Clair W. Hayes

“ At the same instant, from the river, the rapid firers in Frank's command shattered the stillness of the night with their noise of death. Thus attacked on two sides, the Germans for a moment stood as if paralyzed, men dropping on all sides.
But for a moment only. Then they leaped forward ready to encounter the unseen foe. Under the command of their officers they formed coolly enough, and volley after volley was fired into the woods.
But Jack and his 400 British sailors were not to be stayed. Right in among the Germans they plunged, shooting, cutting and slashing. ”

“ Although raked from stem to stern, the Marie Theresa had not been hit in a vital spot. The first German cruiser turned to run, but, by a quick maneuver, Captain Dreyfuss plowed into her as she turned. The sharp prow of the Marie Theresa crashed into the German amidships, and so terrific was the impact that the French ship recoiled.
But it was the death-blow of the German cruiser. Men leaped into the small boats and put off from the ship, or flung themselves head first into the sea. The Marie Theresa drew off and turned her attention to the other German cruiser. ”

“ Frank and Jack glanced curiously at the members of the crew. Not at all nervous themselves, they were nevertheless surprised at the apparent coolness of the British sailors.
Captain Nicholson noticed the expression on their faces, and took time to remark:
"I suppose we should all be thinking with pity of the dead and dying above us, but when you're a hundred feet or so below, the shots and cries of battle are neither exciting nor gruesome." ”

“ At last the first gray form of a German cruiser came within sight of those on the Sylph. It was steaming slowly forward, apparently in no hurry and secure in its belief that there was no enemy near to be feared.
The Sylph had been stripped for action with the rest of the British fleet, for Lord Hastings had no mind to keep out of the battle.
"We've come a long ways to see an engagement," he told the lads, "and I think we are entitled to a hand in the affair."
"Hurrah!" shouted Frank.
"Good!" said Jack, quietly. "I was afraid we would have to stand off and look on." ”

“ She was no match for the German cruiser, but, before going down, it was his intention to do as much damage as possible to the enemy. And the fire of the Lena was doing terrific damage.
Men fell on the cruiser as well as on the Lena. Shells crashed aboard, tumbling down masts, bursting in the mouths of the guns and hurling showers of iron about. Grimy-faced men ran hither and thither about the decks of both vessels. They had long since lost all resemblance to human beings, and all fought like demons.
The German commander did not call upon the British to surrender. ”

“ Now do you understand?"
"Perfectly," replied Jack; "and now as to the manner in which a submarine fights. It is by torpedoes, as I understand it."
"Exactly," replied the lieutenant, "and the torpedo is the most deadly, effective and, it may be also said, intelligent of modern warfare. One torpedo, striking the right kind of a blow, can destroy a battleship. The submarine has no other effective, weapon than the torpedo, which is delivered from a small tube. There is this advantage in favor of the battleship, however: the submarine is a slow craft. ”

“ It was plain that she had had enough. A cheer went up from the British sailors, both on the Sydney and aboard the Sylph. But Captain Glossop, of the Sydney, had no mind to let his prey escape. The Sydney dashed in pursuit of the enemy at full speed, and a fierce running battle ensued.
The Emden's stern guns continued to play upon the Sydney as she made a wild dash for the distant shore. ”

“ Frank and Jack saluted and hurried away. Leaving half their force to guard the village, the lads, with the other half, which had dwindled to less than 100 by now, were soon lost to sight in the forest. They went quickly, but as silently as they could, for they wished, if possible, to take the foe by surprise.
"This is likely to be, a wild goose chase," declared Jack, when, at the end of an hour of forced marching they had seen no sign of the enemy. "There is no telling where the Germans are. They know the lay of the land and we don't. ”

“ Gradually now the British squadron closed in on the Gneisenau and Leipzig, spreading out in a half circle as they advanced. Both German ships had been vitally wounded, but they continued to fight back gamely. Shell after shell burst on their decks, pierced them below the waterline, or carried away their fighting tops or superstructure.
Battered almost to pieces, and their decks strewn with dead and dying, they nevertheless fought on. ”

“ Fortunately for those aboard the Sylph it was the German who suffered. A shell pierced the Nurnberg's side and penetrated the engine-room, where it exploded the Nurnberg's boilers with, a thundering roar. On the instant the Nurnberg seemed to turn into a sheet of flame. ”

