“It is rough on the sailors,” Dan agreed, “so I shall have to apologize to your ‘common sailors’ and ask them to endure your company. If they maltreat you, you can make complaint, you know.”
It required two husky sailors to drag Sparnheim below. Witz, who was more tractable, went as ordered, head down, and eyes lowered.
“The air is sweeter now that they’re gone,” Dan confided to his chum.
“Much!” Dave agreed, dryly.
Soon after that the last of the survivors from the sunken steamship were picked up and made as comfortable as possible.
It was not until the following morning that these survivors, and the German prisoners as well, were transferred to an in-bound destroyer.
Then the “Prince,” with a farewell toot of her whistle to the destroyer, turned her nose about and steamed off in search of such further enterprise as the broad sea might hold in store for her.
[CHAPTER XX—DAN STALKS A CAUTIOUS ENEMY]
“Shall we escort you in?”
It was the following morning, and the “Prince” was proceeding eastward. An American destroyer, roaring along on her way, funnels belching clouds of black smoke, her engines at full speed, her whole frame quivering, sent this signal to the “Prince”: