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diff --git a/39387.txt b/39387.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 7b80891..0000000 --- a/39387.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,8994 +0,0 @@ - SUBMARINE U93 - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost -no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license. - - -Title: Submarine U93 - -Author: Charles Gilson - -Release Date: March 05, 2012 [EBook #39387] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: US-ASCII - - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SUBMARINE U93 *** - - - - -Produced by Al Haines. - - - - -[Illustration: Cover art] - - - -[Illustration: THE "MONDAVIA" SWUNG IN UPON HER VICTIM--THE IRON BOWS -SMASHED INTO THE U93. See page 249.] - - - - - SUBMARINE - U93 - - A Tale of the Great War, of German Spies, - and Submarines, of Naval Warfare, and - all manner of Adventures. - - - BY - - CAPTAIN CHARLES GILSON - - _Author of 'A Motor Scout in Flanders,' 'The Lost Empire,' 'The Sword_ - _of Freedom,' 'The Pirate Aeroplane,' 'The Spy,' 'The Race Round the_ - _World,' 'The Sword of Deliverance,' 'The Fire-Gods', 'The Lost - Island,'_ - _'The Lost Column,' etc._ - - - -[Illustration: THE VERY FIRST PROJECTILE BURST DIRECTLY OVER THE BRIDGE] - - - LONDON - "THE BOY'S OWN PAPER" OFFICE - 4 Bouverie Street - 1916 - - - - - _UNIFORM WITH THIS VOLUME._ - - THE BOY'S LIBRARY OF - ADVENTURE AND HEROISM. - -The Fifth Form at St. Dominic's. By Talbot Baines Reed. -A Hero in Wolf-skin. By Tom Bevan. -The Adventures of Val Daintry in the Greco-Turkish War. By V. L. Going. -The Adventures of a Three-Guinea Watch. By Talbot Baines Reed. -The Cock-house at Fellsgarth. By Talbot Baines Reed. -Wild Life in Sunny Lands. By Gordon Stables, M.D., R.N. -A Dog with a Bad Name. By Talbot Baines Reed. -The Master of the Shell. By Talbot Baines Reed. -From Scapegrace to Hero. By Ernest Protheroe. -My Friend Smith. By Talbot Baines Reed. -Comrades under Canvas. By Fredk. P. Gibbon. -Parkhurst Boys. By Talbot Baines Reed. -Reginald Cruden. By Talbot Baines Reed. -Roger Ingleton, Minor. By Talbot Baines Reed. -For Queen and Emperor. By Ernest Protheroe. -The Cruise of the Golden Fleece. By Sardius Hancock. -That Boy of Fraser's. By Ernest Protheroe. -A Collegian in Khaki. By William Johnston. -With Rifle and Kukri. By Frederick P. Gibbon. -Meltonians All! By F. Cowley Whitehouse. -Myddleton's Treasure. By Ernest Protheroe. -The Baymouth Scouts. By Tom Bevan. -The Last of the Paladins. By Charles Deslys. -Rollinson and I. By W. E. Cule. -Under the Edge of the Earth. By F. H. Bolton. -Derrick Orme's Schooldays. By Edith C. Kenyon. -Sir Ludar. By Talbot Baines Reed. -Tom, Dick, and Harry. By Talbot Baines Reed - - - LONDON: THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY. - - - - ---- - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER I--The Admiral's Sixpence - CHAPTER II--In Defiance of Authority - CHAPTER III--The World Plot - CHAPTER IV--Shadowed - CHAPTER V--Dropping the Pilot - CHAPTER VI--Captain Crouch - CHAPTER VII--In the Hold - CHAPTER VIII--A False Witness - CHAPTER IX--The "Dresden" - CHAPTER X--The Mysterious Message - CHAPTER XI--The Middle Watch - CHAPTER XII--The U93 - CHAPTER XIII--To the Boats! - CHAPTER XIV--The Doomed Ship - CHAPTER XV--The Penitence of Captain Crouch - CHAPTER XVI--At the "Goat and Compasses" - CHAPTER XVII--Number 758 - CHAPTER XVIII--"Mr. Russell" - CHAPTER XIX--A Clue - CHAPTER XX--Commander Fells - CHAPTER XXI--On Board a White Star Liner - CHAPTER XXII--By the Dogger Bank - CHAPTER XXIII--The Loss of the "Kitty McQuaire" - CHAPTER XXIV--The Tables Turned - CHAPTER XXV--Vae Victis - CHAPTER XXVI--The Titans - CHAPTER XXVII--The Battle of the Dogger Bank - CHAPTER XXVIII--The Wounded "Lion" - CHAPTER XXIX--Conclusion - - ---- - - - ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOUR - - By GEORGE SOPER - - -THE "MONDAVIA" SWUNG IN UPON HER VICTIM . . . . . . . . . _Frontispiece_ - -THE VERY FIRST PROJECTILE BURST DIRECTLY OVER THE BRIDGE _Title-page_ - -THE BOY SPRANG ASIDE TOO LATE. HE WAS SEIZED ROUGHLY BY THE THROAT - -THE "HARLECH" HAD TAKEN A MARKED LIST TO PORT--NO ONE COULD LIVE UPON - THE DECK - -LIKE AN EVIL EYE IN THE NIGHT THERE APPEARED AN ANSWERING LIGHT - -"YOU'RE HEADING THE WRONG WAY, MAN! PUT ABOUT AND STAND CLEAR WHILE THE - TROUBLE'S ON" - -CROUCH SEIZED RUSSELL BY HIS LONG, FLOWING BEARD, WHICH HE TORE BODILY - FROM THE OLD MAN'S WRINKLED FACE - -AS THEY SANK OUT OF THE RED GLARE OF A WINTER'S SUNSET THERE APPEARED - THE THREATENING FORM OF THE U93 - - - - - SUBMARINE U93 - - -_In the following story fact is blended with fiction. The account of -the Battle of the North Sea, in which the "Bluecher" was sunk, is as -historically accurate as is possible with the details at present -available. On the other hand, it would be well for the reader to know -that the description of the pursuit of the "Dresden" in mid-Atlantic is -wholly fictitious. The incident is introduced "for my story's sake," as -Robert Louis Stevenson used to say, and also because it is illustrative -of the character of the "Sea Affair" in the earlier days of the war._ - -CHARLES GILSON. - - - - -CHAPTER I--The Admiral's Sixpence - - -The following incident is well known to those who are acquainted with -Naval history, and is mentioned here for the sole benefit of those who -are not. - -At the time of the Crimean war, and the bombardment of Sebastopol, an -officer of the name of Burke commanded H.M.S. "Swiftsure," a ship which -at one time approached to within point-blank range of the Russian shore -batteries, which it silenced with a series of terrific broadsides. This -feat, however, was not accomplished without considerable loss. Several -men were struck down on the battery decks in the very act of serving the -guns; and the life of the captain--who bellowed his orders from the -bridge in a voice that was audible throughout the length and breadth of -the ship, despite the roar and thunder of the cannon and the groans of -wounded men--was saved as by a miracle. - -A round of grape-shot raked the ship from fore to aft as she swung into -position; and one of the little leaden pellets struck Burke immediately -above the heart. Now, it so happened that he carried, suspended around -his neck by a little silver chain, a "lucky" sixpence which he had got -from his grandfather, Michael Burke, of the Inner Temple, and which bore -the head of His Majesty, King George III. - -At the time, Captain Burke was hardly conscious of a wound, -which--according to the Fleet Surgeon--came under the official heading -of a "severe contusion" not serious in nature. He remained upon the -bridge in command of his ship, which he brought safely out of action, to -the great credit of himself and the eternal glory of the British Navy. - -But his lucky sixpence, which he found that night before he flung -himself down upon his bunk, was ever after something of a curiosity--a -thing to be talked about and passed from hand to hand in a London club. -It was dented so deeply that it was shaped almost like a spoon, and as -for the features of His Majesty, the third George, they were so -obliterated that he might have been Queen Elizabeth or, for the matter -of that, Julius Caesar or the Cham of Tartary. In short, in plain -words, it was a narrow squeak; and ever afterwards, both in the Navy and -out of it, this officer, who rose to the rank of admiral and lived to -the ripe old age of eighty-six, was known as "Swiftsure Burke." That he -and his kind have lived and moved amongst us since the days of Drake and -Hawkins is, after all, the best security we have against the invasion of -these island shores. - -There is a certain irony in the way things happen. No man can say for -sure what destiny awaits those whom he loves and cherishes after he -himself is gone. There was once--as a fact that can be proved--a man -who sang for pennies in the street, whose ancestor, with the rank of -colonel in the Army, headed his regiment as it charged at Blenheim. In -the year 1914--which is not so long ago--Jimmy Burke, grandson of this -same captain of the "Swiftsure," by a series of unmerited misfortunes, -found himself, at the age of seventeen, an orphan and alone, in one of -the greatest cities in the world. How that came about can be told in a -few words. It was certainly through no fault of his own. - -"Swiftsure Burke" had a son, whose name was John, who had neither his -father's luck nor iron constitution. John Burke married a fair girl who -had been thought the fairest in Dublin--that is to say, in the world. -They had one son, a boy--the Jimmy Burke with whom these pages are -concerned. - -For three short years John Burke was happy--more happy, perhaps, than a -man has a right to be. And then his wife died quite suddenly, and his -frail health broke like a reed. - -He was overcome by grief, and for a time his friends even feared for his -state of mind. At last, acting on a famous doctor's advice, he realized -all the property he possessed, packed up his worldly goods, and -accompanied by his little five-year son, betook himself to the great -United States, which was about the last place in the world where he had -any right to be. - -New York City, with all its flare and rush and hurry, was no place for -this poor, broken English gentleman. Unsettled and unnerved, he took to -speculation, and fell into the hands of a certain firm of financial -brokers, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to wit, famous even in New York -for their sharp practices and hardness of heart. They had no more mercy -on John Burke than on any other of their clients, and when the poor -fellow was well-nigh destitute, he fell into a rapid consumption. Then, -knowing that his days were numbered, he called his son to his bedside, -and gave Jimmy a dying father's advice. - -In the first place, he asked the boy's pardon for the wrong that he had -done him. He told Jimmy to try to live honourably and well, and never -to forget three things: his duty to God, the example of the mother whom -the boy could only just remember, and the fact that he was an English -gentleman--the grandson of "Swiftsure Burke." - -And after that, John Burke died. The life flickered out of him like a -candle in the wind, whilst Jimmy was left kneeling at the bedside, his -young frame numbed by a great feeling of weakness that pervaded every -limb, and his face all streamed with tears. - -The doctor lifted the boy to his feet, and just then something fell from -the bed to the floor, which the doctor picked up and gave to Jimmy. It -was a little coin--all, indeed, that the boy possessed in the world, all -Jimmy Burke's inheritance. It was the "lucky" sixpence of Admiral -"Swiftsure Burke." - - - - -CHAPTER II--In Defiance of Authority - - -At the time of his father's death, Jimmy Burke was seventeen years of -age. He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with -a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got -from "Swiftsure Burke." - -He had had a hard life, even at that age; and a hard life will either -mould a boy or break his heart--more often the latter, unless he be made -of the right stuff. But Jimmy came of a fighting race. He soon learnt -to hold his own, being in more ways than one far better fitted to -succeed in the world than his less robust, unhappy father. - -Left alone in a great city like New York, where there are as many rogues -as street-cars, and more "toughs" than police, he looked about him for -some suitable employment, resolved in spite of everything to earn an -honest living. Knowing that good fortune comes only to those that seek -it, he presented himself at the offices of Rosencrantz and -Guildenstern--the very firm, though he never knew it, that had brought -about the ruin of his father--and boldly asked to be taken on as a -clerk. - -Rosencrantz questioned the boy as to his capacities, sounding him in -much the same way as a farmer might prod a fat sheep on a market day, -and very soon arrived at the conclusion that Jimmy Burke was the very -lad he wanted. He engaged him on the spot, as a kind of combined clerk -and office boy, and--what suited Rosencrantz most of all--at a -starvation salary, which at the time, however, seemed more than enough -to Jimmy. - -And thereupon the boy entered upon a phase of his existence in which -there was little sunshine and much that would have made him miserable -and downcast had he been made of weaker stuff. - -Rosencrantz was a bald, clean-shaven man, with a hooked nose, a sallow -face, and a domineering manner. It was his habit to browbeat his -employees; but it was no more possible to crush the spirit, or blot out -the personality of the grandson of "Swiftsure Burke" than it would be to -curb the cub of a tiger. The boy remained the same: straightforward, -frank and honest. He continued to do his work to the best of his -ability, taking his employer's hard words for what they were worth, -accepting them as part and parcel of his life, a sort of grim necessity. - -As for Guildenstern, he seldom appeared at the office; and when he did -so, it was quite evident that he had little or no say in the business. -He was a small man, very short-sighted, whose gold-rimmed pince-nez -would never stay on his nose. He was always perfectly ready to agree to -whatever Rosencrantz said, and if he ever made a suggestion of his -own--which was seldom enough--he did so with many apologies, as if he -was well aware that he had no right to open his mouth. - -Both these men were "hyphenated-Americans" of German descent. Neither, -however, had ever been to the Fatherland, nor was Rosencrantz able to -speak a single word of what should have been his native language. He -had been born in Chicago, and on that account it was his custom to refer -to himself as a "freeborn citizen of the great United States." - -Whatever else he was, he was first a rascal, and secondly a man of -business. The sole object of his life was the making of money, in -regard to which he was handicapped by no qualms of conscience. Such -ambitions are bound to be debasing; and Herr Rosencrantz was quite -incapable of any finer feelings. He took not the least personal -interest in the orphan boy whom fate had thrown upon his hands. He -experienced no feelings of remorse for having brought John Burke to the -brink of ruin and the door of death. Jimmy was just a bright lad who -could be put to a good use, who was certainly worth four times the -salary he received. - -In course of time, the boy so disliked and mistrusted his employer that -he had serious thoughts of looking for work elsewhere. One thing, and -one thing only, prevented him from doing so. His sole friend in these -days was a girl, a little older than himself, whose name was Peggy Wade. - -Peggy was an orphan, too. Her parents had died when she was quite a -child, since when she had been brought up by an aunt who lived at -Hoboken--a true woman, who could give, without thought of recompense, -and without reluctance, that love and tender care to which the young -should be entitled. She was a mother, in all but name, to Peggy Wade; -and Peggy, in a girl's way, was a mother to Jimmy Burke. - -She was employed by Rosencrantz as a shorthand-typist; and thus it was -that she and Jimmy, constituting the whole office staff, were thrown -much in each other's way, and before long they had become inseparable -friends. Often, when they were obliged to work long after business -hours, smuggling into the office various unwholesome edibles, such as -pork-pies, sardines and cakes, they would make cocoa on the stove and -revel in what they termed a "picnic." - -They would spend their Saturdays together in Central Park, or else go -even so far afield as Coney Island, provided one or the other had -sufficient money to spend upon the roundabouts and swings. And in the -evenings they would return to Hoboken, where Peggy's aunt, with the -sweet smile of a loving woman, to whom the happiness of others is a -great reward, would listen in patient satisfaction to the whole tale of -their adventures. That was how things were during the winter and the -early spring of the year 1914--which is a date that will stand forth in -scarlet lettering in the History of the World. - -It was during the month of April that Rosencrantz began to receive -visits from a certain distinguished-looking gentleman, whom Peggy -recognized at once by his portrait which had appeared more than once in -the New York papers. He was a certain Baron von Essling, a military -attache of the German Embassy in Washington, though never by any chance -did he think fit to give his name. He always asked for Rosencrantz, and -was admitted without delay, when the two men would remain closeted -together sometimes even for hours. - -In more ways than one, there was an atmosphere of secrecy about these -interviews, which even Jimmy could not fail to observe. In the first -place, the Baron's visits invariably took place after dark, when most of -the business houses were closed. Rosencrantz, too, never failed to lock -his office door after the Baron had entered. He also became more fussy -than ever, and more impatient and nervous. He had just discovered that -Peggy and Jimmy were in the habit of entering his room after he had left -it, for the purpose of converting his office stove into a kitchen range. - -This he strictly forbade. He admitted that it was necessary for both of -them to have access into the inner office, but cooking he would -certainly not permit. There can be small doubt that in his own boyhood -(if he had ever had one) the joys of a "picnic" had been quite unknown. - -It was also about this time that he purchased a peculiar leather -box--which he called his "attache-case"--of which he himself possessed -the only key, and in which he kept certain documents which no one but -himself, and apparently the Baron von Essling, was ever permitted to -see. - -Now, one of the man's peculiarities was that he liked to see his office -tidy, whereas he himself was one of the most slovenly people in the -world. And as Jimmy was not particularly methodical in such matters, -the result was that Peggy was the only one of the three who ever knew -where anything was. It was this, as it turned out, that brought about -something in the nature of a great calamity, as we shall see. - -Von Essling, when he called, was sometimes accompanied by a short, -thick-set fellow, who went by the name of Rudolf Stork. Stork was a -strange-looking man, with an exceedingly wrinkled face, and a sinister -cast of countenance. Peggy, with the unfailing instinct of her sex, -mistrusted him from the start. - -Stork was evidently a sailor, for he wore a pea-jacket, walked with a -rolling gait, and was eternally chewing tobacco, and expectorating with -a considerable degree of skill. If Rosencrantz was a scoundrel, Rudolf -Stork was something worse. There was that about him that suggested the -jail-bird, the man who knows what it means to wear a convict's clothes, -to be labelled with a number and pace a prison yard. One evening, -Rosencrantz left the office earlier than usual. There had been a sudden -bout of cold weather, when it had seemed that the spring was at hand. A -bitter wind was blowing through the New York streets, that picked up the -dust and drove it in eddies between the great, square-cut, towering -buildings. It was wholly characteristic of Rosencrantz that he grudged -his clerks a fire, though the stove in his own room had been burning all -that day. Peggy and Jimmy had been left at their desks with orders to -make up certain arrears of work. The boy sat before an opened ledger; -the girl was busy at her typewriter with a sheaf of shorthand notes at -her elbow. - -Suddenly, she got to her feet, unrolled the last quarto, and placed the -cover over the machine. - -"I've done," she said, looking across at Jimmy. - -The boy, who was still poring over the ledger, ran his fingers through -his hair. - -"I wish I had," he answered, in a tired voice. "If I can't balance -these accounts, I shall hear all about it to-morrow. Say, Peggy," he -continued, swinging round in his chair, "what do you say to a picnic?" - -Peggy straightened, and shaped her lips as if about to whistle. - -"Just fine!" she exclaimed. "But, Jimmy, dare we risk it?" - -The boy's face altered; for a moment he looked quite serious. - -"No," said he. "It's not good enough. I don't mind for myself, but I'm -not going to get you into a row." - -Peggy laughed. - -"Oh, I don't care," she answered. - -"It's not allowed," said Jimmy. - -"It wouldn't be half such fun if it was," observed Peggy, with a world -of truth. "Besides, he won't come back again to-night. He told me I -was to leave the most important letters till to-morrow morning." - -Jimmy was on his feet in an instant; the ledger was slammed down upon a -shelf. - -"Come on," he cried. "We'll have the feast of our lives." - -Their cooking utensils consisted of a cheap kettle, a frying-pan, and a -few knives, forks and spoons. These Peggy had hidden in a large -cupboard in Rosencrantz's room, which was used as a receptacle for old -account books and ledgers and all kinds of rubbish, and where their -employer never by any chance happened to look. As they rescued these -priceless possessions from behind a collection of office brooms and -dust-pans, Jimmy noticed that the mysterious leather box--which -Rosencrantz called his "attache-case"--had been placed on the floor of -the cupboard. - -The recognized preliminary to an office "picnic" was that they should -club their money. On this occasion Peggy produced two dollars fifty, -whereas Jimmy could contribute no more than seventy cents. When Peggy -had filled the kettle, it was arranged that Jimmy should remain in -charge, whilst the girl went out to purchase supplies which, it was -decided, should include sausages, in regard to the cooking of which -Peggy was an acknowledged expert. - -Now, an escapade of this sort loses much of its zest when the bold -adventurer finds himself alone; and no sooner had Peggy set out upon her -errand than Jimmy became conscious of feeling a trifle nervous. Though -he was never willing to admit it to himself, he held Rosencrantz in -considerable dread; and he did not like to think what the result would -be should he and Peggy be caught. In consequence, for the first time in -his life, he was really alarmed when suddenly he heard the clashing -sound of the brass doors of the elevator, followed by footsteps in the -corridor. - -Shuffling the knives and forks into his coat pocket, with the kettle in -one hand and the frying-pan in the other, he sprang to his feet and -stood for a moment irresolute, not knowing what to do. He could not go -back to the clerks' office, since there he would meet Rosencrantz, whose -voice was audible through the half-opened sliding door in the wall. - -It did not take Jimmy long to come to the conclusion that, on such an -occasion as this, discretion is the better part of valour. Without a -moment's thought, he dashed into the cupboard; tripped over the leather -box, so that some of the half-boiling water was spilled from the spout -of the kettle, and then closed the door. - -He did so only in the nick of time; for, a second later, Rosencrantz -himself entered the room, followed by the Baron von Essling and Rudolf -Stork. - - - - -CHAPTER III--The World Plot - - -The office door was closed and Jimmy heard the key turn in the lock. -Rosencrantz offered his guests chairs, and then apparently seated -himself at his writing-desk. Of the conversation that ensued Jimmy -could hear every word, for the cupboard door was thin and von Essling, -who did most of the talking, had a deep, resounding voice. - -The plot that was unfolded, word by word, was amazing and colossal. It -was so cold-blooded and terrible, and was intended to be so far-reaching -in its results, that the boy could hardly bring himself to believe the -evidence of his ears. Time and again, he had to pinch himself, to make -sure that the whole thing was not a nightmare from which he would -presently awaken. - -It must be remembered that at that time the tragedy of Serajevo had not -taken place. Europe and, indeed, the whole world--was at peace. -Official Germany was even then talking of friendly relations with -England. - -And yet, it appeared, from what the Baron had to say, that Germany -intended to plunge the whole of Europe into war. By the first of -August, the German legions would be on the march, crossing the frontiers -of France on the very day that they swept down upon Paris in -1870--forty-four years ago. - -France was to be crushed, and would be crushed--according to von -Essling--after six weeks of war. Russia would take time to concentrate -her forces; and after Paris had fallen, the German armies could be -transferred to the east, where the fall of Warsaw would checkmate the -Russian armies till the conclusion of the campaign. When peace had been -declared, and the German Empire extended to the North Sea and the great -port of Antwerp, a fitting moment was to be seized to throttle England -and break up the British Empire, once and for all. - -This--as the Baron explained--was the main policy of all true -Pan-Germans. Not until Great Britain had crumbled to the dust, could -Germany realize to the full her dreams of World-Power and -World-Dominion. England stood between Germany and the sun. - -"I tell you, my friends," von Essling almost shouted; "I tell you, the -blow will fall with alarming suddenness. The declaration of war will -come like a thunderbolt. We are ready; France and Russia are -unprepared; it is impossible that England will dare to interfere." - -"That is good," cried Rudolf Stork. "I have no love for the English, -who encumber the face of the earth like a plague of flies. None the -less, I fail to see why a plain sea-faring man like myself should be -taken into your confidence." - -"It so happens," said Rosencrantz, "that you are the very man we want. -In the first place, though you call yourself a Dutchman, you are German -born, as I know very well, and can be trusted. Also, you know the -world; you can speak four languages--German, French, English and Dutch. -Moreover, you were once an actor; you should know how to disguise -yourself, to play several minor parts in this great drama which is about -to astonish the world." - -Stork gave a grunt of disapproval. - -"It seems to me," he said, "you know too much about me." - -"I know more than that," said the other. "I know that you are an -ex-convict, and even now are wanted by the police. However, you have -nothing to fear; I intend to keep my knowledge to myself. The Baron -himself will explain exactly what you will be required to do." - -Once again, von Essling took up the thread of this ruthless world-wide -plot. In order to hasten the decomposition of what he called the -already-tottering British Empire, rebellion must be stirred up in the -British colonies. The seeds of sedition must be sown broadcast, in -India, in South Africa and Egypt. - -Here, it appeared, both Rosencrantz and Rudolf Stork could be of the -greatest assistance. According to von Essling there was little or no -risk, and they might count upon being well paid. "The German Emperor," -said the Baron, "does not fail to reward those who serve the -Fatherland." - -The offices of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were to be used as a kind of -Secret Service Bureau. Whether or not England joined in the conflict, -the United States would, in any case, remain neutral. From New York, -intelligence could be transmitted direct to Berlin, and _vice versa_. -Von Essling's agents--one of whom was to be Rudolf Stork--acting as -spies in the war area, would transmit, or bring personally, the -information they gathered to Rosencrantz, who would represent the Baron, -who would sift all intelligence, and supervise cyphered telegrams to the -Intelligence Department in the Wilhelmstrasse in Berlin. For the -present absolute secrecy was to be maintained. - -Von Essling ended. There was a brief pause, during which Stork spat -upon the floor. - -"And may I ask," said he at length, "what guarantee I am to have? I -don't, mind you, say that all this is not true; but, still, business is -business, and no man takes on board a cargo without a manifest, which is -a kind of passport on the sea." - -"You are quite right," said the Baron. "I can supply you with -credentials which will instantly dispel such doubts. I have already -entrusted to Mr. Rosencrantz papers of the utmost value, which will -prove to you that we are perfectly sincere, that it will be worth your -while to help us." - -It was then that Rosencrantz got to his feet, and shuffled about the -room. - -"It so happens," he observed, "that the papers you mention are in a -certain leather box which was given into the charge of my secretary." - -Von Essling gave vent to an exclamation of surprise. - -"You take grave risks!" said he. - -"My dear Baron," replied the other, "the girl can be trusted implicitly. -And besides, she is totally ignorant of what the box contains." - -Von Essling had something else to say, but Stork took him up. - -"What happens if I'm caught?" he asked. - -"If you succeed," said the Baron, "you will be amply rewarded. You will -be paid according to the value of the information you obtain. But if -you fail the misfortune is yours. We wash our hands of you; we know -nothing whatsoever about you. That is the principle upon which the -Secret Service works." - -"I see," said the man. "Whatever I do is at my own risk." - -"Precisely," said the Baron. - -There was another pause; and then Stork got to his feet. - -"I'll do it," said he. "I've every confidence in myself. If you want -my candid opinion, I think I'm the very man for the job." - -"Good!" said von Essling. "Self-assurance is essential. And now, there -are a few questions I would like you to answer. Have you ever been to -London? Could you find your own way about in that labyrinth of a city? -It will probably be necessary for you to go there." - -"I know London well," said Stork, "from Whitechapel to Hammersmith. At -one time, I played Iago in Shakespeare's play, in a little theatre which -is now pulled down, in the Portobello Road." - -"Ah," said the other, "some time in the near future you and I may meet -in London. I have never been there. Though I can both speak and write -English with ease, I have never set foot in England." - -"You are likely to leave New York?" asked Rosencrantz. - -"Perhaps; I can say nothing for certain. My post here is merely a -blind. I was transferred into the Diplomatic Service from the Secret -Service for reasons of convenience. As a military attache, I have many -opportunities for gleaning information." - -Jimmy Burke was only a boy, whose experience of the world was -necessarily somewhat limited. None the less, he was well able to -understand the depth of the perfidy with which he found himself -confronted. The whole thing seemed too villainous to be true. He could -not believe that the modern civilized world was such a hotbed of treason -and deceit--a kind of magnified thieves' kitchen wherein mighty nations -played the part of common footpads. - -Indignation and excitement left him breathless. In fact, he was so -astounded and dismayed that he had forgotten his own danger, when -suddenly he was brought back to his senses by the loud slamming of a -door. On the instant, as he recognized the truth, it was as if a blow -had been struck him: Peggy had returned! - -He was told afterwards what actually happened. At the time, shut up in -the darkness of the cupboard, fearing to move an inch, almost dreading -to breathe, he was able to see nothing of what took place in the room. - -Peggy, with cheeks flushed in the wind, and an armful of small paper -parcels, came swinging along the corridor, tried to open the office -door, and found it locked. - -Before she had time to guess what was about to happen, the door was -flung wide open, and she found herself confronted by Rosencrantz and his -companions. - -She stood stock-still, speechless and afraid. Her first inclination was -to fly; and the next moment, she found herself wondering what had become -of Jimmy. - -Rosencrantz, after the manner of a cat who plays with a mouse, with -extreme politeness ushered her into the room. - -"And may I ask," said he, in a soft, oily voice, "may I ask what those -parcels contain?" - -Peggy allowed him to take them from her hand. He opened them one by -one. The first contained a packet of cocoa; the next (of all -iniquities!) a bundle of sausages. There was also bread, butter, sugar -and lard. - -"I see," said Rosencrantz, "I see. It is not sufficient for me to give -orders; it is not sufficient for me to forbid you to turn my office into -a kitchen and a common eating-house; but you must leave your work the -very moment my back is turned." - -"Is this the girl," asked von Essling, "who enjoys a position of trust?" - -"I have been mistaken in her," said Rosencrantz. "There can be no doubt -as to that. Where is my attache-case?" he demanded. "Where have you -put the leather box?" - -At these words, it seemed to Jimmy that his heart ceased to beat. In -the ordinary course of events, he would have stepped forth boldly, to -share with Peggy the consequence of their joint guilt. As it was, with -this colossal secret on his mind, and knowing full well that his right -foot was resting on the very leather box in question, he was petrified -by fear. - -At times of extreme nervous tension, the senses are frequently acute. -Though Peggy's frightened voice came in little above a whisper, Jimmy -was able to hear her words with terrible distinctness. - -"It is here, in the cupboard," she said. "I will get it--now." - - - - -CHAPTER IV--Shadowed - - -Peggy Wade was an American--which is the same thing as saying that she -was possessed of considerable presence of mind. In the climax that now -took place, she might easily have lost her head, instead of which she -did all that was within her power to avert calamity. - -She approached the cupboard door and opened it. Fortunately, the hinges -were towards the centre of the room, where the three men stood together. -Rosencrantz and his companions could neither see into the cupboard nor -observe the look of intense alarm that came into the girl's face, the -moment she found herself confronted by Jimmy Burke. - -She mastered herself in an instant. As quick as thought, Jimmy thrust -the leather box into her hand; at which she turned quickly, and closed -the door. For the time being, at least, the situation was saved. - -"You have not yet told me," said Rosencrantz, in the assured tones of an -inveterate bully, "why you dared to disobey my orders?" - -Peggy's thoughts were still with Jimmy. Though she knew nothing of the -colossal plot which had just come to light, she trembled to think of -what the consequences would be, should the boy be discovered. She -answered timidly, in a voice so low as to be hardly audible. - -"I have no excuse," she said. - -Rosencrantz gave vent to a grunt. - -"I should think not," said he, with a quick shrug of the shoulders. "And -where's that rascal of a boy?" - -Peggy could not answer. For a moment, she thought it was best to tell a -deliberate lie, and have done with it; and then, she found she could -not. She just stood quite still and silent, unable to lift her eyes -from the floor--a very figure of guilt. - -Rudolf Stork was a man upon whom little or nothing was lost. He had the -eyes of a lynx. He was one whose very liberty, perhaps, depended upon -his powers of observation, his memory and his wits. Without a word, he -turned upon his heel, in three strides crossed the room, and flung wide -open the cupboard door. - -And there stood Jimmy Burke, his head half lowered, his face white as a -sheet. He took two slow steps forward towards the centre of the room -where the three men stood regarding him in amazement, and then stopped -dead, apparently afraid to look about him. - -Rosencrantz drew in a deep breath, as a man does who is about to take a -plunge into ice-cold water. Von Essling let out an oath in his own -language, as he drummed with his fingers upon the silver knob of a stout -malacca cane. As for Stork, his hand went quickly to his hip-pocket, -and a small nickel-plated revolver glittered in the light. - -"Eavesdropping!" cried Rosencrantz. "An eavesdropper--by all that's -wonderful!" - -"Do you realize what this means?" exclaimed the Baron, gesticulating -wildly with a hand. "There's danger here! This boy must have overheard -every word we said. The result may be disastrous." - -Stork crouched like a tiger. The expression upon the man's face was -terrible. Slowly, he raised his revolver at arm's length, directing the -muzzle straight at Jimmy's heart. - -"There's only one way," said he. "It's not pleasant, but I'll do it." - -Beyond doubt, he would have fired, had not the Baron seized his wrist. - -"Do nothing foolish!" he exclaimed. "You forget the girl. There's a -witness--in the girl!" - -Stork lowered his revolver, turned slowly, and stared hard at Peggy, who -quailed before the ferocity of those pale, cat-like eyes. - -Rosencrantz, who was a coward at heart, had no desire to see murder done -on his own premises; he had never bargained for that. Since matters had -already gone too far, and seeing some explanation was necessary, he did -his best to laugh it off. - -"Enough, my friend!" he cried. "That is enough. You desired to -frighten him, and have done so. See, the boy is trembling. It will -teach him a lesson to the very end of his life." - -This was not true; but, still, it was good enough to pass, to act as a -shield for Rudolf Stork. Von Essling had not yet recovered his presence -of mind; indeed, he was still so put out he could not stand still, but, -tucking his malacca cane under his arm, set to pacing backwards and -forwards in the room. - -"This is serious," he muttered; "terribly serious." Then he pulled up -suddenly in front of Jimmy, whom he regarded steadfastly, looking the -boy up and down, from head to foot. - -"It may be all right," said he at last, with something that was not far -from a sigh of relief. "Fortunately the boy is young. And yet," he -added, "I cannot think why he hid himself. It is all a mystery." - -"I think," said Rosencrantz, "I can explain. He was there by chance. He -did not know that I intended to return to the office, and having -deliberately disobeyed my orders, he had a natural desire to avoid me." - -The Baron von Essling shrugged his shoulders. Rosencrantz turned -sharply upon Jimmy and the girl, who now stood side by side. - -"You will both leave this place at once," said he, "and you will not -return. Understand, I never wish to see your faces again." - -At that, he went to the door and threw it open, making a motion of the -hand for them to go. - -They were about to leave, when Stork seized Jimmy roughly by a shoulder. -He was a strong man, as the boy could tell from the iron grip that held -him as if he were in a vice. - -"Wait a bit," said he. "Easy now. We'd be blind fools to let you go -like that. Listen here, my boy, and let what I've got to say sink into -your memory. Breathe so much as a single word to any living soul of -what you've heard to-night, and I'll find it out. You may set your mind -at rest on that. I'm not a mild man, nor a plaster saint; some folk -might say that sometimes I'm a little quick of temper. At any rate, I -tell you this: I'll stick at nothing, if you neglect the advice I give -you gratis. So, just beware, take warning; mum's the word." - -And at that, he sent Jimmy flying headlong through the doorway. - -As the boy recovered his balance--and indeed, he only just saved himself -from stretching his length upon the floor--he found Peggy at his side, -with a white face and trembling lips, and her hands clasped together. - -"Oh, come," she cried, "we must go away from here. Jimmy, I never knew -that I could be so frightened." Somehow she was breathless. - -Very quickly, side by side, they ran down flight after flight of steps, -until, at last, they found themselves upon the sidewalk of the famous -street that traverses New York from end to end. A little after, they -stood together at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Broadway. - -It was night, and the great city was alive. The people were thronging -to the theatres; the street-cars were crowded, their bells clanging -incessantly; news-boys raced across the street. Broadway was a blaze of -light; thousands of advertisements, brilliantly illumined with all the -colours of the rainbow, caught the eye in all directions. Peggy drew -near to Jimmy, and took his arm and pressed it. - -"Whatever happened, Jimmy?" she asked. "I'm kind of dazed. I don't -really understand." - -"I don't know that I do," said the boy. "Even now, I can't believe that -it wasn't all a dream." - -For a little time, they walked along in silence. It was Peggy who spoke -again. - -"You had better come back with me," she said. "I must tell Aunt Marion -I've been dismissed. Somehow I don't think we ought to leave each other -now." - -There was another pause; and then Peggy gave a shudder. - -"That man was terrible," she said. "I can see him now. Do you know, -Jimmy, he meant to kill you." - -The boy laughed. Now that he was quit of the atmosphere of that room -wherein had been disclosed the terrible, almost overpowering plot that -was to shake to its very foundations the whole civilized world, it was -easy enough to laugh. For all that, his boyish confidence in himself -had not yet wholly returned. Quite apart from the fact that his life -had been threatened, he had received a shock from which he was not -likely to recover for some time to come. - -It was quite late when they arrived at Peggy's home in Hoboken, where -they found Peggy's aunt, Miss Daintree, laying the table for supper. - -In a few brief words, Peggy told her aunt as much as she knew of what -had happened; whereat Aunt Marion expressed neither surprise nor -disappointment. She listened with a sweet smile, and rewarded Peggy -with a kiss, saying that she was more glad than sorry, since the firm of -Rosencrantz and Guildenstern had never been to her liking. Besides, as -she pointed out, Peggy was worth a great deal more than they paid her. -There were thousands of chances for a good stenographer in New York, so -after all Peggy had no cause to despair. - -Jimmy stayed to supper; but, despite the fact that both he and Peggy had -been deprived of the illicit joys of a "picnic," he had neither any -appetite nor any wish to talk, but remained pensive and grave as a -judge. - -Afterwards, seated before the fire with those two women, one on either -side, he told the whole truth, in defiance of Rudolf Stork. And that -was surely a strange audience to listen to a story of such world-wide -dimensions, fraught with such unheard-of possibilities. The one was a -woman who had already reached middle age, whose hair was touched with -grey, whose life had been spent for the most part in those simple, -sunlit joys which are God's gift to the really good. And the other was -a girl who might still have been at school. - -They listened in still amazement, finding it all not easy to believe. -And when Jimmy had come to the end of his narrative, and his face was -flushed and his eyes bright, he looked to Aunt Marion, as the -eldest--and presumedly the wisest--for some practical advice. But that -kind-hearted, loving lady knew, perhaps, even less of the world than he. - -She thought at first that it would be best to go at once to the police; -but, when Jimmy suggested that the New York police were notoriously -corrupt, she agreed that, perhaps, the British consul was a more -suitable person. Accordingly, after a long discussion, it was arranged -that Jimmy and Peggy should go together to that gentleman's office the -following day. - -That night, the boy slept on a sofa; but Aunt Marion had made him -promise that he would remain with them, as their guest, until he had -obtained some new employment. There was a box-room which she could -easily convert into a bedroom. She knew Jimmy well, and loved the boy; -she even knew the story of "Swiftsure Burke." She knew that Jimmy was -quite penniless, and would have to make his own way in the world; and -she was anxious to do all she could to help him. - -Jimmy spent the following morning bringing the few worldly goods he -possessed from his old lodgings in New York itself to the other side of -the harbour. He had enough money at home to pay the week's rent he -owed, and the cab fare and the ferry-boat. And when he had done that, -he found himself with nothing in the world--but "Swiftsure Burke's" -lucky, dented sixpence. - -At about three o'clock in the afternoon, the boy and girl sallied forth -together, to interview the British consul. They had an exceedingly -vague notion of what they were going to say to that all-important -personage when they met him; they had not even a very exact idea as to -what the duties of a consul were. None the less, they were quite -convinced that he would explain the whole affair. - -As it turned out, the consul was on a holiday--as his Britannic -Majesty's consuls frequently are. However, they were shown into the -presence of a certain Mr. Ridgeway, who introduced himself as the -consul's private secretary. - -This Mr. Ridgeway listened to the boy's story with an expression of -mingled astonishment and disgust. At one moment, he was really alarmed; -at the next, he was perfectly convinced that the whole thing was a hoax. -But, towards the end, when Jimmy became very excited, and Peggy wrung -her hands, he could scarcely fail to see that the boy was terribly in -earnest. Moreover, he knew the Baron von Essling by reputation--which -reputation was certainly not of the best. Still, he could hardly bring -himself to believe either that such a cold-blooded, deliberate plot -really did exist, or that a military attache could so abuse a position -of the greatest trust. - -He promised, however, to tell the whole story to the consul when he -returned, and pointed out that in due course, no doubt, the Foreign -Office would be informed. In the meantime, Jimmy was to keep his eyes -open and his mouth shut. On no account whatsoever was he to say a word -to any one of what he knew. - -The boy was determined to remember this advice, which--strangely -enough--coincided with that of Rudolf Stork. As he came down the front -doorsteps of the consulate, though he was out of work and practically a -pauper, though he was conscious of the fact that he was living on the -charity of others who could not afford to support him and upon whom he -had no claim, he walked with a lighter tread than ever in his life -before. He could not but feel proud of the fact that, for some -mysterious reason, he was, indeed, a person of importance. - -A man was leaning against the railings, both hands thrust deep in his -trousers pockets, a battered hat jammed over his eyes--one of the -inevitable loafers who are to be found in the streets of every city in -the world. As Jimmy reached the bottom step, this man looked at him -sharply from over his shoulder, and then slouched away. - -The boy stood stock still, staring after the man with the battered hat, -with parted lips and widely opened eyes. He did not speak or move, -until Peggy suddenly touched his arm. - -"Did you see that man?" he whispered. - -"What is it?" Peggy exclaimed. "What's the matter, Jimmy?" - -Jimmy pointed to the receding figure which just then disappeared quite -suddenly round a corner. - -"That man," said he, "was Rudolf Stork. And he knows I saw him." - - - - -CHAPTER V--Dropping the Pilot - - -If we put away ghosts and such like--in which nobody nowadays -believes--there is, perhaps, no more unpleasant experience in the world -than to be shadowed. The fact that one's footsteps are dogged -eternally, that at every sudden corner or darkened by-way a hidden foe -may lurk, is the kind of thing that is well calculated to test the -strongest nerves. - -Stork, in his own words, was a man who would stick at nothing--a -desperate blade who, no doubt, had already more than one crime upon his -conscience. Peggy was terrified; and though Jimmy did his best to show -a bold front, his heart was filled with misgivings. - -Determined to get back to Hoboken as soon as possible, they quickened -their footsteps, crossing the great avenues that traverse the entire -length of this most wonderful of modern cities. - -As all Yankees know, the offices of an exceedingly influential newspaper -are situated in Fifth Avenue, which is the main thoroughfare of New -York; and as the boy and girl passed the entrance to this enormous block -of buildings, they were almost swept from the pavement by a crowd of -news-boys who came rushing round a corner, shouting themselves hoarse, -like a party of dancing Dervishes or Bashi-bazouks. In point of fact, -they made so much noise among themselves that it was quite impossible to -understand a single word they said, though it was manifest that some -news had just come to hand of startling importance. - -At that moment, a poster was pasted up in one of the windows on the -ground floor, which contained the following announcement-- - - TERRIBLE TRAGEDY IN EUROPE - AUSTRIAN ARCHDUKE AND DUCHESS - MURDERED BY SERVIANS - -Peggy and Jimmy stopped to read the notice, which--it must be -confessed--conveyed little or nothing to either of them. They could not -in any way associate the murder of the heir to the throne of Austria -with the colossal plot that von Essling had disclosed in the presence of -Rosencrantz and Rudolf Stork. They did not realize that this was the -spark that was destined to spread, within the space of a few short -weeks, into an almost universal conflagration; that the curtain had been -rung up upon the greatest drama the world had ever known. - -It was during the next few weeks that it gradually became apparent to -the ordinary man in the street that the situation was serious. Nearly -all that time Jimmy was looking about him for some new employment. Peggy -had been almost immediately successful. She had secured quite a -well-paid position with a large firm of shipping agents: Jason, Stileman -and May, a British company whose house-flag is to be found on every -ocean in the world. - -Jimmy, on the other hand, had no such luck; and indeed, he had not -Peggy's qualifications. Week after week, he roamed the streets of New -York, looking for work, and every night returned to Hoboken, crestfallen -and disappointed. Though he had come to regard Peggy and Aunt Marion as -his own relations, he was still the grandson of "Swiftsure Burke," and -found his position in one sense insupportable. Though he was treated -with the utmost kindness, he was never quite able to forget that he was -living upon the charity of those who were pressed for money themselves. -Finally, he resolved to work with his hands; and seeing a notice to the -effect that stevedores and dock-labourers were wanted, he applied for -work in the docks, and was engaged on the spot, at a rate of pay -which--to his surprise--greatly exceeded that which he had received from -Rosencrantz. - -Neither was his work particularly hard or uncongenial. All he had to do -was to manipulate a large hydraulic crane, by means of which cargo was -hoisted into the ships. For a week or so, he was happier than he had -ever been in his life. He continued to live with Peggy and Aunt Marion, -whom he had persuaded to accept payment for his board and lodging. -Indeed, he soon came to regard them as mother and sister; Peggy and he -were greater inseparables than ever. Also, he was man enough not to be -ashamed of his canvas working suit and oily hands. He was earning an -honest living; his work kept him out in the open air, and the ships -which went forth every day to all the seven seas, that flew the ensigns -of every country in the world, appealed to his imagination and carried -his thoughts back to the land of his birth which he could only just -remember. - -And then, the War broke out; Europe burst suddenly into flame. For days -the tension had been extreme. Austria, in spite of the protestations of -every country in Europe, with the sole exception of the German Empire, -was determined to carry out a kind of punitive expedition against -Servia. - -It was not only the sacred duty of the Czar to protect Slav interests, -it was of vital importance to Russia that no Germanic power should gain -control of the Dardanelles; and hence, as a purely precautionary measure -Russia was forced to mobilize. - -At that the German Empire gathered its armies together, which made it -incumbent upon France to hold to her alliance, to be prepared to stand -side by side with her great Eastern ally. Germany knew quite well what -the result would be, when she urged Austria to take reprisals. It is -unbelievable that Austria would have acted without the assurance of -German support. Germany was resolved that a purely local question, -relating to the independence of the Kingdom of Servia, which might -easily have been settled in a friendly manner, should be made the excuse -for a trial of her own gigantic strength, for an attempt to realize -"World-Power." - -She wanted this for three reasons: Firstly, she recognized that she -could not maintain indefinitely the continued cost of her armaments and -fleet without internal troubles sooner or later arising; secondly, she -had supreme confidence in herself, she knew that she was prepared, and -that no other nation was; and thirdly, it was only by conquest that she -could gain the opportunities for national expansion she desired. If any -further proof be needed that the guilt of the Great War lies upon the -rulers of the German Empire, it is to be found in the fact that -when--mainly through the efforts of His Majesty King George, the Czar of -Russia and Sir Edward Grey--both Austria and Russia were ready to do -their best to come to some agreement, Germany bluntly replied that the -matter had gone too far, that the die was cast, and her troops--already -on the march--could not be called back. The great machinery of War had -been set in motion. - -And as if this had not been in itself a sufficient outrage upon the -claims of civilization, the German armies, without warning or excuse, -swept down upon poor, unhappy Belgium, and the whole world stood aghast -at atrocities which put to shame even the campaigns of Tamerlane and -Jenghiz Khan. In such circumstances as these, if England had stood -apart, the British Empire would have crumbled to the dust. There would -not have been a right-thinking, honest roan, worthy of the name of -Briton, who would not have disowned his Motherland for very shame. In -defence of Belgium, in defence of the sacred right of treaties, in -defence of our own honour, our homes and the land we love, we took up -the sword--which shall not be laid down until Belgium is avenged, and a -great and growing menace to the peace and prosperity of Europe has been -blotted out, once and for all. - -These things were understood by the majority of people in America, as in -every other neutral state in the world--with the possible exception of -Sweden. - -As for Jimmy Burke, working a good ten hours a day in the New York -docks, he yearned to board one of the many steamers flying the red -ensign of England, to sail to his native land. As the grandson of -"Swiftsure Burke" he longed to fight for England--a longing that was -almost irresistible during the first weeks of the War, when it seemed -that nothing could save Paris from the fate of '70. - -Aunt Marion and Peggy were no less anxious to help; there are noble -parts for women to play in war. It so happened that at one time Miss -Daintree had been a hospital nurse; and she was now resolved to return -to her old profession. Peggy, too, began to attend evening classes at a -hospital, and very soon displayed a natural aptitude for nursing--a -combination of quickness, sympathy and presence of mind. - -In all probability, Jimmy would have eventually worked his way to -Canada, and joined the loyal and splendid forces of the Dominion, but -for the incident narrated below, which altered the course of his life in -a very unexpected and violent manner. There is no question as to the -motive that led to the outrage: the boy was in possession of extremely -valuable information; and besides, he had deliberately neglected Stork's -advice. - -One night, when a ship, timed to sail at daybreak, had not taken on all -her cargo until past ten o'clock, and Jimmy was on his way home through -a narrow, and somewhat darkened street, he suddenly became conscious of -footsteps close behind him. - -There was that in the sound that made him start and look back in haste. -Some one was coming upon him rapidly and with stealth--some one who was -wearing india-rubber shoes. - -The boy sprang aside--too late. He was seized roughly by the throat, -and held at arm's length, whilst a gruff voice let out, "I've got you!" - -[Illustration: THE BOY SPRANG ASIDE TOO LATE. HE WAS SEIZED ROUGHLY BY -THE THROAT.]] - -Looking up, he recognized in the dim light the face of Rudolf Stork, an -expression of extreme ferocity stamped upon every feature. - -Afterwards, Jimmy remembered the man's words quite well, just as clearly -as one often remembers on waking one's last thoughts before falling -asleep. - -"You defy me!" he muttered. "You'll not live to do it again." - -At that, he raised his right hand, in which was something like a bar of -iron, and Jimmy Burke remembered nothing more; the conscious part of him -vanished, as in a flash, and left him in a weird world of darkness, -nothingness and silence. - -When he came to his senses, he was in bed; Aunt Marion was bending over -him, and Peggy was near at hand. There were bandages about his head. -Also, something was the matter with his eyes; for, before he could -remember where he was, or who Peggy and Aunt Marion were, his eyes began -to ache, and he was obliged to close them. - -According to the doctor, it was a miracle that Jimmy had escaped with -his life. He had been dealt a shattering blow with some blunt -instrument; he had not been found for three hours, when he was picked up -by a labouring man on his way to his work in the small hours of the -morning. Since there was no hospital near at hand this man had carried -the unconscious boy to his own address which he had found in a note-book -in the pocket of Jimmy's coat. - -Peggy had immediately hastened for a doctor; and the police were -informed of the identity of Rudolf Stork. For days Jimmy was delirious; -and had it not been for good nursing, he could never have pulled -through. - -Those critical days, when the boy's life was in danger and his mind -adrift, were followed by weeks of convalescence. And finally, when he -was quite well again, he was so reduced in strength that it was -altogether out of the question that he should think of returning to -work. - -And when he did try to go back to his former employment at the docks, he -found that his place had been filled by another. Since the outbreak of -the war, trade had been on the ebb, and work was harder than ever to -find. - -There followed another period of enforced idleness. And it was now -winter; and grey, sunless skies, bitter winds, and constant rain and -sleet, have, at the best of times, a sombre effect upon the spirits. - -The boy became utterly depressed. He felt that he had no right to go on -living with Aunt Marion and Peggy, though both repeatedly assured him -that there was no need for him to worry. He felt that he was -approaching manhood, and it was a man's duty to work. This inactivity -was all the harder to bear, because the Great War was still raging with -unabated fury. - -At last, one evening, as he was wending his way home through Central -Park, after another unsuccessful day, he decided to take his destiny -into his own hands, to take a plunge into the future, which might be -fortunate or fatal, but which in any case would be decisive. - -He knew quite well that what he proposed to do was wrong. He had often -prayed to God for help, but that night he prayed to be forgiven. - -That evening he opened a small box of tools which his father had given -him years ago, and taking out a steel file, set to work on "Swiftsure -Burke's" lucky sixpence, which he deliberately filed in half. - -That took him the best part of half an hour; and it was almost as great -a business to punch a hole through each separate half. He was not quite -sure where he had heard of the old, time-worn superstition of dividing a -lucky sixpence. Perhaps his father and mother had done something of the -kind, in the days when they were young. - -He wrapped up a few of his most necessary belongings in a towel; and -when he had done that he went downstairs and found Peggy in the -sitting-room. Aunt Marion had gone to bed. - -"Peggy," said he, "I'm going away." - -"Going away!" she repeated. "Where?" - -"I'm going right away. I can't stay here idle any longer. I'm going to -try to do my duty." - -She came towards him, and a little nervously laid a hand upon his arm. - -"Jimmy," she said, "you're not serious, are you?" - -It took him quite a long time to convince her that he was really in -earnest; then, without another word, she gave him what he asked for--a -bottle of water and a loaf of bread. This he put into his bundle; and -then it was that he produced the two halves of the dented, lucky -sixpence, which had saved the life of the Admiral. - -What he had to say he said altogether clumsily, and even blushed as he -said it. He explained that he wanted to give her something by which she -would always remember him, and he thought half his lucky sixpence might -meet the case; indeed, it was all he had. Before he had finished -speaking there were tears in Peggy's eyes. - -She did not endeavour to dissuade him from going. But she told him that -Aunt Marion would never forget it, if he went away without seeing her. -Jimmy, however, felt that he had not sufficient moral courage to resist -further persuasions, and in this case it was kinder to be cruel. - -It was very late when he let himself out, and set off walking rapidly in -the direction of the docks. Peggy did not sleep that night; hour after -hour, she lay awake, her pillow wetted with tears, gripping tightly in -her hand her half of the Admiral's sixpence. - -Jimmy knew his way about New York harbour. He knew where the ships were -moored, and how to elude the night-watchmen and the dockyard police. He -had tried, time and again, to work his way to England, as a cabin boy or -a steerage hand, and had failed. There was no other way but this. - -Stealthily, he made his way along the wharves, creeping in and out among -bales and boxes of cargo. A large tramp steamer, the "Harlech," which -belonged to Jason, Stileman and May, was under steam, bound for -Portsmouth, due to sail some time the following day. - -From behind a great crane, similar to that at which he himself had once -been wont to work, Jimmy took stock of the "Harlech." Her after-gangway -was lowered, a lantern suspended at the top. The night-watchman -patrolled the main deck, pausing now and again to relight his pipe. -Presently, the man went forward to the forecastle; and Jimmy seizing his -opportunity, slipped up the gangway, crossed the after-well deck, and -tumbled down the hatch. - -It was a sheer drop of ten feet at least. Luckily for the boy, he fell -upon soft bags of oats. Scrambling to his feet, he passed onward, -stumbling repeatedly, for the hold was so dark he could not see a yard -before him. - -More by good luck than by good management, he came upon the lower -hatchway, which connected with the hold beneath. Lowering himself with -the utmost care, he found a firm footing upon a great pile of boxes; and -passing over these, he found a place where he could sit down and where -there was little chance that he would be discovered. There, he waited -nearly twenty-four hours, during which time he had nothing to eat but -his loaf of bread, whilst he ran a great risk of his presence being -detected, for the time of sailing was put off until late on the -following night. - -There were rats in the hold, but he did not mind them in the least. All -that he cared about was that he should remain undiscovered until the -ship was well out at sea. He had no wish to be put ashore at Cape Race -or Halifax. - -Soon after sunrise, he heard the feet of men moving on the deck above, -and this continued throughout the day, whilst the winches rattled and -groaned. Fortunately for him, they were working on the forward holds, -and though the after-hatches were still open, there was apparently no -more cargo for that part of the ship. All this time the engines were -throbbing violently. There was a kind of continuous vibration -throughout the length and breadth of the ship which continued far into -the night. It must have been almost ten o'clock, when suddenly a voice -rang out--the voice of a man whom Jimmy was destined to know, whom he -was to learn to honour and admire. It was the voice of Captain Crouch. - -"Mr. Dawes," came the voice, "all hands aboard?" - -"All aboard, sir." - -"Then man the windlass, and let her go. We're mighty late as it is." - -A moment later, Jimmy heard the bell ring in the engine-room and the -"Harlech" was under way. - -She steamed slowly out of New York harbour, passing Liberty Island and -the forts. Jimmy--though he could see nothing but the outline of great -packing-cases and boxes, dimly visible in the half-light that crept down -through the open hatchway--pictured in his imagination the great -sky-scrapers around Wall Street, and the towering buildings in Madison -Square, fading gradually out of sight in the bright moonshine that -flooded New York harbour. - -From time to time, the bell rang in the engine-room; and then, the -"Harlech" slowed down to drop the pilot. And Jimmy Burke knew that he, -too, had dropped the pilot on the long voyage of life. - -His heart was beating rapidly in excitement and vague anticipation. The -Past had not been altogether happy. The Future was in the clouds. - -And then, once again, came the voice of Captain Crouch. - -"Mr. Dawes, close that after-hatch." - -Jimmy heard the men at work under the boatswain on the deck above; and -then, all was utter darkness and silence. The hatch had been battened -down. - -A little after, the "Harlech" took on a roll, as she struck the broad -Atlantic, and took up her course for the Fastnet on the south coast of -Ireland, nearly three thousand miles away. The grandson of "Swiftsure -Burke" was bound for the shores of the Motherland which he could only -just remember, and the Great War that thundered in the East. - - - - -CHAPTER VI--Captain Crouch - - -At about ten o'clock in the morning of the day the "Harlech" sailed, -whilst Jimmy Burke lay in hiding in the hold among the packing-cases and -boxes of cargo, Captain Crouch was ushered into the offices of Jason, -Stileman and May. - -Now, those who know nothing of Captain Crouch are unacquainted with one -of the most singular personalities it were possible to imagine. He knew -the world as few men know it, from Yokohama to Valparaiso, from Hudson -Bay to Hobart. Indeed, his strange and varied experiences would fill a -book, which could certainly never be published at less than a guinea -net. - -As a boy, he had sold newspapers in the crowded streets of London. From -that he had risen to command a merchant ship. He had been shipwrecked -time and again. He had been shot in the right eye with a poisoned -arrow, somewhere at the back-of-beyond on the West Coast of Africa, -which is called "The White Man's Grave." He had had a foot bitten off -by a shark in the Bay of Fernando Po. And yet, in spite of his cork -foot and his glass eye, he was more than a match for most men. Though he -was not much more than five feet four in height, he was as wiry as a -ferret, and as quick in all his movements. He feared no man, and was a -rifle and revolver shot who seldom missed his mark. He had a threefold -reputation: he was one of the most intrepid explorers in the world; he -had shot tigers in the Sunderbunds and rogue-elephants in the forests of -the Congo. As a master mariner, he had sailed the seven seas for the -greater part of his life, was a skilful navigator, and one who could -keep his head in an emergency. - -Such a man was Crouch. Those who have read of his doings elsewhere know -that, on a former occasion, he penetrated to the reaches of the Hidden -River, in the unexplored valley of the Kasai, and there unearthed both a -modern slave-trader and a ruby mine. It was also Captain Crouch who -ventured into the trackless region of the Aruwimi, in search of Edward -Harden, the lost explorer, of whom nothing had been heard for four -years; and how he succeeded in his quest, and all the adventures that -befell him, have been written of elsewhere. - -In fact, Crouch was a man to whom adventure was as the very breath of -his nostrils; the spirit of adventure flowed in the blood of his veins. -He sought perilous enterprises because his idea of life was danger, -because he understood that in this world the main duty of man was to -accomplish. And Crouch accomplished much. He was one of the pioneers -of civilization, one of those who go before the flag that trade is said -to follow. He was as much out of his element in a comfortable armchair -before a winter's fireside, as a backwoodsman in a boudoir. He belonged -to the life of the open air, of the free and rolling sea. Indeed, it may -even be said that his little, shrunk and wizened figure was a kind of -stormy petrel: his very presence was a certain signal that danger and -adventure were at hand. - -And thus, it is hardly likely, on the face of things, that at the -outbreak of the Great War such a man would remain idle for long. Even -had he not sought employment of his own free will, there were those who -knew of him by reputation, who were only too eager to enlist his -services. - -He had been found in London, at the Explorers' Club in Bond Street, -which is a great place of a winter's evening, where you may hear tales -which are as wonderful as they are true. He had been asked to leave at -once for New York, on a certain dangerous mission. He had been given -five minutes in which to make up his mind; and that was exactly four -minutes and fifty-nine seconds longer than he required. - -He arrived in New York in a sailor's jacket, with brass buttons which -would have been none the worse for a polish. He wore a flaming red tie, -and gum boots such as seamen wear when the decks are running with salt -water and the funnels white with foam. His face was as wrinkled as a -date, the colour of tan, beaten for years by sun and wind and rain. His -nose was large, and hooked like an eagle's. He had a small moustache, -and beneath his underlip a little imperial beard, which he was wont to -tug whenever he was vexed or deep in thought. As he entered the -spacious offices of Jason, Stileman and May, he carried in his right -hand a seaman's kit-bag, and in the other, a small mahogany box about -six inches long. - -He was greeted by Peggy Wade. - -"Captain Crouch?" she asked. - -"Miss," said he, "the same." - -"Mr. Jason is expecting you," said Peggy. "Will you be so good as to -wait?" - -Crouch regarded Peggy. The girl--whose own custom it was to look people -straight in the face--found the penetrating and unflinching stare of -Captain Crouch a somewhat trying ordeal. - -"You're a well-spoken lass," said he, at last, "and well looking, too. -Come, stay there a bit," he added, seeing that Peggy made as if to go; -"stay there a bit, my girl. I'll polish up the glass eye, and have a -better look at you." - -And at that, to Peggy's horror and consternation, Crouch slipped out his -glass eye, threw it up in the air and caught it, as though it had been a -marble, and then proceeded to polish it violently on the shiny sleeve of -his coat. - -That done, he put it back again in the socket, and looked at Peggy even -harder than before. - -"Seems fair," said he. "You're a lass after my own heart; neat, trim -and ship-shape. I've half a mind to adopt you." - -Peggy could not restrain a smile. - -"I don't know," she said, "that I ever exactly wished to be adopted." - -Crouch looked thoroughly amazed. - -"Why, my girl," said he, quite slowly, shaking his head in a doleful -manner, "you've no right notion what kind of man I am. I could tell you -stories that would make that curly hair of yours stand right up on end, -like the bristles on the neck of a pig. And maybe, some day, p'raps, -you'd learn to love me--like a father." - -To speak the truth, Peggy was by now a little frightened. In all of her -somewhat limited experience, she had never come across such an -extraordinary and eccentric individual. She knew nothing then of -Crouch's iron will and dauntless courage; she knew nothing of his deeds -upon the Congo or Aruwimi. She had more than a suspicion that the -little sea-captain was not quite right in the head. - -"I think," she said, "I had better tell Mr. Jason you are here." - -"No haste," said Crouch. "My cargo won't be aboard till daybreak -to-morrow morning, and I reckon all he has got to say to me won't take -above ten minutes." - -None the less, Peggy thought it advisable to announce the little -sea-captain's arrival to Mr. Jason, Junior, the New York agent, and a -nephew of the senior partner of the firm. Mr. Jason, who just then was -busy at the telephone, replied that he would see Captain Crouch in a -minute, and Peggy returned to the waiting-room. - -The following incident--though of little value in itself--goes a long -way to prove that Captain Crouch was both an observant man upon whom -little or nothing was lost, whose single eye was as good as most men's -two, and one who was by no means devoid of sentiment and consideration -for others. - -"My lass," said he, the moment Peggy entered, "a halved sixpence is a -lover's token. Who gave it you?" - -At first, Peggy was inclined to resent this blunt allusion, which she -regarded as a little too personal. Only the night before, she had bade -farewell to Jimmy, and even then tears were not so far from her eyes. -She had hung her half of the lucky sixpence around her neck on a little -chain; and she saw no reason why she should confide her innermost -feelings to Captain Crouch, who, after all, was a stranger. - -Now, this--as we have said--to the everlasting credit of the little, -wizened captain: somewhere beneath his hardened visage, his rough -manners and his almost violent way of talking, there was a heart as soft -as a woman's. He saw, at once, that Peggy's feelings had been hurt, -that he had touched a tender chord, and he did his best to make amends. -When he spoke again, it was in a voice quite different, much softer and -full of sympathy. - -"I've no wish, my lass," said he, "to pry into your secrets. I only -asked, because I took a kind of fancy to you, the moment I saw you; and -that, as a general rule, is not my way with women. I'm a single man. -I've never married for two reasons: first, no one wanted to marry me; -second, I never wanted to. I can only remember two women in my life -with whom--as I might say--I was ever on speaking terms. One was my -landlady in Pimlico, who thought she knew more about cooking than I did; -and the other was an old negress, black as a lump of charcoal, who did -my washing at Sierra Leone. She weighed seventeen stone, and was about -as broad as an oil-tank steamer in the Bosphorus. So if I've hurt your -feelings, miss, you must forgive a rough sea-faring man, who has had his -port-light put out by a poisoned arrow, and who doesn't know any -better." - -And at that, he held out a hand so eagerly and frankly that Peggy could -not refrain from taking it. - -She experienced then, for the first time, what manner of a man was -Captain Crouch--if a shake of the hand counts for anything, as it is -generally thought to do. Indeed, he gripped her hand so tightly that -she was obliged to wince; and noticing that, he forthwith apologized, by -telling her once again that he was an old sea-dog more used to -marling-spikes than lassies. - -"I'm sorry," said Peggy, "I was so foolish as to think you too -inquisitive." - -"Say no more," said Crouch. - -"But, I will," she took him up. "There's no reason why you shouldn't -know, for this sixpence once belonged to a sailor." - -"I know the breed," said Crouch, "and just because he was a sailor, I -guarantee he never kept it long." - -Peggy laughed aloud, and shook her head. - -"He kept it many years," she answered, "for this lucky sixpence once -saved his life. You can see for yourself," she went on, "it is dented -and covered with lead from a bullet. It belonged to an Admiral, whose -name was 'Swiftsure Burke.'" - -Captain Crouch drove the fist of one hand into the palm of the other. - -"Known throughout the Navy," he exclaimed, "and to every right-thinking -sailor that ever sailed the ocean who takes a pride in the job! Admiral -'Swiftsure Burke' of Sebastopol. Lass, you've got a jewel in that lucky -sixpence that I wouldn't exchange for a diamond as big as a monkey-nut. -Stick to it, and you'll come to no harm. It's what, in a manner of -speaking, you might call a talisman. It'll protect you from fire, -shipwreck, sudden death and the Income Tax. You're in luck's way, my -girl." - -Now Captain Crouch was a man who knew that God alone could give good -fortune, or permit evil to fall upon one, but he had all a sailor's -superstition and belief in omens and talismans, and was quite sincere in -what he said to Peggy. - -It was then that the door of the inner office was thrown open, and Mr. -Jason, Junior, entered the room. He was a man who could not have been -more than thirty-four years of age, clean-shaven and a little -prematurely bald. He was immaculately dressed, a small orchid in his -buttonhole and a pair of exceedingly shiny patent leather boots making -him look as if he had just come out of a bandbox. - -"Captain Crouch," said he, coming forward, and holding out a hand, "I'm -delighted to see you. I have a very important matter to discuss. Miss -Wade," he added, turning to Peggy, "if any one else calls, you will say -I am engaged." - -At that, he conducted Captain Crouch into his office, and was careful to -close the door. - -Crouch seated himself in a comfortable chair. As for Mr. Jason, he -walked backwards and forwards from the hearthrug to the writing-desk, -with the restless activity of a man who has something on his mind. - -"Captain Crouch," he repeated, speaking abruptly, "I can scarcely -exaggerate the extremely perilous nature of the task I have undertaken. -I sent for you, because I know no other man to whom I would care to -entrust so great a responsibility." - -Crouch yawned, and thrusting a hand into one of his coat pockets, -produced a tobacco-pouch, made of snake-skin, and about as large as a -letter-case. - -"Mr. Jason," said he, "with your permission, I'll light a pipe. Maybe, -you've no objection to Bull's Eye Shag. There's some people that don't -hold with it, but I don't suppose that would apply to you." - -Now, Mr. Jason knew Crouch's tobacco of old, and he knew that it was -powerful and pungent enough to fumigate anything from an isolation -hospital to a greenhouse. It was a brand of tobacco--if the truth be -told--for which there was no great demand, since he who smoked it -required the digestive organs of an ostrich. Its aroma would cling to a -bare room for days. The path of Captain Crouch through this populous -and sinful world was strewn with dead flies, wasps and beetles which had -been poisoned by the fumes of his tobacco. - -Accordingly, Mr. Jason--though he gave Crouch full permission to light -his pipe--took the double precaution of opening the window and lighting -one of his strongest cigars. Then, still pacing the room, he fired at -the little sea-captain a series of questions in a quick, nervous voice. - -"When will the 'Harlech' be loaded?" - -"To-night, sir. Soon after nine." - -"With what kind of cargo?" - -"You should know that as well as I," said Crouch. "There's a few tons -of oats, a certain amount of machinery, and several cases of rifles." - -"Ah," said Mr. Jason. - -"I said so," said the other, looking hard at the agent, whose conduct -was rather strange. Mr. Jason repeated over and over again, as if to -himself, the one word "rifles," and was then silent for more than a -minute, puffing vigorously at his cigar. - -"I suppose you've heard," said he, at last, "that several German -cruisers and commerce destroyers are abroad on the Atlantic?" - -"I've heard tell of it," said Crouch, quite unmoved. - -"Exactly. There is the 'Kronprinz Wilhelm' and the 'Koenigsberg,' and -moreover, the 'Karlsruhe' and the 'Dresden.' Also--as, perhaps, you -know--the English Channel and the Irish Sea are said to be swarming with -enemy submarines, sent out from Wilhelmshaven and Kiel. You realize all -that, of course?" - -"Seems fair," said Crouch. "I'm ready to take my chance." - -"You'll take a greater chance than you think," said Mr. Jason. - -"How so, sir?" - -"The fact is," said the agent, drawing nearer to the captain, and -speaking in a voice that was little above a whisper; "the fact is, that -although the cases are not marked, there is some reason to suppose that -German agents in New York suspect that the 'Harlech' has a cargo of -small-arms for the British Government." - -Crouch whistled softly to himself. - -"You mean," said he, "there's a chance that the secret has leaked out. -This place teems with spies." - -"I can say no more," said Mr. Jason, "than that we suspect; but, these -times, we can be sure of nothing. It is quite possible that the German -commerce destroyers may be warned, and you will be run down in -mid-ocean. There may even be spies on board." - -"If I find one," said Crouch, "I'll know how to deal with him." - -"That's not the point," said the other. "Are you willing to take the -risk?" - -Captain Crouch got to his feet, carefully knocked out his pipe in the -fire-grate, and then thrust his peaked sailor's cap on to the side of -his head. - -"Why not?" said he, at last. - -Mr. Jason smiled. - -"I thought you wouldn't hesitate." - -"Why not?" repeated Crouch. "If those are my orders, I'll do my best to -carry them out, and I'll sight the Needles and take on a pilot in the -Solent, if a sound knowledge of navigation and steam coal can do it." - -Mr. Jason held out a hand. - -"I'm glad I sent for you," said he. "You will start to-night?" - -"We'll be under way," said Crouch, "before eleven, at the latest." - -"Then, good-bye--and the best of fortune." - -A few minutes later, Captain Crouch, who had just taken an almost -affectionate farewell of Peggy Wade, was stumping on his cork foot along -the Fifth Avenue as if he owned New York. - - - - -CHAPTER VII--In the Hold - - -We know already that Crouch went on board that night, shortly before ten -o'clock, and took over the command of the "Harlech" from Mr. Dawes, the -Chief Officer--a blunt, plain-spoken Yorkshireman, who had run away to -sea at the age of fourteen, and who, like Crouch himself, had worked his -way from the forecastle to the bridge. - -Now, Captain Crouch encircled by the atrocious perfume of his famous -Bull's Eye Shag, holding forth upon the subject of his experiences in -various parts of the world, and Captain Crouch upon the bridge or in the -chart-room of the ship that he commanded, were two very different men. -Once he set foot upon the main deck--even the very moment he grasped the -gangway hand-rope--Crouch took upon himself the character of a martinet. -In the very tones of his voice, one was led to understand that his word -was law. - -In most things--and in the art of seamanship most of all--Crouch relied -upon no one but himself. He knew his job, and expected others to know -theirs. He maintained an iron discipline, exacting the maximum of work -from every ship's officer and member of the crew, from the cook's mate -(who was not sufficiently intelligent to be trusted with anything else -but the peeling of potatoes) to Mr. Dawes himself. - -The first signs of daybreak were faintly visible in the east when the -"Harlech" struck the ocean, where the great billows came rolling -westward across three thousand miles of water, to break in clouds of -foam upon the low-lying shore that extends for miles to the south of -Sandy Hook. Immediately, she took on that well-known corkscrew -motion--which is part roll, part pitch--that finds out the land-lubber -soon enough, and often tests the sea legs of even an old, weather-beaten -sailor. - -Now, when a ship does this, he who has ever known the true and inward -meaning of _mal de mer_--which is a polite word for sea-sickness--will -be well advised to keep himself amidships and on deck. And Jimmy Burke -was neither one nor the other. - -With the hatchway closed and the engine-room adjacent, the hold had -become quite hot and stuffy. When the bows dipped in the waves and the -white spray flew wide above the forecastle-peak, the poop rose like a -hunter at a five-bar gate, to fall again quite suddenly, as if -descending to the nether regions. Moreover, when the stern part of the -ship was clear of the water, even for a moment, the screw raced as if -demented, shaking the old tramp so violently that it seemed as if every -bolt and bar and rivet must sooner or later be jangled out of place. - -Three hours of this, and poor Jimmy Burke believed, indeed, that his -last hour had come. He had long since consumed his loaf of bread; and -no doubt the pangs of hunger, added to the constant darkness and the -stifling atmosphere in which he was forced to remain, did much to -augment the symptoms of an illness from which surely the grandson of -"Swiftsure Burke" should never have suffered. However, we record plain -facts, and the whole truth must out: the boy was incontestably sea-sick. - -For all that, he would not accept defeat. Though he yearned for a -breath of fresh air, though he felt that he could stand no longer this -intolerable, impenetrable darkness, he would not climb the iron ladder -leading to the hatch and cry out for help. As he knew well enough, the -ship was not yet so far away from the coast; and Crouch might put about -and set the stowaway ashore at some forsaken port where the boy would be -stranded and even further from his goal than on the day he left New -York. - -In this life, there is a maxim above all others to remember: that -Providence helps only those that help themselves. Each man works out -his own position. God has given to all of us, to some freely, to others -sparingly, talents and attainments. It is for us to be always true to -ourselves, to make the best use of what abilities we have, and -continually to strive. And then, often, when a fainter heart would have -ceased to hope, we find ourselves on a sudden face to face with the -realization of our dreams. - -So was it now with Jimmy Burke, sea-sick and disconsolate. He was -resolute by nature. Right or wrong, he had made up his mind; he had -chosen his own course after due deliberation. He was sorely tried--as, -no doubt, he deserved to be--but he meant to go through with it, cost -him what it might. As we shall see, all that follows hangs upon the -fact that he remained until that night in the silence and darkness of -the after-hold. Had he become faint-hearted, had he made known his -presence on the ship, the fate of a certain German submarine--the -U93--would never have been sealed in such a manner as it was. And thus, -we see how in this world all happenings are strung together in what may -be called a "chain of circumstance," wherein each link, or separate -component part, is quite unlike its fellows. - -When night fell, the ship was far out at sea. And this was the third -night that Jimmy had spent on board. He had no way of telling the hour, -except that during the night-time he could hear neither footsteps on the -well-deck above nor the moving of chains and hawsers. The ship's bell -was forward, and could not be heard in the hold so long as the hatch was -closed. - -The ship still rolled considerably. The storm showed no sign of -abating. There is nothing more exhausting than sea-sickness; and during -these three interminable days the boy experienced little difficulty -either in falling asleep or remaining asleep for hours. - -How long he slept in the earlier part of the night he was never -afterwards able to say. He was conscious of waking with a start, and -sat bolt upright, listening, not knowing what he expected to hear. - -Suddenly, with alarming clearness, three strokes of a bell smote upon -the silence of the night. - -Jimmy was more than a little surprised. He had heard nothing during the -whole term of his self-imposed imprisonment but the constant creaking of -the ship, the throbbing of the engines, the persistent gnawing sound of -rats, and the periodical groaning of the steam steering-gear. Never -before had the ship's bell been audible in the depths of the after-hold. -The conclusion was obvious: one of the after-hatchways had been opened. -Also, it was three bells of the middle watch, or--in other -words--half-past one in the morning. - -The boy got stealthily to his feet, and peered over an enormous -packing-case, behind which he had been sleeping. Immediately, it was as -if he was blinded by the bright light of a lantern, not ten yards from -where he stood. - -It took some time for his eyes to become accustomed to the glare; and -then he was able to perceive the figure of a man who, holding the -lantern in his hand, was slowly descending the iron ladder into the -hold. - -Jimmy felt his heart thumping against his ribs. He was in danger of -being discovered. He even feared that in some way or other his presence -on the ship had already become known, and this man had been sent to fish -him out, as a salmon is landed in a net. Though he knew that the time -was bound to come when he would find himself face to face with Captain -Crouch, and would have to explain who he was, he dreaded it, none the -less. - -At the foot of the ladder the man paused and looked up, remaining for as -long as a minute in an attentive attitude, as if he were listening. Then -he placed the lantern on the top of a pile of boxes, and thrusting a -hand into his coat pocket, produced a large chisel and a hammer. - -With these, to Jimmy's infinite alarm, he approached the very -packing-case behind which the boy was hiding, and without waste of time -set to work in a manner that was at once business-like and guilty. With -a series of smart taps of the hammer, he drove in the chisel in several -places under the lid, which he then proceeded to prise open. It took him -five minutes or more to complete his task. He seemed anxious to do the -job as silently as he could; but he appeared in no hurry, for he paused -frequently to listen, and did not continue with his work until he was -assured that no one was on deck. - -All this time Jimmy was crouching low behind the packing-case, which the -man was opening from the other side. Though they were hidden from view -of one another, they could not have been more than two yards apart. It -was a situation which might have been comical, had it not been fraught -with danger. - -The lid of the box opened with that peculiar squeaking noise which -invariably accompanies the drawing of nails from out of soft, new wood. -Apparently the man removed from the top of the box a certain amount of -brown paper and waterproof sheeting; and then, on seeing its contents, -he gave vent to a loud exclamation, which might have been anything from -an expression of satisfaction to an oath. - -A moment after, he turned upon his heel, and went back for his lantern; -and then it was that Jimmy seized the opportunity to gratify the -curiosity which by now had taken the place of alarm in his somewhat -heated brain. There was a wide crack in the lid of the box through -which it was possible to see; and placing his eye to this, he found -himself looking down into a box that was filled with, at least, two -dozen Lee-Metford rifles. - -He crouched down again, as the man drew near once more. He had still no -desire to be caught. He had not yet had time to think matters out; it -was all too much of a mystery. He could not associate three facts: his -own presence in the hold, the box full of rifles, and the man who had -come like a thief, who now closed the lid, hammering in the nails as -quietly as he could, and who then, without the slightest warning, -swinging his lantern in his hand, stepped round the box--and came face -to face with Jimmy. - -The boy jumped to his feet. He had no thought of escape; and even had -that been so, his case was hopeless, for he was seized immediately by -the lapel of his coat. - -"By James!" let out the sailor. "And who are you?" - -Jimmy Burke was altogether speechless; for, looking up, in the bright -light of the lantern, he found himself confronted by the seamed and -heavy features of Rudolf Stork. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII--A False Witness - - -It was the face of Rudolf Stork. It was the same face that Jimmy had -seen on that other occasion when he had been discovered hiding in the -cupboard in Rosencrantz's office--with this difference, Stork had now -grown a beard. - -It was a black beard--coal black, and short and crisp--that made the man -look more villainous than ever. Though it hid the cruel wrinkles about -his mouth, it made it seem as if his lower jaw protruded like a -gorilla's. Before, Stork had looked both fierce and cunning; he now -gave one the impression of being akin to a savage beast. - -"It's you!" cried Stork, and repeated the words several times as if -unable to believe the evidence of his eyes. "It's you! By thunder, -what's the game?" - -"A stowaway," said Jimmy. - -"A stowaway!" said the man. "I don't need telling that when I find you -skulking here at dead of night, and the ship two days from port." - -"Take me to the captain," said the boy. "I am ready to take the penalty -for what I have done." - -"You are?" said Stork. Then he must have remembered something, for -thrusting his tongue into his cheek, he rolled his eyes. "Easy now," -said he. "These cards must be carefully played. A stowaway!" he cried. -"I'll not believe it." - -"I have not denied it," answered Jimmy. - -"Because you're something worse," let out the other. - -"Worse!" - -"Yes, worse. We're on the high seas, where a man can speak his mind -without fear of contradiction; and if I choose to lay a charge who's to -gainsay me? Answer me that." - -"I don't understand," said Jimmy Burke. - -"Ye don't, and small credit to your wits. Here's me, Rudolf Stork, a -ship's carpenter, and an honest man, who goes into the hold on right and -lawful business. And there what do I find prying among the cargo, like -a muzzled ferret in a ditch, but a brat of a German spy, caught -red-handed at his work." - -Stork pointed at the packing-case upon which he had laid his chisel and -hammer. - -"But these tools are yours!" cried Jimmy, who now felt his cheeks -burning in indignation. - -"Just so," said Stork. "I left them here this morning." - -Jimmy gasped. It was not easy to believe that such outrageous perfidy -were possible. Indeed, it took him some little time to realize the full -meaning of the man's words. But the more he thought of it the more -apparent it became that he would find it extremely difficult to prove -his innocence. How was he to convince Captain Crouch of the truth--that -it was Stork himself who was a spy? The captain would laugh in his -face. Such a retort is the common experience of fools. The cry of -"You're another!" is the wit of the gutter-snipe that can never carry -conviction. Jimmy recognized, with a growing sense of alarm, that in -all probability he would shortly find himself in the position of an -accused man who had no evidence to call on his own behalf. - -"Do you mean to say," he exclaimed, "that you intend to accuse me of the -very crime of which you yourself are guilty?" - -"I'm here," said Stork, quite calmly, "to bandy words with no one. If I -say you're guilty, then guilty you are, unless you can prove -contrariwise. Which isn't likely so far as I can see." - -Upon the man's face there was an expression of half-amused contempt. He -had the appearance of being wholly confident and quite unperturbed. A -sort of half-smile played about his lips. This augured ill for Jimmy, -who realized that in Rudolf Stork he had an opponent who was both -without a sense of honour and well practised in the art of deceiving -others. - -The man picked up his lantern, which, whilst speaking to Jimmy, he had -set down upon the ground, and then turned to go. It was then that the -boy made a quick movement forward in the direction of the iron ladder -that led to the deck above. - -"We'll go together," he cried. "Your story and mine are not likely to -agree." - -At that, Stork whipped round with a kind of snarl, and without a word of -warning, and clenching his fist, he dealt the boy a swinging blow in the -face that sent him reeling backward. - -Jimmy staggered, stumbled and fell. For a moment he was half dazed. He -could still see--but indistinctly, as if through a gauze screen--the -flare of Stork's lantern which swung up and down, as the ship rolled -from side to side. - -By the time the boy had recovered his senses sufficiently to scramble to -his feet he was again in utter darkness. The great boxes and bales of -cargo were only just discernible in the dim light that came through the -opened hatchway above. There, he could see a few stars, appearing at -odd moments, to vanish almost immediately behind the narrow, long-drawn -clouds that streaked a wind-blown sky. He could hear the waves, one -after the other, beating violently against the sides of the ship, the -water washing over the decks and along the scuttles, the rigging -creaking, and the long chain of the steam steering-gear jolting, from -time to time, as the great strain of a heavy sea was brought to bear -upon the rudder. And then four bells rang out; it was two o'clock in -the morning. - -Jimmy, crossing the hold, reached the iron ladder, and set foot upon the -bottom rung. The very moment he did so the figures of two men appeared -upon the well-deck above, one of whom Jimmy recognized at once as Stork. - -"He's in there?" asked a voice. - -"Aye, aye, sir," answered Stork. "I found him at work among the cargo -like a half-starved rat." - -"Get down," said Captain Crouch, for the other voice was his; "go down -and fish him out." - -Stork was not slow to obey the captain's orders; and a moment later the -stowaway found himself upon the deck, standing ankle-deep in running -water, face to face with a man who was not so tall as the boy himself, -and who was clothed in a suit of bright red pyjamas, the trousers of -which were rolled up to his knees, so that the lower part of his legs -was bare. - -"Bring him along to my cabin," said Crouch. "I'll not stand talking -here; it's a trifle too cold, I'm thinking, for a man who has spent a -good slice of his life in the equatorial parts." - -The captain led the way to the main-deck. As he ran up the -companion-ladder on the starboard side, Jimmy noticed how extremely -agile he was in all his movements. Though at this time of his life -Captain Crouch must have been approaching fifty years of age, he was as -active as a young man; and, indeed, had it not been for his cork foot, -he would have been prepared to back himself in a hundred yards race -against any man of not less than half his years. - -On board the "Harlech" the captain's cabin was situated at the forward -end of the main-deck, immediately under the bridge and next to the -chart-room. Here an oil lamp was burning which Crouch turned up so high -that the chimney smoked. He then picked up his pipe, filled it with his -terrible and strange tobacco, and seating himself upon a plush-covered -divan, proceeded to fill the room with smoke. - -Stork, holding Jimmy by the sleeve of his coat, in much the same manner -as a policeman takes his charge to the nearest station, led the boy into -the room, and then closed the door. - -"Now," said Crouch, "where's your evidence?" - -Jimmy interposed. Thrusting forward both hands, in the attitude of one -who begs for mercy, he implored to be allowed to speak. But Crouch, by -describing a series of imaginary circles in the air with the stem of his -pipe, intimated that he desired Jimmy to remain silent. - -"One thing at a time," said he, "as my friend, Ned Harden, observed, -when he shot a crocodile with one barrel and a rhino with the other. -That was with an old-fashioned shot-and-ball gun that he got from a -trader at Lokoja, in the days when there weren't above ten white men on -the Upper Niger. I hear the evidence for the prosecution first, -which--to the best of my belief--is in accordance with the law. -Afterwards, my lad, you'll have full opportunity to speak. And now, -then, what's the charge?" - -Rudolf Stork told his story with simplicity, and a kind of easy -tolerance, as if he was really a little bored; and though he was -cleverly cross-examined by Captain Crouch, never once did he contradict -his former statements. Had his evidence been given on oath, he would -have perjured himself with no less assurance and without hesitation. His -manner, no less than the directness of his narrative, would have -deceived any jury in the world. And in any case, Captain Crouch--one -who knew more than his fair share of the tricks of rogues and the ways -of evil men--was led to a firm conviction that the boy was really -guilty. - -Stork lied his soul away--or what can remain of a soul in a man who has -sunk to such great depths of infamy. He swore that he had been working -in the hold that very morning, and had gone back to fetch his chisel and -hammer. He had found the stowaway in the very act of opening one of the -packing-cases, which he had discovered were filled with new short -service-rifles for the British Army. - -Crouch, when he heard this, made a wry face, and looked at Jimmy. He -had not forgotten that Mr. Jason had warned him that he might find -German spies on board; and though there was no direct proof, the -evidence, as given by Rudolf Stork, was very black against the boy. He -had no reason to doubt Stork's word. The man had been engaged at New -York with a good character, and he seemed a capable ship's carpenter, -who understood his work. - -"Speak up, my lad," said Crouch--the expression upon whose thin, wizened -face had hardened--"speak up, and say nothing but the truth." - -Now, in those who are at all sensitive, indignation is one of the most -deep-seated emotions that exist. Smarting with a sense of injured -innocence, the boy's cheeks were already burning; and now, something -rose in his throat as if to choke him, so that he found it difficult to -speak. When words came, at last, they did so in a flood, and were only -half coherent. Small wonder that Captain Crouch took all this as a sure -sign that the boy was unquestionably guilty! - -"I'll speak the truth, sir," poor Jimmy blurted out. "I know for a fact -that it is this man, and not myself, who is a German spy. He is in the -pay of the Prussian Secret Service, and was engaged in New York by a -certain Baron von Essling, as he himself knows quite well. As for me, I -came on board this ship as a stowaway, because I wanted to go to -England. I wished to serve my country." - -Crouch sprang suddenly to his feet. - -"Enough of this!" he roared. "Do I look like a man who would swallow a -yarn like that? My word, they're not over-squeamish when they take on a -boy like you to do their dirty work. I've heard tell of women spies, -but I never guessed they would employ mere children for the game." - -"Sir," cried Jimmy, "I swear, I speak the truth." - -"I'll hear no more!" Crouch almost shouted. "You know well enough that -the penalty for a spy in time of war is death. I'm not quite certain -whether I should be acting according to the law, if I strung you up to -the yard-arm like a dead crow in a cornfield. And then, there's the -cat-o'-nine-tails. Maybe, you've heard of that? If you had proved to -be no more than a simple stowaway, I should have had a sort of kindred -feeling; for, I ran away to sea myself, and so did Dawes, and many -another sailor who's worth the salt he eats. When I was a boy, the -'cat' was not unheard of; but, nowadays, I doubt if I'd be within my -rights in using it upon the likes of you." - -It was then, at last, that poor Jimmy Burke broke down. He could -suppress neither the sobs that were surging in his breast nor the tears -that he felt rushing to his eyes. Falling into a chair that stood -vacant at his elbow, he buried his face in his hands. - -For a full minute his shoulders shook and trembled; and when he looked -up, his face was all streamed and marked with tears. He saw that -Crouch's lips were pressed tight together; there was an expression of -settled and immovable resolution upon the face of the little captain. -But, the bitterest blow of all was that Rudolf Stork was laughing, his -white teeth visible in the blackness of his beard. - -"I'm innocent!" let out the boy. - -"You can prove that in Court," said Crouch. "The very moment we are -tied up in Portsmouth Harbour, I hand you over to the police. You shall -have a fair trial, with a proper judge in a wig and all the rest of it; -and if you're not a dead man at the end of it, this here foot's not -cork." - -By way of illustration of this last remark, Crouch thrust forward his -cork foot which--as was quite apparent--was fastened to his bare leg by -means of several straps. - -"And as for the voyage," he added, "you'll work on board this ship like -a galley-slave. For every knot of your journey to the Solent, you shall -pay in honest labour. You can polish brasses, swab decks, wash paint, -and peel potatoes, and do ought else that you can lay a hand to. -Moreover, you'll report yourself every hour, from eight bells in the -morning to the end of the second dog-watch, to the officer on the -bridge. You'll sleep in the forecastle, and under observation. I'll -not trust you out of sight. You say you're an Englishman, perhaps you -may be; if so, the more disgrace to England. But, it's my belief you're -a Yankee, English born, who has sold his immortal soul to the German -Empire. There's many such in the States; in my thinking, they are all -Germans--every mother's son of them; and I tell you frankly, I abominate -them all without discrimination. And so, my lad, you've heard my mind, -and you know what I think of you and those you serve. One last word of -advice: as long as you're on board this ship, steer clear of me. I'm -not a man who jumps rashly to conclusions, but I've sized you up -according to the lights you show; and it's not probable I'll change my -mind. And now," he added, turning to Stork, "take him to the fo'c'sle." - -Side by side, without a word, Stork and Jimmy crossed the forward -well-deck. Jimmy walked as in a dream. During the last hour so many -things had happened that he found it difficult to realize that he had, -indeed, been found guilty of being a German spy. In this world are -traps and opportunities for tripping us all, in the most unexpected -places. - -For the rest of that night, poor Jimmy lay sleepless, heartbroken and -disconsolate, upon a hard forecastle bunk. Things had not happened as -he had either hoped or feared. He was in the very depths of despair. He -had acted rashly, he knew, in endeavouring to leave America as a -stowaway on board a merchant ship. But he had acted with the best of -motives, from a fitting sense of patriotism. He had dreamed of the -Great War, or as much of it as he had been able to imagine from the -pictures he had seen in the illustrated papers. He had dreamed of -flying Uhlans, captured trenches, charging hussars and cuirassiers--and -now, he had been threatened with the "cat." Assuredly, there are -pitfalls for us all! - - - - -CHAPTER IX--The "Dresden" - - -Captain Crouch was a man who seldom--if ever--made up his mind in a -hurry. It was his custom to consider every aspect of a question before -he came to any definite decision; but, when once his opinions had been -formed, he was not disposed to alter them. He was a hard man in many -ways--one who, having had everything against him from the start, had had -to make his own way in a world that is not so charitable as some may -think. That Captain Crouch had made a great success of life, there can -be no shadow of doubt; and it is equally certain that he was never -indebted to any one throughout the whole course of his career-except -later on (as we shall see) to Jimmy Burke himself. - -In this particular case, he had made up his mind that Jimmy was a German -spy. He had heard both sides of the question, and saw no reason to -doubt the word of Rudolf Stork. In consequence, for more reasons than -one, he was determined to have nothing to do with Jimmy. Not only did -he hand over the stowaway for safe custody to Mr. Dawes the chief -officer, but he gave strict injunctions that Jimmy was to keep out of -his way--as far as that could be possible on a ship of not five thousand -tons. - -Life in the forecastle of an ocean tramp has little or no joys to one -who has been brought up, if not in luxury, at least in decency and -comfort. For the first week, the weather continued to be rough; it was -bitterly cold, and they saw little of the sun. The boy had no friends -on board; for the members of the crew--who laughed and joked together on -the forward well-deck after working hours--following the example of the -captain and the ship's officers, believed in their hearts that the boy -was, indeed, a German spy, and treated him with undisguised and due -contempt. From dawn to sunset, Jimmy went about his work practically -ignored. No one spoke to him, except to give him orders; and these he -received, not only from the chief officer and Stork, but also from any -one else who happened to require assistance. - -In these circumstances--as may easily be imagined--the boy was utterly -miserable and almost broken-hearted. There were nights when he found it -impossible to sleep, but lay awake, hour upon hour, writhing under the -great wrong that had been done him. - -He soon learnt to give up all hope of ever explaining matters to Captain -Crouch. He could not fail to see that he must bear his wrongs as -bravely as he might. Nor could he find any sympathizer amongst the -crew; one and all, they were loyal Britishers--with the sole exception -of Rudolf Stork--and as such were heartily against him. Had he been -subjected to physical cruelty, had he been thrashed and kicked and -beaten, his lot would have been easier to bear. He thought it all out, -time and again, in the darkness of the night, while the ship was -ploughing her way eastward across the great Atlantic, and always came to -the same sorrowful conclusion: that there was nothing he could do, but -find courage in the knowledge of his own innocence, and keep an eye upon -Stork. - -He knew Stork to be a spy. That no one else was likely to believe it -made it none the less true that, to the boy's certain knowledge, the -man's services had been engaged by Rosencrantz and the Baron von -Essling. Stork, beyond doubt, was on his way to England on some secret -business. It was quite possible that the man had in his possession -incriminating documents and papers. Jimmy realized that, if he could -but find this out for certain, he would be able to convince Crouch not -only of his own innocence, but of Stork's indubitable guilt. - -It was this vague hope that buoyed Jimmy's spirits during the first five -or six days of the voyage. By then, they had reached mid-ocean, where -the presence of the Gulf Stream, and a welcome change of weather, had -raised the temperature by, at least, twenty degrees. Jimmy had already -discovered that Stork kept a sea-chest under his bunk in the -forecastle--a strong chest, iron-bound and made of oak, fastened both by -an ordinary lock and a padlock, the keys of which Stork kept on a chain, -along with a jack-knife and a whistle. - -There had been times when Jimmy had thought quite seriously of forcing -his way into the captain's cabin, and imploring Crouch to have this -chest examined, on the off chance that thereby Stork might be proved the -scoundrel he was. That the boy never decided to take a step so -irretrievable and final, goes a long way to prove that he was possessed -of little of the gambling instinct of his father. He saw from the first -that there was a good chance that the sea-chest would contain nothing of -an incriminating nature, in which case he would be in a worse plight -than before. Throughout all this strange, mysterious business, so much -was at stake that Jimmy felt he was not entitled to risk more than he -need. And it was well for him that he resolved to be discreet; for, in -a manner that was at once surprising and dramatic, Providence, for the -first time, came to his aid. - -One morning, soon after daybreak, they sighted a British -torpedo-boat-destroyer, racing due northward, travelling at a speed of -almost thirty knots an hour. The destroyer, evidently wishing to speak -to the "Harlech," which was not, of course, equipped with wireless -apparatus--drew to within a cable's length of the steamer, when the -commander shouted through a megaphone to Captain Crouch, who was on the -bridge. - -"Have you heard the news?" he asked. - -"What news?" asked Crouch. "We've seen no papers since we left New -York, more than a week ago." - -"Admiral Sturdee has thrashed the German squadron off the Falkland -Islands. The 'Gneisenau,' the 'Scharnhorst,' the 'Leipzig,' and the -'Nuremburg' have been sunk; but the 'Dresden' managed to escape, and is -believed to have come this way." - -"I've seen nothing of her," answered Crouch. - -"Do you know what she looks like?" asked the commander. - -"Sure enough," said Crouch. "Protected cruiser, of about three thousand -five hundred tons. Speed about twenty-four and a half. Two masts and -three funnels--a trifle forward. Sister ship to the 'Emden.' Completed -in 1908." - -"That's her," shouted back the officer. "Sorry you haven't seen her. -Good-bye, and good luck. Look out for enemy submarines," he added, -"when you get into the Channel." - -A moment later, the destroyer was flying on its way, cutting through the -water at such a velocity that the spray was sent high into the air, to -form a kind of rainbow in the sunshine immediately above her bows. - -The news of the defeat of Admiral von Spee's squadron was received with -delight by the ship's officers and crew of the "Harlech." That evening, -for the first time during the voyage, a banjo made its appearance on the -forward well-deck, and there were songs, not unconnected with the fact -that England had been in the past, and would continue to be in the -future, the sole mistress of the seas. Throughout these quite excusable -rejoicings, it was a fact--that passed unnoticed by every one, except by -Jimmy Burke--that Rudolf Stork held himself aloof, standing apart from -the others, with his bare arms folded and never a smile upon his lips. -Jimmy hoped that the man's surly manner would be noticed by the captain, -upon whom as a rule little or nothing was lost. But Crouch paced the -main-deck, with both hands behind his back, lost in thoughts of his own -and a veritable cloud of the black smoke of "Bull's Eye Shag." - -It was quite late at night when the forecastle, at last, was still. Six -bells had sounded when the banjo was put back into its case and the crew -turned in. An hour after that, Rudolf Stork was pacing the lower -deck---a silent, shadowy figure in the moonlight, moving in and out -among the derricks and the hatches. Jimmy Burke, lying upon his bunk at -the entrance of the forecastle, watched the man for a long time, -wondering what were the dark thoughts that Rudolf Stork could share with -no one; and when, at last, the boy fell asleep, the ship's carpenter was -still striding to and fro, like some restless, evil spirit. - -The boy was awakened suddenly by the shrill note of the boatswain's -whistle. One after the other, close upon each other's heels, the crew -tumbled out upon the well-deck. Simultaneously, the voice of Captain -Crouch rang out, so loud as to be audible from one end of the ship to -the other. - -"Every man at his alarm post! Have the boats ready to be lowered; we -may have need of them before we are much older. Mr. Dawes, spare every -man you can to work in the engine-room like a nigger. If we can manage -to squeeze fifteen knots out of the old ship, there'll be just a dog's -chance that we escape." - -Jimmy waited to hear no more, but, springing from his bunk, hastened out -upon the deck. - -A group of men was standing upon the main-deck immediately beneath the -bridge, many of whom were pointing excitedly towards the east. It was -dawn; and although the sun had not yet risen, the first signs of -daybreak were clearly visible upon the horizon. The sea itself looked -black; in the sky, a few stars still glimmered faintly. Upon the -eastern sky-line extended a long belt of silver, in the immediate centre -of which there could be seen a thin trail of smoke. Captain Crouch was -on the bridge, with a large telescope raised to his only eye. - -For the first five hours of that memorable day, the excitement that -prevailed on board the "Harlech" was intense. Every one went about his -work in breathless haste. Mr. Dawes shouted his orders like a madman. -From time to time, the chief engineer appeared on deck to report -progress from the engine-room. Every pound of coal that it was possible -to throw into the furnaces would tend to increase the ship's speed, -if--as Captain Crouch believed--the trail of smoke upon the far horizon -came from the funnels of the "Dresden." - -By eight o'clock, there was no doubt whatsoever that it was the German -cruiser herself that they had sighted. A little after, it was evident -that the "Dresden" was giving chase. From the well-decks only her smoke -was visible, but this was rapidly growing more and more distinct. Crouch -remained upon the bridge, his telescope glued to his eye; and from that -altitude no doubt the hull of the German warship was visible. - -Presently, from the direction of the enemy, there came a dull booming -sound that died away across the great expanse of water, like the rolling -sound of a monster drum. It had hardly ceased before there became -audible a shrill, piercing hoot, not unlike a human shriek, that became -louder and louder with alarming rapidity. - -There was no need for one of the crew who had taken part in the South -African War to cry out that a shell was coming. Every one on board knew -what that sound meant. Following a not unnatural curiosity, every man -rushed to the taffrails, to see what would be the result. There was a -loud, and almost unanimous, shout of "There she goes!" as the shell -plunged into the water about two hundred yards from the starboard side -of the ship, sending a great savage fountain high into the air. - -By then, the "Harlech" was steaming almost due south. Her course had -been changed at daybreak, when the "Dresden" had been sighted -immediately ahead. The first shell, which was marvellously accurate as -far as direction was concerned, must have passed immediately over the -mast-head of the merchant ship. - -This augured ill for the remainder of the day. There seemed little or -no chance that the "Harlech" would escape, though she burnt every ton of -coal she carried in her bunkers. The British destroyer had gone due -north. Nowhere else, except in the direction of the "Dresden," was -there a ship in sight. The "Harlech"--as we have already pointed -out--was not equipped with wireless, and had no means of calling for -assistance. - -For the next two hours, the utmost confusion and consternation prevailed -on board. A shell struck the forecastle-peak, and tore away a great -piece of the ship, as a bull-dog might rend the clothes of a tramp. -Another broke its way through the superstructure under the bridge; and a -third, fourth and fifth, pierced the ship's sides above the water-line. - -Throughout all this, Captain Crouch remained perfectly calm and -collected, from time to time taking his pipe from his mouth to knock out -the ash on the heel of his boot, refill it and light it with the utmost -care. The "Dresden" was now well in sight, bearing straight down upon -them, as a tiger might rush upon its prey. It seemed, indeed, that they -were doomed. - -It was about mid-day when the German cruiser signalled to them to -surrender; and though there could be no question that a refusal would -lead to the destruction of them all, Crouch flatly refused to -acknowledge that the game was up. His only answer was to hoist the -Union Jack to the mast-head and run up the Red Ensign on the poop. - -The appearance of the British flag upon the high seas upon that calm, -sunlit winter's morning was a hint to the captain of the German cruiser -to open fire with shrapnel. - -From this time onward, the decks were highly dangerous. The German -gunners got the range to an inch, and managed to keep it, in spite of -the fact that every minute brought them nearer and nearer to their prey. -These shells exploded one after the other, in quick succession, each one -with a white puff, in the very midst of the rigging; whilst the round, -leaden bullets descended in a shower, to bury themselves in the teak -decks or crash through the glass of the skylights. - -No one faced this, with the exception of Captain Crouch; and how he -managed to live in the midst of it all must ever remain a mystery. He -never lost his head for a moment, but continued to give orders which, -because of the constant noise of bursting shells, he was obliged to -shout through a megaphone. - -A ship's quartermaster, clambering up from one of the forward holds, -dashed up the ladder to the bridge, which was all twisted like a -corkscrew, and reported to the captain that the ship had been struck -below the water-line, and was sinking by the bows. Just then there was -a lull in the firing; and Crouch called the crew together, and addressed -them in the following words-- - -"If I haul down that flag," he cried, pointing to the Union Jack, "we -may live to regret it, to tell those who come after us how we -surrendered like a pack of curs. I'll save you that at any rate. If we -must die, we'll die like men and Britons. Come, tell me, have I spoken -square and honest?" - -A cheer came from the men--a cheer that was cut short by a great -explosion on the poop, that carried away the round-house and a great -iron bollard that had been held to the deck by four cast-iron rivets, -each one as thick as a strong man's wrist. Crouch paid no heed to this, -but continued, waving his pipe in his hand. - -"Well spoken, lads," he cried. "Though we've got no guns of our own, -we'll stick to the Flag to the last; and maybe they'll hear of it in -England. And now, pay no heed to the shells, but all hands to the -pumps." - -The men obeyed with that business-like promptitude that is -characteristic of the Anglo-Saxon race. They were not disposed to argue -that, after all, life was possibly worth living, and there is no more -terrible death than to be drowned in calm water when the sun is shining -in the midst of an illimitable sea. It was enough for them that their -captain had spoken words that moved them to the depths of their rugged -hearts: they were resolved to die like men. - -For half-an-hour they worked in a kind of frenzy at the pumps, striving -to keep the stricken ship afloat. It seemed that their efforts were -successful; for, though the "Harlech" had taken on a marked list to -port, and her stern was lifted a good six feet in the water, she seemed -to be still seaworthy and as yet showed no signs of settling down. The -"Dresden" was now not much more than four miles in the wake of the -fugitive ship, which did little more than crawl. - -[Illustration: THE "HARLECH" HAD TAKEN A MARKED LIST TO PORT--NO ONE -COULD LIVE UPON HER DECK.] - -At such a range shrapnel is at its worst and deadliest. Shell after -shell burst upon the "Harlech," until the masts were splintered, the -decks riddled, and the rigging cut and torn in a thousand places. The -top of one of the funnels had been blown away; the glass windows of the -chart-house had been driven in. - -Presently the shell fire became so severe, and there had been so many -casualties among the crew, that it became impossible to continue to work -the pumps. No one could live upon the deck; and something in the nature -of a stampede was made to the saloon, whither the wounded had been -carried. - -Jimmy, who had been working at the pumps, had been one of the last to -leave. His courage had not passed unnoticed by Captain Crouch, who -found himself at a loss to reconcile two facts: firstly, that Jimmy had -displayed a supreme contempt for danger, and secondly, that the boy was -presumed to be a German spy. - -As a great shell struck the mainmast, and brought down a spar upon the -deck to which was attached the tattered shreds of what had once been the -flag of England, the boy sought safety in the forecastle. There, one of -the first things that met his eyes was a sea-chest, the lid of which had -been broken open by the force of the concussion by which it had been -hurled across the deck. Upon one of the broken pieces of this box were -inscribed in black lettering the two words: RUDOLF STORK. - -This was no time upon which to stand upon ceremony. There is no such -thing as private property in time of war--as, during the long months of -this colossal combat, Europe has learnt to her cost. Jimmy Burke had -suspicions of his own, which he had cause to know were well grounded. -Chance had brought an opportunity to hand which he was not slow to take. -In a second he was down on all fours, turning out the contents of -Stork's sea-chest, which appeared to have been filled with nothing but -documents and papers, the majority of which were in the handwriting of -Rosencrantz, the tool of the Baron von Essling. - -What these papers were Jimmy was given no opportunity of finding out; -for, hardly had he picked up the first to examine it more closely, than -he was suddenly seized from behind by the scruff of the neck. - -With a quick movement he managed to free himself, escaping to the -windlass, which is in the very peak of the ship. There he found himself -cut off by Rudolf Stork, who stood immediately before him, so that there -was no means of exit from the forecastle. - -Stork was like a madman. He wore nothing but a shirt and a pair of -trousers. Upon his left shoulder there was a patch of blood where he -had been struck by a shrapnel bullet. Even in the semi-darkness of that -place, Jimmy could see that the man was in such an insensate fit of fury -that his eyes were gleaming like coals of fire. - -With a loud oath, hurled through his teeth in the direction of the boy, -he gathered his papers together in an armful, and hurled them through a -port-hole into the sea. - -"And now," he cried, "you infernal young dog, I'll do for you!" - -Suddenly, as he picked up a marlinspike that happened to be lying close -at hand upon the deck, with an expression stamped upon every feature of -his face that could mean nothing short of murder, a loud British cheer -came from somewhere amidships that was clearly audible in spite of the -bursting shells and the incessant thunder of the "Dresden's" guns. Stork -paused in the very act of raising his weapon to strike. - -"What's that?" he cried. - -No sooner had the words left his lips than the cheer was raised a second -time, louder than before. And then the voice of Captain Crouch rang -out, in which there was a clear note of triumph. - -"Back to the pumps!" he shouted. "Boys, we'll save her yet." - - - - -CHAPTER X--The Mysterious Message - - -No doubt we should always be prepared for the unexpected, but the fact -remains that we very seldom are. In this case, the voice of Captain -Crouch carried from one end of the ship to the other, bringing a sudden -ray of hope into the heart of every man that heard it, that was like a -flash of light in a darkened room. - -Every living soul on board--including the ship's carpenter himself--had -already given himself up for lost. The "Harlech" was apparently in a -sinking condition, and under the continual and merciless fire of the -enemy cruiser. They were miles from anywhere, in the very midst of the -ocean; and it had seemed as if nothing could save them from a watery -grave, or, at least, captivity. And suddenly, the intelligence was -burst upon them that the ship might yet be saved. The crew had been -ordered to return to the pumps. The unexpected had occurred. - -Now, curiosity is a very natural sentiment that at times overcomes even -the strongest impulse. For the moment, Stork forgot that he was on the -point of committing murder; Jimmy Burke, that his life was in the -greatest peril. Without a thought for one another, both rushed out upon -the well-deck, to learn what had happened. - -The "Harlech" still listed so much that the decks sloped at an angle of -almost twenty degrees. It was then afternoon, though the sun was still -high. The "Dresden" lay to the north-east, her great guns sounding in -quick succession, like peal after peal of thunder immediately overhead. -Though the shells still shrieked through the rigging, or burst their way -through the fragile sides of the ship, all eyes were turned towards the -south, in which quarter Captain Crouch upon the bridge was directing his -enormous telescope. Jimmy, regardless of his danger, dashed up the -steps that led to the forecastle-peak, and shading his eyes against the -glare of the sun, looked in the same direction. - -It was some moments before he was able to make out anything at all; and -then, suddenly, he discerned quite clearly the funnels--from each of -which proceeded a thin trail of smoke--of three separate ships that -appeared to be advancing in line, steaming forward with rapidity and -making straight for the "Dresden." - -Suddenly, Captain Crouch tucked his telescope under his arm, and shouted -to Stork, who was still upon the well-deck, to take charge of the party -that was again working at the pumps. And hardly had the words left his -lips than from the south there came a heavy thudding sound that was like -a thunder-clap in the distance, and a few seconds later, a great shell -screamed immediately overhead, to send up a fountain of water several -feet into the air, not more than forty yards from the "Dresden's" bows. - -A loud cheer was lifted by the crew of the "Harlech"--the men who saw on -a sudden, as if newly awakened from a nightmare, that deliverance was, -indeed, at hand. For yonder, bearing straight in their direction, the -tolling of the great guns echoing across the sea, were three ships of -the British Navy, racing towards the enemy like as many joyful -greyhounds loosed together from the leash. - -They were indeed three greyhounds of the sea: the "Glasgow," the 27-knot -cruiser that had escaped from the fatal fight off Coronel, when the -"Monmouth" and the "Good Hope" went down before the weight of the German -guns; the "Kent," which had run down and sunk the "Leipzig"; and the -"Invincible," the splendid armoured cruiser--the first of its -kind--whose twelve-inch guns had sent to the bottom the "Scharnhorst" -and the "Gneisenau," to avenge the death of Cradock. These were ships -that had been tempered in the stern forge of warfare, that had been -tried and not found wanting; even then, they had come from a great -victory in the south. As they swept down upon the foe, there was -something in the outline of their dark and threatening hulls, in the -very smoke that issued from their funnels, that made them appear, in -very truth, invincible and ruthless. - -One after the other, in quick succession, their great guns opened fire, -until the sound was deafening, and it was as if the broad waters were -alive. Everywhere were great living fountains in the sea, and around -each one the water was churned white as snow. - -The "Dresden," which was completed in the year 1907, had been built with -the idea of speed, and was but lightly armed. She carried only ten -four-inch guns and two torpedo-tubes, and with these she could not hope -to put up a fight against such a powerful adversary as the "Invincible." -In an old, time-worn phrase, she questioned not the order of her going, -but, putting her helm about, fled like a startled roe at very sight of -those who had marked her down. - -It is impossible to describe the feelings of the men on board the -"Harlech." They had been rescued, at the eleventh hour, from the very -jaws of death; and the sudden knowledge that they, at last, were safe, -combined with a sense of relief that the living shells were no longer -hooting and shrieking about their ears, had a singular effect not only -on every member of the crew, but even upon Captain Crouch himself. - -One and all, they worked at the pumps in a kind of frenzied joy, and as -they worked, they cheered. It soon became manifest that the "Harlech" -would be saved. She had been struck upon the water-line; the forward -holds had filled; and had the sea been rough, there is no doubt she -would have gone down with all hands on board. As it was, she shipped no -water that the pumps were not able to eject. Even as the men worked, -her bows rose, inch by inch, to their normal level above the surface of -the sea. - -The "Invincible" rushed past, and signalled to the "Harlech," asking if -she needed help. Crouch, who was a fighting man by nature, knew well -enough that the object of all war is to damage the enemy, and that it -was a sound principle, both in practice and in theory, to let the -wounded lie. The "Harlech" was wounded; she lay upon the water like a -winged duck, for the time being crippled and quite useless. The main -business of the British armoured cruiser was to overhaul and sink the -"Dresden." If she stayed to give help to the merchant ship, if she -slowed down and changed her course, the German would stand the better -chance of escape. Captain Crouch, therefore, did not hesitate to send -back the answer that he was well able to take care of himself; at the -same time, he made so bold as to wish His Majesty's ships the very best -of luck. - -By then, the "Dresden" was almost out of sight, steaming due -north-eastward, with the full power of her engines. As the chase -continued, the English men-of-war became strung out, the "Invincible" -and "Glasgow" leading, the "Kent" falling behind. In every hold the -stokers were hard at work, shovelling with frantic energy more coal upon -the furnaces, until the sky-line was black with long clouds of rolling -smoke. Until the sun went down in a flood of red upon the western -sky-line, and darkness spread slowly across the illimitable ocean, this -headlong chase continued. - -The "Dresden" held her own, keeping within long range of the great guns -of the armoured cruiser. As they learnt afterwards, under cover of -night, she turned south again, thus escaping from her pursuers. She had -been designed as a commerce-destroyer, and, together with her -sister-ship the "Emden," was well suited to evade more powerful and -heavily armoured ships. On this occasion, she got away in safety; but, -a few weeks afterwards, she met with the inevitable fate that was in -store for her, and hauled down her flag--so that the ensign of the -German Navy vanished from the seas. - -With matters of historical importance we are only secondarily concerned. -The business of this narrative is with Jimmy Burke, and also, in a less -degree, with Captain Crouch. Crouch had not spoken rashly when he -signalled that the "Harlech" stood in no need of help. He had already -satisfied himself that the vessel would remain afloat. Thanks to -Providence, the damage she had sustained was nearly all above the -water-line; and this was due very largely to the fact that the "Dresden" -for the most part had fired shrapnel at decisive range. - -This had been done with an object. The German captain desired nothing -better than that the merchant ship should haul down her colours and -surrender. She had--as he probably knew--a valuable cargo on board; and -besides, the tons of coal she carried in her bunkers would be of -infinite value to a ship to whom all coaling stations were closed by the -extended pressure of the British Navy. Had the "Dresden" wished to sink -the "Harlech," there is no doubt she could have done so straight away. -As it was, in pursuance of the Prussian policy of frightfulness, it had -been her object to terrorize the crew. Moreover, being in complete -ignorance of the fact that the British cruisers were rapidly drawing -down upon him, the captain of the "Dresden" had imagined that he had -plenty of time upon his hands. - -He very nearly paid the penalty of over-confidence. He escaped by the -skin of his teeth, leaving the "Harlech" still floating, but a battered -hulk. - -All that night, Crouch and his men worked in desperation. On board the -ship was a perfect hubbub of hammering, hastening to and fro and the -giving of orders. Such holes in the ship's sides as were likely to -prove dangerous, should the sea get up, were repaired in rough, eager -haste; and not until then did Crouch give orders to clear away the -debris of the superstructure from the main-deck and hatchways. - -By daybreak the following morning, the ship--though still in a sorry -plight--was pronounced seaworthy and well able to continue on her -voyage. And by that time, also, by sheer chance alone, there had fallen -into the hands of Jimmy Burke something of the most significant -importance, upon which--as will afterwards appear--the whole thread of -this narrative depends. - -The boy had been set to work upon the forward well-deck, clearing away, -by the light of a lantern, the pieces of shattered and twisted iron and -broken woodwork that lay everywhere upon the riddled, splintered decks. -On a sudden, he had come across a half sheet of note-paper, caught in -the cogs of one of the winches and smeared with grease and oil. - -Now, there is nothing remarkable in a half sheet of note-paper; and -there is small doubt that Jimmy would not have hesitated to throw it -away at once, had he not remembered that he had seen this very paper -before. It was the kind of paper that was used largely in the offices -of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, in New York. It was a blue paper, upon -the top of which had been stamped the initials of the firm: R.&G. - -It was a half sheet that had been torn carelessly, and which in -consequence was wider at the top than at the bottom. Jimmy was positive -that he had seen it in the sea-chest of Rudolf Stork. And therefore, -instead of throwing it overboard, he put it furtively into one of the -pockets of his coat, perfectly certain that, when Stork had thrown his -papers away in such alarmed, suspicious haste, this single piece had -been blown back upon the deck. It contained about five lines in a bold -handwriting, rather large and sprawling; and Jimmy had a mind to read it -as soon as a suitable opportunity occurred. - -That did not happen till early the following afternoon, when he found -himself alone in the forecastle, with half-an-hour to spare. He pulled -out the sheet of paper from his pocket, and holding it to the porthole -light made out the following mysterious and vague announcement-- - - _Steamboat entrance verified. Evening navigate. Follow idea. - Vernacular encumbrance. Enter into Guinea half-speed._ - -He read it over and over again; and the more he read it, the more -ridiculous and senseless did it seem. He could see no meaning in the -words at all, or rather, the sentences appeared quite unconnected one -with the other. - -He read it so often that he very soon knew it word for word by heart. -And throughout the remainder of that voyage, until the very evening when -a great calamity befell them, he racked his brains continually to find -some solution of the riddle. - -The probability was that these strange words meant something. The -handwriting, though unknown to him, was sufficiently angular in its -characteristics to suggest that it belonged to a German; and that, -together with the fact that Rudolf Stork was undoubtedly a German spy, -was firm ground for suspicion. But, to discover--if such existed--some -unknown and hidden meaning was no such easy matter. - - - - -CHAPTER XI--The Middle Watch - - -Throughout the next few days Jimmy found himself in a veritable -whirlpool of perplexity and doubt. He knew quite well what he ought to -do, but could see no way of doing it. Hitherto, affairs had been going -persistently against him. - -In the first place, he knew that Rudolf Stork was a spy, and the man was -probably on his way to England on some secret business not unconnected -with the war. It was Stork who had broken open the cases of cargo in -the after-hold, to find them filled with service rifles for the British -army. Again, the man had given proof of his own guilt when, during the -panic that ensued when the ship was believed to be sinking, he had cast -the contents of his sea-chest overboard. That the papers in question -had been of an incriminating nature could not be doubted; the strange -message, written upon a half sheet of note-paper, was probably in some -code which could be deciphered easily enough at the Headquarters of the -German Secret Service in Berlin. It was even possible that Stork had -managed to convey the intelligence to the "Dresden" that the "Harlech" -was carrying contraband goods in the shape of munitions of war. They -had been saved at the eleventh hour; but there was no certain guarantee -that Stork--if he was really guilty of such treachery--might not attempt -to betray the ship again to enemy submarines, as soon as they had gained -English waters. - -On board the whole ship, Jimmy alone was conscious of the danger in -which they stood. Stork, by the depth of his perfidy and his outrageous -cunning, had managed to put Captain Crouch upon a false scent, by -levelling an accusation at the only person who was fully aware of his -own guilt. - -Jimmy knew all this, and thought it out, time and again, during the long -watches of the night; and in the end, he determined to interview Captain -Crouch, to see if the little sea-captain could be persuaded to listen to -his story even for a few minutes. - -With this object in view, Jimmy waited an opportunity which did not -present itself for some time. In the first place, the captain was -seldom alone, and Jimmy--by Crouch's orders--was never allowed to work -by himself. It was not until they were nearing the south coast of -Ireland, and Crouch was growing anxious in regard to prowling submarines -from Kiel and Wilhelmshaven, that the boy was able to seize his chance. - -It was during the middle watch at night, and Jimmy, who had not been to -sleep, saw a light suddenly appear in the captain's cabin. At the same -time, the aquiline and birdlike features of Captain Crouch were -silhouetted against one of the portholes that looked out upon the -forecastle and the forward well-deck. - -Jimmy slipped from his bunk, crossed the well-deck, and reached the -main-deck by way of the companion-ladder. - -He found the door of the captain's cabin ajar, and looking in, saw -Crouch bending over a chart. The atmosphere of the room was thick with -the smoke of Bull's Eye Shag, and the extraordinary pungent odour of -this strange tobacco was wafted along the deck. - -It was as much as Jimmy could do to summon sufficient courage to knock; -and when, at last, he did so, the sound of the captain's gruff voice, -which was not unlike the sharp bark of a dog, caused him visibly to -start. - -"Come in," said Crouch. "Come in." - -Jimmy, recognizing that he was about to take the bull by the horns, -screwed up all his courage, took in a deep breath, and entered the room. - -The moment he set eyes upon the boy, Crouch set his brows in a frown. - -"You!" he exclaimed. "I thought I gave definite orders that on no -account were you to attempt to see me." - -Jimmy, who had intended to maintain a bold front throughout the -interview, found all his resolution vanish before the single piercing -eye of Captain Crouch. He took another step forward, and brought both -his hands together with the gesture of one who begs for mercy. - -"Please, hear me, sir," he pleaded. "I have something of the utmost -importance to tell you. I declare that I will speak nothing but the -truth." - -"Do you mean," said Crouch, "that you have come at this hour of the -night to confess that you are a German spy?" - -"I mean nothing of the sort, sir. I am innocent." - -Crouch turned upon his heel with a gesture of impatience. - -"You mean to lie," said he; "you mean to lie to the end. You belong to -a breed of liars." - -"I come of English blood, sir," answered Jimmy. "My family has a good -name." - -The boy was going on to speak of "Swiftsure Burke," and the Admiral's -gallant deeds, when Crouch took him up in a voice of thunder that must -have been audible to the officer on watch upon the bridge. - -"I care nothing for your pedigree," said he; "for ought I know you may -be descended from Peter the Hermit. If you've got the good name you -say, you can clear it in a public court, as soon as ever you are set -ashore in England." - -"Sir," said Jimmy, "the clearing of my good name will not help to save -your ship." - -Crouch looked up. - -"What d'ye mean?" he asked. - -"I mean, sir, that I am innocent, as I have said, but there is one on -board this ship who is, in truth, a spy." - -"Who?" asked the captain. - -"The ship's carpenter," said Jimmy. - -"Rudolf Stork?" - -"The same, sir; the man who accused me falsely." - -Crouch shook his head. - -"You ask me to take your word against his? Why should I do so? There's -a plain question as from one man to another--though you're nothing more -than a boy. If I believe him, I take the word of a man who came to me -with a good character, who has done his work well since he has been -aboard. If I believe you, I put my trust in one against whom the -evidence is overwhelming, who slunk on board this ship like a thief in -the night. No, my lad; I'm a plain man, and, I hope, a fair one. I've -a good share of common sense. I want to do the right thing, as any -God-fearing man should do; but, I've formed my opinion of you, and I'm -not disposed to alter it. One thing, and one thing only, is in your -favour. The other day, when the ship was in danger, when we were under -fire from that pirate's guns, I noticed that you behaved yourself like a -man. When the shrapnel shells were bursting in the rigging, you were -the last hand to leave the pumps. I saw that myself, and I'm grateful. -But it's not proof, mind you. You're a plucky lad, sure enough, else -you'd never have taken on the job you're doing now. I give credit where -credit's due; but, the fact that you have a certain amount of courage -goes rather to prove, than to disprove, that you are a German spy." - -The captain paused, knocked out his pipe upon the toe of his cork foot -into a large spittoon that stood upon the floor, and then gave vent to a -grunt which might have signified either satisfaction or disapproval. - -Jimmy saw that there was nothing left to him but to produce such -evidence as was afforded by the strange message upon the half sheet of -note-paper. With trembling hands, he drew this from his pocket, and -held it towards Captain Crouch. - -"I found that," said he. - -He had meant to say much more, but a sense of injured innocence and -indignation, and a full realization of his own helplessness, made it -difficult for him to control his voice. - -Crouch looked at the paper, turning it over several times in his hand, -and then read it aloud. - -"What's all this?" he asked. - -"It belonged to Stork, sir," muttered Jimmy. - -"And what of that, my boy? What does it mean?" - -"I can't say, sir," stammered Jimmy. "I thought that, perhaps, you -might be able to explain. It has some hidden meaning. I know that -Stork is a German spy." - -Crouch crumpled the paper in his hand and hurled it across the cabin in -a fit of impatience. "Hidden meaning to Jericho!" he roared. "Go to a -younger man than me, and one who knows less of the world, with an old -wives' tale like that. This is so much gibberish, written by an idle -sailor who thought to ape the scholar, when he had been better employed -sail-making or splicing ropes. Go back to bed, my lad, and worry me no -longer. I hold fast to my resolve; you shall be tried for your life in -Portsmouth by a proper legal court, and if you can't give a satisfactory -account of yourself, as sure as a typhoon in August in the China Seas, -you'll swing for a German spy." - -Without a word, poor Jimmy Burke left the captain's cabin, more -heartbroken and despondent than he had ever been before. Captain -Crouch, for all his virtues--and these, as we are soon to learn, were -many--was a hard man by nature, and, moreover, one who was as obstinate -and pertinacious as any rough and weather-beaten mariner can be. - - - - -CHAPTER XII--The U93 - - -During the latter part of her voyage, the "Harlech" was not able to -travel faster than eight knots an hour, whereas normally she was capable -of doing as much as thirteen under favourable conditions. The truth was -her engines had been badly damaged by shell fire; and had she not been -commanded by a man of inflexible resolution, there is no doubt she would -have put into one of the Irish ports for safety and repairs. Crouch, -however, had his orders, and these were to take the ship to Portsmouth, -with as little delay as possible and in face of every risk; and thither -he was determined to go. - -It was not until the evening upon which they sighted the Fastnet light -that Crouch himself, for the first time, had some cause for suspicion in -regard to Rudolf Stork. The man's conduct on that particular occasion -was by no means easy to explain. - -During the incident with the "Dresden" two of the ship's quartermasters -had been severely wounded and rendered incapable of carrying on their -work. On ocean liners and merchant vessels the quartermasters are -entrusted with a very important office: it is they who take their turn, -watch by watch, at the wheel, who are responsible that the ship -maintains her course. There were now but two quartermasters capable of -doing duty; and Captain Crouch had to look about him to find other men -capable of taking the places of those who had been disabled. - -It so happened that Rudolf Stork was one of the first to volunteer, and -was able to prove that he had sufficient knowledge of a ship's compass -to take charge of the wheel. He was told off for the middle watch, -which was that commanded by the chief officer, Mr. Dawes. - -Having picked up the famous Fastnet light, and verified his course, -which was almost due south-east to the Scillies, Captain Crouch turned -in at midnight, at the end of his own watch, and handed over to Dawes, -who ascended the bridge steps followed by Stork. The night was bitterly -cold; a fine rain was driving south-westward, down the St. George's -Channel. There was also a sea fog which completely obliterated the moon -and stars. Both Dawes and the acting quartermaster wore waterproof -coats and sou'westers. - -Now, it so happened that on this occasion the chief officer was very far -from well. A few days before, he had contracted a violent cough which -that night showed signs of becoming serious. He had reported to the -captain that he felt indisposed, but protested that he was quite able to -do his duty. For all that, he had not been upon the bridge -three-quarters of an hour when he was seized with an immoderate fit of -coughing. This coughing was not only a serious impediment to the proper -carrying out of his duty, but it was also exceedingly painful. His pulse -was exceptionally fast, and a certain hot dryness of the skin was a sure -symptom of fever. Indeed, had there been a doctor on board, he would -have diagnosed the case at once, and pronounced the chief officer to be -on the verge of double pneumonia, aggravated by bronchial trouble. In -face of this, it speaks volumes for the pluck and perseverance of Mr. -Dawes that he had undertaken to go on watch at all. - -Very soon, however, the coughing became so violent and persistent that -he was, at last, obliged to leave the bridge, to go below to his cabin. -He was not absent much longer than ten minutes; but, it so happened -that, whilst he was away, Crouch, who had not yet been to sleep, -returned to the bridge. - -The captain did not ascend the steps that led from the main-deck, but -came upon the wheel from the after side, by way of the boat-deck, which -had been much shattered by the shell fire of the "Dresden." Crouch--as -is well known--had the eye of a lynx; and he saw at once that Stork was -holding the ship on a course at least twenty-five degrees south of that -marked upon the captain's chart. - -"Hullo there!" he shouted, so suddenly that Stork started and let out an -exclamation of surprise. - -The man was obviously alarmed, and for a moment lost his -self-possession, but recovered himself in an instant, and put the ship -about upon her proper course. - -"Look here," said Crouch, "I'll have no monkey tricks on board this -packet. What d'ye mean? Answer me that! What d'ye mean?" - -Stork made some feeble excuse, to which Crouch listened in stony -silence. When Mr. Dawes returned to the bridge, he found his captain in -none of the best of tempers. Neither was Crouch much inclined to be -sympathetic in regard to the chief officer's hacking cough. - -"You're ill, man," said he; "of course, you're ill. I know that as well -as you; and as I told you before, you were in no fit state to come on -duty. Still, if you undertake a job of work, I expect you to do it; and -it is not for me to tell you a ship's officer's duty. As long as you -hold the bridge, you remain there. Understand this, Mr. Dawes: there's -a mighty difference between a ship crossing the Atlantic in time of war, -with such a cargo as we shipped in New York harbour, and an oil-tank -steamer in the south Pacific, when the captain and the mate can play -halfpenny nap all day and sleep like infants half the night. If you're -not fit for duty, go below, sir, and leave the bridge to me. It won't be -the first time in my life I've done eight hours on end." - -Mr. Dawes took the hint, which, indeed, he was hardly in a condition to -reject. He went below, still coughing and more than a little ashamed. - -As for Crouch, he remained on duty until eight bells had sounded, -which--as the conclusion of the middle watch--is four o'clock in the -morning. Throughout that time, he kept the eye of a hawk upon the man -at the wheel, who, in his turn, never once looked up from the compass. - -All this while, Crouch's brain was active. He may have been inclined to -be pig-headed, but he was by no means a fool. For the first time, he -found himself wondering whether there was any truth in what Jimmy had -told him. He was perfectly convinced that Stork had changed the course -of the ship on purpose. The man was not only quite thorough in his work -as a rule, but understood his duty, and was hardly likely to have made -so serious a mistake through negligence alone. - -When the last watch came to deck, the captain's eyes followed Stork as -he made his way to the forecastle; and then he, too, went below to his -cabin, to snatch a few hours' sleep. He was now quite ready to admit -the possibility that he had made a serious mistake, and made up his mind -to keep a sharp eye upon Stork throughout the remainder of the voyage. - -The next day--when the "Harlech" was steadily ploughing her way, heading -for the entrance of the Channel--was an anxious time for Crouch. He -knew the full value of the cargo he carried, and its utmost importance -to those to whom it was consigned; and he knew also that, at any moment, -a torpedo from some lurking, hidden foe might send the ship and all on -board to the bottom. A heavy sea fog lay upon the surface of the water. -Dawes was in bed, unable to rise; and since the third officer was -somewhat young and inexperienced, nearly all the responsible work of the -ship devolved upon the captain. - -That afternoon, towards sunset, the fog lifted a trifle. Crouch -remained upon the bridge, straining his single eye through his long -telescope for minutes at a time. Presently, he closed the instrument -with a snap, tucked it under his arm, and dived both hands into his -trousers pockets. - -"Just as I thought!" he exclaimed. "We're a good six points to the -south, and on the wrong side of the Scillies. That man's a rogue." - -There was no one to hear this remark but the quartermaster at the wheel, -and Jimmy Burke, who had just then ascended the bridge steps with a cup -of bovril for the captain, who had sent below for something to warm him -up. - -"My boy," said Crouch, "I may have done you a wrong. Mind, I don't say -I have; but, I'm quite ready to confess that there's a chance of it. -Come and see me in my cabin, at ten o'clock to-night." - -During that evening and the early hours of the night, the "Harlech" -rounded the Scilly Islands, and sighted the Cornish coast, where the -great, powerful light at the Lizard flashes its message of warning -across eighty miles of sea. - -Jimmy Burke, filled with anticipation concerning his coming interview -with the captain, did not turn into the forecastle, but betook himself -to the poop, where he lay down upon a great coil of rope. - -Now, those who know anything of the hardships of a sea-faring life are -well aware that a coil of rope makes a couch that is far from being -uncomfortable--as things go with those whose fate it is to serve before -the mast. There is always a great depression in the middle, in which it -is possible for the body to sink; and this is exactly what happened to -Jimmy Burke. He sank so deeply in the midst of the coils of rope that, -in spite of the fact that it was an exceedingly bright moonlit night, -his form was completely hidden from any one who might happen to be -passing. - -He did not fall asleep, because he was particularly anxious to count -each sounding of the ship's bells, knowing that at four bells precisely -he would have to report himself to Captain Crouch. He was therefore in -full possession of his senses and wide awake when a shadowy form -ascended the poop steps, and passed to the taffrails at the very stern -of the vessel, from which was suspended the rope of the ship's log. - -This man Jimmy recognized at once as Rudolf Stork. Even in that light, -there was no mistaking his broad, sloping shoulders and his slovenly -gait. Stork carried something in his hand; and at first the boy was not -able to make out what this was. He was not left long in doubt, however; -for, when Stork raised it to the level of the taffrails and began to -move up and down a small lever which made a persistent, irregular -tapping sound, it became manifest that the man was in possession of a -signalling lamp, with which he was sending messages to some unknown -point in the darkness that was spread upon the sea. - -Jimmy Burke was like one transfixed. He remained motionless and -breathless, amazed at the man's audacity. And before he had time to put -two and two together, to realize the full import of what was happening, -four bells sounded from the forward part of the ship. It was ten -o'clock; Jimmy was expected in the captain's cabin. - -Swiftly and silently, the boy got to his feet. As he did so, fearing -that his presence might be discovered, he kept an eye upon Stork, whose -back was turned to him, whose attention was fully occupied with the work -he had in hand. On the surface of the water, in the white wake of the -ship, Jimmy could see the reflection of the signalling lamp that flashed -and flickered with the dots and dashes of the Morse code, as if, in its -own poor way, it strove to imitate the magnificent lighthouse that lay -but a few miles to the north. - -And then, on a sudden, from out of the darkness, like an evil eye in the -night, there appeared an answering light--small, far away, and yet -marvellously distinct. - -[Illustration: LIKE AN EVIL EYE IN THE NIGHT THERE APPEARED AN ANSWERING -LIGHT.] - -Jimmy drew back in horror. For all that, he remained sufficiently -master of himself to keep absolutely silent. Without a sound, he glided -down the companion-ladder to the well-deck, reached the main-deck, and -burst into the captain's cabin. - -He had not troubled to knock; and his abrupt entrance caused Crouch to -look up from a volume of sailing instructions he had been in the act of -reading. - -"My lad," said he, "we're not over particular here in regard to manners; -but, it's customary to ask permission to enter the captain's cabin." - -Then he saw that the boy's face was ashen white, and shaped his lips as -if about to whistle. - -"What's up?" said he. "What's up?" - -"For mercy's sake," cried Jimmy, "come with me! That villain is -signalling from the poop to a German submarine." - -Crouch straightened like a man struck. For fully a minute, he stared at -Jimmy in amazement. There was that in the expression of the boy's face -that left no room for doubt. No one--and Captain Crouch less than any -one--could fail to see that he had spoken what he honestly believed to -be the truth. - -"A German submarine!" repeated Crouch. - -"What else could it be?" cried Jimmy. "No cruiser, gunboat or destroyer -would dare to show up so far from home. It's a submarine, sir, sure -enough. And the rascal's signalling with a shuttered lantern in the -Morse code, and they have answered back." - -Crouch moved quickly to the doorway, and then, coming back into the -room, flung open a drawer in his writing-desk, and took out a small, -nickel-plated revolver that glittered in the lamplight. - -"We'll put a stop to this," he cried. "It may not be too late to save -the ship." Followed by the boy, he dashed out upon the deck. - -There are scenes in the lives of us all which impress us so vividly at -the time that we carry them with us always in our memory, as clearly and -as permanently as an impression can be made upon a photographic plate. - -Jimmy Burke will never forget the moonlit scene that was presented to -his view from the doorway of Captain Crouch's cabin, that was at once -beautiful and terrible. On the starboard side of the ship the rocks of -Cornwall arose from out of the sea in a long, dark, rugged line, in the -centre of which the Lizard light flashed like a brilliant star. A full -moon hung low in the heavens, tracing a broad, silvery pathway across -the broken surface of the sea. The "Harlech" was moving cumbrously -through the water, on a course almost due east, when, on a sudden, in -the full light of the moon, there rose out of the water, like some -hideous monster of the under-sea, the periscope and conning-tower of an -enormous submarine, upon the side of which was just discernible the -ominous and dreaded letters--U93. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII--To the Boats! - - -Even in broad daylight there is something about a submarine that is -uncanny. The capacity to float half-submerged, the peculiar shape and -the dull slatey colour of this latest triumph of naval science, remind -one of some weird antediluvian animal--one of those strange, gigantic -monsters that are known to have inhabited the world long before man made -his appearance. On this fateful night the bright moonshine, -scintillating on the broken surface of the water, made the German -submarine seem ghost-like and supernatural. Its sudden and unexpected -appearance had the effect upon Jimmy Burke of a douche of ice-cold -water. For several seconds he remained standing quite motionless and -breathless, staring in stupefied amazement at the dark outline of the -enemy. - -Crouch, on the other hand, wasted not as much as the fraction of a -second. A man who has spent a great part of his life in shooting wild -and savage beasts is not easily taken by surprise. He was used to -shocks. He saw at once that the peril in which the "Harlech" stood was -both extreme and immediate. At such a moment it was not his business to -ask himself why this calamity had come to pass. He was concerned only -with the ship that he commanded, which it was his duty to save at every -cost. - -As quick as thought he turned, and dashing up the bridge steps, thrust -the quartermaster aside and seized the spokes of the wheel. - -The "Harlech" was travelling at full speed ahead--that is to say, she -was making a poor seven knots an hour. The U93 lay on the starboard -quarter; and Crouch, without a moment's hesitation, put the helm hard -aport, with the result that the bows of the ship swung round on an angle -of forty-five degrees, until she was heading straight for the submarine. - -The moment was one of such intense excitement that Jimmy could think of -nothing else but the extreme danger in which he found himself; he had -forgotten completely all about Rudolf Stork. Crouch had sent below the -quartermaster on duty, with orders for the boatswain to summon the crew; -and in less than a minute every one--with the exception of those who -were at work in the engine-room and stokeholds--was on deck. - -The members of the crew crowded along the taffrails on the starboard -side of the ship, where they shouted to one another and pointed -excitedly in the direction of the submarine. Jimmy found himself in the -midst of a crowd of half-clad, panic-stricken men, who jostled one -another, and whose voices were inarticulate and hoarse. It is a -significant fact that these men, who had sustained unflinchingly the -fire of the "Dresden's" guns, who had behaved like heroes throughout, -were now as senseless and as frightened as a flock of sheep in a field -with a savage dog. The reason of this is not so far to seek: the -submarine is not only as deadly a weapon as has ever been contrived, -but, so far, no adequate means have been invented to counteract its -subtle powers of aggression. Submarine is useless against submarine; -destroyers are not able to account for under-water craft without having -luck on their side--an auxiliary to warfare that is seldom absent, and -yet which can hardly be relied upon. Neither are wire nets wholly -adequate, since these can be utilized with effect only in certain -localities where the seas are narrow and not deep. - -None the less, though the crew of the "Harlech" were excited and -apprehensive, they could not fail to see that it was Crouch's object to -run the submarine down. One and all, they had supreme confidence in -Crouch, and knew--now that the captain himself was at the wheel---that -their lives could not be entrusted to safer hands. - -They heard the tinkling of the engine-room bell when Crouch rang down to -tell the chief engineer to let her go. The captain's teeth were set; he -held the wheel at arm's length in an attitude of tension, his one eye -staring straight before him, over the peak of the vessel, to the point -where the U93 lay upon the surface of the water, her conning-tower and -superstructure showing like the back of a whale. - -It seemed at first that they would succeed, that the submarine would be -rammed, cut in half and sent to the bottom like a stone. There could -not have been fifty feet between the bows of the "Harlech" and her -little venomous enemy when the U93 began to move, gaining almost at once -sufficient velocity to cause the water to part about her forward -ventilators in a long feathery wave, arrow-shaped and snow-white in the -moonshine. - -For ten minutes the chase continued; and those were moments of -breathless and intense excitement. Once, at least, a torpedo was fired, -which missed the ship by a matter of yards, passing on the port side, -leaving a trail in the moonlight that was like the sheen on the scales -of a fish. It caused each man on board who saw it firstly to shudder, -and secondly to lift a silent prayer of thanksgiving to the great God -above. - -Had Crouch not turned the ship head-on to the submarine, had the -"Harlech" presented a broadside target, there is small doubt the torpedo -would have found its mark, and all on board would have perished. -Afterwards, no one was able to testify that more than a single torpedo -had been fired. - -It now became clear that the submarine commander had decided to gain his -ends by swift manoeuvring. Crouch himself was the first to recognize -that the "Harlech" stood no chance of overhauling its enemy. The U93 -could apparently travel on the surface at the rate of not less than -fifteen knots; and even had the "Harlech" not been so sadly disabled, -she could hardly have overtaken her quarry. - -The submarine drew away some distance ahead, and then made a half circle -to the left, returning on a parallel course, until she was level with -the steamer. The "Harlech" was then not more than a mile away from the -Cornish coast, where the dark, rugged outline of the hills was clearly -visible in the moonlight. - -Suddenly the hatch in the conning-tower of the U93 was seen to open, and -two men made their appearance, one of whom shouted through a megaphone. -He spoke good English. In the stillness of the night every word he said -was audible. - -"Ahoy, there!" he cried. "Slow down at once, and stop; or we send you -to the bottom." - -"Who are you?" asked Crouch, more with the idea of wasting time than of -gleaning any definite information. - -"His Imperial Majesty's submarine U93," came the answer. "Heave to, at -once!" - -Crouch saw that he had no alternative but to surrender. The "Harlech" -was now broadside on to the submarine, which was not a hundred and fifty -yards away. A torpedo, if discharged, could no more fail to strike its -target than send the merchant ship to the bottom in the space of a few -moments. It was a bitter pill to swallow; and as he paced to and fro -upon the bridge, the little wizened master-mariner thought of Jason, -Junior, sitting in his spacious offices in the midst of the hurry and -commotion of New York. - -He looked again at the submarine, which had now turned round and was -following its victim as a cat plays with a mouse--except that, in this -case, the mouse was huge and cumbrous, the cat quite small and fragile. -In something that was very like a fit of rage Crouch grasped the handle -of the telegraph, and rang down to the engine-room to "Stop." - -The submarine drew even closer, until at last the German commander was -able to make himself heard without the use of his megaphone. - -"Are you the 'Harlech'?" he demanded. - -"How do you know that?" said Crouch. - -This seemed to anger the German, for he shouted even louder than before. - -"I am not here to answer questions, but to ask them. Please understand -that I am master of the situation: I have but to give the order, and a -torpedo puts an end to you all." - -"Do what you like," said Crouch. "We've no means of self-defence, as -you can see." - -"You have contraband goods on board," said the other. - -"That may, or may not, be." - -The German laughed. - -"I know it," said he. "And now, I give you fair warning: you and your -men have precisely five minutes in which to leave the ship. If you are -not gone by the end of that time, you will pay the penalty of death, for -the ship goes to the bottom." - -Captain Crouch knit his brows in a frown. This was the first time in -the life of the little man that he had met with anything in the shape of -failure. As we have already pointed out, he was one who had made a -success of most things. He had risen from extreme poverty and small -beginnings to be a man of note--one whose name was well known in the -four quarters of the globe. Just now, he felt as if he would never be -able to hold up his head again, to look in the face the old friends who -had followed him through thick and thin, who had always thought so -highly of their leader. - -Still, if he felt all this, he showed it neither in the expression of -his face nor in the tones of his voice. In much the same manner as he -would have given an everyday and simple order, he raised a hand to his -mouth, and shouted at the full power of his lungs-- - -"All hands to the boats!" - - - - -CHAPTER XIV--The Doomed Ship - - -"All hands to the boats!" - -There was no need for the order to be repeated a second time. The men, -who knew quite well what was coming, were only waiting for the word. -Indeed, in one part of the ship, the captain's orders had been -anticipated by no less a person than Rudolf Stork. - -There is little doubt that--had the submarine not appeared when it -did--the days of Rudolf Stork had been numbered, then and there. Had -Captain Crouch found Stork upon the poop, signalling to the enemy, he -would have shot him like a dog, without a moment's hesitation. But, -during the brief space of time whilst Jimmy was in the captain's cabin, -the submarine had drawn quite close to the "Harlech"; and in the -immediate presence of this new and more certain peril Crouch--and Jimmy -also--forgot all about the ship's carpenter who had betrayed all on -board. - -There is every reason to suppose that Stork knew well enough the plans -of the German commander. Possibly, he had known all along that the -"Harlech" was doomed. He understood that the so-called submarine -blockade was to be carried out with ruthless energy and perseverance, -and that the lives of neutrals, even of women and children, were not -likely to be held of much account. - -He was therefore in the greater haste to get quit of the ship; and for -this his position on the poop--the stern part of the vessel--offered him -an opportunity which he was not likely to refuse. - -Hoisted alongside the demolished round-house, where most of the ship's -stores were kept, was a small gig, not much larger than a dinghy, used -as a rule for harbour work. It so happened that when all hands were -called on deck by the shrill note of the boatswain's whistle, the cook -and the cook's mate had hastened from the galley to the poop; and it was -these two men that Stork summoned to his assistance. - -Without much difficulty, they lowered the dinghy, and had even launched -it in the water, before Crouch had given the order for the boats to be -manned. To lower a rope was the work of a minute; and before any one -was aware that the ship's carpenter had left the ship, Stork and the two -cooks were rowing frantically for the shore. There was no question but -that they would reach the coast in safety. The dinghy was quite -seaworthy; the damage done to the ship's boats during the bombardment -from the "Dresden" had been repaired upon the voyage. The night was -clear, the sea perfectly calm, and the shore--as we have said--not far -away. - -In the meantime, the German commander continued to issue his orders. -Crouch still remained upon the bridge. - -"Lower a gangway!" cried the German. - -"A gangway!" echoed Crouch in open derision. "Do you think that we're a -pack of school-girls that can't swarm down a rope? For why should we -want a gangway?" - -For some reason or other this seemed to infuriate the German. - -"Do as you are told," he roared; "and don't argue the point with me. -Lower a gangway at once. Do you imagine I intend to waste one of our -finest Krupp torpedoes on a cargo ship of not five thousand tons! No, -sir, we are not such fools in Germany. As soon as you and your crew are -off, it will be short work, with such a cargo as you carry, to send her -sky high with a bomb." - -Crouch said nothing more, but came down from the bridge like a beaten -man. It was when he gained the main-deck that he remembered Rudolf -Stork, and went aft, with a set look upon his face and a loaded revolver -in his hand. - -When he reached the poop, he was furious when he saw what had happened. -Not only was the dinghy gone, but the rope--by means of which Stork and -the two cooks had managed to escape--was dangling at the ship's side. - -"The rascal!" Crouch hissed between his teeth. Then, thrusting his -revolver into a coat pocket, he clenched his fist, and shook it at the -stars. - -"If ever I get the chance," he muttered, "I'll be even with that rogue. -I've been a blind fool, all along." - -He returned to the main-deck, and supervised the lowering of the boats, -in which there was ample accommodation for the crew. This work was -carried out in the utmost haste; all on board knew well enough that the -submarine commander would hold to his word, that they had five -minutes--and not a second longer--in which to make good their escape. - -Still, there was not much time to spare when the four boats were rowed -round to the foot of the gangway steps, down which filed the crew, the -ship's officers and engineers, each one with a bundle under his arm, in -which he carried his most prized possessions. - -Grim resolution, smothered anger, and deep sullen dejection--these were -the sentiments that were imprinted on the face of every man. They were -helpless, and they knew it. The German had spoken truly; the submarine, -fragile, slender and evil-looking, was the absolute master of the -situation. The will of the submarine commander was the law, immutable -and rigid. They had no option but to obey, without question and in -haste. - -Crouch remained on deck until--as he thought--every man had descended to -the boats. Then he himself took his place on the stern seat of the last -boat to leave the ship. One after the other, they rowed away in the -darkness, the rhythmic plashing of the oars growing fainter and fainter -in the distance, and seeming to strike upon the silence of the night a -note of sadness that was not out of keeping with the scene: the gentle -moonshine on the water, the distant, rugged hills, and the -ship--forsaken, listless, doomed. Some such thought may have entered -into the mind of the German officer himself, standing on the -conning-tower of the boat that he commanded, miles away from the -Fatherland he loved and the lighted cafes of Berlin. - -However that may be, he had evidently no intention of failing in what he -conceived to be his duty. The submarine drew slowly alongside the -gangway steps. The commander ascended to the main-deck, followed by a -seaman who carried in his hand a great egg-shaped thing, from the top of -which protruded the head of a fuse. It was a bomb, timed to explode -precisely two minutes after the lighting of the fuse. Of a certainty, -the "Harlech," of the house of Jason, Stileman and May, was doomed, -sentenced to be destroyed. - -None the less, the German officer was in no haste. Leaving the sailor -at the head of the companion-ladder, he entered the captain's cabin, -overhauled the ship's papers, and even helped himself to a box of cigars -which had been given to Crouch by Mr. Jason, Junior, on the day he left -New York. - -At the very moment this was happening, Captain Crouch himself, holding -the tiller ropes in his hands, sat in the stern seat of the last boat -like a man who is in a dream. Stern and hard as he was, accustomed to -rule both circumstance and men by sheer force of will, he found this -great calamity by no means easy to bear. It was no simple matter to -realize the full extent of what had happened. He had been specially -chosen to carry out a difficult and dangerous mission; and he had -failed. It was not in his nature to think of what excuse he should -make; he was prepared to take the blame. He knew now that he had made -an irreparable mistake, that he had been deceived. And that brought -back his mind to Rudolf Stork. - -From Stork his thoughts turned naturally to Jimmy Burke; and then it was -that he remembered, with the suddenness of an electric shock, that he -had not seen the boy go on board any one of the boats. He thought it -over quickly. Jimmy could not be in the dinghy, for he had caught sight -of the boy on the main-deck after the dinghy had been launched. He was -also equally certain that Jimmy had not descended the gangway when the -crew manned the boats. - -For once in his life--probably the only time on record--Captain Crouch -was alarmed. He knew now that he had wronged the stowaway, and in the -deep dejection of the moment was inclined to be unjust to himself, -forgetting that, from the first, the circumstantial evidence had been -all against the boy. - -As he sat silent, motionless and downcast, he turned, and looked back at -the dark outline of the forsaken, stricken ship. And little did he -dream of the deed of unexampled heroism, of the scene of such vital and -dramatic interest that even then was being enacted on board. - -As the German officer tested Crouch's best cigars, lifting one after the -other to his ear to see that they were dry, a face appeared at the -porthole on the port side of the ship. It was the face of Jimmy -Burke--a white, scared face, upon which, however, was the cast of -resolution. - -The German went out on to the main-deck on the starboard side, where he -took the bomb from the sailor's hands. Thence he passed down the -companion-ladder, along the alley-way to the engine-room, where he -descended the trellised stairway, step by step. - -On the floor of the engine-room, in the very base of the ship, he -deposited his bomb, and then, stooping, struck a match and lit the end -of the fuse. - -At that, he ran up the steps, dashed out upon the forward well-deck, and -hastened down the gangway. And at the very moment he set foot on board -his submarine, Jimmy Burke appeared suddenly in the alley-way, from the -direction of the engineers' mess-room, where he had been hiding. -Thence, he ran to the engine-room, and at the top of the steps paused a -moment to look down. - -In the midst of the vast machinery, now idle and seemingly inert, but -still droning from the effect of compressed, wasted steam, upon the -black, oily floor, lay the egg-shaped German bomb. A little spurt of -blue smoke was issuing in coils from the burning fuse, of which not more -than two inches now remained. - -With a loud cry that he was not able to suppress, the boy dashed down -the stairs. - - - - -CHAPTER XV--The Penitence of Captain Crouch - - -It can scarcely be denied that danger, and even death itself, are more -terrible from a distance than when they actually stare us in the face. -The truth is that, in moments of intense nervous strain, there is little -time for the imagination to run riot; and--as the greatest of all poets -has told us--it is imagination, more than anything else, that causes -fear and panic. A time of emergency is a time for action, when it is -better to do than to think. And always is it wiser and more manful to -strive for success than to pause to consider, even for a single instant, -the possibilities of failure. - -Jimmy Burke, as he hastened down the engine-room steps, was concerned -with one thing only: to reach the bomb before it was timed to explode. -Had he waited to consider what would happen should he be too late, it is -more than probable that he would have failed; he would never have lived -to tell the tale. As it was, breathless and expectant, with a cold -perspiration broken out upon his forehead, and his heart thumping -violently against his ribs, he reached the infernal machine in the very -nick of time. Seizing the burning end of the fuse between a thumb and -finger, he crushed it out: and thus was the "Harlech" saved. - -None the less, to make doubly sure of success, he carried the bomb up -the staircase to the alley-way, where he threw it down an ash-shoot into -the sea. - -In the meantime Captain Crouch, seated on the stern seat of the last -boat to leave the ship, found himself--as the saying goes--between the -hammer and the anvil, between Scylla and Charybdis. He was anxious to -make amends for the fatal mistake that he had made; to save, if -possible, the life of the boy who was still upon the ship. And on that -account, he found himself in something of a dilemma. - -If he put back to the "Harlech," he imperilled the lives of every man in -the boat; and he felt some doubt as to whether he was justified in doing -that. He thought over the matter quickly, and then resolved to speak -the truth. - -"My lads," said he to his men, "all the voyage through I've done a great -injustice to that boy of ours. He was a stowaway, right enough, but as -loyal as I am. Even to-night, he did his utmost to warn me of danger -ahead--he played the part of a man. Now, I ask you a fair question, and -I want a straight answer, such as a sailor has a right to expect. For -some reason or other, the boy has been left behind; and the ship--as you -know--is doomed. She may have another minute to live; but the chances -are that in a few seconds she'll be sent sky-high, blown to smithereens. -Now, here's the point: are we to go back, and try to save the lad, or -shall we row ahead for the shore? Yes, or no? There's no betwixt and -between in a matter such as this." - -The men in the boat did not take long to make up their minds. They were -all British born--men whose forbears for generation after generation had -earned their bread upon the sea. And nowhere else is the spirit of -self-sacrifice and honest heroism more dearly fostered, nowhere else is -a finer school for courage, than upon the broad waters of the ocean -where young and old, from the forecastle to the galley, from the North -Sea trawler to the Atlantic liner, take their fortunes in their hands -and run the danger of their lives amid the wild typhoons of the southern -seas, the blizzards of the Horn, and the icebergs of the Arctic. As one -man, they offered to return to the stricken ship, to endeavour to save -the stowaway. - -Turning the boat round, they rowed in desperation, for their own lives -also were at stake. The moonlight now seemed brighter than before; the -few clouds had shifted; a light wind had sprung up from the west which -formed endless ripples upon the surface of the sea, that glistened -everywhere like myriads of spangles. - -They could see the dark hull of the doomed ship, looming large against -the sky-line. She lay there in the midst of the night, helpless and -silent, like the great carcase of some stranded mammoth beast. And -though these men rowed in a kind of frenzy, straining every nerve and -muscle to the utmost, there was little hope in their hearts. - -By now, the submarine had drawn away from the "Harlech." Lying upon the -surface of the water, she was like a spider that watches its prey from -the centre of its web. The hatch of her conning-tower was closed. The -"Harlech," the U93 and the boat in which was Captain Crouch, stood to -one another in the relation of the corners of an equilateral triangle. -Waves were breaking against the superstructure of the submarine--waves -that were white as silver in the bright light of the moon. - -Suddenly, Crouch let out a cry, and pointed excitedly towards the east. - -"Look there!" he shouted. "A destroyer!" - -Every man turned his eyes in the direction indicated; and there, sure -enough, standing out upon the sky-line, clearly silhouetted and looking -like the teeth of a broken comb, were the four funnels of a -torpedo-boat-destroyer, from which proceeded a long, black trail of -smoke that lay low and almost parallel to the surface of the sea. - -The destroyer rushed through the water as an arrow comes singing through -the air. Even as they looked, she grew larger and more distinct; until, -presently, they could hear the throbbing of her engines and see the -churned water lashed by the revolutions of her screws. - -The U93 dived like a startled duck. In a few seconds she was gone. - -The destroyer, which was originally heading straight for the "Harlech," -now changed her course, and began to move round in circles, steaming at -topmost speed, in her movements for all the world like a joyful dog on a -lawn. - -When the ship's boat was not more than a hundred yards from the -"Harlech," the destroyer drew to within speaking distance, and the -lieutenant-commander upon the bridge shouted to Captain Crouch. - -"Have you seen the U93?" he asked. - -"Seen her!" cried Crouch. "Why, she's not a cable's length from where -you are. We have been turned out of our berths, and given five minutes -in which to leave the ship; and there's a bomb on board which should -have exploded before now." - -At that, the British commander appeared vastly excited, raising his -voice even louder. - -"Then, man alive, keep your distance!" he bellowed. "If the explosion -takes place, that boat of yours is as likely as not to be scuttled by a -falling spar. You're heading the wrong way, man! Put about, get your -distance, and stand clear while the trouble's on." - -[Illustration: "YOU'RE HEADING THE WRONG WAY, MAN! PUT ABOUT AND STAND -CLEAR WHILE THE TROUBLE'S ON."] - -"I'm going back," calmly answered Crouch, whose men had never ceased to -row. "I'm going back to the ship, to save a boy who has been left on -board." - -At that, the officer gave vent to an exclamation of surprise, and then, -raising his night glasses, vowed that he could see some one on the -forecastle-peak, waving his arms about him wildly, like one who calls -for assistance. - -"Row ahead!" Crouch shouted to his men. "Row for all you're worth! That -bomb has misfired, or I'm a Prussian. We'll save the stowaway yet." - -A few more strong strokes of the oars, and the boat drew alongside the -foot of the gangway steps. Crouch, agile as a panther, sprang on to the -footboard, and racing to the main-deck, came on a sudden face to face -with Jimmy. - -"Come off!" he cried. "There's no time to spare." - -Jimmy Burke could not refrain from smiling. - -"It's all right," said he in a quiet voice. "It's all right; the ship's -saved. There is no danger any longer." - -Crouch, catching his breath, stared at the boy in amazement. - -"Saved!" he repeated. - -"Yes. The bomb has been thrown overboard. I stayed on board to do it." - -For at least a minute, Captain Crouch uttered never a word. Then, -quietly, without any show of haste, he took his pipe from his pocket, -filled it, struck a match and lit it, and puffed a cloud of smoke into -the air. - -"I've known many men," said he at last, "and I've seen most parts of the -world. I was first introduced to danger--if I might call it so--when I -was little more than a lad, and we've kept up a nodding acquaintance -ever since. I've known different kinds of danger, too--all the family -relations, so to speak: jungle fever, malaria, cholera and Black Jack; -lions, tigers, rogue-elephants and buffalo, and the last's an ugly -customer when he's wounded--you may take my word for that; I've seen -war, shipwreck, cannibals, pygmies and sudden death; and I've known men -who could hold their own in the midst of the whole boiling lot. But -I've never seen, or heard, or read of, a finer thing, my boy, than you -have done to-night. I say that because I mean it; and there's a hand to -shake." - -And Captain Crouch held out a hand which Jimmy took, to find himself -held fast as in a grip of iron. - -"I ask your pardon, lad," said Captain Crouch. "I did you a monstrous -wrong. The evidence was against you, that's true enough. None the -less, I might have found out the truth before now. But I didn't. So -it's up to you to forgive." - -Jimmy Burke knew not what to say. Indeed, he felt a little awkward. He -was undemonstrative by nature, and Crouch still held his hand. - -"I ask your pardon, lad," said the captain again. "I shan't feel happy -till you've told me I'm forgiven." - -"Of course, sir," said Jimmy, "I forgive. And after all, it was only -natural you should think as you did; the evidence was very black against -me." - -Crouch let go the boy's hand, and walked quickly to the head of the -gangway. There he told the men in the boat below that the ship had been -saved, and ordered them to ascend at once to the main-deck. After -which, the captain himself hastened to the bridge, and there let loose -the siren. - -The loud shriek of the ship's hooter broke upon the silence of the -night, to be echoed back from the Cornish hills, and to die away in the -distance upon the moonlit sea. It was the signal for the other boats to -return. - -Time and again, Crouch sent out his message; and in between the hootings -of the siren, the little, wizened sea-captain paced to and fro upon the -bridge of the "Harlech" with quick and eager steps, his hands folded -behind his back and his head enveloped in the cloud of smoke that issued -from the bowl of his pipe. And in the meantime, His Majesty's ship -"Cockroach"--a destroyer with a displacement of over nine hundred tons -and a designed speed of thirty knots an hour, burning oil fuel only and -armed with three four-inch guns and four torpedo-tubes--was flying -hither and thither in the darkness like a mad dog in a storm. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI--At the "Goat and Compasses" - - -Presently, the regular plashing sound of oars, accompanied by human -voices, rapidly becoming louder and more distinct, warned Crouch that -the other boats were returning to the ship. - -One after the other, they showed up in the darkness like white hovering -ghosts, keeping at a safe distance from the "Harlech" until assured that -all danger was past. - -A few minutes later, Crouch himself mustered all hands upon the -main-deck, when it was discovered that the dinghy had not returned, and -that the sole absentees were Stork, the ship's cook and his mate. - -There was nothing to be gained by further delay. Stork, who had by now -probably gained the shore at some desolate spot on the wild Cornish -coast, was not likely to pay much attention to the repeated hootings of -the siren. He knew well enough that his secret was out; that for some -reason or other the plot to destroy the ship had misfired, and that he -was likely to receive scant mercy at the hands of Captain Crouch, who, -for once in his life, had been fooled to the top of his bent. The -so-called ship's carpenter knew when he was safe. - -As was afterwards discovered, he experienced no difficulty in playing -upon the simple mind of the cook, a chicken-hearted fellow at the best, -who had already had more than enough of the merchant service in time of -war. As chance had it, both this man and his mate lived at Truro, and -ten minutes after the dinghy had been beached, Rudolf Stork was left to -his own resources, with a free hand to go whithersoever he wished. - -It is as well therefore that Crouch ordered the engine-room watch below, -and got the ship under way on a straight course for the Needles, before -the steel-blue streak of morning was far spread upon the eastern -sky-line. - -The U93 was nowhere to be seen. She may have descended to the sea-bed, -to lie in hiding like a dog-fox in deep earth, or else made off straight -for Wilhelmshaven at her top speed under water--probably the best part -of ten knots, in all seas and weathers. As for the "Cockroach," she was -more mad than ever, flying here and there with all the superfluous -energy of her powerful turbine engines, looking for her stealthy and -elusive quarry like a terrier hot on the scent of a rabbit. As the -daylight grew, and a blood-red sun arose upon a calm, grey winter's sea, -the Lizard light went out; and the coastguards at the trim white-washed -signal station (which is what may be called the "booking-office" of the -English Channel) watched through their telescopes a large trans-atlantic -tramp, steaming eastward--spoken as the "Harlech," bound for -Portsmouth--and little dreamed of the tragedy that had been so narrowly -averted. - -When the same ship reached the Solent, and the chalk cliffs of the Isle -of Wight stood out like a bank of cloud, those on board had passed -unscathed through a terrible ordeal, they had run the gauntlet of the -seas in time of war, and played their several parts like men. And there -was not one among them who did not realize that he had but Divine -Providence to thank that he was still alive. - -It so happened that it was Sunday; and with all hands assembled on the -forward well-deck, Crouch read the service, and there was a meaning in -the words of the psalm that went deep into the hearts of those rough, -sea-faring men: "_If I take the wings of the morning and remain in the -uttermost parts of the sea; even there also shall thy hand lead me._" -War brings men back to fundamental truths that were known of old in a -warlike age when the majestic poetry of the psalms was first conceived: -that the heart of man is a heart of sin and savagery, but over all is a -God, just, yet full of mercy. - -There is in Gosport--as, indeed, in every other port that lies between -San Francisco and Yokohama by way of the Manchester Ship Canal--a branch -office of the firm of Jason, Stileman and May; and here, to no less a -person than the senior partner of the firm (Mr. Jason, Senior, the uncle -of the New York agent), Captain Crouch told his story from start to end, -and did not hesitate to blame himself. He explained in full how he had -been deceived by Rudolf Stork, who had escaped from the ship off the -coast of Cornwall. He dwelt at length upon the part that had been -played throughout by Jimmy Burke, who--on Crouch's showing--had saved -the "Harlech" from complete and inevitable destruction. - -Mr. Jason replied that the firm was not likely to forget the valuable -services the boy had rendered. Crouch had had a long talk with Jimmy, -and knew a certain amount of the boy's past history. Mr. Jason was -personally willing to guarantee the boy's future; but, on hearing that -Jimmy had no other ambition than to serve his country in her hour of -need, he said that he would do what he could to assist the lad to enter -the Army or Navy. - -In the meantime, Jimmy was handed over to the care of Captain Crouch, -who was instructed to look after him as if he were his own son. Crouch, -who never had a son of his own, had rather vague ideas on the subject of -paternal duties. He betook himself, together with his charge, to a -certain small, old-fashioned hotel in a by-street, where he was in the -habit of staying whenever his ship was lying in Portsmouth Harbour. - -The name of this establishment was the "Goat and Compasses." In former -times, under the sign of "God Encompass Thee"--a gentle salutation to -the traveller--the place had been a well-known coaching inn, at the -extremity of the famous Portsmouth road. In later times, as the English -mercantile fleet swelled to the present proportions, it became a famous -resort for ships' officers and master-mariners, such as Captain Crouch -himself; and in the smoking-room of a winter's evening, when a wood fire -of the pine logs of Hampshire blazed and sizzled in the grate, more -tales were told of the five continents, the seven seas, and the islands -of the South, than could very well be contained in a whole library of -books of travel. - -To the "Goat and Compasses," therefore, Crouch and Jimmy Burke departed, -arm in arm. And the captain ashore--as we have said already--was a very -different man from the captain afloat, on the quarter-deck or bridge. -He was hail-fellow-well-met with almost every other person he -encountered in the street. He informed an old lady, who sat knitting at -an open window, that she was the possessor of an extraordinary fine -canary. He gave a crossing-sweeper fourpence, and a tobacconist--from -whom he purchased two pounds of his celebrated Bull's Eye Shag--the -benefit of his views on German methods of warfare. At last, at the -"Goat and Compasses," he ordered a meal that would have overtaxed the -digestive powers of a hyaena, emphasizing the fact that what he called a -healthy appetite was the one and only outward (or inward) token of a -Britisher. - -It was during supper that something happened in the nature of a -coincidence. It will be remembered that Jimmy Burke had taken nothing -on board the "Harlech" except a few personal belongings, done up in a -handkerchief, and a dry loaf of bread. He wore, however, a watch-chain -which had once belonged to his father, and from this was suspended his -half of the Admiral's lucky sixpence. On a sudden, Crouch's eyes became -glued to this small shining souvenir. - -It is as well to remember that Captain Crouch had an excellent memory. -He was an extremely observant man, who took careful stock of everything -that came his way. - -"Pardon me," said he, "do you mind if I have a look at that broken -sixpence?" - -Jimmy handed the sixpence across the table. Crouch examined it for some -time without saying a word. Then, he gave it back to its owner, and -lying back in his chair, thrust both hands deep into his trousers -pockets. - -"How did you come by that?" he asked. - -Forthwith Jimmy told the whole story of "Swiftsure Burke," who was his -grandfather, and how the Admiral's lucky sixpence had been the saving of -his life. - -"And so," said Crouch, slowly nodding his head in approval, "and so you, -who came on board my ship as a stowaway in New York, are a grandson of -Admiral Burke! That's strange enough, but there's more still to marvel -at. Where's the other half of the Admiral's lucky sixpence?" - -Jimmy experienced some difficulty in explaining that his best friend on -the other side of the Atlantic was a girl who had once worked in the -same office as himself. He even went so far as to say that her name was -Peggy Wade, and that it was for her that he had filed in half the little -silver coin. - -"That's what I mean," said Captain Crouch. "It's what you might call a -kind of a concurrence. I met that girl in New York. She's in Mr. -Jason's office; and we talked things over, she and I. I might even say, -in a manner of speaking, that I took an uncommon fancy to the young -lady; and, mind you, I've not been brought much in the way of womenfolk. -I don't like 'em as a rule." - -At that, Captain Crouch produced his pipe, and thumbed his black tobacco -into the bowl. - -"Swiftsure Burke," said he, as if to himself, "Swiftsure Burke was a man -of whom the British Navy has every right to be proud. I'm more ashamed -than I can say, when I think that I treated a grandson of his in the way -I treated you. But, that's all past and done with. You must forget it, -lad; for, though I was a blind fool, my heart was in the right place, -and I meant it all for the best." - -At that, Crouch rose suddenly from his chair, and stumped out of the -room. With his cork foot he walked with a pronounced limp, though he -was sufficiently active to go upstairs two steps at a time. He led the -way to a small sitting-room on the first floor; and there he and the boy -remained, poring over the mysterious message that had been rescued from -the sea-chest of Rudolf Stork, until the small hour of the morning. - -Crouch, now that he knew for a fact that Rudolf Stork was a spy, was -willing enough to spend hours endeavouring to decipher the message. -Holding the paper first in one hand and then in the other, he read it -over and over again. - - _Steamboat entrance verified. Evening navigate. Follow idea. - Vernacular encumbrance. Enter into Guinea half-speed._ - -At last, he laid down his pipe upon the table, and clapping his hands -together, cried out, "I've got it!" - -"Do you mean," said Jimmy, "that you can explain it?" - -"Seems fair," said Crouch--a favourite expression of his, used as a rule -to express an affirmative. "Seems fair. I was a bit puzzled at first, -but it's plain sailing all right, once you've got the thread of it." - -And thereupon the little captain went on to explain what he took to be -the meaning of the message which, according to him, referred to a chart -of some little-known and lonely island, probably in the Western Pacific. - -He said that he thought that "Guinea" must refer to New Guinea, which is -a German colony, and not to the Guinea that lies on the West Coast of -Africa. The island alluded to was probably one of the smaller atolls -lying to the south-east of the Indies. In this island, it appeared, -there was a harbour, the entrance to which would admit sea-going -steamers. Such a harbour, Crouch explained, would be invaluable to the -German commerce-raiders operating in those waters. - -The beginning of the message was therefore quite easy to understand. -Soundings had evidently been taken, and the entrance found navigable. It -was necessary, however, to negotiate the harbour in the evening, because -there would then be less chance of being discovered. - -The meaning of the next words, "Follow idea," Crouch was not wholly able -to explain. He said it was possible that they referred to some -suggestion made by the writer or, perhaps, by Rudolf Stork himself. - -The rest of the message, according to Crouch, was simplicity itself. -"Vernacular encumbrance"; in other words, the language would be a great -difficulty. As the captain himself was able to testify, all branches of -the Kanaka language were extremely difficult to learn; and it is not -always easy to make South Sea Islanders understand by means of signs. If -the Germans required this island as a secret base, or coaling station, -they would first have to make friends with the inhabitants, since -obviously they could not afford to keep a permanent garrison in the -place. The concluding sentence was altogether apparent. The chief port -of German New Guinea, or Kaiser Wilhelm's land, is Stephansort, which -lies at the end of Astrolabe Bay, and a ship entering the harbour would -naturally steam at half-speed to avoid the numerous shoals. - -The captain went on to say that, since there was no doubt that Stork was -a German spy, he had probably received definite instructions in regard -to the wireless station in New Guinea against which, it was believed, an -Australian expedition had already been despatched. It was even probable -that the message was not without reference to the German cruiser, the -"Emden," which in point of fact had already been overhauled and -destroyed. - -"None the less," said Crouch in conclusion, "there's mischief enough -brewing in all conscience. So far as I can see, there's nothing to -prevent the enemy's light cruisers breaking away from Kiel and taking to -the high seas, where, by reason of their great speed, they are capable -of doing a great deal more damage than the submarines. That this -message refers to some secret coaling-station in the Western Pacific I -have not a shadow of doubt." - -There was something so simple, and yet so probable, in Captain Crouch's -explanation, that Jimmy Burke was from the first both interested and -filled with admiration for the little captain's ingenuity. The more he -read the message the more was he certain that Crouch was on the right -track. As for the captain himself, now fairly launched upon the subject -of his travels, there is no knowing when he would have left off talking -of coral islands, cannibals and great banana festivals, had not, on a -sudden, Jimmy's attention been attracted by a very singular thing. - -Regarding the message from over Crouch's shoulder, he was struck by an -extraordinary coincidence, which he had not noticed before, namely, that -the first letters of the first five words were S-E-V-E-N. - -He pointed this out at once to Crouch; whereupon it appeared that in -similar fashion the first letters of the next four words spelt F-I-V-E. - -Captain Crouch was so amazed that he even paused in the act of lighting -his pipe, with the result that he burnt his fingers with the match. - -"That's strange," said he. "It may be we've got hold of the wrong end -of the stick. What about the rest of it? Have the first letters of the -remaining words any sort of meaning?" - -Letter by letter Jimmy spelt them out. - -"E-I-G-H-S." - -"There's a flaw there," said Crouch. "It should end up with a T. That -last word should be _eight_." - -By then Jimmy was wildly excited. The whole affair had suddenly become -not only interesting, but vastly thrilling. - -"What about the _last_ letters of each word?" he exclaimed. - -"T-E-D-G," spelt Crouch. "That means nothing, so far as my knowledge -goes." - -"What's the next letter?" asked the boy. - -"E," said Crouch. "T-E-D-G-E, that spells nothing either." Then -suddenly his expression changed. "Wait a moment!" he exclaimed. "What -about this? Supposing the last word, which is _half-speed_, counts as -one word, and not as two. Take the first letters of each word, and then -go back to the beginning and take the last letters. That makes the 't' -at the end of _steamboat_, the last letter of the word 'eight'----" - -"And then," cried Jimmy, taking the words out of the captain's mouth, -"then the last letters are E-D-G-E-W-A-R-E-R-O-A-D." - -"Edgeware Road!" cried Crouch, "by all that's wonderful and mad!" - -They looked at one another with the blank expression of men who are -half-dazed. Then Crouch produced a pencil from his pocket, and wrote -down this new interpretation of Rudolf Stork's mysterious instructions-- - -It was only natural that Jimmy should look for advice to Captain Crouch, -who was considerably older and far more experienced than himself. - -"And whatever does that mean?" he demanded. - -Crouch made a wry face, and shrugged his shoulders. - -"Ask me another!" said he. "I know well enough where the Edgware Road -is, and seeing that I was born and bred in London I suppose I ought to. -But, if you want to know what that has got to do with my secret -coaling-station in the South Sea Islands, I'm afraid you've come to the -wrong shop. Seven hundred and fifty-eight, Edgware Road! Jimmy, my -lad, we're no nearer the solution of this mystery than we were -before--in fact, it seems to me, we've lost our bearings in a fog." - -In addition to which, there is no denying that Captain Crouch felt not a -little personally aggrieved that his own lucid explanation, his strange, -fantastic solution concerning some mysterious Pacific island, should be -supplanted by so commonplace and well-known a locality as the Edgware -Road in London. - -"My boy," said he, knocking out his pipe on the toe of his cork foot, -"we'll go to this address, just you and I, and find out who's at home." - -"When?" asked Jimmy, all eagerness. - -"When!" repeated Crouch. "Why, now." - - - - -CHAPTER XVII--Number 758 - - -The more they thought about the whole strange, mysterious business, the -more was it apparent that they were face to face with plain -matter-of-fact. It was now obvious that the written message was nothing -more than the memorandum of an address. Every Londoner knows the -Edgware Road. Stork, however, or perhaps Rosencrantz or von Essling, -the German military attache, had thought it advisable to write it down, -and that in such a manner that it would be extremely improbable that any -one else could read it. - -Captain Crouch was once again upon his feet, limping backwards and -forwards from one end of the room to the other, talking in a quick, -excited voice, and flinging his arms about him like a windmill. - -"We must go to London at once," he cried. And at that, he hastened from -the room, to find the whole hotel in complete darkness. The "Goat and -Compasses" kept late hours as a rule; but it was now two o'clock in the -morning, and everyone had long since gone to bed. Crouch found his -bedroom candle and lit it, and with the aid of this searched the -smoking-room for a South-Western Railway time-table, a copy of which he -at length succeeded in finding. Licking the end of his second finger, -he turned over the pages so rapidly that he tore several in half. - -"Here we are!" he cried. "There's a workmen's train at three-fifteen. -We'll catch that, and be in London before daybreak." - -Crouch woke up the proprietor in order to pay his bill, concerning which -neither was much inclined to argue, the one being too sleepy and the -other in too great haste even to count his change. They had little in -the way of luggage, and Crouch had been well supplied with money by Mr. -Jason, who was determined that Jimmy Burke should want for nothing. -Accordingly, in little more than an hour after they had discovered that -Stork's message was nothing more or less than a simple acrostic cypher, -they were speeding to London at the rate of forty miles an hour, both -sound asleep on the comfortable cushions in a first-class railway -carriage. - -Crouch had his own rooms in Pimlico, where he had constituted his -headquarters--so to speak--and where he rented two rooms, divided one -from the other by folding doors. In one was a camp-bed and a veritable -armoury of big-game rifles and shotguns; whereas the other, which he -called the dining-room, contained a table, a few basket chairs, and many -kinds of curios from all parts of the world. The walls of both rooms -were adorned with the heads and antlers of many rare animals: waterbuck -and koodoo, white and black leopards, jaguars, tigers and lions. - -Thither, on a cold, dark, wintry morning, Crouch and his young companion -hastened immediately on their arrival at Waterloo, chartering the only -taxi that was to be found at that early hour. - -First, it was necessary to have breakfast, during which Crouch explained -that it would be certainly advisable for them to disguise themselves. -In all probability, Stork would repair to the house in the Edgware Road, -and it would never do for them to be recognized. They had the whole -morning at their disposal, and it must be admitted that the precautions -that the little sea-captain deemed it expedient to take bordered on the -ludicrous. - -For himself he purchased an extremely vulgar-looking shepherd's plaid -suit, a flaming red tie, and a white bowler hat which he set jauntily on -the side of his head at a very acute angle. - -As for Jimmy, it has been stated that he was a fair boy, with light -brown hair. That was now dyed completely black. A similar darkening of -the eyebrows, carried out by an expert in the art of "making up," -completed the boy's disguise, to the complete satisfaction of Captain -Crouch and the delight of Jimmy himself. - -"My lad," said Crouch, "I'd lay a sheet-anchor to a safety-pin your best -friend wouldn't know you now. As for me, I'll go so far as to shave off -my moustache and beard." - -A little after, he entered a barber's shop, and having fulfilled his -promise, looked, without his moustache and small imperial beard, even -more formidable than ever. His great, square, protruding chin suggested -a determined and aggressive nature; whereas his thin, tightly compressed -lips proved convincingly enough that here was a man who could not be -trifled with. - -They lunched together in a fashionable restaurant in the West End, where -Crouch, in the strange and wonderful costume, was evidently under the -impression that he was cutting a dash. Thence, arm-in-arm, they sallied -forth up Regent Street and along Oxford Street, in the direction of the -Edgware Road, entering a gunsmith's on the way and purchasing a brace of -revolvers and a score of rounds of ammunition. - -They found Number 758 to be a large block of unoccupied flats. Crouch -stationed himself on the opposite side of-the road, and regarded the -building for some time in silence. - -"There's one thing about the place which is suspicious," he observed. -"Do you notice that every one of those flats is unoccupied, with the -exception of one on the first floor? On the ground floor are shop -premises, also 'To let.' Now, when you come to think of it, that is a -very remarkable thing. This is a popular and central part of London, -and one moreover in which rents are fairly moderate. Also, the agent's -notice on the ground floor has, by the look of it, been there for -months. Come, my boy, we'll look into the matter. But have your -revolver ready in case of an emergency, don't hesitate to use it, and -take your lead from me." - -So saying, the little captain stepped across the street, and rang the -bell of Number 758, Edgware Road. - -They did not have to wait long before the door was opened by an old -woman with a shawl about her shoulders, who asked who they were in an -exceedingly squeaky voice. - -"Are you Mr. Russell?" she piped, the moment she set eyes upon Captain -Crouch. - -Crouch thought for a moment before he answered. - -"I won't say I'm not," said he; "on the other hand, I won't go so far as -to say I am. The main question is, who are you?" - -"I'm Mrs. Wycherley," said the old woman, "her that looks after the -flat. And if you're Mr. Russell, the rooms are well aired and the fires -was a-lighted this morning." - -"Ha!" said Crouch. "That's just as it should be. I and my friend will -go upstairs." - -At that, without a moment's hesitation, he brushed past the old woman -and ascended the stairs to the first floor, whither Mrs. Wycherley -followed him, muttering a great deal to herself on the subject of "the -rheumatics." - -"Where's the key?" demanded Crouch. - -There was an air of self-assurance about him that would have deceived a -Russian diplomat, to say nothing of a London charwoman of about seventy -years of age. Mrs. Wycherley, producing the key, flung open the door of -one of the first-floor flats and ushered in both Jimmy Burke and Captain -Crouch. - -They found themselves in a small self-contained flat, consisting of -three rooms and a kitchen. These rooms were not only tastefully, but -even expensively, furnished; whereas the kitchen was complete as far as -furniture and cooking utensils were concerned. - -Crouch had a good look round, and then, producing his blackened briar -pipe, seated himself in the most comfortable armchair in the -dining-room, and proceeded to smoke at his leisure. Both Jimmy and the -charwoman remained standing. - -"There are a few points," said Crouch, fixing the old lady with the -mouthpiece of his pipe, in much the same way as a man would point a -pistol, "there are one or two things I would like to know." - -"Begging your pardon, sir," said the woman, "if you're a friend of Mr. -Russell's, and Mr. Russell knows you're here, well and good. But if you -ain't, might I make so free as to ask your business, because my -daughter, Emily Jane, lies a-dying, and that's as true as I'm standing -here, and it's no time for me to be gossiping with gents with white -hats, nor black neither." - -She had spoken exceedingly fast, from time to time lifting her voice to -a higher key, until at last she pulled up short, apparently for want of -breath, having reached the topmost note she was capable of producing. - -"Mum," said Crouch, "don't you get fidgety. I'm an honest man, though a -dog-breeder by profession. As for Russell, he knows me well enough, or -he was never a ship's carpenter that cut off in a dinghy with the ship's -cook and the cook's mate. So you may set your mind at rest." - -Old Mrs. Wycherley, who had not the least idea as to what Crouch was -talking about, folded her arms, and nodded her head as in approval. - -"If you're a friend of Mr. Russell's," said she, "I'm sure it's all -right. Perhaps you don't know, sir, that I'm expecting him here this -evening." - -"Is that so?" said Crouch. "I'm glad to hear it." - -"Maybe you'll stay," said the old woman, "until Mr. Russell arrives?" - -"I will that," said Crouch, feeling in his coat pocket for his revolver. -Then, in a changed voice, he remarked, "These are fairly comfortable -rooms." - -"Comfortable!" exclaimed the old woman. "Fit for a king, I calls them. -And that clean you could eat your dinner off of the carpet, as no one -knows better than me who've worked day and night as I'm a living woman." - -"When did Mr. Russell leave?" asked Crouch. - -"Leave! Why he ain't never come since the flat was took." - -"And when was that?" - -"On the fourth of August, sir. My memory ain't of the best, and I only -recollect the date because it was on that day, sir, that this here -'orrible war broke out. The fourth of August was the date, or I ain't -never been married, which I've lived to repent ever since the very -moment the ring was put on me finger." - -Crouch sat silent for a moment, mersed in thought, filling the room with -clouds of his evil-smelling tobacco smoke. - -"How is it," he asked at length, "that none of the other flats in the -building have been taken?" - -"There's no knowing," said the old woman. "But the fact is, that since -August no one, saving yourself, ain't been near the place." - -Crouch drew a whistle and looked across at Jimmy; then, once more, he -turned to Mrs. Wycherley. - -"And what about Emily Jane?" he asked. - -"She was took bad three weeks ago, and ain't left her bed for a -fortnight. And it's my solemn belief as all her blood's turned to -water." - -Whereupon, as the old woman showed signs of tears, Crouch thought it -advisable to change the subject; which he did with great dexterity. - -"How do you know," he asked, "that Mr. Russell arrives this evening?" - -"Because Mr. Valentine rung me up on the telegraph, and said as I was to -have the rooms ready by eight o'clock this evening." - -"And who is Mr. Valentine?" - -"Don't know no more than you, sir, except that he's the gent what took -the rooms in August, as I'm a-telling you." - -"Well, then," said Crouch, "I don't think you need trouble to stay. You -can go back to Emily Jane. I and my friend will remain here until Mr. -Russell arrives. We'll keep the fire alight, and make ourselves at -home." - -Mrs. Wycherley, who a moment since had been on the verge of tears, -gathered her shawl about her shoulders, and beamed upon Captain Crouch. - -"And it may be," said the little captain, "that Emily Jane will be none -the worse for a few comforts, such as beef-tea and a jelly. On your way -home, you might be able to get her something with that." - -So saying, he banged down a sovereign on the table, which Mrs. Wycherley -was not slow to accept. - -"Then with your permission," said she, "I think I'll just be stepping -round." - -With that, and with a curtsey, she was off, with much more alacrity than -she had shown before. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII--"Mr. Russell" - - -Left alone with Jimmy, Crouch solemnly refilled his pipe. - -"The moment I first set eyes on her," he observed, "I summed that old -woman up. Emily Jane's a hoax." - -"Are you sure of it?" asked Jimmy. - -"Absolutely certain," said Crouch. "I don't imagine for a moment that -the old woman's in league with a gang of German spies; else she would -never have shown us up here. For all that, she's not to be trusted -further than a first engineer can throw a quoit. That's all the better -for us. I don't suppose she'll come back to-night." - -"And what about these men, Russell and Valentine?" asked Jimmy. "Who -are they, do you think?" - -"Valentine may be any one," answered Crouch. "But I've a shrewd -suspicion that Russell is Rudolf Stork. Stork has now been in England -three days. He has had plenty of time in which to get to London." - -"And if he turns up," asked the boy, "what are we to do?" - -"If it's necessary, shoot him like a dog," said Crouch, forgetting that -he was not on his ship's deck. - -For the next half-hour, they systematically searched the whole flat, but -could find nothing suspicious. There was an aspect of newness about the -place; carpets, curtains, and cushions had evidently come straight from -the furnishers, and showed no signs of wear. In an old-fashioned -Sheraton bureau were writing and blotting paper, ink and pens; but, the -blotting paper was quite spotless, and the pen nibs had never been -dipped into the ink. - -"There's nothing here," said Crouch. "We shall have to wait for Stork." - -And hardly had the words left his lips than a bell rang, somewhere in -the room. Jimmy started, and even Crouch carried a hand to the coat -pocket that contained his revolver. The moment was one of intense -excitement; they were face to face with great events. It was as if the -atmosphere of the room was electrified by the strong current of -anticipation. - -"The telephone!" cried Jimmy, pointing to the wall. - -In a moment, Crouch had the receiver to his ear. He had the wisdom not -to speak, until he had found out who it was who had rung up the -unoccupied flat, and this proved to be no less a person than the -mysterious "Mr. Valentine," who was speaking from the "Hotel -Magnificent" in the Strand. "Are you there?" he asked. "Are you the -charwoman?" - -Crouch replied at once, in the old woman's squeaky voice. - -"I'm Mrs. Wycherley," said he. - -"I told you," said the voice, "that you were to expect Mr. Russell this -evening. He will probably arrive at about eight o'clock." - -"Very well, sir," said Crouch. "The rooms is aired, and all the fires -was a-lighted this morning, and everything's that clean you could eat -your dinner off the carpet, as sure as my Emily Jane's blood has turned -to water." - -"Shut up!" cried "Valentine," so loudly that even Jimmy was able to -hear. "I've not rung up to hear about Emily Jane. I intended to come -round this evening, to meet Mr. Russell on his arrival; but I have to go -to Edinburgh at once, on extremely urgent business, and have only just -time to catch my train. Can you hear what I say?" - -"Bless you, yes, sir," answered Crouch. "It don't make no difference -whether it's the butcher or a hundred-weight o' coal, I allus makes use -of the telegraph, and I don't take no sauce from the young woman in the -middle." - -"Then, listen here," said "Valentine." "I'm sending round a -messenger-boy with an important sealed letter. On no account whatever -are you to let this letter out of your hands, until you give it to Mr. -Russell, the very moment he arrives." - -"Valentine," in order to make quite sure that Mrs. Wycherley had heard -aright and understood, made Crouch repeat his instructions word for -word. That done he rang off, apparently in the greatest haste, no doubt -fearing to miss his train. - -Captain Crouch was wildly excited. Jamming his white bowler hat well on -to the back of his head, he proclaimed that they were hot upon the scent -of the gang. Mrs. Wycherley had left him in possession of the key of -the flat; and going down to the front door, he waited impatiently for -the messenger to arrive. - -The messenger-boy had some diffidence about handing over the letter to -Crouch, saying that he understood that he was to deliver it to a -charwoman. Crouch, however, was not to be denied, and with the sealed -letter in his hand returned to Jimmy. - -To break the seal and tear open the envelope was the work of a few -seconds. The letter was written in German, of which language Crouch and -Jimmy knew enough to make out the meaning, though there were one or two -words that neither could understand. With the translation of -"Valentine's" letter all doubt was dispelled that the unknown "Mr. -Russell" was any one else than Rudolf Stork, the ship's carpenter of the -"Harlech." - -The letter began with the words "Dear Stork," and continued to the -following effect: A sea raid had been planned on the North Coast, -against the dockyards of the Forth and Tyne. All German submarines had -been warned, with the exception of the U93, whose wireless had been -probably by H.M. Destroyer "Cockroach." The U93 had come north-eastward -from the Lizard, had passed the Straits of Dover in safety, and was now -lying somewhere in the vicinity of the Wellbank lightship, which is a -little north of the latitude of the Tyne. - -Immediately on his arrival in London, Stork was to go to Hull, taking -the first and fastest train. Thence, he was to put to sea in a fishing -smack, the "Marigold," the skipper of which was in the pay of -"Valentine." He was to find the U93, and tell her to proceed due east -without delay, to meet the German fleet, issuing from the Bight of -Heligoland, and which would comprise some of the biggest battle-cruisers -ever built: notably, the "Derfflinger," the "Seydlitz," the "Bluecher," -and the "Moltke." - -Captain Crouch was a man of iron nerve; but, when he realized the -colossal magnitude of the plot with which they were confronted, even he -could not control the features of his face. As for Jimmy Burke, his -lips were parted, and when he held the letter in his hand, the sheet of -paper trembled like a leaf. Scene by scene, the great drama that had -opened in the offices of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern unfolded itself -before the eyes of those who were something more than mere spectators. -And each scene, it appeared, was more dramatic, more fraught with -terrible consequences and possibilities of triumph or disaster, than -that which had gone before. - -It took Jimmy Burke some time to find his breath. He was so excited -that he found it difficult to speak. - -"There's not a moment to lose!" he cried. "We must report what we know -both to the Admiralty and Scotland Yard." - -"We can't leave this place," said Crouch. "Stork may turn up at any -minute; it must be nearly eight o'clock already. I'll ring up the Yard, -at once." - -He went straight to the telephone, where almost immediately he got into -communication with the famous headquarters of the London Police. He was -informed that a superintendent-detective would be sent at once to Number -758, Edgware Road. - -Crouch placed the receiver back upon its rest, and pulled out his watch. - -"It's past eight o'clock," said he. "Russell should be here." - -It was at that very moment that they heard the sound of footsteps upon -the stone staircase without. Crouch hurried to the door and threw it -open; and there entered three men, two of whom were young, whilst the -other was considerably over sixty. - -Both Crouch and Jimmy scanned the face of each man as he entered, and -both, with their hands in their pockets, grasped the handles of their -revolvers. In spite of the intense excitement of the moment, Jimmy -Burke was conscious of a feeling of bitter disappointment, when he saw -that not one of these three men was Rudolf Stork. - -Each of the two younger men was well over six feet in height, broad of -shoulder and deep of chest. They were dressed precisely the same, and -wore blue suits, light-coloured overcoats, brown boots and wide-brimmed, -black felt hats. As for the older man, he had the appearance of a -professor, or some sage of ancient times; there was something about him -that might almost be described as druidical. His hair was quite white, -very long and somewhat greasy. He had a white beard that reached almost -to his waist. His nose was long and aquiline, and his eyes much -magnified by a pair of gold-rimmed spectacles. In his hand he carried -an ash-plant, so knotted and heavy at the head that it resembled a club. -It was he who was the first to speak, staring at Crouch over the top of -his spectacles. - -"Pardon me," he observed, in a voice that was exceedingly soft; "pardon -me, but I have not the pleasure." - -"Nor I," said Captain Crouch. - -"I think you must have made a mistake," the old man went on. "My name -is Russell--Theophilus Russell--and this flat belongs to me." - -"Then," said Crouch, "there must certainly be some mistake. My name is -Shakespeare--Melchisedek Shakespeare--and this flat happens to belong to -me." - -Mr. Russell adjusted his spectacles upon his nose, and looked around the -room. - -"There should be a woman here," said he; "a Mrs. Wycherley." - -"She's gone out," said Crouch. - -The old man smiled and pointed with his stick. - -"Why, there she is!" he exclaimed. "How strange that I never noticed -her before." - -He had pointed to the armchair, at the other end of the room, in which -Crouch had formerly been seated. The whole thing was so cleverly -planned, the old man's voice was so dulcet and confiding, and his -expression of surprise so admirably feigned, that Crouch could not -resist the wholly natural impulse of turning round, to see for himself -whether or not Mrs. Wycherley were there. - -His eyes had not left the old man's face for longer than the fraction of -a second before there took place a kind of transfiguration which was -even more terrible to see than it was surprising. - -There had been something about the patriarchal figure of the old, -white-bearded man that was gentle, beneficent and charitable. His -expression had been that of one who looks upon the world, and all its -fooleries and foibles, with the comfortable tolerance of age. On a -sudden, this expression changed. His eyes flashed; his brows became -knit in a savage frown. At the same time, this transformation extended -to his body, which straightened, quivered, and even seemed to grow -larger. Before it was possible to guess what he was about to do, or -make the slightest movement by way of self-defence, he had raised his -heavy ash-plant high above his shoulder, and brought it down with a -crashing blow upon the head of Captain Crouch. - -The little sea-captain had been taken unawares. Once again had he been -fooled. He let out a groan, spun round like a top, and then came down -heavily upon the floor. - -In so short a space of time did this calamity occur that Jimmy Burke had -barely time to act. He had taken two steps forward, and had got so far -as drawing his revolver from his pocket, when he was seized and held -fast in the powerful arms of the two younger men. Before he had time to -cry out, or even to realize what had happened, he found himself not only -with a gag thrust into his mouth, but with both hands handcuffed behind -his back. - -Russell laughed aloud, in a voice that was far from dulcet. - -"I saw through your disguise," he cried, pointing to the prostrate -figure of the little captain, "the very moment I entered the room. -Something more is needed than a white bowler hat and a scarlet necktie -to conceal the identity of Captain Crouch." - -At that, Crouch struggled to his feet, and stood for a second swaying. -Then, with a loud cry and a kind of lurch forward, he flung himself like -a wild-cat upon the old man, whom he seized roughly by the throat. - -"You villain!" he shouted at the full power of his lungs. - -So great was his passion, so amazing his agility, that there is little -doubt he would have strangled the old villain then and there, had it not -been for the two younger men, who hurled themselves upon his back. - -They dragged him away as though he had been a mad dog, but not until he -had seized Russell by his long, flowing beard, which he tore, not -piecemeal, but bodily, in a mass, from the old man's wrinkled face. - -[Illustration: CROUCH SEIZED RUSSELL BY HIS LONG, FLOWING BEARD, WHICH -HE TORE BODILY FROM THE OLD MAN'S FACE.] - -A moment later, Crouch, like Jimmy Burke, stood handcuffed. Panting, -literally foaming at the mouth, he glared at his assailant. And as he -glared, it was as if his single eye grew larger in his head. His thin -lips parted, though not a word escaped him; it was as if amazement had -struck him dumb. - -The truth was, he found himself confronted by the most surprising part -of an incident which, from start to finish, was at once unlooked-for and -bewildering. For, the old man, bereft of his spectacles and beard, -stood before Crouch discovered and confessed; and in place of the grey -and patriarchal features of the so-called "Mr. Russell" was the seamed -and weather-beaten countenance of Rudolf Stork. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX--A Clue - - -It may seem surprising that our good friend Captain Crouch (who was very -far from a fool) should have been gulled so successfully, and on no less -than two occasions, by Rudolf Stork. It must not be forgotten, however, -that Stork had been an actor, who knew well not only how to disguise -himself, but how to change his voice, and the expression of his face, -and to assume those habits and little mannerisms by which personality is -made evident. He not only looked the part of an old dry-as-dust -professor, but acted up to it so cleverly that both Crouch and Jimmy -Burke were quite deceived. - -When he found himself overpowered and handcuffed, when he saw how -completely he had been duped, Captain Crouch could not conceal his rage -and mortification. He shouted at the full power of his lungs, in a vain -hope that some one would hear and hasten to his help, forgetful for the -moment that the building was utterly deserted, that Mrs. Wycherley was -not likely to return. - -In any case, Rudolf Stork was not the man to run unnecessary risks; his -case was altogether desperate. To silence Crouch by means of a gag, -accompanied by a vicious kick in the ribs, was a task of not much -difficulty, nor one that took longer than a minute at the most. - -Stork then rose to his full height, and placing both arms akimbo, looked -down upon his victims, who lay side by side upon the floor. - -"If I had killed you out of hand," said he, "you'd have nothing but your -own cleverness to blame. You should have learnt by now to let sleeping -dogs lie. Let me tell you this, Captain Crouch, as one sailor to -another: you set foot on dangerous ground the moment you thought fit to -interfere with me." - -Going down upon a knee, he turned out their pockets, finding first the -keys which Crouch had obtained from Mrs. Wycherley, and then the brace -of revolvers that they had purchased that very morning. - -"You came prepared, I see," he grumbled. "It's just as well I thought -to disguise myself, or, like as not, I should have been shot on sight." - -And then, in the inner pocket of Crouch's coat, he discovered the letter -written by "Valentine" in German, which had come in a sealed envelope -from the "Hotel Magnificent." Without a word, he read it to the end, -and then, folding it carefully, put it away in a letter-case which he -kept in a hip-pocket along with a jack-knife large enough to cut a loaf -of bread. - -"The fat's in the fire," said he, turning to his companions; "there's no -doubt as to that. These fellows know more than is good for them. We -must put them out of the way. It's a nasty business, but war's war, and -those who employ me don't stick at trifles, such as the life of a tramp -skipper and a stowaway." - -At that, one of the younger men lifted a hand--a quick, nervous gesture, -denoting at once surprise and consternation. - -"Kill them!" he exclaimed. - -"There's no other way," said Rudolf Stork. - -"I don't like it," said the other. - -The third man now spoke for the first time. "It would be madness," said -he, "and a cold-blooded business as well. We can leave them here, -handcuffed, gagged, and with their feet bound tightly." - -"There's the old woman," said Stork. "She'll find them for a certainty -before twelve hours are past. For myself, I take no risks." - -"I'll not be a party to it," said the man who had spoken first. - -"Then you're a fool," cried Stork. "You fail to realize the gravity of -the business. A raid has been planned on the North Sea coast, and these -two know all about it. In any case, the raid will take place, there's -no time now to stop it; and if the British Admiralty is warned, the -result will be disastrous. Whatever happens, the lips of these two men -must be closed, for five days at least." Then on a sudden, he changed -his voice and slapped a hand upon his thigh. "I've got it!" he -exclaimed. "Valentine purchased the whole of this building, on behalf -of the German Secret Service, in order that we should have no -eavesdroppers in the way of next-door neighbours. I've got the keys -here. We'll lock them both up in one of the empty flats, the one on the -top floor for choice. There, they'll be well out of the way, and as -good as dead." - -This idea commended itself to both the younger men. It was eminently -safe, and presented not the least difficulty. Also, it had the -advantage of evading the terrible responsibilities of wilful murder. - -Accordingly, the two captives were carried up to the top storey of the -building, where, after their legs had been tightly bound, they were -locked up in an empty room. Here not even Mrs. Wycherley would find -them. From the amount of dust upon the floor and windows, and the -innumerable cobwebs suspended from the ceiling, it was evident that no -one had entered the flat since the very day upon which the last tenant -had left it. Even had Crouch and Jimmy not been gagged, and had they -shouted till they were hoarse, they could never have made themselves -heard. Neither was there any possible means of escape. They were shut -up in a room which had once been used as a bedroom, and the hall door of -the flat was locked from the outer side. The only window--which was -quite small--looked out upon the roofs and chimney-pots of the adjacent -houses several feet below. - -Since Stork and his companions could afford to waste no time, the whole -of this dastardly business was carried out quickly and in silence. And -in less than ten minutes after the suggestion had been made, Crouch and -Jimmy Burke were left alone, listening to the receding footsteps of the -German spy and his confederates growing fainter and fainter as the three -men descended flight after flight of stairs. - -The thoughts of a man who finds himself in such a situation cannot be of -the pleasantest. What Crouch's were, no one is ever likely to know, -since--for very shame, perhaps--he ever afterwards kept them to himself. -As for Jimmy Burke, he felt then, and quite believed, that from the very -days of his boyhood, his life, and every enterprise he had ever -undertaken, was doomed to failure. So far, nothing had gone well with -him; and now that his fortunes were bound up with those of Captain -Crouch, it seemed that he was to lead even the little -sea-captain--hitherto so masterful--along the straight and certain path -to unmerited disaster. - -There are moments in the lives of us all when despondency obscures our -outlook upon life, in much the same manner as a thunder-cloud darkens a -summer sky. And yet, we should learn that Hope can remain with us to -the last. We can no more foresee the actions of other men that -influence our own lives--often indirectly--than we can foretell the -dispensations of Providence itself. Always, we are in God's hands; it -behoves us to act like men, and put our trust in Him. - -It is possible to become so hopeless that we deliberately turn our backs -upon the brighter side of things; and this is what goes by the name of -pessimism. And now Jimmy Burke, giving himself up for lost, was quite -unable to remember that there still existed a very great possibility -that both he and Captain Crouch would be discovered. - -Indeed, not more than ten minutes had elapsed after Stork had taken his -departure, when suddenly the whole house was made to echo with a dull, -thudding sound, as if some one were banging on a door. This noise -continued without ceasing for at least five minutes. It appeared to -proceed from the lower part of the building. At first, the boy could -not think what it was; and then, on a sudden, like a bright flash of -light in the midst of all the gloom of his despondency, he remembered -that Crouch had rung up Scotland Yard, and that in all probability it -was the police themselves who were below. - -Apparently the same thought occurred to Crouch, for the little captain -made a sudden and desperate effort to free himself; and presently, by -some means or other, he managed to stagger to his feet, only to fall -once more prostrate to the ground. - -For all that, he was not one to admit that he had failed so easily. He -got to his feet again, stumbled across the room and threw all his weight -upon the door. - -Captain Crouch was neither tall nor heavily built; he could not have -weighed more than nine stone; and, naturally enough, he failed to break -open the lock--even if that had been his intention. He fell to the -ground a second time, bruised and out of breath; but there was a -possibility that the noise had been heard by those who were within the -building. - -For some seconds they waited in suspense, listening intently, silent and -quite helpless. And then, they heard footsteps on the stairs, and the -sound of voices, and some one trying the doors. - -Crouch got to his feet again. He could not cry out because of the gag -that was still fastened in his mouth. He had no other means of making -his whereabouts known than the method he had tried before. Again he -threw his weight upon the door and fell heavily to the ground. - -This time there could be no doubt that he had succeeded in his purpose. -A man came to the outer door of the flat, tried to open it and failed, -and then called out in a loud voice, asking who was within. - -Neither Crouch nor Jimmy could answer. It must also be remembered that -the room in which they were imprisoned was quite dark, save for the fact -that a full moon had arisen which had cast upon the floor a square -pattern criss-crossed by the shadows of the framework of the window. -Since the flat was quite unfurnished and the walls of the passages were -bare, human voices were magnified in sound, and it was possible to hear -quite distinctly what was said by those outside the door. The voice of -one man was particularly distinct. Not only was it louder than the -others, but its tones were authoritative; it was he who gave orders to -those who were with him. As they guessed from the very first, this was -Superintendent-detective Etheridge--a man whose reputation in his own -line of business was second to none. - -"Go on, man!" he exclaimed. "Break the door down. There's no time to -waste trying to force the lock." - -There was a dull thudding sound, as the full weight of a six-foot London -policeman was hurled against the door. - -"Try again," said the detective; "and this time all four of us -together." - -There was a pause, during which, no doubt, the detective and his -companions gathered themselves together; and then, as one man, they -threw themselves forward, so that four heavy shoulders struck the door a -single blow. - -The combined weight of these men could not have been less than -fifty-four stone, at the very lowest estimate; and that is a shock that -a modern spruce-wood doorway was never constructed to stand. Not only -was the lock broken open, so that the woodwork of the jamb was -splintered for at least a foot, but the hinges were wrenched bodily -away. The outer door flung back with a crash, and a second later the -detective and his men found themselves in the passage of the flat. - -"Which room is it?" cried Etheridge. "Where are you?" he shouted at the -full power of his lungs. - -Crouch could not answer by word of mouth, but he could do just as well. -Sitting as upright as he could, he spun round like a top, so that his -two heels rapped out upon the door. Then he rolled over and over, until -he had gained the security of the centre of the room. - -It was Etheridge who spoke again. - -"Here!" he cried. "This room! All together, as before!" - -The inner door was forced even more easily than the first. As it fell -inwards, and four burly figures burst into the room, both Crouch and -Jimmy were blinded by the sudden glare of three policemen's lanterns. A -moment later the gags were taken from their mouths, and they were free -to speak. - -"Who are you?" asked the detective, assisting the little sea-captain to -his feet and unlocking his handcuffs. - -"I'm the man who rang you up," said Crouch. "The rascals left here not -twenty minutes ago. Had you come sooner, you would have bagged all -three of them. As it is, there's no knowing where they've gone, nor -whether we'll ever see them again." - -There were a hundred things the detective wished to know. As yet he had -been told nothing, beyond the fact that Captain Crouch had certain -information in regard to a gang of spies. Together they went down to -the first-floor flat, where they turned on the electric light, and where -Crouch answered the detective's questions, telling his whole story in -instalments, so to speak. - -They had not a copy of the mysterious message which Jimmy Burke had -found on board the "Harlech"; but this made no difference, since both -Crouch and Jimmy knew it by heart. In order to explain to the detective -how they had discovered the address in the Edgware Road, Jimmy went to -the writing-table, and taking pen and ink, wrote out the message. - -They explained to the detective how they had discovered the concealed -address in the first and last letters of every word; and then they were -able to see something of the peculiar workings of a great detective's -mind. - -In this world, there is reason in all things--even in those things which -may seem most trivial and unimportant. The criminal investigator must -not be satisfied with facts; it is his business to find out the why and -wherefore of everything that comes in his way. Moreover, he must be -observant; he can afford to miss nothing. As often as not, a clue is to -be found in the most improbable place. - -Superintendent-detective Etheridge had no sooner read the message a -second time than he laid hold upon a clue. - -"This message," said he, waving the paper in his hand, "was written by a -man who does not know London well." - -"How's that?" said Crouch. "As far as I can see, there's no way of -telling who wrote it. It was picked up on board the ship that I -commanded, that by all the laws of chance and methods of modern warfare -should have been sent sky-high, to be no more than a ton or so of -floating wreckage." - -The detective preferred to hold to his own opinion; and it must be -confessed that that opinion was likely to be right. - -"It was written," he repeated, "by a man who does not know London well. -Otherwise, he would have been able to spell 'Edgware Road.'" - -Etheridge had now spread the paper upon the table, and both Crouch and -Jimmy were gazing over his shoulder, whilst the three plain-clothes -policemen stood together in the doorway. - -"Edgware Road," the detective went on, "does not happen to be spelt with -an 'e.' This cypher was evidently concocted by a man who--if not an -Englishman himself--was well able to write--and, in all probability, -speak--the English language. He was not, however, personally acquainted -with London. For myself, in view of what you have told me, I should say -that it was written by one of the German gang you discovered in New -York." - -"I have it!" cried the boy. "When I overheard the conversation that -took place in Rosencrantz's office, I remember that von Essling himself -said that, though he was well acquainted with the English language, he -had never been to London, but expected to go there shortly." - -Etheridge, who had produced a large note-book from his pocket in which -he was scribbling a few hasty lines, closed it with a snap. - -"That settles it," said he. "The Baron von Essling and this 'Mr. -Valentine' who lives at the 'Hotel Magnificent' are one and the same -person. I've no doubt of it whatever." - -"What proof have you of that?" asked Captain Crouch. - -"No proof," said the detective. "I set to work on bare suspicion, and -leave proof to the last. In this case my suspicions are well founded. A -few days before war was declared, a man, passing himself off as 'Lewis -Valentine,' landed at Liverpool, having crossed from New York on the -'Olympic.' He is known to have stayed at the 'Hotel Magnificent,' and -is supposed to have remained in London about three weeks. Afterwards, -evidence was forthcoming to the effect that he was one of the Prussian -military attaches in the United States, who was engaged upon Secret -Service work. Two days ago rumours reached me that this man was once -again in England; and the very reason I was late here to-night is that I -was first obliged to go to the 'Magnificent,' where I learned that -Valentine had left not an hour before. Take my word for it, this fellow -is von Essling." - -"And he has gone to Edinburgh?" asked Jimmy. - -"Not a bit of it!" said Etheridge. "It is no more likely he would tell -a charwoman his destination than his real name and business. He has -gone to Liverpool; and that's all the more probable since the 'Baltic' -sails early to-morrow morning." - -"Thunder!" cried Crouch. "This is a greater game than big-game shooting -in the Sunderbunds. I never in my life picked up a spoor like this." - -"One thing's a certainty," said Etheridge; "I leave for Liverpool -without delay. There's no fast train till morning; but I can get there -in an eighty horse-power car. But, first, you must both come with me to -the Admiralty. Jarvis," he added, turning to one of the policemen, -"don't forget to drop into the White Star offices to-morrow morning, and -tell them there's no fear this voyage that the 'Baltic' will be -torpedoed." - - - - -CHAPTER XX--Commander Fells - - -For reasons which are usually described as having regard to the public -interest, and also because of the Censorship in war-time, it is not -possible to relate in any detail the interview that took place between -Jimmy Burke and Captain Crouch and a certain Admiralty official, who may -as well be called the Director-in-Chief of the Naval Secret Service. - -This gentleman--by name Commander Fells--knew the -superintendent-detective as well as any of his own immediate -subordinates. Though it was by then past ten o'clock at night, they -found him in his office, hard at work. Though he wore the uniform of a -naval officer with the three gold stripes of his rank on either sleeve, -his was the pale careworn face of a man who works at a desk--moreover, -for long hours of the night. - -Etheridge stayed no longer than was necessary to introduce Crouch and -Jimmy, and to explain the important business upon which they desired to -see Commander Fells. The detective then took his departure in haste on -being told that the enormous Rolls-Royce car for which he had telephoned -to Scotland Yard was waiting for him in Whitehall, outside the iron -gates that guard the entrance of the Admiralty. - -Alone with his visitors, the Commander lay back in his chair, and -closing one eye, looked hard at Jimmy with the other. A little later, -he twisted round sideways, so that his elbow rested on the back of the -chair--a position that enabled him with comfort to bite the end of his -thumb--a habit not to be encouraged in those who are still at school, -but excusable no doubt (for the sake of Empire) in Commander Fells. A -singular thing in this man, who was undoubtedly one of the -powers-that-be in the Navy, was that he wore no medal ribbons on the -left side of his coat, the sole decoration with which he had ever been -honoured being the plain blue medal of the Royal Humane Society for -saving life at sea. - -There were a great many things he wanted to know. His method was quite -different from that of the Scotland Yard detective who had -cross-examined the two witnesses earlier in the evening. Whereas -Etheridge asked an infinity of questions, the Commander simply requested -Jimmy, and then Captain Crouch, to tell him all they knew. When he had -heard both stories, had seen a copy of the cypher message, and turned up -von Essling's name in a Prussian Court directory, he got to his feet and -walked quickly out of the room. He returned in about an hour, saying -that he had talked the matter out with an exceedingly high official -(whom it would not be possible to mention). He asked a few more -questions concerning Rosencrantz, and Rudolf Stork, and then turned to -Crouch. - -"You must understand," said he, "that in a matter like this absolute -secrecy is necessary. From the moment you leave this building, you are -not to breathe a single word of what you know to any one. For all that, -we are exceedingly grateful for the information you and your young -friend have brought." - -"The Grand Fleet, sir, will be warned?" asked Crouch. - -The Commander bowed his head. - -"That has been done already," said he. "Five minutes after I left -you--that is to say an hour ago--Sir John Jellicoe was made acquainted -with the possibilities of the raid. Torpedo-boat-destroyers were warned -to keep a sharp look-out for German submarines in the vicinity of the -Well-bank light-ship. You say that this man Stork means to put to sea -in a smack called the 'Marigold'?" - -"That's so," said Crouch. "And if you have no objection, I should like -to make a suggestion?" - -"By all means," said the other. - -"I may not look it," Crouch went on, "but I'm a sea-faring man by trade, -though I have spent half my life knocking about on land. At one -time--when I was little more than a boy--I went to sea on a trawler. I -know the North Sea as well as any smacksman, and it so happens that the -part I know best is this same Well-bank, where the U93 is supposed to -be. And now, sir, here's the point; I've an old score to pay with -Rudolf Stork; he's fooled me twice already, and if ever he does it -again, this foot of mine's not cork. I know every fathom of the Dogger -Bank, and I ask nothing better than leave to go to sea, and run down the -'Marigold.'" - -"Good!" exclaimed the Commander, slapping Crouch on the back, "you shall -have your wish and a 'permit' to see you through. It's hardly likely -that we should stand in your way when you want to do no more than help -us." - -Though the one was an officer in the Royal Navy and the other no more -than an honest merchant captain, there is--as we have said before--a -kind of bond that binds all men together who learn to read the face of -Nature in the changing aspects of the sea. As the oceans are wide and -the seas many, so do all sailors who leave port under the red or the -white ensign belong to a great brotherhood that lives one life, whether -it be in ward-room, in gun-room, or in stokehold, that runs the same -risks and faces the same cold and tragic death, for the honour and good -name of that same old England that centuries ago ousted the Don from the -Spanish Main and carried the British flag from Pole to Pole. There was -this in common--though they never thought it--between Captain Crouch and -Commander Fells, R.N. - -It was long after midnight when Crouch and Jimmy Burke left the -Admiralty. By then, they had received the most minute instructions as -to what they were to do; they had also been supplied with a certain -amount of money from the Secret Service funds, as well as a railway -warrant and a roll of Admiralty charts. - -Before daybreak they were travelling northward. In undisputed -possession of a first-class carriage, they made themselves as -comfortable as they could, and having been assured by the guard that he -would wake them up before they reached their destination, they were soon -fast asleep. - -Captain Crouch was able to sleep like a dog. All his life he had been -accustomed to drop off whenever he wished to, for an hour or so, or -sometimes only for a few minutes at a time. It was probably because of -this that he had retained well into middle age much of the vitality and -enthusiasm of youth. In spite of the fact that his hair was touched -with grey and inclined to thinness on the crown, in spite of all the -hardships and privations he had undergone, Crouch, for all practical -purposes, may be regarded as a young man. He now gave an exhibition of -the extreme simplicity of going to sleep at will. He took off his -coat--which he rolled round his white bowler hat--in order to make a -pillow--wrapped himself in a tartan rug he had bought that afternoon, -curled himself up like a hedgehog, wished Jimmy good-night, and a moment -later was snoring like a pig. - -Jimmy's case was altogether different. Young though he was, he found -that on such an occasion as this sleep was no easy matter. Unlike the -little sea-captain, his had not been a life of adventure and excitement. -Never in his wildest dreams had he thought it possible that he -personally would take part in so tremendous an undertaking. - -The whole thing was amazing. The Scotland Yard detective had appeared -to have little or no doubt that "Valentine" was the Baron von Essling -himself. It was, indeed, quite possible. Von Essling had told -Rosencrantz that, in all probability, he would visit England, and he may -have done so at the time of the outbreak of war. Also, there was -nothing to prevent him repeating his visits, disguised and under an -assumed name, as often as he liked. In these days of quick travelling, -the journey across the Atlantic seldom occupies longer than seven days. - -The secrecy with which the whole plot had been laid, and the care with -which every detail had been considered, spoke volumes for German -efficiency and organization. No one in London--least of all in the -Edgware Road itself--had thought for a moment that the large block of -untenanted flats had been purchased outright by the German Government, -in order to be used as the headquarters of a gang of spies. The -military attache went about his business in Washington, the capital of -the United States, and no shred of suspicion rested upon himself. -Nothing had been overlooked. German agents had been found in Hull; and -a fishing smack, the "Marigold," was able to put out from an English -port and patrol the high seas on behalf of the German Navy, which dared -not show its face within range of the great fifteen-inch guns of the -British super-Dreadnoughts. Stork had been specially selected for work -of a singularly dangerous character, and there was little doubt that his -services would prove of inestimable value to those who controlled the -destiny of the most formidable nation in arms that any country has ever -been called upon to face. But, perhaps, the most remarkable thing of -all was that the whole plot should have been discovered as it seemed by -a mere stroke of luck. Had it not been for the particular gust of -wind--a little eddy in the air, in mid-Atlantic, hundreds of miles from -the nearest land--that blew Stork's cypher message back upon the deck, -nothing would have been found out, and the Secret Service Department in -the Wilhelmstrasse of Berlin would have been able to carry out their -plans unimpeded. - -It was such thoughts as these that kept Jimmy Burke awake. And when, at -last, he fell asleep, it was to dream in a vague disjointed way of -Rosencrantz and Rudolf Stork, the thunder of the "Dresden's" guns, and -the silent, shadowy form of the U93, gliding northward to the fog-soaked -Dogger Bank. - -How long he had actually been asleep he never had the least idea, when -the door of the railway carriage was thrown open, and the guard seized -both Crouch and Jimmy by the shoulders and shook them to wake them up. - -"Here you are, sir! This is Hull." - -Jimmy sat up and rubbed his eyes. It was broad daylight and bitterly -cold. The few passengers and railway servants that were to be seen upon -the platform were all enwrapped in mufflers and overcoats. - -Crouch sprang to his feet, cast aside his tartan rug, and jammed his -battered white bowler on to the back of his head. - -"Come on!" he cried. "If Stork's here, there's no time to lose." - - - - -CHAPTER XXI--On Board a White Star Liner - - -Whilst Jimmy and Crouch were travelling at the rate of about forty miles -an hour upon the track of the Great Northern Railway, -Superintendent-detective Etheridge was traversing the country every bit -as rapidly, upon an almost parallel route. - -Leaving Whitehall shortly after ten o'clock at night, he followed the -old Roman road which goes by the name of Watling Street that runs from -London to Chester. He knew what he was about; and he knew also that, -provided the Rolls-Royce car met with no mishap upon the road, he could -reach Liverpool before the "Baltic" sailed. He had already telegraphed -to the police both at that place and at Hull, giving a detailed -description of "Mr. Lewis Valentine" and Rudolf Stork. It was -discovered afterwards--and we have already said as much--that his -telegram reached Hull too late. Stork, with his usual luck, had arrived -in the nick of time, and before Detective-inspector Manning could trace -his whereabouts, he had embarked upon the "Marigold," and was well out -to sea in one of those dripping, impenetrable fogs, which are of such -common occurrence upon the Dogger Bank. - -At Liverpool, however, the case was very different. The police in that -city were warned in time; and besides, it so happened that the -boat-train was delayed by the breaking down of an engine which -obstructed the main-line traffic for several hours. The great White -Star liner lay alongside her wharf, under steam, with her cargo all -aboard; but, long before the first batch of passengers had arrived, no -less than six detectives and plain-clothes policemen were in possession -of the gangways. A Mr. Lewis Valentine, registered as an American -citizen, of Minneapolis, appeared in the list of passengers; and the -police were already in possession of Etheridge's description of the man -he wanted. - -In the meantime, the superintendent-detective himself was speeding -northward upon the famous road that in bygone days had conducted the -Roman legions to the strong fortified posts upon the frontier of Wales. -Etheridge knew the possibilities of the Rolls-Royce, which on many a -previous occasion had stood him in good stead. It was by means of this -car that he had captured Jack White, the famous Ealing murderer, and had -been able to run down Joss Hubbard, the anarchist, whose arrest he -brought about at the very moment when the criminal was setting foot upon -the cross-Channel boat at Dover. - -Towards morning, it rained steadily--a fine, drizzling rain which soon -after daybreak turned to sleet. Even the main roads were covered with -mud and slush, whereas the country lanes were converted into quagmires. - -Hour by hour, the Rolls-Royce tore northward. Its great staring lights -rushed through many a sleeping village. Its horn sounded repeatedly, -giving ample warning to the few people who happened to be abroad--for -the most part agricultural labourers going to their work in the small -hours of the morning--that one of His Majesty's servants had urgent and -important business to transact on behalf of the public safety. - -In such a situation there was nothing novel as far as the -superintendent-detective was concerned. He knew exactly where he was -going, when he would get there, and what would--or what would -not--happen, when he did. Accordingly, he folded his arms, turned up -the collar of his fur coat, and lying well back in his seat, slept no -less soundly, though not quite so noisily, as Captain Crouch himself. - -He woke up as the car was entering Liverpool, pulled out his watch, and -looked at the time. He had still three-quarters of an hour to spare; he -would arrive on board the "Baltic" before she was due to sail. - -Leaving the Rolls-Royce at the dock gates, he walked along the -magnificent wharf owned by the White Star Company, where at the foot of -the gangway he was recognized by one of the local detectives. Though no -one, watching the two men's faces, would have imagined for a single -instant that they had known each other for years, Etheridge gathered all -the information he desired: namely, that the so-called "Mr. Valentine" -had not yet come on board. - -He ascended the gangway to the main promenade deck, where, cigar in -mouth, he leaned upon the taffrail, surveying the crowd of dock -labourers, customs house officials and passengers that was assembled -under the wharf-shed. - -Presently, a tall man approached who was wearing a heavy ulster, and who -addressed Etheridge as if he were talking to an absolute stranger, -though as a matter of fact he was no less a person than -Superintendent-detective McGowan of Liverpool who had worked with -Scotland Yard for years. - -"I beg pardon, sir," said he, producing a cigarette from a morocco case, -"but would you be so good as to oblige me with a light?" - -Etheridge rummaged in his pockets, produced a box of safety matches, -struck one, and held it in the hollow of both hands to screen the flame -from the wind. When he was quite assured that the light would not be -blown out, he leaned forward so that McGowan was not only able to light -his cigarette, but to whisper in his colleague's ear. The words he used -may, at first blush, seem somewhat vague; for all that, to the quick -intelligence of the London detective they conveyed all the information -he desired to know. - -"D Forty-one," said McGowan, who then, having lighted his cigarette, -thanked Etheridge, and strolled carelessly away. - -Etheridge walked casually along the deck until he came to one of the -lifts, where he asked the attendant to take him down to "D" deck. There, -as if looking for his own cabin, he wandered about, until he came to -number forty-one, which he promptly entered and where he seated himself -in a comfortable armchair. - -Then, producing a copy of the morning paper which he had purchased at -the dock gates, he proceeded to read the news of the day. About the -Baron von Essling he troubled himself not in the least. He never gave -him a thought. He had gathered from McGowan that D41 was the number of -the cabin that had been booked by "Mr. Valentine." Sooner or later, -Valentine himself would arrive. Until that moment, -Superintendent-detective Etheridge was determined to give the whole of -his attention to the morning's news. - -Suddenly, a steward entered, carrying a Gladstone bag. He appeared -somewhat surprised to see the cabin in possession of the detective, of -whose identity he had no idea. - -"This is the wrong cabin, sir," said he. - -"I think not," said the other. "It has been booked by a Mr. Valentine, -I believe. I have here a police warrant for his arrest." - -The usual effect of a police warrant can only be described as -electrical. The steward allowed the Gladstone bag to fall from his -hand, and stood regarding the detective in amazement. - -"What shall I do?" he asked. - -"Mr. Valentine has come on board?" asked Etheridge, disregarding the -steward's question. - -"He is on the promenade deck now." - -"Then show him down to his cabin, and leave us together. You need not -trouble to remain at hand, as several of my assistants are on board the -ship, and besides, I am provided with these," he added, producing a Colt -revolver and a pair of handcuffs. - -The steward went out, walking on tiptoe, with the demeanour of a man who -is conscious that he finds himself on dangerous ground. And no sooner -was the door closed than Etheridge flung himself at the Gladstone bag as -a hungry dog might tackle a bone. To undo the straps was the work of a -moment. Producing a skeleton key from his pocket, he succeeded in -opening the lock, and then turned out the complete contents of the bag -upon the floor. - -He found nothing more suspicious than a suit of pyjamas, washing -materials and an extraordinary number of neckties of every conceivable -colour, tone and shade. He bundled these back into the bag with scant -ceremony; and no sooner had he done so than the door was opened, and -there entered a man wearing a tweed suit and one of those soft felt hats -which are so popular in the United States. - -"I understood," said he, regarding Etheridge in surprise, "I understood -this was my cabin--D41." - -At that moment, there entered another steward--a thick-set man with a -heavy, black moustache--who carried upon his back a large cabin-trunk, -upon the lid of which were inscribed the words: "LEWIS N. VALENTINE, -MINNEAPOLIS, MINN." - -Now, Superintendent-detective Etheridge had already searched the -archives of Scotland Yard for a photograph of von Essling; and there was -no question but that this Mr. Lewis N. Valentine (of Minneapolis, Minn.) -bore a striking resemblance to the military attache, with the exception -of the trifling fact that von Essling wore a moustache and Valentine was -clean-shaven. - -The steward set down the trunk in the middle of the cabin, and then went -out without a word, half closing the door. Etheridge and Valentine -stood face to face, regarding each other closely, the one wondering -whether he had found the right man, the suspicions of the other fully -aroused. - -Etheridge had a method of his own that seldom failed. It was his custom -to confront suspected persons with the truth. On such occasions, it is -extremely difficult not to give one's self away; the most hardened -criminal is not capable of controlling his features or of finding -suitable words of explanation, when he suddenly finds himself face to -face with his own guilt. If "Valentine," or von Essling, were so -obliging as to betray his own identity, there was little doubt in the -detective's mind that the necessary proof would be forthcoming, when the -man's baggage was overhauled. However--as we shall see--Valentine -himself was possessed of considerable presence of mind. He was a -desperate man in a desperate situation, and was not likely to stick at -trifles. - -"To the best of my knowledge," said Etheridge bluntly, "this cabin was -reserved for the Baron von Essling, a military attache to the German -Embassy in Washington, who has certainly no right to be in England at -the present time." - -Valentine started. He was not sufficiently master of himself to prevent -it. He drew back a quick step, and stared hard at Etheridge. His lips -had parted, and the colour had vanished from his cheeks. - -"What do you mean?" he exclaimed. - -He got the better of his feelings in an instant, and feigned annoyance. -Etheridge, however, had already formed his own opinion, and was -determined to arrest the man, at once. - -"If you're wise," said he, "you'll speak the truth. It's my duty to -warn you that anything you say may be used in evidence against you." - -Very quietly, without ostentation or any show of violence, Valentine -drew a revolver from the hip pocket of his trousers, and directed the -barrel fair at the detective's heart. - -"Hands up!" said he, almost in a whisper. - -With an air of meekness and submission that was little short of amazing, -the superintendent-detective raised both hands above his head. - -Valentine spoke again, this time more quickly, as if he were excited. - -"Who you are," he cried, "I neither know nor care. But attempt to -betray me, attempt to leave this room until we have come to some mutual -understanding, and you do so at your peril. How you discovered my -identity, I don't pretend to know." - -"Then," said Etheridge, whose hands were still held high above his head, -"then, you admit that you are von Essling." - -"I admit nothing," rapped out the other. - -"You have already done so," answered the detective. "And that is enough -for me." - -And hardly had the words left his lips than Valentine was seized roughly -from behind and both arms were pinned to his sides. For a moment, he -struggled violently to free himself; and it was then that the revolver -went off, and the leaden bullet was driven deep into the flooring. With -an effort, he twisted round, to see who his adversary might be; and his -disgust and astonishment can better be imagined than described when he -found himself confronted by the same white-coated steward--the thick-set -man with the black moustache--who had carried his cabin trunk on board. -A second later, he was out of action, his hands fastened together behind -his back by means of a pair of handcuffs. - -"That was smart work, Richards," observed the superintendent-detective, -turning to the steward. "I hope you were able to hear every word that -passed between us?" - -"Every word, sir," said the steward, who, as a matter of fact, was one -of the detective's most trusted men, who had accompanied him from -London, sitting beside the driver in the eighty horse-power Rolls-Royce -car, which had come from Whitehall at the rate of forty miles an hour. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII--By the Dogger Bank - - -Whilst these events were in progress Captain Crouch and Jimmy Burke, in -the great seaport town of Hull, were hot upon the scent of Rudolf Stork. - -From the railway station they drove straight to the central police -station, where they found the inspector in his office. Scotland Yard -had telephoned during the night that Stork would probably arrive in Hull -early in the morning. Detectives had been dispatched at once to the -railway station, but got there too late to arrest the spy, who was -probably the only first-class passenger who arrived by the one -forty-seven train from King's Cross, who had no other baggage than a -small handbag, and who was met by a motor-car in which he went off in -the direction of the docks. - -The police had made sundry inquiries among the fishing people in the -poorer part of the town, and had learnt that the smack "Marigold" had -put to sea in the small hours of the morning. - -Crouch saw that there was nothing to be done but to continue the -pursuit, even into the midst of the shoals and fog-wreaths of the Dogger -Bank. He knew well the maxim that it was wise to set a thief to catch a -thief, and decided to follow the "Marigold" in another fishing-smack, -and not a steamer. - -His reasons for this were twofold. In the first place, the Well-bank -was extremely shallow water, across which no ocean-going ship could -pass. Secondly, as he knew full well, in view of the forthcoming raid, -the neighbouring waters were alive with enemy submarines, who were more -likely to torpedo a steamer flying the English flag than a comparatively -valueless fishing-boat. - -Now, the name of Captain Crouch's friends was legion, but for the most -part they lived, moved and had their being in seaport towns, and there -were not a few in Hull. - -One of these was a Grimsby man, with nearly thirty years' experience as -a trawler, who was known as Captain Whisker; and it was to his house -that Crouch and Jimmy Burke betook themselves, as soon as they had -gleaned all available information from the police. - -Though it was still exceedingly early in the morning Captain Whisker was -up, digging furiously in his garden, with a blackened pipe between his -lips. He was a man the very opposite of Crouch. Crouch was small and -wizened; Whisker broad, florid and colossal. He could not have been -less than six feet five in height, and his chest measurement was -exceeded only by the girth of his waist. He was clean-shaven, but his -eyebrows were so extremely large and bushy that they resembled a kind of -superior moustache, and made his surname of "Whisker" seem singularly -appropriate. - -"Why, Crouch!" he exclaimed, driving his garden fork into the ground and -coming forward with outstretched hand. "The last man on earth I ever -thought to see! It must be five years, at least, since you and I were -shipmates; and that was on the West Coast, when I took you down from -Sierra Leone to Banana Point, when you were bound for the Aruwimi, to -look for a lost explorer who, you said, was a good two inches taller -than I." - -"There's no time now to talk of that," said Crouch. "I've a job of work -on hand, and you're the very man who can help. There's a German spy who -put to sea at daybreak in the 'Marigold,' and I've a mind to go after -him, if you know of a craft that can be safely recommended." - -Captain Whisker drew himself up to his full height and puffed out both -his cheeks, at the same time opening his blue eyes so widely that they -resembled those of an enormous doll. - -"Come inside," said he, almost in a whisper, after a pause sufficiently -long to enable him to recover from his surprise. "Come inside, and talk -matters out." - -Crouch and Jimmy followed the burly captain into a very singular room, -in which a hammock was suspended from the ceiling, whilst the floor was -wholly taken up by fishing-nets, tarpaulins, ropes, boats' anchors, -lifebuoys and a hundred odds and ends such as might be picked up on a -sheltered beach near which a wreck had taken place. There was barely -room in which to move. - -Crouch told his story briefly--or as much of it as he deemed it was -necessary for his seafaring friend to hear. When he had ended, Captain -Whisker unburdened himself as follows-- - -"You can't do better," said he, "than set out in the 'Kitty McQuaire.' -She's a faster smack than the 'Marigold'; she can do a good knot and a -half better. I reckon she can sail nearer the wind than any -sailing-ship of any kind between here and Aberdeen. She was going out -this morning, in any case. I'll come with you, and take command. It's -some years, Crouch, since you skippered a smack; and though I don't -doubt that you still know as much of your old trade as I do, what you -have told me has kind o' hoisted a flying jib before the mainsail of my -curiosity; and I should like to see the business through." - -"Come on, then!" Crouch almost shouted. "It won't be the first time, by -a long chalk, that you and I were shipmates in adventure. And, what's -more, you always brought me luck." - -Resolved to waste no further time, they set out together; and long -before the sun had reached its meridian, they were passing out of the -mouth of the Humber, where they set their course to the north, towards -the Well-bank lightship. - -The "Kitty McQuaire" proved herself to be all that Whisker had said. As -the afternoon advanced the sea got up, until by evening a gale was -blowing from the south-east. The smack danced and dived and pirouetted, -sometimes being lifted high upon the crest of the waves, and at other -times plunging, nose foremost, into the depths. - -Captain Whisker soon proved himself no less capable a seaman than -Captain Crouch. Indeed, had it not been for his great knowledge of the -sea and admirable presence of mind, it is more than likely that the -"Kitty McQuaire" would have been driven on to a shoal or foundered in -open water. They were obliged to haul down their sails, and keeping the -smack head-on to the storm, to put their trust in Providence that they -would not be driven back upon the shore. - -That night to Jimmy Burke was a night of purgatory and terrible -suspense. In the first place, he was unconscionably seasick. What he -had endured upon the "Harlech" was as nothing to the torments he -suffered now. In a very short time he was reduced to such a state of -utter wretchedness that, in his fevered imagination, death by drowning -was preferable to life under these conditions. For all that, he was -filled with a great fear that the smack would, in truth, go down. -Sometimes, when a great wave broke immediately before them, the salt -water washed the ship from bows to stern, so that they were obliged to -cling to the masts or whatsoever they could lay hold upon, to prevent -themselves from being swept away. - -In addition to the wind that shrieked and howled through the rigging, a -denseness lay upon the uneasy surface of the waters. It was so dark -that they could not see twenty yards before them, and knew not in which -direction they were being driven by the wind. For some hours they lived -in horrible anticipation that they would suddenly find themselves -stranded on a sandbank or some lonely part of the coast, where the ship -would be battered to fragments by the waves. - -With the first signs of daybreak the fog lifted and a great blood-red -sun, like an enormous Chinese lantern, arose from out of the east, to -flood the desolate scene with a kind of purple-tinted twilight, such as -one might suppose should infest a land of ghosts. At the same time, the -wind dropped and changed further towards the south. Within two hours -the sea had so abated that they were able to hoist their sails and to -continue on their course. - -Presently they caught sight of the coast, and Whisker recognized at once -the white cliffs of Flamborough Head. They were much further north than -they had dared to hope; if the wind continued to be favourable, they -would reach the neighbourhood of the Well-bank soon after dark. Jimmy, -also, had by midday sufficiently recovered of his seasickness to eat a -ship's biscuit so hard that he was obliged to break it with an axe. - -Early in the afternoon, since there were several ships in the -neighbourhood--fishing-smacks, Government trawlers and steamers from the -northern ports--they lowered a net to make a pretence of fishing and to -avoid arousing suspicion. It is as well they did so, for soon -afterwards they sighted a smack, a mile or so ahead, bearing on the same -course as themselves, which Whisker recognized at once as the -"Marigold," upon which--it was presumed--was Rudolf Stork. - -The wind could not have been more favourable for their purpose. They -were able to hold a straight course, and under full sail to bear right -down upon their quarry. - -It was not long before the "Marigold" appeared to guess that she was -being followed, for her skipper hoisted all the sail the smack could -carry, and changed his course a little to the north. By that time the -"Kitty McQuaire" was about two miles in rear. The other ships had been -left far to the south, with the exception of a large tramp steamer, with -a funnel so aft as to appear to proceed from the poop, which was -steadily ploughing her way northward, bound possibly for Leith or -Inverness. - -Though the "Marigold" strained every stitch of sail to widen the -distance between herself and her pursuer, it was very soon apparent that -she had little chance of escaping. The "Kitty McQuaire" was overtaking -her quarry, inch by inch, gaining a yard or so with every gust of wind. - -Captain Crouch from the bows of the smack regarded the "Marigold" -through a long telescope that belonged to Captain Whisker, and upon -which was emblazoned in blood-red letters the name of every ship upon -which he had ever sailed. Crouch had already examined the tramp steamer -to learn that she was the "Mondavia"--by a strange chance one of the -fleet of Jason, Stileman and May, the very house to which Crouch himself -belonged. - -Suddenly, with a loud cry of triumph, he thrust the telescope into the -hands of Jimmy Burke. - -"Look there!" he cried. "There's Rudolf Stork, or else I never yet set -eyes upon the man! He's got his eyes glued on us through a pair of -glasses! There are not more than five men on board, so far as I can -see; and there's a strange sort of arrangement aft, which might be -anything from a cucumber-frame to a coffin! If we can overtake her -before it's dark we'll have the whole gang at the Old Bailey under a -week!" - -He was wildly excited, as, indeed, he had some cause to be. By all the -laws of chance Stork was as good as captured. It was plain the -"Marigold" could not escape, for it still wanted two hours to sunset, -and she was making no better headway. It appeared that certain success -was well within their grasp. And it was just at this junction that -there happened an incident which was at once disastrous and unexpected. -The "Marigold" opened fire! - -To be fired upon without warning on the high seas by an ordinary -fishing-smack is not an event that one might look for; and neither are -effective counter-measures possible when one is both unarmed and -unprepared. The first shot struck the water ten yards from the -"Kitty's" bows, whereas the next whistled high overhead, to plunge into -the sea a long way astern. It was apparent that the suspicious -arrangement which Crouch had noticed on the deck of the "Marigold" was -one of those old-fashioned high-angle muzzle-loading guns which go by -the name of mortars. As far as Jimmy Burke could make out with the aid -of the telescope, the mortar was covered over with fishing-nets and -tackle of all kinds, and Rudolf Stork was directing its fire. - -Now the appearance of this new factor in the situation cast at once a -very different hue upon the prospects of all concerned. In the first -place, these weapons may be of no more use than pea-shooters when -brought to bear upon a man-of-war; but one shot below the water-line of -the "Kitty McQuaire" would suffice to send her to the bottom. Secondly, -though Crouch, Jimmy and Whisker were all armed with revolvers, they had -no weapon that was of the slightest value at a range beyond a hundred -yards. - -None the less, Crouch stoutly refused to give up the chase. He loudly -protested that he would overtake the "Marigold" or go down to Davy -Jones. - -The "Mondavia" was then about four miles to the west, between the -"Marigold" and the coast. They had no means of signalling to the -steamer, since there was not a flag on board, and though there was a -signalling lamp, this was quite useless whilst the daylight lasted. - -At length, at the end of about ten minutes, the "Kitty McQuaire" was -hit. One of the round projectiles from the mortar struck the mainsail -obliquely, so that it tore a great rent that flapped open in the wind. -Crouch clenched both fists, and stamped upon the deck. - -"Are we to go ahead?" he cried to Jimmy. "Are we to go on with it, or -give up the chase?" - -"Go on!" cried the boy, who was quite beside himself with excitement. "I -don't care what happens. It's too late to go back now." - -They were then almost within revolver range of the "Marigold." Crouch -went to the bows, and fired three shots in quick succession at the -fugitives. - -"Heave to, you curs!" he shouted at the full power of his lungs. - -It was the voice of Stork that answered. - -"Come and take us," he cried in loud derision. - -"Do you think we dare not?" answered Jimmy. - -Before Stork could answer, Crouch broke in again, telling Stork to blaze -away with what he called his "pop-gun" which was not capable of knocking -a hole through an empty rain-barrel. These words, in spite of the fact -that they were never spoken seriously, were uttered at a most -inopportune moment; for, hardly had they left the little captain's lips -than a shot struck the starboard quarter of the "Kitty McQuaire" about a -foot below the water-line. - -Whisker was the first to recognize the danger, and ordered all on board -to stand by the hand-pump, which was the only means they had of bailing -the ship. - -"And even that won't save us," he added in a doleful voice. "She'll -fill for a certainty. She'll not take ten minutes to settle down." - -The alarming truth of this was at once wholly apparent. Within the -space of a few minutes, the "Kitty McQuaire" took on a decided list. At -the same time, she slowed down; every second, the "Marigold" widened the -distance between herself and her pursuer. As they lowered the sails, -they heard Stork's loud, boisterous laugh, as the man looked back upon -the sinking ship upon the deck of which his victims stood in silence, -side by side. - -Indeed, Crouch and his companions were face to face with inevitable -destruction. Though the storm had subsided, the sea was still too rough -to launch the only small boat the "Kitty" carried. This was a small -dinghy used for harbour work, which could neither carry all who were on -board nor live for two minutes in such a sea without being swamped. - -The "Kitty McQuaire" was sinking slowly by the bows, turning over quite -gently--like a tired beast that lies down to sleep. The deck was now so -much aslant that they were obliged to hold fast to the masts and -rigging, to prevent themselves slipping down, one after the other, into -the cold, hungry sea. - -The sun, at last, was setting. Darkness was spreading from the east; -and at the same time, a lowering mass of cloud was drifting forward on -the wind which presently would shut out the starlight and the moon. - -There is no situation more terrible, there is nothing that requires -greater fortitude to bear, than to find oneself doomed and deserted upon -the unutterable loneliness of the sea, as the sun sinks in the sky and -the mists of twilight glide upon the surface of the waters. There was -no help for it; they knew that they must die. At such an hour, it was -but human nature that their thoughts should turn to the God Who had -given them life. Each man closed his eyes; and standing together, -clinging to the last of the sinking ship, one and all prayed silently -and swiftly that death might be easy, and that the wrong they had done -in their lives should be forgiven. - -And then, as if to make their lot more hard, the cruelty of their end -more bitter, within a hundred feet of the fishing-smack, silhouetted -against the red glow of a winter's sunset, there arose from out of the -water, the shark-like, threatening form of the U93. - -[Illustration: AS THEY SANK OUT OF THE RED GLARE OF A WINTER'S SUNSET -THERE APPEARED THE THREATENING FORM OF THE U93.] - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII--The Loss of the "Kitty McQuaire" - - -The submarine had made its appearance quite suddenly, rising in silence -to the surface of the water, where the waves broke against the -superstructure, which was presently the centre of a white circle of -foam. A little afterwards, the figures of two men appeared upon the -conning-tower, one of whom Jimmy Burke recognized immediately as the -German officer who had hailed the "Harlech," and whom he had followed to -the engine-room of the deserted ship. - -There was something almost uncanny in the thought that this dreaded -submarine monster had travelled northward all the way from the Lizard, -evading the Allied destroyers which thronged the Channel and the Straits -of Dover, steering amid the shoals and shallows of the Goodwin Sands, -passing under water in all probability often within a stone's throw of -His Majesty's ships guarding the shores of England. - -Of all craft that put to sea, the modern submarine is the most -formidable, inasmuch as it seems gifted with an intelligence of its own. -It is an invention so highly organized and delicately equipped, its -capabilities are so marvellous, its possibilities so great, that it is -not difficult to imagine it even possessed of a kind of consciousness of -its own. As a matter of fact, it is no more than a perfectly complete -machine which--after the manner of all machinery--answers to the will of -its commander. When that commander is ruthless and pitiless, when his -orders are to wage war upon innocent men, women and children, to show -neither gallantry nor clemency to whomsoever may fall into his clutches, -then a submarine--such as the U93--becomes the shark, the ship of prey, -among the navies of the world. - -The "Kitty McQuaire" was sinking fast by the bows. In the red -sunset--the last of a dying day--she had not ten minutes in which to -live; and yet, faced with such a tragedy, with the spectacle of so many -men so indubitably doomed, the commander of the U93 threw back his head, -and laughed. - -His voice sounded false and fiendish amid the soft, rhythmic washing of -the waves. It was the laugh of a coward in his hour of triumph; for -there can be no true courage which does not go hand in hand with -clemency and generosity. Assuredly, the kindness of the seas, the sense -of gallantry that led Nelson's sailors to risk their lives so often in -saving their drowning foes, does not extend to all. The German Navy is -a thing of yesterday; and it had been better for the honour of the -Fatherland had German naval officers and seamen learnt something more of -the glorious traditions that British sailors honour and respect. It was -not enough to copy the latest type of British super-Dreadnought or -battle-cruiser. There is no such thing as a seaman without a sailor's -heart. - -The man's laugh died away in the distance, as the submarine raced after -the "Marigold," which was now almost a mile ahead. The U93 had made her -intentions perfectly clear in the brutal laugh of her commander. She was -in no way disposed to hold out a helping hand to enemies in distress. -Captain Crouch and his friends on board the sinking fishing-boat could -be safely left to drown like rats. Their lives had been a menace to the -German Empire; Crouch, in his own small way, was one of those who had -stood between Germany and the sun. It was as well that they should be -thrown upon the mercy of the sea, to swim at random, desperate, until -great fatigue and a sense of their own helplessness should weigh them -down, to sink, one by one. The U93 followed in the wake of the -"Marigold," which had heaved-to, and from which a signalling lamp was -now throwing out its dots and dashes in the twilight. - -Crouch turned to Captain Whisker. They were clinging, side by side, to -an iron bollard fastened to the deck; for the smack was leaning over so -that her deck sloped like the roof of a house. - -"How long do you give her?" he asked. - -"Three minutes more, perhaps. She may dive on a sudden, or she may -settle down quite quietly. They sometimes do, as you know as well as -I." - -They remained silent for some moments, both staring hard at a certain -fixed point in the midst of the gathering darkness. Here, like a small -star, a red light suddenly shone out; and as they looked, a white light -appeared, higher up and in front of the red one, and then higher still, -another, so that all three together formed an isosceles triangle. - -"There's the 'Mondavia'!" said Crouch. "I know the skipper well--a man -called Cookson, who once sailed with me to Melbourne. As a last hope, -I'll try to pick her up." - -He asked for the signalling lamp, lit up, and raised and closed the -shutter to see that it was in working order. Whilst Crouch was so -employed, Captain Whisker gave his final instructions. Every man was -ordered to put on his lifebelt; several spars were loosened, and left -upon the deck, so that when the boat went down they would float. As -soon as the "Kitty" foundered, the men were to take to the sea, where -they could cling to the floating spars. They were warned, however, to -avoid the dinghy, which would prove nothing but a death-trap. - -Seeing that their chances of ultimate salvation were very small, all -these instructions and precautions must appear somewhat unnecessary and -useless. It is, however, a