Roy Norton

“ There was not the slightest use in bellowing down the tube, for the telegraph had stood at "Full speed ahead" ever since the German boat had been sighted, and the Esperanza, tuned and strung to the utmost, obeyed the master hand of Twisted Jimmy as she had never before obeyed in her adventurous life. She fled like a frightened thing, running as she had never before run, twisting and dodging as never before had she twisted and dodged, quite as if, endowed with individual intelligence, she fought for existence. ”

“ The Esperanza was still under way, but from her hollows came no longer the whir and clash of machinery full driven, and full working. Steam suddenly puffed upward from her escapes. Jimmy had opened her valves. The screw had stopped, and we traveled forward in ever-lessening momentum. Men, blackened and begrimed with oil and grease, streaming perspiration, came running from the engine-room and stoke-hole. Last of all came Twisted Jimmy, as blackened and sweaty as the others, and trudged heavily to the deck beneath the bridge. ”

“ Men aroused from sleep off-watch came running to the deck. The boatswain's whistle shrilled in quick, staccato treble, and the whole ship seemed suddenly aware of menace, yet bravely resolute in her determination to meet any odds. Her screw began to turn to its utmost speedy and men ran to the quarters I had previously assigned, all with as much precision, I flatter myself, as if we were a man-o'-war. The submarine appeared to pause for a moment, and then displayed German colors and signaled us to heave to. I was astonished at an odd hesitancy on the part of the U-boat ”

“ But to premise the knowledge that he knew the Esperanza was my boat, opened other considerations, and yet in my own mind I was convinced that he was surprised at learning that I was there. If not, he was a very competent actor. If they were after the plans of Jimmy Martin's invention, to be delivered them by an agent aboard, why not endeavor to disable us by shell-fire until we were rendered helpless? If they were after the gold, why not pursue the same tactics? ”

“ I shouted to the chief mate on the bridge to swing to port and give me another chance with the eighteen-pounder, which was now our only hope. The Esperanza yawed sharply, and we swung the gun to catch the submarine, now submerging rapidly, and again fired. There was a splash so close to the forward periscope that the men cheered; but there came no spout of water announcing an explosion that would have finished our enemy for that combat at least, and possibly forever. This shell also had proven to be a dud, and failed. ”

“ I came nearer to the heart of the man in that one moment than ever before. I am certain he understood. I am certain that he was as far from words as I; for he clutched tightly, looked into my eyes with affection, and said: "Next time you go under, better not stay so long. 'Taint fair to keep a man waiting that way. I was about all in, and—I'm not so young and strong as I was a few years ago!"
"Which boat is the captain in?" a harsh voice called, and I turned to see that we were nearing the submarine, on whose moist deck stood a half-dozen men in the uniform of the German Navy. ”

“ The Esperanza shifted responsively to the hands of the lean-faced man from good old Cape Cod, presented her stern, and there came a roar as the gunner, seizing the shifting chance, let go another shell that, like its predecessors, was worth no more than a round shot, and missed by feet rather than fathoms. Nothing but a direct hit could count, and yet he did his best ”

“ I waited, expecting it to be followed by a torrent of others, for the man at that gun knew his business, and with such a fair mark could not fail to score hits; but instead I heard his voice above all the tiny turmoil, roaring objurgations, and now he came running to meet me, for I had started forward to learn the cause of his failure.
"The charges are all dead, sir," he shouted. "Somebody has done for us fair! And even the shot I fired, with the shell that was in the chamber, didn't blow!" ”

“ They made all the men in one boat climb aboard their sneaking sub, and I'll be blest if two men didn't get into it and go through it as if searching for a fortune rolled up in bank-notes and jammed into a crack. ”

“ Clumping feet were coming up through the conning-tower, hammering the steel steps, and Twisted Jimmy appeared. His clothing also had been dried, a decided compliment to him as well as me, the only two men of the Esperanza who had been immersed. Count Vennemann gave an impatient gesture toward the boats, and Jimmy was escorted to the little side ladder, and told he could get aboard. The count motioned to the men nearest him, and they withdrew as far as possible.
"Hale," he said, "you can thank your stars that you were once a friend of mine. We don't always take such pains with prisoners." ”

“ And then my ear, recalling old and familiar sounds of the time when I had done submarine service in my own country's Navy, identified and segregated the steel chorus into intelligent cohesion, and knew that the U-boat was turning her Diesels to replenish her storage batteries. For nearly an hour we rested there in suspense, and then the steward who had taken my clothing returned with it, dry and warm, over his arm. He told me I could rehabilitate myself, and without further comment departed. ”

“ Oh, I make no excuses; and war is war. You people don't see it as we do because you are on the opposite side; but don't think for a moment that I am in the least bit proud of this berth of mine. I'm merely doing what I conceive to be my duty by my country. ”

“ Rogers tells 'em 'No. Don't you think we were smart enough to save all our men? What do you take us for? A lot of barge-men with no more discipline than rats, or submarine smuts and tinkers?'
"'Not too much lip there,' says their skipper, and Rogers shut up, because, maybe, I think he had an idea he might get you and the chief in bad; but he does a lot of talking to himself. On this boat we took the line of talk from what we heard and swore we were all here. We didn't say a word about poor old Klein being lost, because we weren't going to give 'em any satisfaction. ”

“ The count stood looking about him for a moment, and it gave me an opportunity to appraise the scene. The two boats of the Esperanza were still alongside, with my men seated in them, all in a watchful silence. From the deck of the submarine two machine guns were pointed threateningly toward the boats, although the big gun that had been visible when we boarded had been lowered into its well and the plates reset above it. ”