H. Irving Hancock

“ Dave Darrin exclaimed, rising, as though to terminate the interview. "It seems to be a rule with you fellows, when you find yourselves facing death, to whine about the children you must leave behind to starve. Before you set out to murder me in an especially brutal manner, did you take the trouble to ask me whether I had any children who would starve? Did you ask Mr. and Mrs. Launce whether they had children that were not provided for? And what about that honest old sea-dog, Captain Kennor? ”

“ Dave Darrin, followed by a junior officer, went forward to another, still smaller room, where he gazed down with heaving breast at the forms of the seamen who had given up their lives under the Stars and Stripes in the gallant work of that night.
Over the face of each dead man lay a cloth. Each cloth was removed in turn by a sailor as Darrin passed along.
"A good fighting man and a great romp on shore," said Dave, looking down at the face of one man. "One of the best fellows we ever had on any ship I've ever served on," he said, glancing at another face. ”

“ CHAPTER XXII THE RED CROSS TRAGEDY
"No, sir!" said Dave, promptly. "I love my wife, and it will not surprise you to hear me say it, but in the discharge of my duty Mrs. Darrin has exactly the same status as a stranger. I shall be glad, for my own sake, to bring through in safety any ship on which she sails, but I shall be just as glad to be able to insure the safety of any wounded Tommy Atkins on the 'Gloucester' who is longing for a sight of his loved ones at home." ”

“ Dave accordingly ordered the "Grigsby" laid over to starboard and raced on to place the Yankee ship between the pirate and the intended victim.
Hardly had the course been altered, however, in the roughening sea, when a dull lurid flash some twelve or fifteen feet high was seen just under the liner's starboard bow. A cloud of smoke rose, the lower half of which was promptly washed out by a rising wave.
"That was a mine, no torpedo!" cried Dave, his eyes snapping. "Full speed ahead, Mr. Fernald, and prepare to clear away our launches. That ship cannot float long!" ”

“ It had come so suddenly that, for an instant, Dave Darrin was dazed.
"That wasn't a torpedo!" he cried, hoarsely, a second or two later.
"She hit a mine, sir," reported Lieutenant Fernald. "It wasn't the fault of the sweepers, either, for they hadn't time to get that far. But it's awful—awful! There'll be hundreds of the poor fellows drowned!"
Dave quickly recovered his presence of mind. As the "Gloucester" shut off speed Darrin turned and dashed at full speed to the aid of the stricken craft. ”

“ The last boats had taken away many besides the stretcher patients.
"Give us ten minutes more," said Darrin, as he watched the boats discharging at the Italian steamer, and returning, "and we shall all be safe."
"They will be the longest, most anxious ten minutes that I ever lived!" sighed Captain Senby.
"Man, you're white and you look ill," Dave cried. "Buck up! You've done splendidly, and the discipline on board has been perfect. You have nothing with which to reproach yourself." ”

“ After the conning tower the gray back of the sea pest rose into view. The manhole of the tower was opened and an officer appeared, followed to the deck by a few seamen, two of whom stationed themselves by a gun that popped up into view.
"Come alongside!" shouted the officer, in English, through a megaphone.
Again Captain Kennor's oarsmen gave way, their skipper heading for the submarine.
"That will do. Cease rowing," commanded the German officer. "What ship is that yonder?"
"Der Danish freighter, 'Rigsdak,'" replied Captain Kennor. ”

“ Why have you killed two of our crew and hurt others?"
"Drop that nonsense," Darrin retorted, sternly. "You know why we fired on you. And your men slightly wounded two of mine."
"We had a right to," scowled the other.
"You'll know better, by the time you've reached a British prison," Dave rejoined. "Men, place these three fellows under arrest. Search them."
Only the man who appeared to be the craft's master resisted being searched. He swung at one of the sailors, but Darrin jumped in, knocking him down and holding him to the floor. ”

“ For that matter, have any of you wild beasts on German submarines ever worried yourselves about the families you orphaned by your inhuman crimes at sea? Even in the case of the 'Lusitania,' did that submarine commander ask himself, or any one else, what would happen to the women and children who were pitched into the sea? You are wild to murder innocent, harmless people be [213] longing to an enemy nation, yet when you yourselves are brought face to face with death you are all alike. You whine! You beg! Dreiner, you are not man enough to play the game! ”

