Lord Hastings and Frank needed no urging. With a cry to the other occupants of the boat to remain there until they returned, Lord Hastings leaped lightly ashore and dashed in pursuit of the fugitives. Jack and Frank were close at his heels.
All had drawn their revolvers and a weapon swung in the right hand of each as he sped over the ground.
Ahead the fugitives had redoubled their efforts. A quick backward glance had showed them they were pursued and now they sped over the ground as fast as their legs would carry them.
Frank gradually forged ahead of the others. At school the lad had always been known as something of a sprinter and his training stood him in good stead now.
"Wait for us," panted Lord Hastings, but Frank paid no heed and continued to lengthen the distance between himself and his friends.
The fugitives had now reached the first street off the waterfront and were dashing along it madly, still more than a hundred yards ahead of Frank, their nearest pursuer. Strangely enough, there was not another soul in sight at this minute, for they were still at the extreme edge of the city.
But at this moment a man suddenly came out of a building ahead and stood looking at the running men curiously. Frank raised his voice.
"Stop 'em!" he shouted.
The man stepped directly in front of the fugitives and threw up a hand, signifying for them to halt. But the fugitives had no time to waste on him. Frank saw Davis, who was slightly in advance of Blosberg, extend his arm before him; and a moment later the man who would have stayed the fugitives' progress went sprawling in the street. In the language of the football field, Davis had "stiff-armed" him.
Neither Davis nor his companion had slowed up for this maneuver, so the pursuers had gained nothing because of the stranger's attempt to aid them.
Davis and Blosberg now came to a cross street and turned the corner without slackening their speed. Frank, still gaining steadily, darted around it a few seconds later, now less than seventy-five yards from his quarry. Lord Hastings and Jack, running about evenly, were still fifty yards behind Frank.
The fugitives doubled around the next corner without diminishing their speed and Frank did likewise. The next corner saw the same maneuver enacted, and this time Frank brought up against trouble as he followed unwarily.
As the lad turned the corner something struck him in the face and he went tumbling to the ground in a heap. He felt as though he had collided with a wall. He was just picking himself up when Jack and Lord Hastings darted around the corner and almost stumbled over him.
Jack would have stopped, but Frank shouted:
"After them! Never mind me."
Jack and Lord Hastings dashed on, and Frank pulled himself up and took account of his injury. A stream of blood flowed from a cut just over his left eye, but Frank knew that he was not badly hurt.
"One of them bumped me with his fist," the lad told himself. "I wonder which? Guess it must have been Davis. I don't believe a German could do as much damage with his hand."
Quickly he staunched the flow of blood and then darted after Jack and Lord Hastings, who at that moment were disappearing around another corner.
In spite of the cut on his face, Frank felt greatly refreshed by his enforced but brief rest, and he took after the others with renewed energy.
"They must be getting pretty tired," he told himself as he dashed along. "If Jack and Lord Hastings can just keep them in sight until I overtake them, I'll promise not to be fooled again."
Two minutes later he was again on even terms with Jack and Lord Hastings, and a moment later once more took the lead. A minute later he again found himself less than fifty yards behind the fugitives, who were now plodding along more slowly and plainly out of wind.
"A little sprint here, I guess," Frank muttered to himself, and suited the action to the word.
But the fugitives were able to round another corner before the lad could come up with them. Remembering his past experience, Frank turned the corner more warily and then he came to a dead stop, a cry of dismay on his lips.
There was no one in sight.
"Now what in the name of all that's wonderful can have happened to them?" he asked himself.
He looked around quickly. The fugitives were not on the street. Frank gazed at the house before which he stood. It was a two-story brick building and stood right upon the street. There was no yard. A flight of eight stone steps led to a small vestibule.
"Guess they must have gone up there," the lad muttered.
He moved up the steps just as Lord Hastings and Jack hove in sight around the corner. They pulled up at Frank's side.
"Where did they go?" demanded Lord Hastings.
"I don't know," replied Frank, "unless they went in this house."
"We'll have a look," said Lord Hastings briefly, and mounted the steps.
Frank and Jack followed him.
Lord Hastings turned the knob and the door opened easily.
"Look out, sir," warned Frank. "They're liable to take a shot at you from some place."
Lord Hastings did not reply, but issued orders rapidly.
"Frank, you take the rear door. If it's locked the chances are they are in the house. Jack, hunt the door to the basement and stand guard there, also keeping an eye on this door if possible. I'll try and round them up."
The two lads nodded their understanding of these orders. Jack found a door leading to the basement, in the hall, fortunately still in view of the front door. Frank dashed to the rear of the house and found the back door still locked.
"They must be in here, then," declared Lord Hastings.
He examined his revolver carefully and then, holding it ready for instant use, entered the front room. There was no one there.
In vain Lord Hastings explored all the downstairs rooms. There was no one to be found. He came again into the hall.
"Must be upstairs," he said to Jack as he passed him.
He mounted the stairs rapidly, though cautiously. In the first room he entered he found nothing. The door of the second room was shut. Lord Hastings laid a hand on the knob and turned it. The door opened easily and Lord Hastings stepped over the threshold.
And even as he would have moved into the room a hand, gripping the barrel of a revolver, was raised in the air and descended violently in the direction of Lord Hastings' head. Fortunately the latter caught the glint of steel and whirled in time to dodge the blow and grasp the arm that delivered it. At the same time he shouted:
"Frank! Jack! Upstairs!"
Then he gave his entire attention to his foes, of whom he now found, there were two. Lord Hastings recognized the man whose arm he grasped as Davis. Blosberg, with levelled revolver, was circling about the struggling figures, seeking an opportunity to shoot Lord Hastings without wounding Davis.
With a mighty effort Lord Hastings lifted Davis clear of his feet and, exerting tremendous strength, swung him around. There was a sound of a thud, and Davis' figure dropped limply to the floor. His head had come in contact with the solid wall.
At the same moment Blosberg fired and Lord Hastings felt a stinging sensation in his left shoulder.
He staggered back.
Blosberg took advantage of this and darted out the door just as Frank appeared at the top of the steps. Both raised their revolvers at the same moment, but Blosberg was the first to fire.
Frank's gun seemed to explode in his hand. It leaped in the air like a live thing and the lad felt a strange sensation in his hand. He wiggled his fingers, but now he was unable to tell whether he had a right hand or not. There was no feeling there. Blosberg's bullet had struck the lad's revolver and the shock had numbed the lad's hand.
