The Rival Submarines

by Percy F. Westerman

It was tricky work transhipping the gun to the submarine, for the "Aphrodite," with nearly fifteen feet freeboard, was rolling heavily. The men were working in the dark since the searchlight could not be swung from off the shore without attracting the Somalis to closer range. Even as it was chance bullets were impingeing upon the submarine's plating, while one cut a clean hole through the side of the cutter, fortunately without hitting any of the men on her.

As soon as the gun was safely housed below steps were taken to spend the rest of the night in quietness. The boats of the "Iticaba" were heavily ballasted and their bungs removed, so that they sunk to the bottom of the creek. Thus they were immune from danger from the enemy's rifle bullets, while, when occasion arose, they could easily be raised and again pressed into service.

Reluctantly the survivors of the "Iticaba" went below. The men were temporarily quartered for'ard in one of the store compartments, their comrades of the "Aphrodite" making them as comfortable as they could; while Captain Rees and his first mate were accommodated in Kenwyn's cabin, that officer having to share Devoran's quarters.

But when the "Aphrodite" settled easily upon the bed of the creek and nothing alarming occurred, the rescued men's misgivings were set at rest, and before long, worn out with fatigue, exposure, and excitement they were sound asleep, regardless of the fact that thirty or forty feet above them the seas were tumbling wildly into the exposed inlet.

Throughout the rest of the night the Somalis wasted their ammunition in firing at the position where they last saw the submarine lying, and with the dawn the anchorage was bare. Their losses were made light of, for, according to their belief, they had rid the world of a shipload of unbelievers. No doubt they were a little disappointed that there were no trophies of their victory, but they contented themselves with removing the wreckage and stores washed ashore from the ill-fated "Iticaba," which had completely broken up during the gale.

Early on the morning of the second day of the "Aphrodite's" detention in the creek the men of the "Iticaba" were surprised to see nine men, clad in air-tubeless diving-suits, make their way through the compartment which had been allotted to them.

Half an hour later the nine returned. In that half hour the remains of poor Gwennap had been buried in the sand at the bottom of the creek. Captain Restronguet would have preferred to have given his faithful comrade a sailor's grave in the open sea, but since it was impossible to say how long it would be before the submarine could recross the bar, the corpse had to be removed by a funeral party in diver's dress.

During the day the detector, which had hitherto given plenty of indications of the "Vorwartz" gradually failed to record the movement of the submarine under Karl von Harburg's command. Either the vessel had been driven ashore in a gale or else she had gone many miles to the south'ard, and beyond the field covered by the electrical rays of the detector. In vain Captain Restronguet asked for information by wireless. No news came to hand; his quest had received a check, for cooped up within the creek he was unable to gain or even keep pace with his sworn enemy.

It was not until the third day that the gale moderated sufficiently for the "Aphrodite" to rise to the surface. Her appearance was the cause of a wild stampede by the Somalis still engaged in enriching themselves with the stranded cargo. To see a vessel that they confidently believed to have sunk suddenly rise from the deep was to them incomprehensible. They fled, never stopping till they had placed a good half day's journey between them and the sea. In future they regarded the vicinity of that inlet as a district frequented by djinns, or evil spirits, and for some time to come, at least, should the crews of any vessel have occasion to land upon that inhospitable shore, they would be spared the possibilities of a fight against overwhelming numbers of fanatical Somalis.

Two more precious days were wasted after the weather had moderated sufficiently to allow the "Aphrodite" to rise. Captain Restronguet began to get anxious, for provisions were running short. A considerable quantity of "emergency rations" had been lost with the central section of the submarine, and now, with a refugee crew to feed, the vessel's resources were severely strained.