“ The boat belonged to one of the mine-sweepers. With true British precision and rhythm the men pulled away. Darrin ceased counting and turned to his smiling wife.
"Not such a bad time, was it?" he asked.
"As it turned out, no. But I was afraid, Dave. Had a few hundred of the brave fellows been drowned, the horror would not have left me as long as I lived."
"Then you must steel your nerves a bit, Belle, dear. War, at the least, is a grewsome thing, but this war contains more horrors than any other war of which man has knowledge. ”

“ We all know. The English hang the crews of German submarines. Our officers have told us all about it. You are wrong, too, to hang us, for it is the knowledge that the English will hang us that makes us fight more desperately when we are attacked."
"But the English will not hang you. You and your mates will be treated as prisoners of war," Darrin assured him. "You will be well fed. You will have some amusements. When spring comes you will have gardens to work in and the flowers or vegetables that you raise will belong to you. It is a stupid lie to tell you that the English hang you all. ”

“ Dave finished coldly. "If I did, I might be tempted to abuse a prisoner, and that is something no American fighting man can really do. Orderly!"
As the orderly stepped in, saluting, Dreiner tried a last appeal:
"Why do you hate us Germans so?" he whined. "I know that you do not hate me especially, but that you hate all of our race!"
"Why do we hate you?" Darrin echoed. "The reason is that, from all we hear, fellows like yourself appear to be fair samples of the German officer, on land and afloat. ”

“ Dalzell had let go with both forward torpedo tubes, and both had scored. The second stricken enemy ship began to fill and sink slowly.
"Shall we stop to pick up men?" called Fernald.
"Too bad, but we cannot linger while one of the enemy craft still floats," Darrin replied, calmly. "Our first business is to sink enemy ships. We cannot be humane just yet. Give full chase, Mr. Fernald!"
The German survivor had already turned tail, for these Yankee fighters were altogether too swift in their style of combat. Dalzell, whose craft was nearer the fugitive, was now first in pursuit. ”

“ On both enemy craft, as seen under the searchlight, the German crews had come out on deck. It was clear that they wished to surrender without further loss of life.
So Dave ordered a launch cleared away, with a prize crew armed to the teeth, Ensign Andrews in command.
"You men get as far forward as possible," Andrews shouted to the huddled enemy. "Be careful not to have any weapons about you. We'll accept you as prisoners of war, but any attempt at treachery will be sternly punished!"
As he spoke the ensign rested one hand on the barrel of a machine gun in the launch's bow. ”

“ Dave bowed, turned and re-entered the passage-way. The German naval officer's manner toward him had not been insulting. There was an evident effort to treat Darrin with the outward show of respect that should be accorded to a prisoner of his rank. Yet Dave knew that his enemy hated him.
Mr. and Mrs. Launce were in the passage-way, and Captain Kennor could be heard stirring in his cabin.
"Mr. Darrin, we are now at good depth under water?" inquired Mr. Launce.
"Yes, sir; I believe so. We are not to be caught and destroyed just yet." ”

“ In a lower berth lay a middle-aged woman [195] whose piercing black eyes snapped as she surveyed the young naval officer.
"You are a wretch, to intrude here!" cried the older woman.
"One must often do disagreeable things in the line of war duty," Darrin answered, gravely. "For one thing, I must place you both in arrest. Then I shall be obliged to have your cabin searched."
"Oh, if I but had a weapon!" cried the older woman.
"If you had, and were quick enough," Dave assured her, "you might succeed in killing me, but that would not affect our duty here, for there are other officers at hand. ”

“ No sooner was the "Grigsby" in port, the next forenoon, than Lieutenant Fernald came ashore and straight to the hospital.
"Going on board today, sir?" was Fernald's greeting.
"You couldn't keep me ashore any longer," Darrin declared.
"Good enough!" said the executive officer, heartily. "We need you, sir! We've been doing our best, but the enemy has been gaining on us. Last night two ships struck mines and went down before rescue could reach them. ”

“ Dave murmured to Fernald, "we shall have to look after our own security. It is going to be lively work."
"Yes, sir?" Fernald inquired, with a rising inflection, for he did not know the purpose of this cruise.
Turning to make sure that the signalman could not overhear, Darrin went on, in a lower voice:
"Our orders take us out to wage war against the German mine-layers!"
[16] "A great work, sir!" replied the executive officer with enthusiasm. "There is sure to be plenty of sport. Then the enemy mine-layers have been working more industriously of late?" ”

