Stanley R. Matthews

“ Matt and Glennie refused a pressing invitation to stay all night at the consul's palatial home. They explained to him that, in view of the vague dangers threatening them and the Grampus, they felt as though they ought to stay with the boat.
Mr. Brigham commended their zeal, repeated his encouraging auguries for their ultimate success, and warned them again of dangers ahead.
"Desperate risks are what you're to take," said he. "It may be that you have clipped the claws of the dragon, and that nothing more will be heard of the Sons of the Rising Sun. ”

“ Perhaps a way can be found to make Tolo talk."
"We'll try him now," said Glennie, a flash of forlorn hope crossing his face. "Why do you want to treat me like this, Tolo?" he queried, addressing the prisoner.
"What I do I do for Nippon," was the slow answer. "Banzai, Nippon!"
"Panzai!" exclaimed Carl. "Dot's a funny vay to yell hooray, ain'd it? Panzai! Ach, du lieber!"
"You stole my dispatches, there in La Guayra," went on Glennie, still addressing himself to the prisoner. "What sort of way was that to treat me?"
"For Nippon," muttered Tolo; "all is for Nippon, for my beloved country." ”

“ He was still worrying about the mysterious steamer, and the no less mysterious Japs. From what he had heard and read of the Japanese, he understood that dogged persistency was a national trait. If the Sons of the Rising Sun had made up their minds to destroy the submarine, it would take more than one rebuff to discourage them. That they were still on the trail of the Grampus Matt had not the least doubt, and if they should happen to sight the boat in the cove, and make an attack while the propeller was being cleared, they would stand a fair show of success. ”

“ From your talk I take it that you consider yourself the whole works, and that I am to play the rôle of an innocent bystander."
"I am to manage the boat," returned Matt firmly.
"Then," cried Glennie, "if you get us into serious difficulties, I am to say nothing, but bear the brunt of your mistakes along with the rest of the men?"
"Do you know anything about submarines?"
"A graduate of Annapolis is equipped with all the knowledge he can possibly need in his work."
"Theoretical knowledge," qualified Matt. "Have you ever had any practical experience on a submarine?" ”

“ But this had not been done without some noise, and as Dean ran away toward the gate of the inclosure, he heard voices in the darkness, and cries of warning and alarm. The door of the inclosure was fast. Precious moments were wasted unbolting it. By the time he was fleeing across the strip of beach he knew he was pursued. He ran along the water's edge as far as he could till the thick brake of mangroves, which succeeded the beach, prevented him, for they grew right to the edge of the water, and the giant twisted roots snaked far out into the very slime of the river itself. ”

“ I don'd like Chaps any more as I do shinks."
"You must be mistaken!" gasped Glennie. "Either that, or else Tolo is a madman! Why, the explosion of that bomb would have wrecked the submarine and killed us all."
The ensign shuddered.
"It would have been barbarous!" he went on, worked up by the enormity of the crime that had been planned. "As an act of war, it would have been savage enough, in all conscience, but here we are at peace with all the world, and under the protection of Old Glory!"
"I can't help that, Glennie," said Matt grimly. "We've got to take the facts as we find them. ”

“ There has never been such a person as the Japanese employed in the fonda. The waiters were all Venezuelans, and no Japs were ever employed. Perhaps this Tolo had worked in the old hotel that had been burned during the great fire?"
Glennie's trail, faint enough at best, had run into thin air. He was at the end of it, and it had led him nowhere. Going off into one corner of the wineroom, the ensign dropped down at a table in an obscure corner, rested his chin in his hands, and wondered dejectedly what he should do next. ”

“ Events in this world, no matter how seemingly incomprehensible, usually happen for the best.
If the Grampus had not had her fight with the cachalot she would not have put in at Port-of-Spain, and if Ensign Glennie had not lost his dispatches he would not have put in there, either.
The damage to the fore-rudder had been insignificant. Some of the iron bars protecting the rudder had been twisted and bent by the whale's flukes, and Motor Matt had repaired the damage while coming through the Boca Drago into the gulf. ”

“ When Matt got down into the periscope room he found Glennie examining one corner of the suit case, which was badly smashed.
"I regret to note, Mr. King," said he, "that there is a serious lack of discipline aboard this boat. Such a thing could never be tolerated in the service. We are to take a long and hazardous journey, and I shall insist on having the men keep their places."
"You are not here to insist on anything, Mr. Glennie," replied Matt, coolly placing himself on one of the low stools that were used as seats. ”

“ The hum of the engine died slowly, and muffled sounds from the tank room showed that Clackett was calmly attending to his work.
In time of accident no man could leave his post, for the safety of the submarine, and the lives of those within her, might depend upon an instant compliance with orders. Iron-nerved men formed the crew of the Grampus, for each had been selected by Captain Nemo, Jr., with that quality in mind. ”

“ The anchor of the steamship Borneo splashed into the yellow waters of the Gulf of Paria, the boat continuing onward until the anchor had taken a grip on the muddy bottom. The Borneo was from Venezuelan ports, and at La Guayra had picked up no less a personage than John Henry Glennie, Ensign, U. S. N.
The steamer carried a queer assortment of passengers, and they were all around Ensign Glennie as he sat well aft on the grating beside the hand-steering gear.
Venezuelans were chattering like magpies; little brown youngsters were rolling over and over around Glennie's feet ”

“ My, sooch a savageness as some nations haf!"
"What did you do with those dispatches?" demanded Glennie.
"I will say nothing," answered Tolo, with careful emphasis.
"Your country will be held to account for this, proceeded Glennie severely.
"My country has nothing to do with it. I am a Son of the Rising Sun, and I should like to die for my country. If my hands were free, and I had a sword, then—hari-kiri! It is pleasant to kill oneself for one's country."
"Guff!" growled Dick. "Hear him talk—and all for effect."
"You're wrong, Dick," said Matt. "The poor fellow means every word he says." ”

“ Glennie half extended his hand, but Matt did not seem to see it. Now that the ensign wanted aid in his time of trouble, he appeared anxious to get on the friendly footing which Matt had mentioned a little while before. But Matt, once rebuffed, wasn't going halfway to meet him on that ground.
"It seems to me, Mr. Glennie," said he, "that there is something more behind this than just a desire, on the Jap's part, to sell his dispatches to the highest bidder. The Japs are wily little fellows, and as brave as they are wily." ”

“ It must have been generally known in Belize that the Grampus had been sold to the United States Government for a large sum, conditional upon her safe delivery at Mare Island; and perhaps it was equally well known, on the Seminole, at least, and maybe in La Guayra, that Ensign Glennie was to accompany the submarine on her passage around the Horn. All this knowledge, of course, could have been picked up, and perhaps used by unscrupulous persons. But what could such unscrupulous persons be hoping to gain by any crooked work? ”

“ Each canoe was supplied with these ropes, which were cast with amazing skill, and wherever there was the slightest hold or projection there was a rope quickly looped over, and a black body swarming up the next instant. Axes and cutting knives hacked at them, but many a savage got aboard, and there were gashes and spear thrusts in plenty among the crew of the Athena when dawn broke. ”

“ But where was the tactical advantage to be gained by a Jap in stealing an envelope addressed to a consular agent tucked away in a Brazilian town at the mouth of the Amazon? The only advantage which Glennie could think of was that of pecuniary gain. Tolo had stolen the packet in order to demand money for its return. Glennie had plenty of money, and he began to think he had fallen into a grievous error by running away from La Guayra without giving Tolo a chance to communicate with him. ”

“ Dick immediately repeated the order, and Carl clattered below to help.
"They can't get the tube loaded, Matt," cried Dick, "before the cachalot will be on us."
"We'll have to meet his first charge," answered Matt calmly; "there can't be any dodging."
There came a low thump from forward, followed by a gurgling splash. From that Matt knew that the bow port had been closed and that the water was being blown out of the tube by compressed air. Then a faint rattle told him the breech door was being opened preparatory to loading the torpedo.
By then Matt was able to see the charging whale. ”

“ For him to reach the fuse in his weakened condition was impossible; but, if he could regain his feet and kick the cup over the coffee that remained in it might quench the fire of the fuse.
Three times he endeavored to draw himself erect by means of the table, but succeeded only in dropping backward as though pushed by a heavy, resistless hand. But the fourth time he managed to remain upright, trembling with the strain he had put upon himself.
It seemed a trifling thing to overset the coffee-cup, but Motor Matt had never planned a harder task. ”

“ Matt's shout acquainted the savages with the fact that there were two whites to be dealt with instead of one. The scoundrel in the canoe dropped his paddle and picked up a spear. The dugout dropped a little behind, but the savage brought the ungainly craft nearly to the conning tower with two sweeps of the paddle. The next moment he let his spear fly, and there came a blood-curdling whoop from the tower hatch.
Carl, as usual, happened to be in the way of trouble. He had flung through the periscope room and chased after Matt up the ladder. Matt avoided the spear by dropping to his knees. ”

“ Glennie, there is a Japanese secret society consisting of a number of misguided young men who call themselves Sons of the Rising Sun. Their government does not sanction their acts, and presumably knows nothing about them. These Independent Protectors of the Kingdom have heard of this wonderful submarine ship invented by Captain Nemo, Jr., and they are well fitted to understand its possibilities in time of war. ”

“ Enemies are upon us! That steamer you saw in the periscope, Speake, is hove to a little way from us, and our motor is slowed until we have scarcely steerage-way. A boat is coming toward the Grampus, and we shall be boarded before you can say Jack Robinson. We've got to make a dive for safety. Rouse yourselves, both of you! To the motor, Dick! ”