“ The boys shouted loud and long for assistance; but their cries were not heard aboard the British ships of war, which, gradually gathering more headway, steamed off to the south. Not until they were almost out of sight did the lads cease their shouting, and resign themselves to their fate.
In despair, they turned to each other for comfort. Jack was first to speak.
"Well, Frank," he said quietly. "We shall soon join Lord Hastings and our other good friends in a place where there is no war and no losing of friends."
"Isn't there something we can do?" asked Frank, trembling with cold. ”

“ So it was arranged, and several hours later the two lads found themselves aboard the German steamer Lena. For the first time in his life Jack trod the bridge of his own ship, and he could not but be proud of that moment; Frank, too, was elated at his good fortune.
With this parting injunction, Captain Marcus dropped over the side of the Lena:
"Make straight for London. Although you carry some guns, if attacked do not fight back unless absolutely necessary. Show the enemy your heels, if possible. However, if you do have to fight, fight as the true sons of Great Britain." ”

“ Slowly the two British cruisers, the Sylph and the Glasgow, their damages having been repaired, turned their noses north, and set out on their search for the only German vessel remaining in American waters.
As they sail away over the mysterious Pacific we shall for a brief period take our leave of Frank Chadwick and Jack Templeton, than whom no more courageous lads (nor men, either, for that matter) engaged in the greatest war of all history. ”

“ Now, realizing that escape was impossible, the Emden turned.
Brought to bay, Captain von Mueller had decided to give battle.
"Will we go into action, sir?" asked Jack of Lord Hastings eagerly.
"Not unless it is absolutely necessary," replied the commander of the Sylph. "The Sydney can handle the Emden alone."
Both lads were disappointed, for they had felt certain, that when the Emden was brought to bay they would have a hand in putting an end to her.
"Well," said Jack, "we can at least see the battle."
"Right," said Frank, and fortifying themselves with glasses, they took posts of vantage. ”

“ All available guns were turned upon the spot where the submarine was rising.
But hardly had the under-sea craft come to the surface than a
British ensign was run up.
Lord Hastings breathed easier.
"Good!" he exclaimed. "I wouldn't care much to encounter a submarine."
The commander of the submarine, Captain Nicholson, came aboard the Sylph to pay his respects to Lord Hastings.
"I suppose you are aware," he said during the course of the conversation, "that Turkey has declared war on England, France and Russia?"
"What!" cried Lord Hastings. "Turkey has declared war! I hadn't heard of it." ”

“ Before the Germans could again get under full headway, there came the heavy boom of a great gun. The Undaunted was within range, and had opened fire.
Lord Hastings summoned Jack to him.
"What damage do you find to the Sylph?" he asked.
"Forward gun out of commission, sir," replied the lad. "Ten men killed, and many wounded."
Frank also had had news to report.
The British flotilla and the German squadron were now at it hammer and tongs. Seeing that all hope of escape had been cut off, the German commander turned to face his new foes, determined to give battle to the last. ”

“ The last German destroyer had come almost upon them, and the British gunners, evidently not seeing the little boat, were continuing their fire at the enemy.
The lads were in imminent danger of being struck by a British shell. The German launched a torpedo, and it went skimming right by the little boat in which the boys sat.
"Quick!" cried Jack. "We must get out of here or one of those things will hit us."
The men bent to their oars; but they were not quick enough. Struck by some missile, the boat suddenly sank beneath them, and the boys found themselves in the water, swimming. ”

“ Canopus, in the entrance to the harbor, had at last been
discovered. A wireless message flashed through the air.
"Surrender or I shall sink you!" it read.
"An Englishman never surrenders!" was the reply flashed back by the commander of the Canopus.
The German admiral tried again.
"I would avoid all unnecessary loss of life," he signaled.
"Thanks," was the laconic response of the Canopus. "We are able to take care of ourselves."
To this there was no reply, and still the German squadron came on without firing a shot.
"Wonder why they don't shoot?" asked Jack. ”

“ Swiftly the little scout cruiser turned her face directly toward the enemy, who even now had turned to escape toward the south, at the same time heading so they would pass the Sylph at the distance of perhaps a mile.
"Full speed ahead!" came the command on the Sylph.
The little vessel darted forward at an angle that would cut off the Germans in the flight. It was a desperate venture, and none, perhaps, realized it more than did Lord Hastings; but he was not the man to see the prey escape thus easily if he could help it. ”