“ A human head rolling among waves on a black night is a difficult object to pick up with the searchlight.
Dave now struck out enough to keep his face turned toward the light. He did not attempt to swim toward the destroyer. That long, narrow craft circled about, bringing a second searchlight to bear.
Then Dave saw the blinkers at the foremast head gleam out dully. He even read the signal:
"Lieutenant Commander Darrin overboard. Not yet located."
"That's for Dalzell's benefit," Dave told himself. "Poor old Danny-boy will be wild, and will come steaming over here at full speed. But—confound it! ”

“ A slow gain was still being made on the water in the two compartments. If the pumps held out, and if the patches did not give way, there might yet be a fair chance to save life. But Dave knew the dangers that confronted all hands left behind, even when he could make out the hull of the oncoming steamship, and saw that she was moving at fullest speed.
"We should win out, don't you think?" demanded Captain Senby, anxiously. "I've never lost a ship."
"At least we stand a fair chance to win out," Dave answered, frankly. ”

“ Darrin answered. "Besides, he has to be at a greater altitude, when hunting submarines, than it's handy to drop a bomb from. There is too much margin of chance that the enemy craft will graze by when the bomb is dropped from the air. In our case, if we drop when directly over the Hun, there can hardly be a miss, and it's the dirigible's business to tell us when we are directly over the enemy."
In the meantime, on board the destroyer, all was made ready, and Dave followed the same tactics as before. ”

“ To those on the bridge the mastheads were soon visible. After that came the lookout's hail:
"She's a hospital ship, sir. I can make out the Red Cross plainly through the glass."
"It must be the 'Gloucester,' then," remarked Lieutenant Fernald.
"Pass the word that the first man really to sight a periscope or a conning tower shall have a fortnight's shore leave extra," Dave ordered. ”

“ Two sailors lay dead, rifles beside them. Pools of blood showed that at least two more wounded men had been there, but had fled. No one else belonging to the ship was in sight on deck.
"Boatswain's mate, take the bridge," ordered Dave, as more men came up on board. "Put two men in the wheel-house. Take command of the deck with such men as I do not take with me."
Calling half a dozen seamen, and ordering them to draw their automatic revolvers, Darrin proceeded to the chart-room. ”

“ Officers and men, too, made the most of their opportunity to sleep that night. Only one officer at a time kept deck watch, and only one engineer officer down below. The "Grigsby" was ready to put to sea almost on an instant's notice from the flagship, but no word came.
Fully refreshed, and in the best of condition, Dave Darrin enjoyed a famously good breakfast the next morning, as did every officer and man on the destroyer. Still the orders for special duty had not arrived, and Dave was beginning to chafe under the delay. ”

“ Darrin said encouragingly. "Now, clear all hands off lively."
"The women first?" almost pleaded Captain Senby.
"Of course!" Dave nodded. "They've done their full duty, and done it splendidly. Now, insist."
Galvanized into action by these cheering words, Captain Senby cleared his throat, then roared in a fog-horn voice:
"All hands stand by to abandon ship! Be lively, please, ladies. No man stir over the side until the last woman has gone over!"
Some of the Red Cross women smilingly obeyed the order; others hung back. ”

“ Dave continued. "Six British mine-sweeping craft have been sent north to do all they can to remove those hidden perils from the paths of transports and freighters. Our first mission is to protect the mine-sweepers as far as possible, but we are also to keep a sharp lookout for German submarines; and especially submarines of the mine-laying kind."
"I understand, sir," Fernald nodded. The tone of enthusiasm had faded from his voice. Now he displayed only the grave interest of the professional sea-fighter.
"All officers and men will have to work twice as hard as usual," Darrin went on. ”

“ With the mightiest twist and wrench of which he was capable he jammed the lever so that it could not be promptly operated to lower the periscope.
"Stop!" thundered von Schellen, leaping to his feet, his face purple with rage.
"I've stopped," assented Darry, smilingly, as he stepped back.
"Do you realize what you have done, scoundrelly Yankee?" hissed the ober-lieutenant, also rising and drawing his revolver.
"Of course I do," Dave smilingly assented.
"You have jammed the periscope. But at least we can dive when we need, for—there!" ”