Clair W. Hayes

“ The crowd strained its eyes. Far down the river now the giant battleship was disappearing from the sight of the men and women who lined the banks. In vain, a few moments later, did many eyes try to pierce the darkness. The battleship was lost to sight.
The vessel that had thus passed down the Thames was H. M. S. Queen Mary, one of the most formidable of England's sea fighters. It was with such ships as the Queen Mary, supported by smaller and less powerful craft, that Great Britain, for almost two years of the great war, had maintained her supremacy of the seas. ”

“ Jack.
"We might as well have gone as to be in the middle of the North Sea," said Frank.
"Nonsense. While there's life there's hope."
They swam on.
Suddenly Jack's hand came in contact with something in the darkness.
"A man!" he exclaimed.
"What did you think I was? A fish?" came the reply. "I've a right to escape as well as you."
"Who are you?" asked Frank.
At that moment, as suddenly as it had descended, the fog lifted.
Jack looked at the other man in the water and uttered an exclamation of pleasure.
"Harris!" he cried. ”

“ Came a sudden cry from the machine nearest that of Frank and Jack. The lads saw a man rise to his feet, throw up his arms and pitch, head foremost, toward the ground. The aircraft, freed of a guiding hand, rocked a moment crazily and then turned over, hurling its other occupant into space.
There was a cry of anger from aboard some of the other German craft, but no man raised a hand to stay the flight of his car. It would have been suicide and the Germans realized it. They sped away into the darkness whence they had come. Frank and Jack, in their British hydroplane, went with them. ”

“ My plan is this. Let one man stay behind on guard. The others can put off in the motor boat."
"But the one man will die," said Frank.
"Of course," said Harris, simply. "That shall be my job."
"Not much," said Jack. "I'll pick that job for myself."
"Not while I'm here you won't," declared Frank. "I'm plenty big to guard the companionway."
"The plan you suggest, Harris," von Ludwig said quietly, "is the only one, so far as I can see, that promises any degree of success. In my pocket are papers that must reach the British admiralty at the earliest possible moment." ”

“ There was no move aboard the German vessel to indicate that the lad's cry had been heard.
"Told you so," said Frank.
"Don't cry too soon, youngster," said Harris. "We'll try it again, and all yell together."
They did and this time their cries were heard.
Several men aboard the German vessel stopped their rushing about and gazed across the sea in the direction of the swimmers. One man produced a glass and levelled it in their direction. Then he turned to the others and they could be seen to gesticulate excitedly.
"One wants to save us and the others don't," declared Frank. ”

“ Here they sat down and for some time talked over the events of the days gone by.
"I guess there will be nothing for us to do this night," said Frank at last. "We may as well turn in."
"I am afraid there will be nothing for us to do for some time to come," was Jack's reply. "I am afraid it will be rather monotonous sailing about the North Sea looking for German warships, when the latter are afraid to come out and fight."
"Well, you can't tell," said Frank. "However, that's one beauty of a submarine. You don't have to wait around for something to happen. You can go out and make it happen." ”

“ Then they went to their quarters, where some lay down to sleep while others sat in groups and discussed the impending battle.
Shortly after five o'clock Frank and Jack found themselves alone in their cabin, having been relieved of duty for an hour.
"It's going to be a great fight, Frank," declared Jack.
"You bet it is. It will be the greatest naval battle of history, if the bulk of the British fleet comes up in time. Never before has such a vast array of giant fighting ships as will be engaged in this struggle contended for supremacy. ”

“ At this moment the lads' attention was directed to the cruiser Glasgow. Already badly damaged, a second German shell had now burst amidships with a loud explosion.
"And that settles the Glasgow," said Jack, sadly.
He was right. Gamely the Glasgow fought back, but it was apparent to all, in spite of the darkness, that she was settling lower and lower in the water.
"And we can't rescue the men," said Frank. "Remember the admiralty orders. No ship in action is to go to the aid of another. It would be suicide." ”

“ Half an hour later, as they were about to go below, Frank caught sight of a figure in the uniform of a German lieutenant, who was eyeing them closely.
There was something familiar about that figure and unconsciously the lad gave a start. He called Jack's attention to the man, and the latter, seeing that he was the subject of discussion, quickly withdrew.
"I've seen him some place," said Frank.
"And so have I," Jack declared. "There is some thing strangely familiar about him. Say! It's unpleasant when you know a man and can't place him." ”

“ The submarine disappeared.
With a view to disposing of the enemy immediately, Captain Raleigh ordered that one of the two forward torpedoes be launched.
There was a hiss as the little tube was released. The distance was so close now that a miss was impossible. There was an instant of silence, followed by a terrible rending sound; then a loud blast. The torpedo had reached the Westphalen's boiler room.
Quickly the German admiral and his officers clambered over the side and rowed to the Wiesbaden, where they were taken on board and the admiral's flag run up. ”