Before Frank could recover, Blosberg had darted down the hall and turned into a narrow passageway at the end of it, disappearing just in time to escape a bullet from Jack's revolver, the lad appearing on the second floor at that moment.
He dashed after Blosberg.
Turning off the main hall into the narrow passage at the end, Jack brought up sharply against an object in the semi-darkness; but he found no Blosberg. Quickly he took a match from his pocket and struck it. There was no sign of Blosberg, and Jack made out that the object that had interrupted his progress was a ladder leading upward toward the roof.
"He's up on the roof," cried Jack. "Come on."
Without taking thought of what danger might be in store for him above, he mounted the ladder rapidly.
When Blosberg reached the roof he had replaced the trapdoor, but he wasted no time, and began looking for a means of descent. He still held a gun in his hand and whirled sharply as the trapdoor suddenly flew open. He saw Jack at the same moment Jack saw him, and both fired.
But the aim of each was poor and Jack followed his shot by leaping to the roof. Then he dropped down suddenly as Blosberg fired again, and, still unharmed, drew himself quickly behind a chimney nearby. Blosberg took refuge behind a second chimney.
Now Lord Hastings' head appeared and drew back suddenly as Blosberg took a quick shot at him.
"All right, sir, come on!" called Jack. "I'll get him if he tries to pot you again."
Lord Hastings sprang through the opening and a moment later Frank also appeared on the roof. Blosberg made no effort to fire again, apparently realizing the hopelessness of his case.
Frank and Lord Hastings now had taken their places with Jack behind the chimney.
"Well, we can't fool around here all day," said Jack. "We'll circle about and one of us can get him."
Lord Hastings, wounded, was left behind the chimney, while Frank, who had produced another revolver, leaped out suddenly to the left, Jack at the same time springing to the right. Then they moved forward.
"Hold on," came Blosberg's voice at this moment. "I surrender."
The three friends breathed easier.
"Drop your gun and come out—and have your hands in the air," ordered Jack, still holding his revolver ready.
A moment later Blosberg appeared, unarmed.
Jack lowered his own weapon, and as he did so Blosberg, with a sudden cry, dashed forward and leaped off the roof into space.
For a brief instant Jack was stunned; then he dashed to the edge of the roof and peered over. He saw Blosberg's twisting, tumbling body crash head-first upon the hard walk, and then lay still.
Frank and Lord Hastings also came quickly forward and peered over the edge of the roof.
Jack wiped beads of perspiration from his face; then turned and lifted his hat.
"That," he said quietly, "took nerve; for he must have known he would be killed."
"But he preferred it to falling into the hands of an enemy," said Frank. "He was a brave man."
"Come," said Lord Hastings; "we shall go down and carry him into the house. Then we shall notify the civil authorities and they can take charge of his body."
They made their way down stairs and tenderly carried the body of the Baron into the house, where they stretched out his mangled form as well as possible and covered it with a sheet. Lord Hastings went to the telephone in the hall and notified the authorities.
"Well," he said, "we may as well go now."
"How about your wound, sir?" asked Jack. "I saw blood on your coat a moment ago."
"True; I had forgotten," replied Lord Hastings.
He stripped off his coat and Jack examined the wound.
"Just a scratch," he said cheerfully. "I'll fix it up in a jiffy, sir."
He did a neat job and Lord Hastings again donned his coat and turned to go.
"Wait a minute, sir; you are forgetting something," exclaimed Frank.
"What's that?" asked Lord Hastings in surprise.
"Davis, sir."
"By Jove! I had forgotten all about that scoundrel," said Lord Hastings.
He led the way to the room where he had so recently placed Davis hors de combat, but there was no Davis there.
Lord Hastings was greatly crestfallen.
"I should not have forgotten him," he said. "He may work more mischief around here."
"The chances are, knowing he has been discovered, he'll make himself extremely scarce," suggested Frank. "He'll probably figure that his usefulness here is at an end."
"Well, that's probably true," admitted Lord Hastings.
"We'll come across him again some place," said Jack. "I wonder if he recognized us as the ones from whom be obtained his information?"
"I wonder, too," said Frank with a laugh. "If not, he probably believes we are in trouble. Guess he will imagine we have been executed as spies by this time."
"To tell the truth, I don't believe he recognized us," said Jack. "We were too far away for that."
"Except for the time he laid me out down the street there," said Frank ruefully. "Then the chances are he didn't take time to look at me. And he was unconscious when we came upstairs here. No, I don't believe he recognized us."
"Well, I hope we shall have the pleasure of introducing ourselves to him more fully at some future date," said Jack.
"And I have a hunch that we shall," declared Frank.
"There is nothing more to be done here," said Lord Hastings at this juncture. "We'll get back to our boat."
Accordingly they took their leave of the house, and half an hour later were again moving down the waters of the Thames.
"Where to now, sir?" asked Frank.
Lord Hastings smiled slightly.
"Can't wait until you find out, eh?" he replied. "Well, I'll tell you. We are about to do a little submarine chasing."
"Submarine chasing?" exclaimed both lads.
"Exactly."
"Good!" ejaculated Frank. "And where is our vessel, sir?"
"If you will look about a little you will see it," replied Lord Hastings.
Frank and Jack let their eyes roam over the broad expanse of the Thames, but they could see nothing but a few small boats of various sorts—nothing bearing the slightest resemblance to a ship of war.
"I don't see anything that looks like it, sir," declared the boy.
"That," said Lord Hastings, "is because you insist on looking too far away. You don't see it for the reason that you are sitting in it right now."
"What, sir?" exclaimed Frank. "Sitting in it now? You mean we are going submarine chasing in this motorboat?"
"Exactly," replied Lord Hastings.
"But, sir——" began Jack.
"You'll find," interrupted Lord Hastings, "that for submarine warfare there is nothing to equal the motorboat—particularly a swift motorboat such as this; and we are now on our way to join the fleet."
"Fleet? Fleet of what?" asked Jack, with some sarcasm. "Fleet of motorboats, perhaps?"
"Precisely," said Lord Hastings with a smile, and added: "You don't seem to think much of the idea."
"No, I don't, sir," was the reply. "I was in hopes that we were to feel a real vessel beneath our feet once more. What good is a motorboat against a submarine, anyway?"