“ The Marie Tieresa, back from her successful raid, was one of the foremost in the French line of battle. Now, as she steamed forward with the rest of the fleet, her hydroplanes were made ready for action.
Captain Dreyfuss summoned Jack and Frank before him.
"You will each take a seat in one of the hydroplanes," he ordered. "Your duties will be to drop bombs on the enemy. Each machine carries two men, one a pilot. Therefore you will each take separate machines." ”

“ The Lena seemed to leap forward, and in a moment had turned her stern to the enemy, thus making her a harder target to hit. The German, evidently taken by surprise, could not bring her guns to bear in a moment, and that moment undoubtedly saved the Lena.
The small guns on the Lena, at Frank's command, were made ready for instant use, and the men were piped to quarters. Although well aware he was outranged by the enemy, Jack determined to fight his ship to the last.
"They'll know they have been in a battle unless they sink us before they come in range of our guns," said Jack grimly. ”

“ Suddenly there was a terrific shock. Every man on board the submarine was knocked off his feet, and the submarine went rapidly to the bottom. Jack was knocked unconscious by the suddenness and force of the shock.
When he opened his eyes again, Frank was bending over him.
"What's the matter?" he gasped.
"Shot hit us, I guess," was Frank's calm reply.
The lad was right. Two small Turkish gunboats, whose presence in the harbor was not known to Captain Nicholson, had approached the scene of battle, and making out the submarine's periscope, had opened on her with the big guns. ”

“ A shot from a big gun aboard that ship would mean failure for us. I have called you two lads to ask if you would like to undertake a dangerous task?"
"Yes, sir," replied Jack quietly.
"We shall be only too glad," said Frank eagerly.
"Well, then," continued, Captain Dreyfuss, "I believe that by a quick and silent dash you may be able to board her. If You are successful in getting aboard, your first duty will be to prevent the firing of one of the big guns. Luckily, we are still far from shore, so the sounds of a hand-to-hand struggle are not likely to be overheard. ”

“ The lads arose and faced the officer.
"I realize your position better than you are probably aware," he said, speaking coldly, "and for that reason I shall overlook your attack upon me. I would have done as you did. I could not stand by and see a German ship sent to the bottom without raising a hand to prevent it. Go to your cabin, sirs." The boys bowed, and obeyed.
But while the boys were scuffling with the German officer and some of the sailors, others had pushed a second torpedo into the tube. And a sailor shouted, making himself heard by dint of a very powerful voice: "Did we hit her?" ”

“ Brown applied first aid to the injured, while Captain Nicholson got the submarine under way again and headed for the mouth of the harbor.
"I wonder if that last torpedo went home," said Frank. "Do you suppose it did, captain?"
"I don't know," was the reply. "We are blind now, our periscope having been shot away, and there is no way of telling without going to the surface and exposing ourselves to gunfire."
"Is there any danger of our being sunk?" asked Jack.
"Danger!" he repeated. "You bet there's danger. Still, thanks to a tight hull and a true compass, we have a fighting chance." ”

“ The two lads hastened to introduce themselves.
"I am Captain von Cromp, commander of this vessel," said the captain gruffly. "You are my prisoners until I put into port and can turn you over to the proper authorities."
Jack and Frank bowed in recognition of their fate. The captain turned to Lieutenant Stein.
"You will see that the prisoners are well cared for," he said.
"They are in your custody."
The lads glanced curiously about as they were led along toward the lieutenant's cabin. It was the first time either had been inside a submarine vessel, and both felt a trifle squeamish. ”

“ By a quick and skillful maneuver, Lord Hastings avoided this projectile, and a broadside was poured into the German.
Others of the German fleet were too closely pressed by the Undaunted and her convoys to aid the one engaged with the Sylph, and so the two were left to fight it out alone.
Closer and closer together the two vessels came, until they were perhaps only a hundred yards apart. It was evident to those on the Sylph that a shell must have badly crippled the German, for otherwise a torpedo would have put an end to the little British craft. ”

“ Believing that our force is much greater than it is, and apparently cut off from escape in all directions, the Germans may surrender."
"A good idea," exclaimed Frank. "We will act upon it at once."
Quickly he scattered his men in a wide circle around the German camp. Then, when he felt that all was in readiness, he gave the signal—a shot from his revolver.
Immediately there was a fierce volley from the British, aimed high. The German troops sprang to their feet in a moment; then, at a command from their officer, dropped quickly to the ground again. ”