did bob up from beneath the water, he found that he had gone too far by more than a mile. However, no harm was done, and the D-16 was quickly brought about and soon lay under the lee of the Queen Elizabeth.
Here she lay till midday when Jack went aboard to report. The commander was very anxious when he learned that Lord Hastings was wounded, but he accepted Jack’s report instead and announced that he would visit Lord Hastings some time during the day.
“Well,” said Frank to his commander as he sat at his side, “I guess this settles our Constantinople trip.”
“Why so?” asked Lord Hastings.
Frank was surprised.