"That's what I would like to know," agreed Frank.
"I'll tell you," replied Lord Hastings. "But first let me ask you something. Do you remember, the other day, of asking me to explain the mystery of the vanishing submarines?"
"Yes, sir," replied both lads.
"Very well. The solution of this mystery is, primarily, motorboats."
"What do you mean, sir?" exclaimed Jack.
"Just what I say. In the main, the possible hundred German submarines that have disappeared recently have been accounted for by high-speed, powerfully armed motorboats. The government has discovered, after much experimenting, that the one craft with an advantage over a submarine is a powerful motorboat; and England now has a fleet of several hundred scouring the seas in the proximity of the British Isles."
"But I can't see where they would do any good," said Jack.
"In the first place," said Lord Hastings, "they are so small that they escape the notice of a submarine until the motorboat is almost upon them; and then it is too late for them to act. Also, the motorboat, being small, is a much more difficult object to hit with a torpedo—it is, in fact, a very poor target. Then again, a motorboat is so much swifter than a submarine that the advantage is all with the motorboat."
"By Jove, sir! the way you explain it I can see the advantages," said Jack eagerly.
"And so can I," agreed Frank.
Lord Hastings smiled.
"You are easily convinced," he replied. "Had some of the admiralty officials been convinced half so easily, this submarine menace might have been effectually stopped long before this."
As the motorboat continued down the Thames, each occupant remained busy with his thoughts. It was Frank who broke the silence.
"What has happened to the torpedoboat destroyers, sir?" he asked. "I understood they were the real submarine foe, with their heavy nets."
"They are still in use," replied Lord Hastings. "You know how they work their nets, I suppose?"
"Why, I think so, sir. The net is carried by two ships, and when a submarine crashes into the net she either tangles her nose or her stern in the net and can be disposed of with ease."
"Yes, but what I want to know," said Jack, "is why she doesn't fire a torpedo through the net and sink the torpedoboat?"
"Because," said Lord Hastings, with a smile, "being beneath the water, she is blind. She doesn't know in which direction to fire it. You forget that the German submarines are not equipped as was the D-16."
"The good old D-16," said Jack. "How I wish we had her again, sir."
"And I," agreed Lord Hastings. "And yet she came near being the death of all of us."
"So she did," said Frank, "but at the same time I wouldn't mind being aboard another such craft."
"Well, just between the three of us," said Lord Hastings, "I may tell you that another such craft now is nearing completion and probably will be at our disposal within a month."
"You don't mean it, sir!" exclaimed Frank happily.
"If he didn't mean it he wouldn't say so," Jack reproved his chum.
"Oh, I know that," replied Frank. "But it seems too good to be true."
"But just where are we bound now, sir?" asked Jack.
"Well," said Lord Hastings, "at first we shall do
a little cruising off the Irish coast. In fact, most
of the motorboat fleet is in Irish waters. Since
the sinking of the Lusitania, most of the work has
been done there; and apparently the German government
is still bent upon the destruction of big
passenger ships, neutral or not."
"Well, the sooner we can get busy the better it will suit me," declared Frank.
"I agree with you there," said Jack.
It was a long voyage for the little motorboat, and though Lord Hastings wished to join the others of the fleet at the earliest possible moment, he did not push the little craft, which bore the name of The Hawk.
Therefore, it was late the next day when they came to where the motorboat fleet had its base—Bantry Bay, on the extreme southern coast of Ireland.
As the little motorboat nosed its way into the harbor, several others dashed forward, with guns bared and alert figures standing ready for action. It was not until Lord Hastings had been satisfactorily identified that the warlike atmosphere disappeared.
The two lads looked about curiously. The bay was black with the little craft.
"Great Scott! There are more than two hundred here, if you ask me," declared Frank.
"Looks that way to me, too," agreed Jack.
They mentioned the matter to Lord Hastings.
"Captain Smithers just told me," replied Lord Hastings, "that at this moment there are in the neighborhood of a thousand of these little craft here. However, the bulk of them probably will be sent to other stations before long."
"You mean distributed up and down the coast?" asked Frank.
"Exactly."
"And when are we going to get busy, sir?" asked Jack.
Again Lord Hastings smiled.
"To-night," he said, after a moment's hesitation, "I think I can promise you a little excitement to-night. Captain Smithers has a tip that he intends to follow, and we have been selected for the job."
The Hawk crept over the still black waters as silently as the night itself. Not a light showed aboard the little craft—not a human voice was heard. Now and then the faint exhaust of the engine could have been heard by a keen ear, but the engine was muffled and whatever sound it might make carried but a few yards at most.
The Hawk, with Lord Hastings, Jack and Frank and the other few members of the crew, was stalking the foe—no particular foe, perhaps—but any enemy that might be foolhardy enough to show itself.
Aboard, each member of the crew, besides his revolvers, was equipped with a small hand flashlight; and the larger searchlight in the bow was ready for instant use—to flash in the eyes of an enemy to blind him and to spoil his aim.
And the two heavy guns—one forward, the other aft—were ready for action.
The men stood at their posts—had stood there now for two hours—ever since The Hawk had crept silently from the friendly shelter of Bantry Bay. The crew had been ordered to silence and the crew of The Hawk, commanded by Lord Hastings, obeyed orders.
So far The Hawk had come upon nothing that had justified its lonesome and silent vigil—not an object of any kind had been encountered, and the hour was now after midnight. Still, keen eyes aboard the little craft peered untiringly ahead and swept the waters in all directions, trying to pierce the darkness of the night.
The night, though dark, was perfectly calm and peaceful, albeit black, overhanging clouds heralded the approach of a storm. But Lord Hastings, than whom there were few better weather prophets, announced that the storm would not break before well along toward morning and held to his quest without trepidation.
Frank and Jack were now becoming somewhat restless, for they had begun to fear that the night's venture would not bear fruit. However, each remembered what Lord Hastings had said regarding a "tip," so they knew that their commander had some object in view. Also, since leaving port, The Hawk had held steadily to her course.
Now and then the commander of The Hawk, by the faint glare of his searchlight, shielded by his hand, consulted a chart and several times muttered low directions to the man at the wheel.
Suddenly there came a subdued command from Lord Hastings, and in response the engines were stopped. Lord Hastings placed a hand to his ear and listened intently.