“ The British fleet was great and powerful—but not so great and powerful as the German by far. As the Queen Mary, Indefatigable and the two torpedo boats fell back, still the center of German fire and still hurling shell, seeking their proper places in the battle line, the other British vessels came on. And presently the Queen Mary and others had gained their places in the formation. ”

“ Just these sand dunes and the waters of the North Sea—there was nothing else in sight.
At a signal the men gathered around the man who appeared to be the leader. Frank and Jack thanked their lucky stars that the night was very dark, for otherwise they would have been in imminent danger of being discovered; and each lad realized that it would go hard with them should their true identities be penetrated. ”

“ He was afraid that the Zeppelin might drop a bomb on the ship; and from that moment until the end of the battle the Queen Mary did not pause. First she headed to port and then to starboard, manoeuvering rapidly that the German airmen might not be able to reach her with a bomb.
"Another shot!" commanded Captain Raleigh.
Still no result.
"Funny she doesn't rise and try and escape," said Frank.
"No, it's not," returned Jack. "They don't know anything about this new anti-aircraft gun. They believe they are out of range." ”

“ There was still work to be done before the hour for our great effort to crush the British fleet. However, to a certain extent we have been successful. We have managed to sow the seed of suspicion in the minds of our enemies. Prisoners, whom we have allowed to be taken, have let slip words that will lead the British to think our fleet will slip from its base and approach England from the south. We know better than that. We know that on the night of May 31—which is tomorrow—our fleet will strike the British off Jutland. ”

“ Came more violent blows on the door over the companionway, followed by a shot from below.
Jack sprang aside as a bullet plowed its way through the hard wood.
"We'll have to stand to one side," he said. "Otherwise, they are likely to drop one of us."
"The door will stand considerable battering," said von Ludwig. "There is but one thing I can think of. We shall have to desert the ship."
"In what, a rowboat?" asked Frank, with some sarcasm.
"Hardly," returned von Ludwig; "but I have discovered that there is a high-powered motor boat aboard. We can launch that and move off." ”

“ Jack sprang after von Ludwig. The latter hurried to the cabin where the German prisoners were confined. He unloosened the bonds of five.
"You men," he said sharply, "will go before us to the engine room, where you will perform the necessary duties."
Under the muzzles of the weapons of Jack and von Ludwig, the men obeyed, for there seemed nothing else to do. In the engine room von Ludwig explained:
"I want you men to put forth your best efforts. Any foolishness and you will be shot, for I will take no chances. Harris, can you guard them?" ”

“ Frank, are an American who was shanghaied aboard a sailing vessel in
Naples soon after the outbreak of the war."
"By Jove!" said Jack. "Outside of Frank here there is only one man who knows all that about me."
"And there is but a single man who knows as much of me," declared Frank.
"Can it be——"
For answer von Ludwig rose in his seat and stripped from his face the heavy German beard that had given him the true Teutonic expression, and there stood revealed before Jack and Frank none other than Lord Hastings, their erstwhile commander and good friend. ”

“ A man must be in perfect trim to stand before Harris."
"Why," said Jack, in surprise, "I can hardly do that now, sir. The men are depending on me."
Captain Raleigh smiled frankly.
"You are all right, boy," he said. "At your first words I thought you were afraid. But you cannot hope for victory."
"I always hope for victory, sir, and I shall do my best. I am no novice."
"Perhaps not; but Harris is almost a professional; in fact, I may say, a good deal better than many professionals. He is fast for a man of his size and has a terrible right-hand punch. ”

“ Jack gave the position to Frank, and the hydroplane approached the foe slowly. Within a range that would make accurate revolver shooting possible, the hydroplane came to a halt. As it did so there was the sound of a revolver shot from across the water and something whizzed overhead.
"Must have some pretty fair shooters over there," said Frank, quietly. "However, they can't see us any better than we can see them. Of course, they can see our craft all right, the same as we can see theirs, but they can't spot us." ”

“ And the British, as always, will win."
"Let us hope so. But, as you and I know, the Germans are no mean opponents. Considering the fact that, since the outbreak of the war, they have had little opportunity to practise war tactics on the sea and practically no chance at all to practise gunnery, the few battles that have been fought have proven them foemen worthy of the best we have to offer."
"True," said Frank. "Until reinforcements arrive they will outnumber us. I don't know how many to one."
"To my mind it is foolish to engage the German fleet with only a few ships," said Jack. ”