"Did any of you hear anything?" he asked in a low voice.
No one had.
"Strange," muttered Lord Hastings; "I could have sworn I heard something moving through the water."
He gave the command to go ahead again; but less than five moments later once more brought The Hawk to a pause.
"I am sure I heard something," he said to Frank, who stood near him.
"I thought I did myself, that time," replied the lad. "Sounded like a boat, and not a great distance away."
"We shall have to be careful," said his commander. "I know that there is not another British vessel in these waters to-night. If there is a second craft out here, it must be an enemy."
"Shall we flash our light about?" asked Frank.
"And betray our own presence? Not much. No; we shall just remain here for half an hour and see if we can't pick up the other fellow in the darkness."
Again the silence of death hung over The Hawk.
Then, suddenly, Jack, aft, gave a subdued exclamation.
Lord Hastings hurried to his side.
"What is it?" he demanded.
"Small craft of some kind bearing down on us, sir," he replied quickly. "She'll bump us!"
Lord Hastings took in the situation at a glance. Less than 150 yards away a small object was coming toward The Hawk.
Lord Hastings gave a quick command.
"Full speed ahead!" he cried, and in response to this command, The Hawk leaped forward.
Lord Hastings hurled a second quick command to the man at the wheel, and The Hawk came about in a broad circle; and at the same instant a blinding glare flashed into the faces of all aboard.
A searchlight from the other craft had been turned upon them, lighting The Hawk up like day, while all those aboard could see was the blinding glare, the other boat being shielded by this light.
A shot rang out over the water—the sound of a heavy gun.
Lord Hastings took prompt action, in spite of the fact he could not make out the enemy.
"Turn the searchlight on him!" he shouted.
A second shot rang out and Frank heard the whistle of a heavy missile overhead.
He sprang quickly to the searchlight, and with a single movement, whirled it about. In another moment a second white glare lighted up the sea.
Frank pointed his light squarely at the point from which he could see the other light came. While he was unable to see the other boat, because of its light, he knew that once his own searchlight had found its object, those aboard the other craft would no longer be able to see The Hawk.
Then came the sound of a third shot, but this time the missile was not even heard, and Frank knew that he had been successful. The enemy had lost the range.
"Good!" shouted Lord Hastings. "And just in time, I should say. The next shot would have hit us."
"Yes, sir," said Frank quietly. "He's blinded us, sir, but we have done the same for him. Now what, sir?"
"By Jove! I don't know," replied Lord Hastings. "Here, Jack, stand by this forward gun, and be ready to let her go the first moment you can see the enemy. If we can manage to work out from under his light we may be able to get him. Frank, don't you let that light off him a minute."
"I'll keep it on him, sir," replied the lad.
So there the two boats were, less than a hundred yards apart, but still unable to do one another harm, unless by a chance shot. For, although the occupants aboard each craft could see the light of the other, they couldn't gauge its origin with accuracy.
Several times the enemy fired, but without result.
"Well, we've got to do something," declared Lord Hastings. "Can any of you suggest anything?"
"I believe I have a plan, sir," declared Frank.
"Let's have it quick," said Lord Hastings.
"Well, sir, I should say that if you would stand by the gun, Jack and I can slip over the side in one of the small boats. We'll make a slight detour, to get out of the blinding glare, then row toward the enemy. Without the light in our eyes, we should be able to pick off a couple of the enemy with rifles. Then he'll have to shift his light to hunt new foes. You can be ready and sink him the moment he does so."
"That's not a half bad idea," declared Lord Hastings. "It shall be done. Over with you, lads."
Quickly Frank and Jack got a little boat over the side, procured a rifle apiece, and rowed away.
In spite of the fact that the glare of the enemy's searchlight was squarely upon them, they could not be seen because of the light aboard The Hawk playing upon the eyes of the foe. So, though they rowed rapidly, they knew they were safe enough.
Out of the glare of the searchlight, they shaped their course toward the enemy, whose bulk they could now see looming up in the darkness.
"By Jove! It's another motorboat," Frank whispered.
Jack nodded his head in the darkness, but did not reply.
Less than a hundred feet from the enemy, Frank made out several forms forward.
"This is close enough," he whispered to Jack.
Jack shipped his oars and picked up his rifle. Frank did likewise.
"You get the one on the left; I'll take the one on the extreme right," said Frank. "Then get the one next your first man if you have time before he ducks, and I'll do the same."
"All right," said Jack. "Give the word when you're ready."
"Ready! Aim! Fire!" said Frank quietly.
Two sharp cracks broke the stillness of the night, followed almost instantly by two more.
When the lads lowered their rifles and gazed toward the foe, there was not a man in sight.
"Don't know whether we got them or they just ducked," said Frank. "We'll fire a couple of more shots, enough to make them take their light off The Hawk."
They did so, and a moment later their efforts were rewarded. The searchlight aboard the enemy, moved by an unseen hand, turned and swept the sea carefully.
"Row back!" shouted Frank, and seized his oar.
Jack followed suit. Quickly the little boat was brought about and headed back in the general direction of The Hawk.
And the enemy's boat was now lighted up by the glare of The Hawk alone.
Suddenly the flashlight of the enemy fell squarely upon the two boys.
"We're gone now, unless Lord Hastings sinks them first," said Frank quietly.
"Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!"
Bullets began to spatter around the two lads. One grazed Frank's ear.
"Guess we had better go overboard," he said, "They'll——"
"Boom!"
The voice of a single big gun spoke once.
"The Hawk!" cried Frank.
"Boom!"
The voice came again.
And then the boys were left again in darkness as the enemy sought out The Hawk with his searchlight.
"Boom!"
It was the third word of the forward gun of The Hawk.
Cries of terror and confusion came from the direction of the foe, followed by hoarse German cries of command.
"Bully for Lord Hastings!" exclaimed Jack. "He has scored a hit."
"Hurrah!" cried Frank, and raised his voice in a series of cheers.
The big gun aboard The Hawk did not speak again, and following The Hawk's searchlight with their eyes, the two lads saw a mass of wreckage floating a short distance away.
"That," said Frank quietly, "is the end of her."
"Right you are," agreed Jack. "Now we'll go back to The Hawk."
Both lads bent to their oars with a will.
Now perfectly happy, the two boys rowed back to The Hawk as rapidly as possible. They were happy for two reasons—first because they were once more in active service, and second, because they had just emerged successfully from a desperate venture.
A light glowed brightly aboard the little motorboat, now that the enemy had been disposed of; so the two lads had no trouble making their way back. Lord Hastings greeted them with outstretched hands as they went over the side.
"A pretty good job you made of it," he declared.
"Well, we did pick off a couple before you got busy, sir," agreed Frank. "But if you hadn't fired the moment you did they would have potted us sure. They had a couple of shots at us, but fortunately, they didn't have time to get the accurate range."
"I had no idea you were so hard pressed," replied Lord Hastings. "I fired the moment I caught sight of the foe. Even when the searchlight was turned from The Hawk, it was a moment or so before I could make out the enemy. The light had all but blinded me."
"There is no harm done, anyhow," Jack put in. "The enemy is at the bottom of the sea and we are safe again."
"Then we may as well continue a bit," declared Lord Hastings. He turned to give an order, when Frank interrupted him.
"Are you sure we are safe, sir?" he questioned.
"What do you mean?" demanded his commander.
"Why, I was just wondering if by any chance there might be more of the enemy in these waters?"
"To tell the truth, I hadn't thought of that," replied Lord Hastings.
Without another word, he turned on his heel and made his way to the searchlight, which still threw its brilliant rays across the silent waters. Quickly he snapped it off; then returned to the lads.
"We won't be spotted so easily now," he remarked.
"Unless we have been spotted already," said Jack dryly.
And Jack proved to be a better prophet than he really meant to be.
At a signal from Lord Hastings, The Hawk now moved slowly forward again.
"Can you tell us just where we are bound, sir?" asked Jack.
"Well, not exactly," was his commander's reply. "I have information that leads me to believe an enemy, or several enemies, may be prowling about around——"
An interruption came suddenly and from an altogether unexpected source, and with the interruption all aboard became suddenly silent, except Lord Hastings, who sprang quickly to the wheel, and before the astonished helmsman knew what was going on, threw the wheel over hard.
For the interruption which had come so suddenly was the voice of a big gun.
Lord Hastings threw the wheel over with such violence that the motorboat careened desperately and all but capsized. Frank and Jack saved themselves from being thrown overboard by a quick grasp at the rail, to which they clung with all their might.
And then, before Lord Hastings could flash the searchlight across the water, had such been his intention, a blinding glare lighted up The Hawk. The enemy had been too quick for those aboard.
Now another shot rang out and the boys heard a terrible whistling overhead.
"Pretty close," said Jack quietly. "They are liable to get us next time."
An idea suddenly struck Frank, and he dashed aft. There he picked up his rifle and hurried forward again.
"Hold her steady a minute, sir," he called to Lord Hastings.
And the latter, realizing that the lad had some plan, did as requested without asking a question.
Quickly Frank raised his rifle to his shoulder, and pausing just long enough to take careful aim, fired.
Frank's keen mind had detected the one hope of salvation for those aboard The Hawk. The enemy was very close and the lad realized that the next shot must find its mark. There was but one thing to do. The light aboard the enemy must be destroyed; without it The Hawk could escape, for minus the light, which was its eye, the foe could not hope to detect them.
As Frank's finger pressed the trigger he knew that he had not missed; and at the same moment he cried to Lord Hastings:
"Hard-a-port!"
Again The Hawk careened desperately in response to the quick turn of the helm; but it was well that Lord Hastings had acted upon the instant; for even as Frank had fired there was another heavy "boom" and a heavy shell passed the spot where The Hawk had been a moment before.
But with the sound of the shot, the glare of the enemy's searchlight vanished. Frank's aim had been true.
"I shot her eye out, sir," he cried to Lord Hastings.
"I see you did," chuckled his commander. "Now it's time for us to get busy. Mr. Templeton, see if you can pick up the enemy with our light."
Jack sprang to the searchlight eagerly, and under his guiding hand, it threw its brilliant rays over the dark waters. He swept it in a wide half-circle to the right without result; and then swung the glare around to the left; and there, presenting her stern, a little motorboat was moving swiftly away.
"She's running, sir!" exclaimed Frank, who stood forward, still holding his rifle. "Shall I give her a shot?"
"If you like," replied Lord Hastings. "It can do no harm. In the meantime we'll have after her."
He gave the signal, "Full speed ahead," and The Hawk leaped forward.
Again Frank took careful aim at a moving figure upon the deck of the enemy and again his finger pressed the trigger. Not for nothing had he been called a crack shot. The figure, as Frank could see in the glare of The Hawk's searchlight, threw up its arms and pitched into the sea.
And now suddenly misfortune befell The Hawk. The enemy had stolen an idea from Frank, and one of the men aboard, taking aim at the powerful searchlight of The Hawk, fired. His aim was as true as had been Frank's; and the ray of light disappeared from the surface of the water. The Hawk also was blind now.
Lord Hastings gave an exclamation of dismay.
"Pretty tough," he muttered.
"But we should have guarded against it, sir," declared Jack. "We should have figured that what we could do the other fellow could do also."
"True," replied his commander; "but it's too late now. We'll keep after her. Maybe we can pick her up in the darkness."
"Not much chance," muttered Frank to himself.
But again fortune was to smile on them, although it came near being misfortune.
An hour later, The Hawk having been slowed to a bare five knots, Frank thought he caught the sound of another moving object. He called Lord Hastings' attention, and The Hawk's engine was shut off. Again came the sound, as of a choked automobile engine.
"She's off there, and pretty close," whispered Lord Hastings, with a gesture to port.
"Shall we try a shot in the darkness, sir?" asked Frank.
"No; that would be folly," said Lord Hastings. "There is not one chance in a thousand that the first shot would go home; and then she would be on the move again. Now, from the fact that the sound has come twice from the same place, I judge she is standing still—hoping that we shall run past her."
"If you please, sir, I have a plan," said Jack.
"Let's have it," said Lord Hastings briefly.
"Well, why can't Frank and I take to the boats again. Not one boat this time, but two. We can approach from different directions. One of us can open fire, and if a light is shown aboard, the other can do likewise. Caught between two fires, I believe a light will be shown, that the enemy may try to pick us up. That will betray the enemy's presence to you and you can sink her."
"That's not a half bad idea," decided Lord Hastings after a moment's reflection. "You shall each have a man. Here, Edwards! Williams!"
The two men came forward quickly.
"Williams, you lower a boat and go with Mr. Templeton. Edwards, you accompany Mr. Chadwick. Get your rifles first, men."
The men hurried aft to obey, Frank and Jack in the meantime giving their attention to lowering the boats. This done, all leaped in and rowed in the general direction of the foe.
Upon Jack's suggestion, Frank and Edwards rowed some distance ahead before pointing the nose of their little craft toward where they believed the enemy to be, and then rowed a considerable distance.
"We should be beyond her now," declared Frank, after some further rowing. "We'll double back a bit."
They did so; and five minutes later a dark shape loomed up beside them, so close almost, that Frank could have thrown a rock aboard.
"Cease rowing!" Frank commanded, laying down his own oars.
Edwards did likewise.
"Get your rifle ready," Frank instructed.
Edwards obeyed.
"Now," said Frank, "the first man you see show himself aboard that craft, pick him off. I'll wait for the second one."
"Very well, sir," replied Edwards quietly.
He brought his rifle to bear upon the deck of the enemy and sat quietly, waiting, as the little boat bobbed gently up and down with the swell of the sea.
And he had not long to wait.
A dark shadow appeared aboard the enemy and Edwards and Frank caught the faint glow of a cigar or cigarette as the man puffed upon it. The light from this made his face plainly visible.
"A very indiscreet sort of a gentleman," remarked Edwards. "Here goes, sir."
He pressed the trigger.
A howl of pain rewarded this effort and Edwards smiled grimly to himself.
"Got him," he said cheerfully.
The sound of the rifle brought another figure to the deck. Now it was Frank's turn and he acted instantly. Again there was a faint report and the second man toppled over.
"Two," said Frank quietly.
"Right, sir!" replied Edwards. "All ready for another, sir."
"I guess the next will be along in a minute," said Frank dryly. "Besides, it's about time for Jack and Williams to take a hand in the game."
"Wouldn't want to leave them out all together, would we, sir," grinned Edwards.
"I should say not," replied Frank.
"No, sir; they wouldn't like that."
They waited patiently, but ten minutes passed and no other form appeared aboard the enemy.
"Guess Jack is playing a waiting game on the other side," muttered Frank. "Now, I wonder——"
There came an abrupt interruption to his thoughts.
"Throw up your hands!" came a sharp voice from behind, a trifle to the right. "Surrender or you are dead men!"
Frank and Edwards both whirled hurriedly; and not a fathom's length away rode a second small boat; and standing forward were two men, their revolvers levelled directly at the heads of our friends.
"Up they go, Edwards," said Frank quietly, dropping his rifle and suiting the action to the word. "It's no use; they've got the drop on us."
"They have, sir," agreed Edwards.
His rifle also fell to the bottom of the boat with a clatter and his hands went in the air.
"Good!" said one of the men in the other boat. "You will please keep your hands where they are." He turned to his companion. "Fritz, you row closer, while I keep them covered."
The latter obeyed and soon the two boats scraped.
"Now you will please come aboard my boat," ordered their captor, still keeping them covered. "One false move and you are dead men. Come quickly now."
Frank realized there was no hope for it, so he obeyed without a word. Edwards followed suit.
"Take your places forward there," commanded their captor.
The prisoners obeyed.
"Very good. Now, Fritz, row to the boat."
The latter dipped his oars in the water and the rowboat moved toward the motorboat, at which Frank and Edwards had so recently fired. There the first captor—the man who seemed to be in command—ordered Frank and Edwards over the side.
"Quick, now!" he commanded.
Frank climbed aboard first and as he rose to his feet there was the sound of a shot and the lad felt a bullet whistle past his ear. He dropped to the deck.
"Great Scott! I forgot about Jack being out there," he muttered. "He almost picked me off that time." He raised his voice in a shout. "Hey, Jack! quit that! It's me, Frank! We are prisoners!"
A moment later Edwards clambered over the side of the motorboat and this time there was no shot. Frank felt sure that Jack had heard him and understood the situation.
Now their two captors came quickly over the side and the first turned upon Frank.
"Who were you shouting to?" he demanded.
"Oh, just a friend of mine," replied Frank, with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "He's out there," and the lad waved an arm across the water.
"And what's he doing out there?"
"The same thing we were doing when you found us. Trying to get you fellows."
"Oh, I see," was the reply. "You had us between two fires, eh. It's lucky we put off before you got so close. We heard firing and came back to have a look around."
"Then that's the way you spotted us, eh?" said Frank. "I didn't think you could have got off without my seeing you."
The man made no reply to this, but turned quickly to the other.
"We'll have to get away from here at once, Fritz. Take the wheel."
The latter sprang aft with alacrity, while the first man leaned down and began to tinker with the engine. Frank took a quick step forward and seemed about to leap upon his captor, but the latter turned from the engine and a revolver was in his hand.
"I wouldn't if I were you," he said quietly.
Frank stepped back.
"Oh, all right," he said.
The little motorboat began to move.
The captor raised his voice.
"Hans! Franz!" he called.
There was no answer and after a moment he repeated his calls.
"If you were calling your men, I fear you are wasting time," said Frank quietly.
"What?" exclaimed his captor.
"Exactly," replied Frank. "It was necessary for us to shoot them before you were fortunate enough to find us."
"I see," replied the boy's captor slowly. "Well, I shall have more to say to you about that later."
He again began to tinker with the engine and the motorboat now increased its pace; and then, as the man raised his head to look at Frank, he perceived two dark figures suddenly clamber over the rail and dash toward him.
Frank saw them in the same instant.
"Jack!" he cried.
The German, for such Frank felt sure his captor was, rose quickly to his feet, revolver in hand. He raised it quickly, and pointing it at Jack, who was dashing forward closely followed by Williams, fired.
The distance was so close that a miss would have been impossible and Jack would probably have been killed had it not been for Frank.
The latter sprang quickly forward and seized the German's arm even as his finger pressed the trigger and the bullet went wild. With a muttered imprecation, the German whirled on Frank, reversed his revolver quickly and brought it down on the lad's head.
Frank fell to the deck without a groan and lay still.
At the same moment a shot from the helmsman struck Williams in the chest as he and Edwards dashed toward him and the man fell to the deck, mortally wounded.
Edwards, unarmed, dashed upon the other, but even as he would have grappled with the man, the latter dodged and Edwards went staggering by. Before he could recover himself, the German had clubbed him over the head with his revolver butt.
Thus were three of the friends put hors de combat almost quicker than it takes to tell it. There remained now only Jack, with two against him, both armed.
Jack raised his revolver at the moment Frank fell unconscious to the deck and the German whirled quickly to face him. Both fired at the same moment and both stepped aside as they did so. Jack felt a bullet graze his hand and his revolver fell clattering to the deck. The other, he saw, had not been touched.
Jack sprang forward and grappled with the German even as the helmsman, having disposed of Edwards, took a snap shot at him. The lad stepped forward just in time to escape the bullet.
Realizing now that he had a foe behind as well as in front, Jack seized the first German in a powerful embrace, the man's pistol hand going over his shoulder; and at that moment the German pressed the trigger.
A howl of pain came from the helmsman. The bullet had struck the latter's revolver on the barrel and the force of the shock had momentarily numbed the man's hand.
Jack seized the first German's arm and by a quick twist sent the revolver spinning across the deck, and it passed beneath the rail and into the water.
Now the lad brought rushing tactics into play and pushed the first German the length of the deck before the latter could brace himself. There Jack's eye caught the gleam of the helmsman's pistol and with a quick kick he sent it hurtling overboard also.
But Jack's antagonist was a strong man and the lad knew that he had a hard job on his hands to dispose of him alone, to say nothing of the second man, who, the lad knew, would be fit again in a moment.
But it was no time for indecision; and Jack sprang forward. His right fist shot out with stinging force—a blow that would have ended the battle right there had it landed, but the German ducked and clinched. At this kind of fighting, he was more Jack's match and he seized the lad in a tight embrace.
"Fritz!" called the German, as he and Jack struggled about the deck. "A hand, quick!"
Fritz was now on his feet and he came forward in response to this command. One huge fist he raised, and would have brought it down on Jack's head had not the lad seen him out the tail of his eye and moved his head swiftly to one side.
The blow missed.
Jack, with one hand free for a moment, dealt the helmsman a blow in the face as he swooped past; then again turned his attention to the first man.
The latter now also freed an arm and Jack staggered back from a heavy blow in the face. Blood streamed from a cut over his right eye, blinding him momentarily.
Jack shook the blood out of his eyes with a toss of his head and stepped forward angrily. He had no mind to let his adversary clinch again if he could help it.
As the German rushed Jack met him with a stiff left to the face and the man halted in his tracks with a cry of pain. Jack followed up this advantage with a right-handed blow to the abdomen, doubling the German up like a knife. Then the lad reached his opponent's jaw with a hard left.
The man staggered back and crumpled up in a heap.
"So much for you," muttered the lad, turning just in time to meet the rush of the helmsman, who had now recovered from the effects of Jack's blow and was coming angrily forward.
Now, this second man was even larger and more powerfully built than the first German, and one huge arm warded off Jack's first short jab for the face. Instead of attempting to return the blow, the helmsman grabbed Jack by the arm, and yanked him suddenly forward.
Jack, caught unprepared, went stumbling forward. The helmsman stepped aside and struck heavily at the lad as he reeled past.
Had he taken his time and aimed carefully the battle would have ended right there; fortunately, however, his haste was too great and he only struck the lad a glancing blow.
In spite of this fact, however, the force of it was so great that it staggered the lad. Apparently believing that this one blow would end the fight, the German stepped back to watch the effect of it.
But Jack did not fall. Staggering forward, his hand caught the rail of the boat, where he stood a moment, recovering himself.
The German advanced with a smile on his face. Jack turned to meet him.
Slowly the German came on, his great arms raised awkwardly and then it dawned upon Jack that all that was necessary to dispose of this great brute was a little skill and caution. His head was clear now and he advanced confidently.
The German rushed forward. Jack side-stepped neatly and struck his opponent a heavy blow just above the right ear as he passed. The man turned quickly and just in time to catch a second powerful blow on the forehead. Another man would have gone down, but the German sprang forward ready for more.
And he got more. Jack stood off at arms' length and peppered him beautifully. In vain the German struck out and sought to clinch. Jack dodged his blows and evaded his clasp with ease. And then the lad saw the opportunity he had been awaiting.
In a desperate attempt to clinch, the German exposed his jaw. Jack's right flashed out quickly and then the lad stepped back. His fist had found its mark; and the German staggered back, reeled, swayed—fell to the deck unconscious.
Jack now surveyed the field of action with some satisfaction.
"Well, I managed to lay 'em all out at last," he told himself. "Now to see how Frank and the others are."
He hurried first to Frank's side. The latter was just returning to consciousness and raised himself on one elbow as Jack kneeled beside him.
"How do you feel, old man?" asked Jack gently.
"I don't feel so much," was Frank's reply. "Say, that fellow must have given me a pretty good crack."
"He did," said Jack dryly. "I can vouch for that. He landed on your head with that revolver like a ton of brick. Do you think you can stand?"
"I guess so. Lend a hand, will you?"
Jack helped his chum to his feet. Frank staggered a bit at first, but in a minute or two announced that he was fit for whatever might come. He followed Jack aft, where lay the bodies of Edwards and Williams.
Jack passed his hand over Edwards' face and the man stirred feebly.
"Water, Frank," said Jack.
Frank hurried forward again and returned in a moment with water. This Jack sprinkled over Edwards' face. Five minutes later Edwards sat up.
"What's the matter?" he asked.
Jack explained.
"I remember now, sir," said Edwards, trying to smile. "And did you lick 'em?"
"I did," said Jack.
"And Williams, sir? How is he? I saw him go down just before I went under."
"We'll see," replied Jack briefly.
He led the way to where Williams still lay prone, Frank and Edwards following.
Jack bent over the man, then placed a hand over his heart. Then he got slowly to his feet.
"Is he——," began Edwards.
"Dead," replied Jack quietly.
For a moment there was silence; then Edwards spoke brokenly.
"The best shipmate a man ever had, sir."
He knelt beside his dead companion and tears streamed down his face. Jack and Frank did not speak as he mourned silently for some minutes. At last Edwards got to his feet.
"War is war, sir," he said quietly.
He moved aft.
"Well," said Frank, "I guess we may as well be getting back to The Hawk. Lord Hastings will be worried."
"Right," said Jack. "You take the wheel. I'll try and coax the engine along."
They took their respective places.
"Which way, Jack?" called Frank.
"By Jove! You know as much about it as I do," was the reply. "I don't know where we are."
"Must be off to the left," declared Frank. "We'll steer that way, anyhow."
"All right," said Jack.
The engine began to sputter and directly the motorboat moved.
"We may as well go this way as another," Frank shouted to make himself heard. "It'll be daylight soon, anyhow, and we can probably pick up The Hawk."
"We'll go slowly, at all events," said Jack.
For half an hour the little craft forged slowly ahead, all three aboard keeping a sharp lookout for The Hawk.
Suddenly a breeze sprang up. It blew lightly at first and then with more and more violence.
"Looks like Lord Hastings' gale was about to materialize," shouted Jack.
"Guess this is it all right," replied Frank.
Edwards now came aft and took his stand by Frank.
"Want me to take the wheel, sir?" he asked.
"Guess I can handle it all right," replied Frank.
"Very well, sir, only I thought you would rather be forward with Mr. Templeton."
There was an odd note in his voice and Frank glanced at him inquiringly.
"What made you think that?" he asked sharply.
"Only," replied Edwards, "only because this is liable to settle things for all of us."
"You mean the storm?" asked Frank.
"Yes, sir."
"You think it will be severe?"
"Very severe, sir. I have sailed the seas longer than you have, sir, and I recognize the signs."
"And you don't think this craft can weather the storm?"
"I am afraid not, sir. Of course there is always a possibility, and by running with the storm we have, of course, a fighting chance; but that's all we have, sir, a fighting chance."
"It is as much as we have had many times before," replied Frank.
"Very well, then," to Edwards, "you may take the wheel. Your advice is to run before it?"
"Yes, sir, at full speed."
"Your advice shall be taken. We'll keep the engine going and the steering is up to you."
"Very good, sir."
Edwards took the wheel and Frank made his way forward.
"Hello," said Jack. "Thought you were going to do the steering."
"I was," replied Frank, "but Edwards seemed to think he could do better and I guess he is right. He says we are in for a bad gale."
"He's right," replied Jack. "I've seen the signs before. You may remember I lived on the ocean. Yes, we're in for it, I'm afraid. All we can do is run."
"That's what Edwards said."
"It'll be daylight in less than half an hour," Jack continued. "That will help some. If it will hold off that long, I'll feel better."
And the gale did hold off.
A faint gray streaked the east, making more plain the seriousness of their situation. The clouds hung heavy and low and it took no mariner to tell that a storm was brewing.
Gradually the wind increased and the little motorboat tore along before it. Now the swell of the sea became heavier. Waves rolled higher and higher and the little craft first wallowed in the trough of the sea and then climbed the gigantic waves.
"No wonder people get seasick," Frank muttered to himself.
The wind increased in violence until it blew a hurricane, but still the little motorboat did not falter; it bore on as bravely as before, climbing wave after wave swiftly and unerringly. Edwards, at the wheel, was giving a splendid example of seamanship.
A mountainous wave, greater than the rest, descended upon the motorboat and broke over it, drenching all on board to the skin. The wind whistled overhead and the air grew icy cold. Frank shivered, as he held fast.
"Br-r-r," he said. "Right now it would feel awfully nice to be ashore. I wonder what of Lord Hastings and The Hawk?"
At the same moment, Lord Hastings was wondering what of them.
For hours and hours, it seemed to the two lads, the little craft battled the storm, at each moment seeming in imminent danger of capsizing; but always the master hand of Edwards at the wheel righted the little craft and it dashed away in the gale.
"Great Scott!" cried Frank, raising his voice to a shout to make himself heard above the terrible roaring of the wind, "we can't stand this much longer."
"You are right," declared Jack. "We are liable to be swamped at any moment."
As each wave descended upon them, breaking over the little boat, Frank was confident that the end had come. It did not seem possible that the craft could withstand another. But each time the little boat seemed to brace itself for the shock and a moment later would ride high to safety.
Edwards, at the wheel, had lashed himself fast, that he might not be swept overboard; and once, soon after the storm had descended, he was startled.
Something soft touched his feet; and taking his eyes from ahead long enough to look down, he saw that the object was the body of Williams, which the water had washed over the deck to him.
His hands fast, as they were, he could not stoop down to touch the body as he gazed at it mournfully; then another wave descended, and when it had gone, Williams' body was no longer in sight.
"Good-bye, old friend!" Edwards shouted after it. "Good-bye! I may be with you soon. If I could have reached down I would have shaken hands with you once more before you went away."
Another gigantic wave swooped down and he gave his attention to keeping the boat's head right.
At last, when it seemed that the storm would never end, it broke suddenly. As if by magic there was a calm, and bright sunlight streamed down from above. The gale was over. The motorboat and its crew of three were safe.
Frank and Jack clasped hands.
"Safe once more," said the latter quietly.
Suddenly the little craft pitched violently. Frank turned a quick gaze aft to the wheel where he made out the reason for this sudden lurch.
Completely exhausted by his recent experience, Edwards had lapsed into unconsciousness once the strain was over. No hand grasped the wheel and the motorboat pitched this way and that in the trough of the sea.
Frank made his way aft as rapidly as possible and took the wheel. Jack shut down the engine and followed him. He poured water over Edwards' face and directly the latter sat up.
"Funny I had to keel over like that," he said grinning feebly. "Don't know what's the matter with me. Must be getting old, I guess. Never happened before."
"Here," said Jack, "you come forward with me and rest awhile. You're about done up."
The sailor protested; but Jack had his way, and a few moments later, in the little cabin, Edwards was fast asleep. Jack returned aft to discuss the situation with Frank.
"Well, what now?" asked the latter. "Where are we going to find Lord Hastings?"
"I imagine the best thing for us," said Jack, "is to return to Bantry Bay. If The Hawk weathered the storm, Lord Hastings will put in sometime to-day."
"I suppose that is best," agreed Frank. "Let's be on the move."
The head of the motorboat was brought about, and gaining his bearings from a compass in the cabin, Jack shaped his course.
"A four or five hour run," he said to Frank, in giving him the proper directions.
He glanced at his watch. "Six o'clock. Well, we shall be there before noon, anyhow."
He returned to his place at the engine and the motorboat headed toward the British coast.