natural instinct for men to cling to life. -Life is held to be so precious, and death so gloomy and uncertain, that -no sane man of his own free will can bring himself to take the first -step that leads to the Great Unknown. These rough seamen of the -Yorkshire coast thought of the wives and children that they would leave -behind in Hull and Grimsby, and such thoughts are enough in themselves -to lend strength and courage to the last. In grim silence, they set to -work following the skipper's instructions, fastening their lifebelts -around their waists, still clinging to the ship that was now in such -desperate plight that the forward part was almost entirely under water. - -Captain Crouch, holding with one hand to the tiller, used the other to -work the signalling lamp, the face of which was directed towards the -"Mondavia." Darkness had now set in; neither the "Marigold" nor the U93 -was to be seen, and of the tramp steamer nothing was visible but the two -masthead lights and the red light on the port quarter. - -Suddenly, Jimmy Burke--who had never left the side of his good friend, -Captain Crouch--let out a loud cry, and pointed excitedly towards the -Jason steamer. - -"Look there!" he exclaimed. "She has seen our light. She's swinging -round." - -All eyes were turned towards the west. In the half-light, the men were -just able to discern the faces of their comrades, and everywhere were -the same emotions legible: hopelessness, pity for those who would be -left without support, bitterness at the harshness of their fate, and a -set determination to die like British seamen. They looked in the -direction indicated with hungry, sorrowful eyes, as if each knew only -too well in his heart that help was so far away that it was sheer folly -to think of it at all. - -None the less, they could not dispute the evidence of what they saw. -Even as they looked, the lights of the steamer swung round, so that the -two white lights appeared in the same vertical plane, the one above the -other. The red light also grew smaller and less distinct, and at the -same time a green light appeared on the same level as the red. - -To anyone who had the smallest knowledge of the sea, there can be no -mistaking signs so manifest. The "Mondavia," which hitherto had shown -her port light to the east, had now changed her course, and was making -straight for the sinking boat. Though there was no necessity to explain -to sea-faring men exactly what had happened, Captain Whisker seized the -opportunity to speak words of courage to his men. - -"Bear up, my lads," he cried. "She has sighted us; you may be sure of -that." - -"She'll reach us in time?" asked Jimmy. - -"There's no chance of it," answered the burly captain. Then on a -sudden, his voice became much louder, as he struck a note of alarm. -"She's going, now!" he cried. "Take to the water, lads; and each man -for himself!" - -As he said the words, he threw off his coat, waistcoat, and his long -gum-boots, and plunged headforemost into the sea. - -The "Kitty McQuaire" had run her course; her days of usefulness were -ended. As all honest ships--and, indeed, all honest men--are some day -bound to do, she had come to the Parting of the Ways. She had been a -good craft in her time, as Captain Whisker himself could testify; and -she went down into the depths gently and silently, as if she welcomed an -eternity of rest. - -And there remained upon the troubled surface of the water, now lifted -high upon the crest of rolling waves, now buried in the wide trenches of -the sea, the black forms of the heads and shoulders of a dozen -struggling men. - -The majority of these had gone into the water clinging to the loose -spars by means of which they hoped to save themselves from drowning. -They were all strong swimmers; and, moreover, with their cork lifebelts, -it was hardly possible for them to die until the icy coldness of the -water had chilled them to the bone. - -As chance had it, Jimmy Burke found himself clinging to the same piece -of wreckage as both Captain Crouch and the burly skipper. This was a -big iron-ringed boom which--though it floated--was too heavy to rise to -the top of the waves that swept over it in quick succession. Hence, it -was all that they could do to retain their hold, and neither would they -have succeeded in this had it not been that a rope was attached along -the entire length of the spar. - -How long they remained in this desperate situation not one of them was -afterwards able to say. The water was bitterly cold; it was as if they -were being frozen to death, and were dying from the feet upwards. Before -long they had lost all power of sensation. They did not speak to one -another, nor were they so foolish as to try to. Every few seconds a -great wave swept over them, and they were buried in the sea, sometimes -as much as three fathoms deep. At such times, there was a rushing in -their ears--a great sound like a multitude of cataracts; and then, -gasping, breathless, with but little of life remaining to them, they -emerged once more upon the surface, to behold the dim starlight, a pale, -dying moon screened by a mist, and the great rolling sea on every side. - -Quite suddenly, the loud siren of the steamer sounded near at hand. It -was as if the noise was within their very ears. They had no means of -answering; there was not one who had strength enough to shout. They -could only wait, half-frozen and altogether desperate, trusting to -Providence that they would be discovered in the midst of the illimitable -darkness. - -It was Providence, indeed, that came to their aid, that brought the -"Mondavia" to the very place where they were struggling for their lives; -otherwise, they could never have been found. There was no searchlight -on board the ship, and the sea was still so rough that, even had it been -broad daylight, they would have been hidden by the waves. - -The captain of the "Mondavia" had done all that was in his power; he had -ordered every cabin and deck lamp to be lighted, so that in the darkness -the old sea-going tramp was like a liner, with every porthole shining, -brilliantly illumined. - -And no sooner did this great blaze of light stand forth before those who -were struggling in the sea than, as one man, they threw themselves from -the spars to which they had been clinging and struck out towards the -ship. The gangway had been lowered, as well as every rope ladder that -the "Mondavia" had on board; and it was Jimmy Burke himself who was the -first to know that he was saved. - -Dripping, aching in every limb, so numbed that he could not stand -upright, he crawled to the main-deck, and there fell, speechless and -coiled up, with his knees drawn to his chin. - -There was no need for him to speak. His very presence there was direct -evidence of all that the captain of the steamer wished to know. On the -instant, the engine-room bell rang down for the ship to "stop," and then -"half-speed astern"; and--as nearly as she could--she remained -stationary, rolling on the heavy swell that still moved the sea. - -One after the other, those drenched, frozen and half-suffocated men -dragged themselves on board; and of them all, Captain Crouch was the -only one who had the ability either to move or find his voice. He was a -man so inured to hardship and so wiry that it was as if his vitality was -endless. He sat up and looked about him, and then slowly counted with a -finger the number of the drenched and motionless figures that lay in the -lamplight on the deck. - -"Bluffed!" he cried. "Bluffed, as by a miracle! There's not a man -missing. The cowards might as well have tried to drown a shoal of -mackerel." Then, on a sudden, he seized the pockets of his coat. - -"Thunder!" he uttered, in tones of mingled mortification and rage. -"Thunder, I've lost my favourite pipe!" - -Captain Cookson of the "Mondavia" was staring at him in amazement, after -the manner of one who beholds a ghost. Then, seizing Crouch by both -shoulders, he shook him so violently that the salt water flew from off -him as from a dog on a river bank. - -"It's Crouch!" he cried. "It's Crouch!" - -"The same man," said Captain Crouch, holding out a wet, ice-cold hand. -"The same man, Cookson, but without his favourite pipe." - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV--The Tables Turned - - -In all probability, there was not one of these men who had not been -shipwrecked before. They were fishermen by trade, who earned their -living at the peril of their lives amid the fogs and shoals of the -Dogger Bank. Their forefathers had followed the same calling for -generation after generation; and in consequence, this race of hardy men -had been bred on the principle of the survival of the fittest. They had -become strong, brave and skilful. The sea was at once their natural -element and the mother of them all, who gave her gifts unsparingly, but -who ever and anon strove to betray and to destroy. - -In the warmth of the stokeholds of the "Mondavia," before the opened -doors of blazing furnaces, these half-perished men rapidly revived. They -were provided with dry clothes; and those who wished it were given a tot -of rum. - -In the meantime, Captain Crouch, habited once again in the clothes that -became him best of all--a rough pea-jacket and a pair of slacks--was -seated in Captain Cookson's cabin, with a borrowed pipe between his -lips. - -Word by word, from the very day when he had set sail from New York with -his orders from Mr. Jason, Junior, he told the whole of his story, -concealing nothing, neither the details of how he himself had been -fooled, the marked gallantry of Jimmy Burke, nor the full perfidy of -Stork. - -"It's a strange tale," said Captain Cookson, folding his arms and -staring hard at Jimmy, who was sound asleep in his bunk. "It's a -strange tale; and from the lips of any man but you, Crouch, I should -never believe a word of it." - -"I don't care a rap," said Crouch, "whether you believe it or not. The -point is, you must do what I tell you, or--if you like--give over the -command of the ship to me. You've served as my first mate once; I see -no reason why you should not do it again." - -"And I see every reason," said the other. "In the first place, I've my -own orders, which are to take my cargo to Leith. In the second place, -though you may be senior to me, and you're a man for whom I have always -had a most sincere respect, this ship happens to be under my command, as -the papers I carry will prove. I can't shirk my responsibilities, nor -do I mean to." - -"That's the right spirit!" cried Captain Crouch. "I'm proud to be your -friend. And meanwhile, this pipe don't draw, and your tobacco has no -more taste than a pinch of hay." - -"Then why smoke it?" asked the other with a smile. - -"Because," said Crouch, "as far as a man's brain-box is concerned, -tobacco acts like steam in an engine-room. It's the motive power, so to -speak, if you manage to follow my meaning. Without steam, there's no -use in a boiler, a connecting-rod or a shaft. Without tobacco smoke, -there's no use in the convolutions of the human brain. That's how it is -with me; though I'm bound to confess I can't, as you might call it, get -much steam up with a brand of fuel like this." - -"It costs fourpence an ounce," said Captain Cookson. - -"And that's more than I ever paid for Bull's Eye Shag," said Crouch. "I -wouldn't use this stuff to smoke out a wasps' nest. What do you call -it--School Girls' Mixture, Fairy Footsteps or some such name as that?" - -"No. Navy Cut," said the other. - -"And that's an insult to the Royal Navy," answered Crouch. "I reckon a -sober-minded British man-o'-war's man wouldn't give it to his youngest -baby to chew. If Lord Nelson had smoked a tobacco like that, he'd never -have won the Battle of Trafalgar." - -"Look here," said Captain Cookson, who had come to the end of his -patience; "all I've got to say is this: if you don't like my 'baccy, -don't smoke it." - -"I won't," said Crouch. - -And at that, without any more ado, he hurled the pipe out of the -porthole into the sea. - -"My favourite pipe!" cried Cookson, springing to his feet. - -"That's your misfortune," answered Crouch. "And after all, you're in no -worse luck than I am. Still, we waste time, when there is much of -importance to discuss. Whether you or I command this ship matters no -more than the two buttons on the back of the frock coat of a shopwalker. -I and my friends set out in the 'Kitty McQuaire' to run down the -'Marigold,' and we've been hoist on our own petard--as the saying goes. -For all that, I'm not disposed to give up the chase. As soon as day -breaks, we should sight the fishing-smack with Stork on board; and it's -my suggestion that, counting the pop-gun she carries for nothing, we run -her down, and serve all on board in the way they treated us." - -"You forget the submarine," said Captain Cookson. - -"I forget nothing of the sort," said Captain Crouch. "I'm ready enough -to take what risks there are." - -Cookson thrust both hands deep into his trousers pockets, and strode to -and fro in his little cabin. For some moments, he seemed to be deep in -thought. Then, at last, his mind made up, he approached his old -shipmate, and held out a weather-beaten, horny hand. - -"I'm with you, Crouch," said he. "I'm with you, come what may." - -Crouch rose to his feet, at the same time bringing the fist of one hand -into the opened palm of the other, with a gesture suggestive of the -utmost satisfaction. - -"Good!" he cried. "There's three men on board who won't be baulked by -anything--three men who have sailed the seas together for the greater -part of their lives. And there's the boy, too--a rare lad, as I promise -you, who knows no more of fear than I about keeping bees. Whisker's in a -bad way just at present, but he'll pull round long before morning. He -was never born to be drowned; and for the matter of that, neither were -you or I." - -In spite of the dangers that the morrow was almost certain to bring -forth, in spite of the immediate presence of so formidable an adversary -as the U93, these two merchant captains--men who had spent the best of -their years in facing the manifold dangers of the sea, in every quarter -of the globe--laid them down to sleep, as if nothing unusual had -occurred, or was likely to occur. Captain Crouch snored lustily; -whereas Captain Cookson appeared perfectly comfortable stretched at full -length upon the floor, with a rolled-up overcoat doing duty for a -pillow. - -Jimmy, in the meantime, slept the sleep of pure exhaustion on the -comfortable bunk in Captain Cookson's cabin. Soon after his rescue, he -had been given some hot soup; and almost immediately after drinking it, -he had dropped off into a heavy slumber, from which he did not awake -until the first signs of daybreak were far spread upon the eastern -skyline. - -The first thing he saw was the lean, wiry figure of Crouch, standing in -the open doorway, with a large telescope under his arm. On the one side -of Crouch was Cookson; on the other, Whisker, who seemed more bulky, -more huge than ever, since his great form was silhouetted against the -half-light of approaching day. - -"That's her, right enough," Captain Crouch was saying. "That's the -'Marigold' that we came out of Hull to look for; and on board of her -there's the greatest villain that ever tied a reef-knot or a bowline in -a bight." - -Jimmy sprang out of bed, and hastily dressed in a suit of seaman's -clothes which he found laid out upon a chair. A moment later he was on -the main-deck with the three merchant captains, who had come to some -sort of mutual understanding that they should command the ship together. -They formed a kind of triumvirate, wherein the knowledge, experience and -powers of initiative of each were combined and amplified. - -Crouch turned to Jimmy, and asked him if he had recovered from the -trying ordeal of the previous day. The boy answered that he felt no ill -effects; whereat Crouch laughed, and slapped Whisker on the back. - -"Here's seventeen stone," said he, "that can no more sink in salt water -than a corked-up, empty bottle. Mark my words, my boy, we were not -saved as we were at the eleventh hour for nothing. It doesn't do to -count your chickens afore they're hatched, but Rudolf Stork's not seen -the last of us yet." - -Meanwhile, Cookson had run up the bridge steps, where he called both his -brother captains and Jimmy to his side. - -"There's something suspicious about that smack," said he. "She's got no -sail up; I can see no one on board. She's lying just as if she was at -anchor." - -The daylight was now spreading fast. Already the sun was rising. They -were drawing quite near to the "Marigold," which--as Captain Cookson had -pointed out--appeared to be deserted and riding lazily at anchor. - -As we know, it had been Crouch's intention to run the smack down, to -send her to the bottom. Such a light craft would stand but a small -chance in a direct collision between herself and the heavy ocean tramp. - -However, as they drew near to the "Marigold," it became apparent that -once again they had been foiled by Rudolf Stork. Strange--almost -miraculous--as it must have seemed at first, the fact remained that -Stork and every one of his companions had vanished as completely as if -they had been spirited away. - -A surprise has this effect upon us all: we lose, for the moment, our -natural powers of reasoning; we cannot, as it were, put two and two -together. They could not explain this seeming miracle, until, as in a -flash, they remembered the U93. There could be no question that Stork -and those who were with him had been taken on board the German -submarine. - -Thus, as at a stroke, were all Captain Crouch's hopes dashed to the -ground: his well-laid plans had gone astray. If Stork was already on -board the submarine, he had accomplished the very task for which he had -been sent out into the North Sea. The U93 had been warned of the coming -raid. - -There is an old proverb which reminds us that the worm will sometimes -turn; and this is exactly what happened now. Crouch had set forth in -the "Kitty McQuaire" with the idea of bringing a German spy to his -account. At first Stork had been the fugitive; but before the full disc -of the round morning sun was visible above the skyline, the tables had -been completely turned. - -The U93 rose once again from out of the water like some weird, -remorseless and formidable monster that lives and has its being in the -unfathomable depths of the sea. Almost immediately, two men made their -appearance in the conning-tower; and one of these was the commander, -whilst the other was Rudolf Stork. By a strange coincidence, there was -not another ship in sight, except a trawler, far away to the south. - -The U93, in accordance with the design of the very latest submarines, -was armed with two quick-firing guns. With both of these, without a -moment's delay or hesitation, the Germans opened fire upon the -"Mondavia," raking her with shrapnel from end to end. - -There was no question now as to who commanded the ship; for the very -first projectile burst immediately above the bridge, so that both -Whisker and Cookson--who were standing side by side--were struck, the -former falling heavily to the ground, whereas Captain Cookson, carrying -a hand to his shoulder, cried out that his collar-bone was broken. - -Crouch flew to the "telegraph" which communicated with the engine-room -below, and shouted his orders for "full steam ahead." He then put the -helm hard a-port, and did so only in the nick of time; for the white -streak of a torpedo flashed through the water, missing the steamer's -rudder by five yards at the most. - -There was a kind of fog upon the sea, the surface of which--though by no -means calm--was a great deal less troubled than it had been on the -evening of the previous day. Captain Crouch recognized at once that -their only chance of safety lay in flight. Moreover, two things were -necessary: firstly, never to present a broadside to the submarine, which -would thereby be offered a suitable target for a Krupp torpedo; -secondly, to follow--as far as was possible--a zigzag course, so that a -torpedo, if discharged, would probably miss its mark. - -There followed, during the early hours of that bleak, sunless morning, a -stern chase--a matter of life and death. The "Mondavia" soon proved -herself capable of holding her own. Both wind and tide were against the -submarine, which also--by reason of the fact that she carried the crew -of the "Marigold" over and above her normal complement--was overloaded. -The tramp, which was under full steam, had been dry-docked that very -autumn; and on this occasion she excelled herself, surpassing all that -her builders had ever dreamed of in the way of speed. - -None the less, never for a single instant were those on board the -steamer out of danger. The forward gun of the U93 spat fire like a -cornered cat, raining in quick succession a perfect hurricane of shells -upon the unprotected decks. Crouch behaved as he had done on board the -"Harlech" when that ship had been under fire from the "Dresden's" guns. -He stood steadfast at his post, with Jimmy Burke at his side, giving his -orders to the engine-room and to the quartermaster at the wheel, -encouraging, both by his example and his words, those whose duty it was -to remain upon the deck. - -Once, when he looked back, he saw that the submarine had dropped far -behind. - -"We'll escape, my boy!" he cried. "We'll slip away by the very skin of -our teeth." - -"What's that?" cried Jimmy, whose eyes had been fixed ahead. - -Captain Crouch at once brought his telescope to his only eye. And -there, sure enough, immediately in front of them, standing out in a line -like a great row of forts, right across the horizon, were the great -battle-cruisers of the German Navy which had come from Kiel, that the -white cliffs and green fields of England might echo with the thunder of -their guns. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV--Vae Victis - - -To anyone who has the slightest knowledge of the fighting ships of the -world, the identification of the German Dreadnought cruisers is a -comparatively easy matter. The ships which took part in the third -German raid, which left Kiel on the night of January 23, have certain -characteristics of their own which no one can mistake. - -The latest of these, the "Derfflinger," was launched at Hamburg in 1914. -On the outbreak of war, she was actually performing her trials, and was -no doubt hurriedly completed and commissioned. She is distinguishable -by the fact that all her turrets are in the centre line, an arrangement -that enables the majority of her guns to fire a broadside to either -flank. The main battery consists of eight 12-inch guns. The turbine -engines are of the very latest pattern, and are designed for a speed of -twenty-seven knots. - -The "Seydlitz," a slightly larger edition of the "Moltke" and the -"Goeben," is in a class by herself. She has about the same speed as the -"Derfflinger," but is not so heavily armed, her largest guns not being -greater than 11-inch weapons--a calibre that is unknown on board the -ships of the British Navy. As far as can be ascertained, the "Seydlitz" -cannot be regarded as a complete success. By reason of her great speed, -her heavy batteries and thick armour belt, she consumes, when travelling -at her utmost speed, an amazing amount of fuel, which could not easily -be replaced if the ship were operating in distant seas. - -The "Moltke" is the sister-ship of the famous "Goeben," which succeeded -in escaping from the Mediterranean squadron at the beginning of the war, -seeking refuge in the Bosphorus, where she hoisted the Turkish ensign. -The "Moltke" was launched at Hamburg in 1910, and is considerably faster -than either the "Seydlitz" or the "Derfflinger"--which can be accounted -for by the fact that she is not so heavily armoured. - -The last ship of the squadron, the "Bluecher," is, for more reasons than -one, likely to be of the greatest interest to English readers; firstly, -because of the fate with which she met, and secondly, because of her -history. - -In the year 1908, it was known in German Naval circles that the British -Admiralty was building a new class of ship, which was to combine -something of the heavy batteries and armour-plate protection of a -battleship with the speed of a first-class cruiser. The designs of -these ships--which are now known as the "Invincible" class--were kept -wholly secret; and beyond the fact that they were likely to prove a kind -of combination of the Dreadnought and the cruiser, nothing concerning -the details of their construction was known either at Hamburg or at -Kiel. - -It was none the less necessary for the German naval authorities to -design and construct some kind of ship capable of holding its own -against the British "Invincibles"; and the "Bluecher" was the result. - -It must be confessed--even by the most patriotic Junkers that ever -swaggered in Unter den Linden--that she was a failure. When launched, -the ship was found to be very greatly inferior to its British rivals. -The "Bluecher" carried twelve 8.2-inch guns as against the eight 12-inch -guns of the "Invincible." Her top speed was also a good knot an hour -less than that which could be accomplished by the British ships, in -spite of the fact that she was no better protected and was even more -expensive in regard to fuel. It is, indeed, doubtful whether this ship -can rightly be called a "battle cruiser," though--to her cost--she was -included in the German battle-cruiser squadron that set forth from the -Bight of Heligoland, on the morning of January 24, to raid the English -coast. - -All these ships have a most formidable appearance. Combining, as they -do, great strength with maximum speed, they are enemies not to be -despised. They appear even more powerful than they are, since all lie -low in the water and have enormous, stumpy funnels from which the black -smoke rolls in clouds. - -Captain Crouch, who was well acquainted with the ships of the German -Navy, recognized them the moment he brought his telescope to bear in -their direction, and saw at once the extreme danger of the situation. -The German cruisers, steering due north-west, were making straight for -the "Mondavia," which was already within range of the great 11-inch -guns. Flight would be altogether useless, since the men-of-war were -travelling at, at least, twice the pace of the tramp. Moreover, to turn -back would be doubly fatal, since this would bring the "Mondavia" within -range of a torpedo discharged from the submarine. - -Captain Crouch was not a man who took long to make up his mind. When it -was necessary to act, to take the greatest risks, he never hesitated to -do so. He may already have given himself up for lost, or else he may -have thought that a small chance, one last hope, remained; in any case, -he put the ship about, and steaming at full speed, made straight for the -U93. - -As he did so, the submarine re-opened fire; and once again the -"Mondavia" was raked from forecastle to poop, so that the life of every -man on board was in the utmost peril. Nor was this all, for a greater -calamity was yet to come. It was as if a thunder-cloud had burst -immediately above them, when the great guns of the "Bluecher" opened -fire. - -A loud report smote the cold, grey waters of the Dogger Bank in such a -manner as the hammer of Vulcan must have sounded and echoed in Olympus. -Almost immediately, the great shell was heard shrieking and singing on -its way. It fell some distance short, plunging into the sea at a point -from which a huge column of water shot upward like a jet. - -We have all seen raindrops splashing in a puddle, and this is precisely -what happens, on a very much larger scale, when projectiles from modern -guns strike the surface of the sea. Sometimes, owing to the extreme -sensitiveness of many high explosives, shells will burst on impact with -the water, which is churned white by the explosion, as under the triple -screws of an Atlantic liner. The fire from the quick-firing guns on -board the submarine was a menace to the individual lives of those on -board the tramp; but one shell from the "Bluecher," if it struck a vital -part of the ship, would suffice to send her to the bottom. - -It must be remembered that the range of the great guns of modern navies -is so long that ships come into action the moment they are in sight. In -this case, the German battle-cruisers were still so far distant that -they could not have been recognized with the naked eye. No more was -visible than the great funnels, from each of which was issuing a long -trail of smoke; so that the gigantic ships appeared as four black -smudges on the sky-line. - -To them the "Mondavia" must have appeared as but a small speck upon the -horizon; and, in face of this, it is somewhat remarkable that the -"Bluecher" should have opened fire with such little hesitation. At that -distance she could not possibly have seen the submarine, which was more -than a mile to the north of the steamer. Hence, since the "Mondavia" -flew no flag, it was not at first apparent to Captain Crouch on what -justification the German gunners had got to work. - -There is, however, a factor in modern warfare, both on sea and land, -which must always be taken into account; and this is expressed in one -word--"Wireless." The U93 was moving forward at her topmost surface -speed. She was equipped with wireless apparatus, of which, of course, -the "Mondavia" was deficient; and there could be little doubt that the -U93 was already in direct communication with the "Bluecher." - -What her first message was may safely be left to the imagination. She -must have signalled to the effect that the tramp was an enemy, flying -for safety, with the German submarine in hot pursuit. The commander of -the U93 had realized that his prey was fast slipping through his -fingers, that the "Mondavia" was making good her escape by means of her -superior speed and the ability of her commander. - -Hence, the U93 needed assistance, and fortunately for her, powerful -support was close at hand. She sent her wireless signal to the -"Bluecher," the nearest of the four German battle-cruisers; and -presently, in quick succession, the great guns were thudding forth their -messages of destruction. - -Luckily for Captain Crouch and all those on board the tramp, the range -was still too long for accurate shooting. The "Mondavia" had completed -a semicircle, and was now steaming back upon her own track. For all -that, if the chase was continued, the battle-cruisers must soon come -within decisive range, when no power on earth could serve to save the -ship. - -Captain Whisker had been carried below unconscious. Cookson was in his -own cabin, where, with the help of the ship's steward, he was -endeavouring to bandage his hurt shoulder. As neither one nor the other -had the slightest knowledge of first-aid dressing, the thing was -clumsily done; and besides, the captain had lost so much blood already -that he was very nearly in a fainting condition, and in no fit state to -return to his post on the bridge. - -Fortunately, in Captain Crouch, there was one on board capable of -dealing with the situation, who saw at once that desperate measures were -necessary, and was resolved to take them. - -It was impossible to suppose that the "Mondavia" could live for long -under fire from the guns of such monster ships as the German -battle-cruisers. One well-placed shell--as we have said--would be -sufficient to complete the business. Still, inasmuch as Captain Crouch -was fleeing from the men-of-war with all the speed he could, the chances -were that the fatal moment would be delayed. The German ships were -steaming ahead at the rate of about twenty-five knots an hour, with the -result that the "Mondavia" was being rapidly overhauled. Even now, the -great shells were falling in dangerous proximity to the ship. - -The commander of the U93 saw his danger in a trice. No doubt he had -thought it quite improbable that the "Mondavia" would turn and make back -upon her own wake. Had Crouch not been a man of iron, he would have -endeavoured to escape towards the coast. As it was, he headed straight -for the submarine with all the engine power that the old tramp had at -her disposal. - -The "Bluecher's" shells were falling thick and fast, when quite suddenly -the battle-cruiser ceased firing, so that the silence that fell upon the -sea seemed strange and deathlike after the colossal uproar of the guns. -The truth was that the commander of the submarine and Rudolf Stork -himself, both of whom were still together in the conning-tower, had been -the first to recognize that the U93 was in danger of destruction from -the "Bluecher's" shells, since the submarine and the steamer were -drawing closer and closer together. Accordingly, another wireless -message was despatched, asking the "Bluecher" to hold back her fire. - -In warfare, it often happens that deeds are accomplished so daring that -even those who witness them cannot believe them true. So was it now -with the commander of the U93, who could not at first bring himself to -believe that it was Crouch's deliberate intention to run him down. - -A torpedo, fired from the submarine, passed through the water like a -flash of light, and missed the "Mondavia's" bows by a matter of inches. -Captain Crouch, upon the bridge, threw back his head and laughed; but it -was the laugh of one who was quite beside himself with intense -excitement and the savage exhilaration of the moment. - -Jimmy Burke could not refrain from laughing, too. The moment was one of -ecstasy. They were flying onward through the water straight for what -looked like sudden death; the living shells no longer plunged into the -sea on either side of the ship, but the small quick-firing guns of the -submarine had re-opened with a deadly accuracy. Indeed, the range was -so decisive that it was almost impossible to miss so large a target. - -The canvas screens, which guarded the bridge upon which Crouch and Jimmy -Burke were standing, were torn to rags and tatters. The funnel was so -riddled with shot that it was like a sieve. The teak decks were -splintered right and left, and in some places the taffrails were so -twisted by the sheer force of exploding shells that they resembled -corkscrews. - -As they drew nearer to the submarine, the danger they were in became -more imminent. The noise was deafening. The surface of the sea both to -port and starboard was lashed by showers of shrapnel bullets, so that it -was just as if hailstones were falling from the leaden skies. - -At this supreme moment, Jimmy Burke could not take his eyes from Captain -Crouch, who was like a man transfigured. In his very attitude there was -something heroic. He now stood motionless, still and silent as a statue -cut in stone. He no longer laughed. He looked neither to the right nor -left, but straight ahead, his great, square chin protruding more than -ever, his single eye fixed and yet ablaze. - -He himself was at the helm. The quartermaster, whose place he had -taken, lay face downward in the welter of his blood, struck stone dead -in the fulfilment of his duty. - -Crouch gripped the handles of the wheel so tightly that the knuckles on -his sunburnt hands showed white beneath the taut skin. The man was -evidently wrought up to the very highest pitch, his iron nerves strained -to the utmost. When the shells burst about his ears, he never flinched, -nor moved the fraction of an inch. He kept his eyes glued to the German -submarine ahead, and moved the wheel, first this way and then that, so -that the bows of the "Mondavia" were ever directed straight for the U93. - -The commander of the submarine saw his danger just too late. He put his -helm hard a-starboard, hoping to escape across the steamer's bows, and -get a broadside target for his last torpedo. The movement was fatal, -for Crouch's eye was quick to see, as his hands were quick to act. The -"Mondavia" swung in upon her victim, as a half-blind rhinoceros charges -when brought to bay. - -Jimmy Burke, forgetful of his own great danger and the extreme peril in -which all on board lay, dashed down the bridge steps, crossed the -forward well-deck, and raced to the forecastle-peak. - -He reached this point of vantage in time to behold the consummation of -this tragedy, or epic--or whatever it may be. He looked down upon the -submarine, rocking on the swell, and saw a torpedo shoot into the sea -and flash into nothing in the distance. He could see those of the crew -who were on deck--the men who had worked the guns. They were so close -he could even distinguish the whites of their staring eyes. And there, -standing at the elbow of the round-faced, young commander, was Rudolf -Stork--the paid servant of the Wilhelmstrasse, the man who had served -the Fatherland for gold. - -Rage seized him when Stork saw his danger and recognized the boy who had -tracked him, half by pluck and half by chance, from the close-packed -streets of New York City to the sombre desolation of the Dogger Bank. -And then, fury gave place to terror--the last emotion that seizes all -men who find themselves confronted by inevitable death. - -There is nothing strange in that. Whatever faith we have in God, the -only Over-Lord of Victory, death, standing on the threshold, must seem -terrible by reason of the darkness and the mystery of the grave. All -men have sinned, and this poor, desperate hireling more than most; and -perhaps, at that grave, anxious moment, he saw the evil of his life take -living shape and rise before him from the depths to taunt, threaten and -condemn. - -Be that as it may, he clasped his hands, and looked upward to the sky, -as if seeking mercy there. And then, the iron bows of the steamer -crashed into the U93. There was a loud bursting sound--a kind of -wrench--and simultaneously a shout--human voices uplifted in anguish and -dismay. And the U93 crumpled--just crumpled like a paper cap--and -vanished in a thin, hissing cloud of steam, leaving upon the surface a -great, glassy pool of floating oil. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI--The Titans - - -The U93 went to the bottom like a stone. On the surface of the water a -modern submarine is as vulnerable as she is deadly underneath it. These -boats, when compared to ocean-going steamers, have but little stability -and strength. They are the vipers of the sea--venomous snakes whose -backs may be broken with the lash of a whip, whose heads can be crushed -with a stone. - -No sign of the submarine remained upon the surface, except the pool of -oil and the struggling forms of three men, who had somehow escaped -destruction at the moment of the collision. To save the lives of these -was a duty that devolved upon Captain Crouch, by dint of the fact that, -though he loathed the German nation from the Kaiser downward, he was -still a British seaman who could not stand by in idleness and witness -the needless death even of those who had betrayed him. - -Lifebuoys were cast overboard, and with a promptness which says much for -the discipline on board the "Mondavia," a boat was lowered, into which -the three drenched, exhausted men were hauled neck and crop. - -They were found to be three simple sailors; and though, because they -were subordinates, they cannot be held entirely free from blame, it must -be confessed that Captain Crouch was not filled with a great remorse -that the irony of fate had not decreed that he should save the life of -Rudolf Stork. In such a war as this personal animosity cannot be -altogether absent. It was from the very beginning a war to the knife; -and by methods of warfare hitherto undreamed of by the people of -civilized nations, by abuse of the Red Cross and the enemy's uniform, -and the introduction of poisonous gases and bullets reversed in their -cartridge cases, Germany has decreed that it shall remain a war to the -knife to the very end. Humanity, chivalry, even gallantry--these are -the virtues that belonged to the heroes of the past: the paladins, the -Crusaders, Wellington's soldiers, Nelson's sailors and the old Guard at -Waterloo. Nor can the honest nations be held to blame to-day if the -common enemy chooses to cast aside all that tends to make glorious and -noble the terrors and the fearful sacrifices of war. - -In sinking one of the most famous of the U-boats within range of the -great guns of four of the most powerful of the German battle-cruisers, -Captain Crouch accomplished a feat which was as much to his own credit -as it was of service to his country. Still, he could never have -succeeded had he not been cast in a most heroic mould. Three separate -times did the U93 attempt to torpedo the ship, and on each occasion the -"Mondavia" escaped by a matter of a few feet, which is little enough -when we come to consider the illimitable magnitude of the sea. Moreover, -the merchant ship had been riddled fore, aft and amidships by the -submarine's quick-firing guns, and it was sheer good luck that not one -of these shells had struck a vital part of the ship. Two or three below -the water-line would have been enough to cause the "Mondavia" to sink. -Had the ship's steam steering-gear been damaged, or her engines rendered -useless, Crouch could never have rammed the submarine and sent her to -the bottom. On this occasion, as so often happens, fortune had favoured -the brave. The boldest course had proved the safest after all. - -However, the "Mondavia" was far from being out of danger, as those on -board were soon to learn. The battle-cruisers had by now drawn so close -to the British steamer that, in all probability, the loss of the -submarine had been witnessed through the captain's telescope from the -"Bluecher's" bridge. At all events, five minutes had not elapsed after -the three German seamen had been rescued from the water before once -again the great guns of the "Bluecher" opened fire. - -This time, by reason of the fact that the range was more decisive, the -"Mondavia" was in far more deadly peril. Every shell, as it came -whistling and shrieking through the air, seemed to cry out aloud for -vengeance for those who had perished on the U93. - -To make matters worse, the "Moltke" took up the quarrel--if such it can -be called, when on one side there is a giant and on the other a -pigmy--and pounded the steamer till the sea on either side was white -with beaten foam. - -The battle-cruisers were still steaming due north-westward. For miles -the horizon was streaked black with rolling smoke. Crouch could -scarcely hope to make good his escape by heading straight for the coast. -The "Mondavia" was far out to sea, and if she changed her course to the -westward would be travelling in an oblique line across the front of the -German cruisers, and of a certainty would be overhauled and sunk before -she had gone a mile. - -Crouch's only chance lay in holding to the same course as the enemy -ships. Before long the "Mondavia" must be overtaken and destroyed. -However, for the time being, Crouch could strive to delay the inevitable -moment. - -It was then a little after seven o'clock. The atmosphere was clear -though the sky was cloudy. The sun, which had appeared for a few -moments at daybreak, was now masked and invisible, except for a patch of -brightness above the eastern sky-line. There were no ships in sight, -save for a few trawlers veering towards the north. On that fateful -morning the neighbourhood of the Dogger Bank--swarming as a rule with -fishing craft of every kind and description--was unusually deserted. - -The German battle-cruisers were now close enough for their hulls to be -distinguishable. The outline of each ship stood forth, clear-cut and -black, against the sky-line. Each was rushing forward at its topmost -speed, bearing down with inevitable precision upon the defenceless cargo -ship, which, like an exhausted, hunted animal, strained every bolt, bar -and rivet to save herself from unutterable disaster. Suddenly, it became -apparent that, in addition to the Dreadnought cruisers, the sea was -alive with a host of smaller craft--light cruisers and -torpedo-boat-destroyers. There were in all--so far as they could -see--six light cruisers and a number of destroyers, which were spread -out on all sides like a ring of skirmishers or scouts. - -In less than five minutes, the "Mondavia" was reduced to a floating -wreck. She was so riddled with shell, so battered, torn and damaged, -that she was no more than a sheer hulk, lying idle on the waves. Her -funnel had been struck low down, and hurled piecemeal overboard, taking -with it the greater part of the boat-deck and the upper davits. Both -masts had been shot away, the main-mast falling forward, so that all the -superstructure on the main-deck, from the companion-way to the -chartroom, had been reduced to ruins. In the sides of the ship there -were, at least, half-a-dozen gaping holes, each one large enough to -admit the body of a man. One shell had burst in the engine-room, -killing the chief engineer and wounding three of his assistants, and -leaving the engines no more than a mass of scrap-iron. - -How Crouch and Jimmy Burke lived in the midst of this, it is not -possible to say. The dogs of war, ferocious though they be, are -sometimes kind and sometimes pitifully cruel. One man will be killed by -a spent bullet the very moment he comes within the sound of guns; -whereas another, time and again, will live in the midst of mad, raging -carnage, and come forth unscathed and still alive. - -Crouch's clothes were in rags and tatters. He had been hurled to the -forward well-deck when the bridge had given way, and had found himself -buried beneath a heap of splintered wood and twisted brass and iron. He -was bruised from head to foot, and had been, at first, a little stunned; -for a moment he had not been able to remember where he was. - -And Jimmy Burke was in no better plight. Indeed, he looked as if he had -received a mortal wound, for he was all sprinkled with the blood of a -man who had been killed quite near to him--a poor fellow who had been -literally blown to pieces by an 11-inch shell that burst at his very -feet. - -Crouch, followed by Jimmy, dragged himself to the forecastle, which was -the only point of vantage left on the demolished, shattered ship. Save -these two, no one was to be seen upon the deck, in which great holes -yawned like chasms. Here and there, in horrid attitudes, lay those who -had given up their lives, who had been murdered--for it was nothing else -but murder--under the Naval Ensign of the German Empire, for the vile -cause of the Fatherland and Kultur. - -The great shells still rained in fierce and venomous profusion. Sooner -or later, the unhappy ship must be struck below the water-line, when -nothing could save the lives of those on board; for, not one of the -ship's boats remained, and they could hope for little mercy from German -seamen. - -Captain Crouch looked about him like a man who finds himself, upon a -sudden, on the horns of a dilemma. In spite of his dishevelled and -tattered garments, he appeared quite unconcerned. He took not the least -notice of either the great shells or the deafening explosions which -every few seconds rent the air. He stood with his legs wide parted, and -both hands thrust into his trousers pockets. - -"I don't know how it is we're still alive," said he; "or how the old -ship isn't lying on her beam ends, at the bottom of the sea. It's a -mystery that no one will ever solve. It would stump Solomon himself, or -my name was never Crouch." - -"It can't last," said Jimmy, with his eyes fixed upon the gigantic -shadow of the "Bluecher." - -"You're right, my boy," said Crouch; "it can't last; that's sure. We've -run our course; we've hove in sight of the harbour lights where all men -some day come to port. There's no need to signal for a pilot." - -Even as he spoke, a shell came rushing past their ears, so close that -the hot air in their faces was like the blast from an oven. It plunged -into the sea, not twenty yards from the "Mondavia's" bows; and both -Crouch and his young companion were wetted from head to foot with spray. - -"Another one like that," said Crouch, "and there's an end to you and me, -and the poor old ship as well." - -For the next five minutes, these two stood side by side, waiting in -heroic patience for the end, which seemed so long in coming. And then, -on a sudden, like the sharp bark of an angry dog, a gun spoke--from the -north. - -Crouch had lost his telescope; but, bringing the open palm of a hand to -his brow, he strained his eye ahead. - -"Look there!" he cried. "Look there!" - -"What is it?" asked Jimmy, breathless with instant hope and the terror -of the moment. "What is it?" - -"I may be wrong," said Crouch; "but, unless I'm much mistaken, that's -one of the British light cruisers of the 'Arethusa' class, in all -probability the 'Arethusa' herself, or else the 'Aurora.'" - -A few minutes sufficed to prove Captain Crouch in the right. The -"Aurora"--for it was she--had opened fire upon the leading enemy light -cruiser, which lay some distance to the east. And presently, two other -British ships appeared, which Crouch identified as the "Southampton" and -the "Arethusa." - -The appearance of the British men-of-war meant the saving of the -"Mondavia"; since, the very moment the light-cruiser squadron hove in -sight, the German Dreadnoughts left the merchant vessel to her fate, and -directed their fire upon an enemy who was capable of answering back. - -For all that, it was still a rank unequal fight; and Captain Crouch was -even more perturbed as to what would be the fate of the light cruisers -under the heavy gun-fire of the "Moltke," the "Derfflinger," the -"Bluecher" and the "Seydlitz," than he had been anxious about himself -and the ship that he commanded. - -"By thunder!" he exclaimed. "They're as game as bantams. I never saw -the like of it! They've speed enough, it's true; but if it comes to a -square fight, they won't be able to keep above water for half-an-hour at -the most." - -It seemed, indeed, that the light-cruiser squadron was purposely -courting death. Seven ships were now in sight: the "Southampton," -"Nottingham," "Birmingham," "Lowestoft," "Arethusa," "Aurora" and -"Undaunted," besides Commodore Tyrwhitt's destroyer flotillas. These -ships would have proved far more than a match for the lighter German -men-of-war, but the presence of the four "Dreadnoughts" put a very -different aspect on the situation. And yet, the "Arethusa" and her -sisters tore onward, at full steam ahead, making straight into the very -jaws of a formidable and powerful foe - -"I'm thinking," said Captain Crouch to Jimmy, "I'm thinking the -'Arethusa' must have something up her sleeve." - -She had. She knew that she was backed up by some of the finest ships -that were ever launched, the monarchs of the sea. And presently, from -the north, the sudden report of a great gun smote the desolation of the -Dogger Bank with a mighty thunder-clap which was like the bursting of -the skies. And a little after, there hove into sight upon the northern -sky-line, the "Tiger" and the "Lion," and, in their wake, the "Princess -Royal," the "Indomitable" and the "New Zealand." The Titans were come -to pick up the gauntlet thrown by the Giants. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII--The Battle of the Dogger Bank - - -The German Emperor had styled himself "The Admiral of the Atlantic"--a -title that rested largely upon the power and seeming invincibility of -such battle-cruisers as the "Seydlitz," and the "Goeben." - -For all that, the dominion of the Western Ocean--as, indeed, of all the -High Seas from the Gulf of Mexico to the Sea of Japan--had been settled -generations ago, before ever the first ship of the Prussian Navy was -launched, when Sir Francis Drake sailed to the Spanish Main and the guns -of Nelson's wooden, three-decked ships thundered in the Bay of Aboukir. - -The German press and people may have claimed at the outset of the war -that the steel ships of modern navies had never been put to the test, -and Britain had once again to prove that she was Mistress of the Seas. -In this sweeping announcement an important fact was forgotten: namely, -that it was Britain herself who had invented, designed and launched the -very first ironclad that ever put to sea. And what England had -invented, England, in all probability, knew how to use. - -There was no reason to suppose that Great Britain had fallen in any way -behind the other nations in the art of naval construction. So much -skill, science and money had been expended in the naval dockyards of the -country that Englishmen had every reason to believe that, when the -tragedy of a universal war fell like a thunderbolt upon the whole -civilized world, the British Navy would not be found wholly unprepared. - -If the "Derfflinger" and her companions were the giants of the ocean, -the British battle-cruisers were the Titans. They represented the -triumph of modern naval construction. They were the very finest ships -afloat. - -The "Lion," which led the line, steaming at the rate of twenty-eight -knots an hour, carried a main armament of ten 13.5-inch guns, and flew -the flag of the Vice-Admiral, Sir David Beatty. She and her -sister-ship, the "Princess Royal," are ships that cannot easily be -mistaken. They have three funnels; one almost amidships, another aft; -whereas the third, which is considerably more slender than the others, -is situated abaft the mainmast, immediately in rear of the bridge. - -The "Invincible" has already been mentioned as the first type of -battle-cruiser ever built; and the "Indomitable," the ship that -accompanied Sir David Beatty on that eventful morning, was a slightly -smaller member of the same class. The "New Zealand" was an improved -type, slightly larger, but capable of no greater speed. The normal -speed of both these last-named ships was inferior to that of the "Tiger" -and the "Lion" by at least three knots an hour. - -Of the whole squadron, the "Tiger" was perhaps the masterpiece. This -ship is the largest battle-cruiser afloat. She was laid down at -Clydebank, and launched in 1914. Her total cost has been estimated at -two million, two hundred thousand pounds--a sum considerably in excess -of the cost of the very latest Dreadnought battleship, such as the "Iron -Duke" or the "Maryborough." She is armed, like the "Lion," with -13.5-inch guns. In appearance, having three funnels of the same size -and only one mast, she resembles no other ship afloat. In her, and in -the "Lion" and her sisters, the most wonderful results have been -obtained. These ships have a normal speed of twenty-eight knots an -hour, which can no doubt be exceeded under stress; that is to say, they -are capable of travelling at half the rate of an express train, in spite -of the fact that they are heavily armoured, and carry colossal guns, -which have an effective range at seven miles. - -The turbine engines of the "Tiger" are something to marvel at. They -have a horse-power of a hundred thousand; whereas the turbines of a -great battleship, such as the "Iron Duke," are designed for twenty-nine -thousand horse-power. - -The fight that took place that bleak, wintry morning, in the -neighbourhood of the Dogger Bank, was the first occasion upon which -ships of the "Dreadnought" period were matched against each other. It -was therefore something in the nature of an experiment. Both the -English and the German navies had a certain amount of curiosity in -regard to the fighting capacities of their opponents, which neither the -Battle in the Bight of Heligoland, nor even the engagement off the -Falkland Islands, had served to satisfy. For instance, British seamen, -believing half the tales they had heard, had come to believe that German -naval gunnery was something almost superhuman. Also, the comparative -value had yet to be proved of the British heavy 13.5-inch gun as opposed -to the lighter, but quicker firing, 11-inch weapon with which the German -cruisers were armed. - -The combat that ensued was greatly to the credit of the British Navy. It -proved, in the first place, that our naval constructors had not been at -fault, that our Intelligence Department was efficient and alert, and -that British gunnery was by no means inferior to the German, and last, -but not least, that the spirit that animated British seamen was the same -that had existed in bygone days, when Drake, Blake, Hawke, Nelson and -St. Vincent swept the enemies of Britain from the seas. - -The first part of the action was witnessed by both Crouch and Jimmy -Burke from the shattered, broken deck of the "Mondavia." Of the -concluding phase they heard afterwards, when they were picked up, like -men who had been marooned, by H.M.S. "Cockroach," which--it will be -remembered--was the self-same torpedo-boat-destroyer which had come to -the assistance of the "Harlech" off the Scilly Isles. - -The "Lion" and the "Tiger" tore into action with something of the -ferocity of the noble, savage beasts from whom they had taken their -names. The "Lion" was in the van, with the pennant of Sir David Beatty -flying in the wind. A long trail of black smoke came from her triple -funnels, as shot after shot rang out in slow precision, like the sullen -tolling of a bell. - -At first she did no more than endeavour to pick up the range. A -distance of about eleven miles still separated the rival ships. The -"Mondavia" lay mid-way between the two squadrons, so that the hulls of -both the German and the British ships stood forth upon either horizon -with alarming clearness. - -It was precisely nine minutes past nine when the "Lion" hit the -"Bluecher." Shortly afterwards, the "Tiger" drew up to within range, -and the "Lion" fired salvo after salvo at the "Seydlitz," which stood -third in the German line. - -Presently, the "Princess Royal" joined in the battle, and fired with -such deadly accuracy that almost at once the Bluecher was observed to be -rapidly falling astern. - -It was a running fight across the open reaches of the North Sea. The -Germans were heading straight for safety, for Heligoland and the -mine-field in the Bight; and it was now that it was proved that as good -work can be done on board a ship in action in the stokeholds as in the -turrets. - -As has been explained, the "Indomitable" and the "New Zealand" were not -such fast ships as the three larger cruisers. The stokers were called -upon to make stupendous efforts, and as one man they answered to the -call. Every available hand was turned down to the stokeholds, and there -they worked like Trojans, stripped to the waist as seamen fought in the -days of old, until they were black as negroes from the coal dust, and -the perspiration poured from off their moist and glistening backs. - -The noise of the firing was now like a tremendous thunderstorm. On both -sides the battle-cruisers were engaged, whereas the lighter craft and -torpedo-boat-destroyers flew here and there like swarms of gnats, their -quick-firing guns spluttering right and left. - -When it became apparent that the "Bluecher" was seriously damaged, the -"Princess Royal" shifted her fire to the "Seydlitz," leaving the -"Bluecher" to the by-no-means tender mercy of the "New Zealand" and -"Indomitable." - -Both the "Seydlitz" and "Derfflinger" were in a bad way: the former was -seen to be on fire. The Vice-Admiral ordered the flotilla cruisers and -destroyers to drop back, as their smoke was fouling the range, and the -German ships were completely screened from view by the black clouds that -rolled upon the surface of the sea. - -It was this that at once saved the "Seydlitz" and sealed the fate of the -"Bluecher." The "Tiger," as soon as the third ship in the German line -became invisible, turned her attention to the "Bluecher," which was -already being pounded to death by the 12-inch guns of the "New Zealand." - -As a last hope, the German admiral ordered his destroyers to drop back, -to threaten the British ships with their torpedoes, and to foul with -their black smoke the line of fire. For a moment, this new danger was -so imminent that both the "Lion" and the "Tiger" were obliged to shift -their fire from the battle-cruisers to the destroyers, which soon -afterwards were compelled to beat a hasty retreat. - -The "Bluecher"--which a few minutes before had seemed so formidable and -had presented so bold a front--was now in the last throes of her death. -It is not possible for anyone to describe, it would be sheer presumption -for anyone even to attempt to describe, the scenes of horror and carnage -that were taking place between the "Bluecher's" decks. - -She was riddled like a sieve. Her seven-inch plates amidships had been -hammered into pig-iron; her four-inch plates, forward and aft, had been -shattered into fragments. One of her great guns had suffered a direct -hit; and a weapon, weighing thirty-six tons, and capable of firing a -projectile of six hundred and sixty-one pounds, was cast bodily into the -sea like a broken toy. Both her masts were shot away. Her forward -funnel was uprooted like a rotten tree in a gale. Her battery decks -were strewn with the mangled remains of the men who--it must be -confessed--stuck to their guns until there were no guns left to serve, -who fought with extreme gallantry to the very end. - -If naval warfare is more romantic, less monotonous and weary than the -trench-fighting to which the armies in Flanders have been reduced, it -is, at least, in such cases as the fate of the "Bluecher," even more -ghastly and more tragic. - -The great ship had taken on a heavy list to port. Her speed had died -down gradually to not much more than fifteen knots an hour, when -suddenly she hauled out and steered straight for the north. - -Upon the instant the "Indomitable," like a great savage, stealthy -animal, broke from the British line and bore down upon her prey. There -was something in her aspect, in her dull, slate-grey outline, that -reminded one of an enormous cat that creeps upon a bird lying helpless -with a broken wing. - -One after the other in quick succession her guns roared upon the beaten -ship, which suddenly heeled right over so that the light colour below -her waterline glittered in the daylight, and only the tops of her -remaining funnels were visible from the starboard side. And then, she -dived. With a roar, and in the midst of a great cloud of steam, she, -with six hundred souls on board, slid into the depths. - -In the meantime, the battle continued as the great ships raced towards -the south. Both the "Seydlitz" and the "Derfflinger" had been severely -punished; and there is little doubt that the victory would have been -made far more complete than it was, had not a mishap befallen the -"Lion." A shell from the "Derfflinger" struck her in a vital part, so -that she dipped peak-foremost in the sea. Moreover, her engines had -been damaged; and it was this that had the immediate effect of putting -her out of the action, since she could no longer hope to keep pace with -either the "Tiger" or the "Princess Royal." - -Admiral Beatty, boarding the destroyer "Attack," shifted his flag to the -"Princess Royal," and did not rejoin his squadron until half-past -eleven, when he met them retiring towards the north. He then learnt -what had happened from Rear-Admiral Brock. The German ships had been -pursued to the very mouth of the mine-field, where the British squadron -was threatened by submarines and seaplanes, besides a gigantic Zeppelin -which had put out from Heligoland. It is fully in accordance with -German views upon the conduct of modern naval warfare, that this -Zeppelin should have dropped bombs among the British boats that were -endeavouring to save the lives of the survivors of the "Bluecher," who -were swimming here and there at random. Had it not been for this -dastardly incident, the Germans might have had some good reason to be -proud of the Battle of the Dogger Bank. Their ships were outmatched and -overpowered, and yet they fought gallantly in face of heavy odds. As the -matter stands, not only did they tarnish the honour of their country -once again, by scorning the noblest traditions of the sea, but they had -the audacity to claim the whole affair as a glorious German victory. - -They did this in the belief that they had sunk the "Tiger" or the -"Lion," or both. As a matter of fact, the total British casualties, -including killed and wounded, were four officers and thirty petty -officers and men; and the material injury done to the "Tiger" and the -"Lion" was only such as would take a few weeks to repair, though it was -certainly necessary to tow the last-named ship to port. - -On the German side the losses were considerable. The "Bluecher," which -was certainly a notable asset to the German navy, was sunk; whereas the -"Derfflinger" and "Seydlitz" were damaged much more seriously than any -British ship. As far as personnel was concerned, the total German -casualties certainly exceeded a thousand--killed, wounded and prisoners. - -But the Battle of the Dogger Bank cannot be regarded solely in respect -of the relative loss of ships and men on either side. It was much more. -Its moral effect was universal. It re-established the old order of -things that had existed at the outbreak of war. It decided, once -and--we must hope--for all, British supremacy upon the seas. Though a -small action--as things go nowadays--it was decisive, in the same sense -as the defeat of the Spanish Armada, the battles of the First of June, -Trafalgar and the Nile. - -The flag of Germany had already been swept from the seas. The lesson of -the Dogger Bank to Grand Admiral von Tirpitz and his colleagues amounted -to this: that it was not only a risky, but was likely to prove an -exceedingly unprofitable undertaking, to operate with sea-going -ships--whether battleships, cruisers or destroyers--far from the -security of the Kiel Canal. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII--The Wounded "Lion" - - -As the battle rolled away in the distance, and the smoke of the great -fighting ships grew faint beyond the southern skyline, Captain Crouch -and Jimmy Burke remained standing together on the forecastle peak of the -half-wrecked cargo ship. Not a word had been spoken for some time. It -was Crouch who was the first to find his voice. - -"All my life I've been proud of one thing," said he: "that I was born a -Britisher. I was always sort of sorry for a dago of any kind. But, -half-an-hour ago, when I saw the 'Lion' and the 'Tiger' come charging -into action, I felt something in my throat, my lad, that I never felt -before. It was just wonderful and splendid. War, nowadays, isn't so -much a matter of physical strength and courage as a question of national -wealth, industry and invention; we live in a scientific age. And, take -it from me, a ship like the 'Tiger' is a kind of eighth wonder of the -modern world." - -"I suppose," said Jimmy, "that what you say is true; things have changed -since men fought with cutlasses and boarded enemy ships. It's more -terrible to-day--and marvellous." - -"So it seems to me, too," said Captain Crouch. "And now, this is no -time to stand idle; there's much for both of us to do. Firstly, we must -look to the wounded--and I'm afraid there are more than enough on board. -Secondly, we must see if anything can be done to get the engines under -way." - -Accordingly, then and there, they went down into the engine-room, which -they found in a state of chaos. As we know, the chief engineer had been -killed; but, in the alley-way on the starboard side they encountered the -second engineer, whose head was done up in a bandage. He had been -knocked down by the force of an exploding shell, and his head cut open -against an iron stanchion. - -It was he, with Crouch and Jimmy Burke, who gathered together as many of -the ship's hands as they could find in a fit state to do an hour's -honest work. They removed such of the smaller parts of the machinery as -had been thrown out of gear, when the total amount of damage done could -be estimated. It was at once evident that there was no possibility -whatsoever of the engines being repaired. Moreover, how the old ship -remained afloat was little short of a miracle. They could hope for -nothing but to be found either by the British squadron returning to home -waters or some ship bound for Newcastle, Leith or Hull. - -As far as the wounded were concerned, they were able to do much. Crouch -took possession of the ship's medicine chest, and soon proved that he -had a passable knowledge of both surgery and medicine. A man who has -spent a great part of his life in the wilderness of Central Africa is -not likely to be wholly ignorant as far as drugs are concerned. - -More than a fifth of the crew had been killed; and many of the wounded -had received the most ghastly injuries. The modern rifle bullet is a -humane means of waging war. Being nickel-plated it gives a clean wound, -which under ordinary conditions will heal rapidly. If it kills, it -kills instantly, and as often as not without pain. Shell fire, however, -is very different. Leaden shrapnel bullets are both large, rough-edged, -and liable to cause gangrene in those who are not in the best of health. -Common shell, charged with high explosives, causes infinite damage; and -on board steel-plated ships, or in the vicinity of houses, men are -horribly maimed and wounded by fragments of masonry and iron, by flying -stones and splintered woodwork. - -Captain Whisker was in a bad way. Though a man of considerable physical -strength, he was in no fit condition to suffer continual loss of blood. -His temperature had already risen to extreme fever heat; and there is -little doubt that, had Crouch not administered suitable drugs in the -right proportion, his old shipmate would have lost his life. As for -Captain Cookson, sitting in a comfortable chair in the midst of the -wreckage of what had once been his cabin, he gave vent to his feelings -and opinions in regard to the German Empire. - -Like all sailors he loved his ship. A true seaman will be a special -pleader on behalf of his ship in much the same manner as an adoring -mother will speak of a backward son. If a ship lies so heavy in the -water that, when a squall is blowing, the waves sweep over her decks -like water from a floodgate, she will be described as "steady as a -rock." And if, on the other hand, she rolls at every billow, and -pitches into every minor trough, she is--in the unanimous opinion of her -master and her crew--"seaworthy" in the higher sense of the word, -whatever it may mean. - -Captain Cookson loved the "Mondavia"; and when he looked about him and -witnessed the destruction and havoc that had been wrought by the guns of -the German ships, he railed at the whole Teutonic brotherhood, from the -Kaiser to the last interned German waiter in a detention camp in -England. - -For all that, by wholesale round abuse, he was likely to do no more good -to himself than harm to the German Empire. The fact was, all on board -were in much greater danger than they knew of. For, during the last -half-hour, the wind had got up, shifting to the south-west, so that once -again they were able to hear the distant booming sound of the great guns -of the rival battle-cruisers. - -The ship lay in one of the innumerable channels that divide the shoals -of the Dogger Bank. When any wind is blowing, it stands to reason that -the current in these channels is exceedingly strong, since the sandbanks -act in much the same way as breakwaters, holding back the tide, whilst -the water becomes congested elsewhere. - -Now, under the influence of the freshening wind, the "Mondavia" began to -roll heavily upon the swell, and seeing that the upper part of the ship -had been destroyed piecemeal by a hurricane of shells, she was in no fit -condition to weather even the suspicion of a squall. - -She began to ship water from the very first; and soon afterwards, -Crouch, who was scanning the horizon with great anxiety, watching every -shift of the wind, came to the conclusion that, unless the wind dropped -as abruptly as it had risen, the "Mondavia" would go down. - -The afternoon was now well advanced. The surface of the sea was broken -in all directions by a great number of white waves running strongly -northward. It was low tide, and on some of the shallows the foam showed -white as snow in the sunlight that was now, for the first time that day, -breaking from behind the clouds. - -The "Mondavia" rolled as a ship rides at anchor. Her engines had been -rendered useless; she was not capable of steaming a hundred yards. In -addition to this her steering-gear was so seriously damaged, and the -rudder itself so out of order, that she could do nothing else but drift, -like a derelict, upon the tide. - -To all intents and purposes, the ship was already a wreck; and every -time she rolled to starboard, she shipped water in her holds; so that in -less than an hour she was so low down that both well-decks were flooded, -and those who passed along the alleyways were obliged to wade knee-deep -in water. It must also be remembered that all her boats had been -destroyed. Though the great guns were now silent towards the south, and -there could be little question that the British squadron was returning, -there was neither a sail nor a smoke-stack in sight, as far as the eye -could reach. - -And even had there not been a dozen wounded men on board--many of whom -were in a critical condition--the situation had been none of the -pleasantest. Once again, it looked as if all on board were doomed. - -Crouch, seeing that there was no time to waste, gathered together all -the men he could find, and set about the construction of a raft. In -this task he was aided by the dilapidated condition in which the German -battle-cruisers had left the ship. In the ordinary course of events, on -such occasions, it is necessary to break up the deck with axes; but -here, this work had already been done by the shellfire of the -"Bluecher." The demolished chart-room and the shattered bridge afforded -an abundance of material. There was no lack of rope on board, and the -buoyancy of the raft was considerably increased by a number of -life-buoys and belts. - -The raft was constructed on the forward well-deck, where the men, often -standing up to their waists in water, worked in feverish haste; and it -is astonishing what prodigies of labour can be accomplished in so -terrible a situation. Indeed, they worked not only to save, their own -lives, but also the lives of those of their comrades who were unable to -assist themselves. - -One after the other, the wounded were brought down from the main-deck, -and laid upon mattresses, spread side by side upon the raft. There was -something extraordinarily precarious in the state of these unhappy men, -since they had no means of knowing whether the buoyancy of the raft -would maintain the weight of them all, when the ship, at last, went -down. Crouch had taken every precaution that was possible; practically -without exception the lifebuoys and cork lifebelts had been lashed -underneath the raft, the better to serve their purpose. - -When it became clear that the ship was sinking rapidly, Crouch ordered -all hands to the forward well-deck, to be ready for the crisis. -Fortunately, the ship was going down on an even keel. It was probable, -however, that at the last moment she would dive. If she did so stern -foremost, all would be well; but if she shot down into deep water bows -first, then the chances were that the foremast would foul the raft, -which would either be destroyed piecemeal, dragged under water, or so -tilted up that those who had sought safety there would be cast headlong -into the sea. - -The disaster came about quite gradually, and in the very way that suited -them best. They had plenty of warning that the ship was about to go. -The raft had been manned by all--except a few who were prepared to -swim--when the water rose like ether in a tube from the after well-deck -to the poop. And then--of all strange things--the whole ship bobbed -forward, like a playful duck in a pond, whilst the sea spread in a long, -single wave from the poop to the forecastle-peak, above which the raft -shot clear like a ship launched from the slips. - -When they found themselves free and floating upon the surface of the -water, they marvelled that the whole thing had been so inconceivably -simple. They were huddled together like a flock of sheep, and in three -minutes they were wet from head to foot in spray and from the water that -splashed upward through the gaping holes in the structure of the raft. -The last they saw of the "Mondavia" was the top of her shattered funnel, -gliding on the surface for the fraction of a second, like the dorsal fin -of a shark. Then, even this small black object vanished, and there was -nothing to be seen but an infinity of bubbles and hundreds of broken -pieces of spar and splintered, painted wood. The "Mondavia" was gone. - -Those who, as a wise precaution, had taken to the water, now that it was -seen that the raft was safe, scrambled one after the other, drenched and -dripping, to this frail, uncertain place of safety. There, crowded -together, shivering from the wet and from the cold, they awaited -whatsoever fate might be held in store for them, in the midst of the -desolation of the sea. - -They could not have been more than fifteen miles from the coast, but -that, to them, was an infinite distance; they could never hope to gain -the security of land. They had neither sail nor mast; there had been no -time to make one or the other. Neither had they any means of propelling -the raft. They could but drift whither tide and wind and current took -them, and this was out to sea. - -Moreover, it was now rapidly growing dark. The sun, which had remained -hidden throughout the greater part of that memorable day, showed for a -few minutes upon the north-western horizon, in a great flood of red and -gold, and then dropped down into the sea. At the same time, the squall -freshened once again; the wind showed signs of blowing up to a gale; and -to make matters worse, a kind of sea fog--dripping wet and cold--drove -up from the south, like a great cloud of smoke. - -Crouch was a man who had a will of iron and a great heart of gold. He -knew that his own life, and the lives of all those who were with him, -was in the hands of an Almighty Power. Those poor, lonely castaways -were in the care of Providence. - -At such an hour, they were not likely to forget the God Who had given -them birth, Who had first opened their eyes to all the beauties of the -earth, and held them wonderstruck, time and time again, at the immensity -of the eternal sea. As one man, they offered up silent, breathless -prayers. Nor were these prayers that they might live, such as might -issue from a coward's lips, but prayers for ever-lasting grace, for -forgiveness and courage to the last. - -Crouch drew near to Jimmy. The raft was now so strained and lifted by -the broken surface of the water that she groaned and fretted as in pain. - -"I fear one thing," said he, "and one thing only; if the wind holds -she'll break. She can't bear the strain much longer. She was knocked -together like a Canton flower-boat, or an Irish fence." - -"There's still hope," said Jimmy Burke. - -He spoke in a monotone, in a voice without expression, as if his words -meant nothing. Indeed, he himself hardly understood them. In his heart -he saw no cause to hope; there was no reason why they should be saved. -He was wet to the skin and well-nigh frozen, so numbed in all his limbs -that he could scarcely move. And it is only natural, when the body is -reduced to this condition, that the mind should cease to work; it -becomes a mere machine; and words are spoken in much the same way as a -monkey jabbers or a parrot talks, without regard to their meaning. - -They waited in patience, in silence and a fortitude that was something -more than heroic. They waited for nearly another hour. By then, it was -almost dark. The raft still held together, though those on board of her -were almost perished. The sea fog had evidently driven past, for a few -stars were visible above them. - -And then it was that H.M.S. "Cockroach" hove in sight, steaming due -north-westward at the rate of thirty knots an hour. - -As one man, they lifted their voices in a great shout that went out upon -the loneliness of the black, rolling waters, to reach the ears of men in -comparative security, who stood bewildered and amazed in the very hour -of their triumph and elation. - -His Majesty's ship "Cockroach," but newly come from the thunder of the -Dogger Bank, changed her course on the instant, and veered round to the -south. And a little after, those castaways were saved. - -They were well cared for by the seamen on board the -torpedo-boat-destroyer, who could talk of nothing but victory and the -sinking of the "Bluecher." The survivors of the tramp steamer were -given food and warm drinks; and the lights of Tynemouth were in sight -when Jimmy Burke went on deck with Crouch and the Lieutenant-commander. -The night had cleared. Above them was a whole canopy of stars. A new -moon, too, had risen--a moon that heralded another month of the World -War, of carnage, victory and repulse. And this moon had traced upon the -surface of the sea a narrow, glittering silver pathway, which was like a -road that led from out of all these scenes of horror and destruction to -a far-off land of happy dreams. And on a sudden, into this silver -pathway, there hove the shadows of two mighty giants. They heard the -engines of a great ship groaning, as the strong screws churned the -water; and then they saw the dark, colossal outline of one of the -monarchs of the sea, with an even greater ship in tow. - -Both were men-of-war that moved forward slowly, cumbrously, as if in -pain. It was the wounded "Lion," crawling back to port--broken, -bleeding, but invincible to the very end. On that calm, moonlit night, -the "Lion" stood forth as a symbol of all England: hard hit and heavy of -heart, but resolute, defiant and unconquerable. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIX--Conclusion - - -There is romance in all things. No one will dispute, for instance, -there is romance in war; but, it is not everyone that realizes that -there is just as much that is romantic in a coalfield, a factory or a -dockyard. - -The traveller who journeys by night through one of the great industrial -centres of England cannot fail to be impressed by the enormous strides -that civilization has made during the last century, at the vast wealth -of modern nations and the organization of industry. In a night scene, -where great chimneys and the head-gears of coal-pits tower against the -starlight, and the sky is red with the reflection of thousands of -flaming furnaces and ovens, and white-hot rubbish is tossed here and -there like hay in a new-mown field, there is much to marvel at, and not -a little of romance. - -Modern industry has grown like a mushroom. The invention of the -steam-engine was the first step in the great march of science that led -to the conquest of nature, and placed into the hands of man the -illimitable resources of the earth. Mineral wealth is the capital of a -country, a source of income that is almost inexhaustible. - -In all busy England, there is no greater centre of activity than the -mouth of the river Tyne. Here we have, clustered together within a -comparatively small area, a score of flourishing towns--Shields, -Tynemouth, Jarrow, Wallsend and Newcastle. Each of these is another -Sheffield in itself, where working men labour for long hours, live well, -grumble much, and find little time to wash. The men of Tyneside are the -toughest breed in England--the toughest and, perhaps, the roughest, too. - -It was to the Tyneside that the wounded "Lion" crawled home. It was to -the mouth of this turbid, close-packed river, to the smoke-stained -atmosphere of thousands of factories and workshops, that H.M.S. -"Cockroach" brought the crew of the "Mondavia." - -Many were wounded; some were even at the door of death; and all had -looked Eternity in the face. They had come through unheard-of dangers; -they had waited for destruction, counting the seconds to the end; and -they had been saved, as by a miracle, from out of the midst of the sea. - -Perhaps one of the most singular and amazing contrasts in the universe -lies in the transformation of a battlefield into a hospital ward. In -one, we find such uproar and confusion, such thunder, fire, imprecations -and groans of agony, as can only be compared to the nether regions. In -the other, all is stillness, cleanliness, solicitude and care. It is a -strange thing for a man who is but newly come from a scene of noisy and -indescribable carnage, to look into the smiling eyes and red-cheeked, -morning face of an English girl. It is not easy for him to comprehend -that the same world can contain such vastly different aspects. - -Upon a certain jetty above the mud-dyed water of the Tyne, a dozen of -such women were waiting for the torpedo-boat-destroyer as she neared the -shore. They were members of the Women's Emergency Corps, dressed as -hospital nurses, who had come prepared for anything, but most of all to -welcome back to Tyneside those who had helped to keep the flag of -England flying on the seas. - -Arrangements had been made for the casualties sustained by the Navy, but -no one had reckoned upon the arrival of a score of seriously injured men -of the crew of a small tramp steamer. However, there was one there--a -lady in some position of authority--who took the matter into her own -hands, with a degree of common-sense and promptitude that stands much to -her honour. - -"They must go to the American hospital," said she. "They have plenty of -accommodation there, and are simply crying out for patients." - -Accordingly, it was to this American hospital that the crew of the -"Mondavia" were conducted, some on stretchers and some of the more -seriously wounded--such as Captain Whisker--in motor ambulances which -had been sent down to meet them. - -It was a sad procession that passed through the streets that famous -evening, when men could do nothing else but talk of the North Sea fight, -and no one showed the smallest inclination to go to bed. When it became -known what the fate of the well-known cargo ship had been, the eyes of -these slow-thinking, stubborn people were opened at last to the full -meaning of the war. That a powerful battle-cruiser like the "Bluecher" -should deign to direct her guns upon a defenceless merchant ship, proved -only too clearly once again that the German Empire, thwarted in her -senseless ambition, was prepared to stick at nothing. - -It was conduct such as this that had turned the sympathies of the whole -world towards the Allies; and it was by means of field hospitals and -various Red Cross institutions that a large section of the American -public had been able to give practical expression to their feelings. - -Crouch, accompanied by the medical officer himself, who had come down to -the jetty, was the first to reach the hospital. The little sea-captain -was so accustomed to hardships, and possessed of such great vitality, -that the terrible ordeal through which he had passed did not seem to -have had the slightest effect upon either his physical strength or his -nerves. He walked briskly, though with his usual limp, carrying on an -animated and somewhat one-sided conversation with the doctor. - -It was hardly possible to mistake the American hospital--by reason of -the enormous "Stars and Stripes," which, day and night, floated from -above the portal. Within was everything that human ingenuity, modern -science and the generosity of a great and charitable nation could -devise. Captain Crouch was not the least surprised at that; but, what -caused him to stop stone-dead, like a man struck, and stand gaping like -a yokel at a fair, was the slim figure of a young girl, dressed in the -white cap and apron of a trained nurse, who was the first person he set -eyes upon the moment he entered the door. - -Captain Crouch had a good memory. Besides, not so many weeks had -elapsed since he had had his little confidential chat with Peggy Wade in -the New York offices of Jason, Stileman and May. He remembered nearly -everything Peggy had told him, even the story of the lucky sixpence that -had once belonged to Admiral "Swiftsure Burke." He remembered, as well, -the strange coincidence that had come to light in the "Goat and -Compasses" hotel, on the night when he and Jimmy had deciphered the -mysterious message. - -"My lass," said he, holding out a hand, "my lass, we've met before." - -Peggy must be excused if she could not at first recollect. Though -Crouch's heart was the same as ever and his was the same indomitable -will, he bore more than one mark of the recent conflict: his clothes -were in rags, his face was cut and bruised, and he had been drenched to -the skin in the salt water of the sea. - -"Forgive me," said Peggy; "but, I can't remember." - -And then, she saw Crouch's strange glass eye that always stared in front -of him, and remembered on a sudden. - -"Why, yes!" she cried, holding out both hands. "Of course, I remember -now." - -A few quick questions from either side were answered no less briefly. -The waters of remembrance--even of quite little things--are very sweet -indeed; and it was pure joy to them to speak of the Admiral's lucky -sixpence. - -It was that that brought back Crouch's mind to Jimmy, whom a strange -fate was bringing to the very hospital where he would be cared for by -the best friend and sole companion of other far-off days. - -The ship's officers and crew of the "Mondavia" came to this quiet haven -of rest like broken men--men who had been broken upon the relentless -wheel of war. Jimmy Burke was well able to walk; for all that, he was -so bruised and aching in his limbs that he did so like an old man, -limping painfully and leaning heavily upon a stick. - -His surprise and amazement can better be imagined than described when, -arrived at the hospital, he found himself confronted by Peggy Wade. It -was, indeed, a strange thing that, in so short a space of time, and -after so many vicissitudes and dangers, these two should be brought -together again. All the way across the Atlantic--more especially when -they were off the coast of Ireland and pursued by a German -submarine--the girl's thoughts had been of Jimmy, the friend and -companion from whom she had parted in New York. Two days after the boy -had gone, she had been offered a post with an American hospital which -was about to be established in the north of England, prior to leaving -for the scene of operations in France. And three days after her arrival -in England, a strange "chance" brought him--hurt, broken and weary--to -the very hospital where the girl herself was employed. - -Jimmy's case was not very different from that of the majority of his -companions. Though he had sustained no serious bodily injury, he had -passed through an ordeal that had been enough to shatter the nerves of -the strongest men. Long hours of peril, followed by sleepless nights, -during which the greatest hardships have to be endured, will sap the -strength and vital energy no less surely than the most dangerous wounds. -It was necessary for all these men to rest, to be given nourishing food -and to be allowed to sleep. As for those who were wounded--like the two -merchant captains, Cookson and the burly Whisker--they received skilful -treatment and the tenderest care; so that, though more than one was -brought to the hospital more dead than alive, not one succumbed to his -injuries. - -In two days' time, when Jimmy Burke was quite restored to health, though -still sore, a party of three people travelled to London by train. And -these three were Captain Crouch, Peggy Wade (who had obtained a few -days' leave) and Jimmy Burke himself. - -Peggy and Jimmy had many things to speak of. The boy was delighted to -hear that Aunt Marion was in England, too. As for Peggy, she listened -in rapt attention to the whole story: of how Jimmy had discovered Stork -on board the "Harlech," and how the villainous ship's carpenter had -accused the boy of being a German spy. Crouch related his experiences -at the top of his voice, working himself up into such a state of -excitement that he waved his arms about him like a maniac, and from time -to time laid hold of Jimmy by the shoulders and shook the boy violently, -as if he desired to satisfy himself that the whole thing was not a -dream. - -He described the attack of the "Dresden," and the havoc that had been -wrought by the guns of the German cruiser. He produced a note-book and -pencil, and wrote out the mysterious message--the riddle that Jimmy had -solved. And then, he told the girl how the ship had been sighted by the -U93; and when he spoke of Jimmy's gallantry in saving the "Harlech" from -destruction, Peggy felt a thrill of pride that she counted as her best -and truest friend one who had rendered such signal service to his -country. Somehow or other, in the stuffy New York office, she had never -looked upon Jimmy Burke in the light of a hero; he had been just a boy, -with whom she had been wont to revel in the joys of forbidden office -"picnics," making cocoa and cooking sausages upon the stove. - -Hitherto, the girl's life had been somewhat circumscribed; and Crouch's -story seemed to her too wonderful to be true. If the saving of the -"Harlech" was an incident that caused her pulses to throb and the blood -to fly to her face, all that had happened at the empty flat in the -Edgware Road was fantastic and mysterious. It resembled an episode from -the "New Arabian Nights." - -She listened in breathless eagerness to the description of the -"Marigold," and to how the "Kitty McQuaire" had sighted the enemy's -battle-cruiser squadron, steaming north-westward for the Tyne. The -sinking of the fishing-smack, the crew rescued by the "Mondavia" at the -eleventh hour, the re-appearance of the dreaded U93, and the hurricane -of shells hurled from the "Bluecher's" guns--all this was the very -essence of adventure. And then Crouch, with becoming modesty, told how -he had rammed the submarine, and sent her to the bottom, speaking of the -whole episode in much the same manner as he mentioned the loss of his -favourite pipe. - -When Peggy heard of the sufferings they had endured and the mental -torture they had gone through when adrift upon the raft, she was filled -with two emotions: a great wonder that human men could face such terrors -and survive, a feeling of thankfulness to the great God Who watches over -all, Who holds in wonderful subjection life and death, victory and -defeat. - -The story of the North Sea fight rang throughout the British Empire, -from Melbourne to Vancouver, from the Orkneys to the Cape. It mattered -little what the Germans had to say, whether or not they believed that -the "Lion" and the "Tiger" had been sent beneath the waves; the fact -remained that all Britons were assured that, should the German High Seas -Fleet desire to put matters to the test, should the great battleships -that were rusting in the Kiel Canal come forth upon the open sea, the -Grand Fleet of Britain was prepared to meet them. Until that time, -raids might take place, by aeroplanes and Zeppelins; but, as far as any -grand invasion was concerned, the shores of England were--as they have -been in the past--inviolable and secure. - -A winter afternoon was far advanced, and the streets shrouded in gloomy -darkness, when Crouch and his companions arrived in London. They went -first to the head-offices of Jason, Stileman and May; then to Scotland -Yard where they found Superintendent-detective Etheridge, who -accompanied them to the Admiralty, where once again they were questioned -and congratulated by Commander Fells. - -All that happened in those few days in London can be told in a dozen -lines. - -Commander Fells had not spoken rashly when he promised that the -Admiralty would not forget the services that Crouch and his young friend -had rendered to the Allied cause. The firm of Jason, Stileman and May -rewarded the boy handsomely for saving the "Harlech." Jimmy--who a few -weeks ago had been a pauper in New York--found himself the possessor of -a banking account such as he had never dreamed of. For days he carried -his cheque-book about with him, as if it were a kind of passport--as, -indeed, a cheque-book is. - -The boy was given the choice of a commission in the Royal Naval Division -or one of the Service battalions of the new army. He now wears a khaki -uniform and a Sam Browne belt, and is burnt to the colour of tan by many -months in the sun; and on each shoulder-strap and on the lapels of his -jacket is the grenade crest and the title badges of the Royal Wessex -Fusiliers. - -As for the Baron von Essling--who was no less a person than "Mr. -Valentine" of the "Hotel Magnificent"--he is to be found at a -Prisoners-of-War camp at Wakefield, where he spends most of his time -reading the works of Treitschke, who has much to say that is gratifying -(to a German) on the subject of World Power and the downfall of the -British Empire. - -Unfortunately, Herr Rosencrantz still enjoys the privileges of his -alleged neutrality; and it is quite unlikely--however long the war may -last--that he will ever venture to risk his precious life. He still -carries on his business as a money-lender, though nowadays his practices -are said to have become so extremely dubious and shady that even -Guildenstern has given up his share in the business. - -Crouch is still Crouch, though he wears the uniform of a naval officer, -with the twisted gold stripes upon his sleeve that denote the Royal -Naval Reserve. The Admiralty--who were not disposed to waste the -services of so valuable a man--saw to it that he received an appointment -in which he was likely to have ample opportunity of displaying both his -presence of mind and courage. He now holds a senior and responsible -position on board one of the armed auxiliaries that are doing duty as -light cruisers in the outer seas, though--in the public interest--what -his work exactly is cannot be explained. - -The World War has spread to the uttermost parts of the earth. It came, -like a sudden and tremendous earthquake, to shake Civilization itself to -its foundations. It has sent men, who in the long-off days of Peace -thought little of wars and little dreamed of fighting, to all climes and -countries. And so it was with Crouch and the two young friends that -came with him to London. Peggy is working hard in a base hospital in -France. Jimmy Burke is in Flanders. The exact whereabouts of Captain -Crouch is quite unknown; he was last heard of in mid-Atlantic, where he -is likely to be as much at home as anywhere else. One thing, however, -is quite certain: in spite of his previous experience, in spite of the -ill-fated U93, he cares no more for a German submarine than a porpoise -or a black-fish. - -The World War must continue to the end. Civilization can never again -know the meaning of Peace until the German States themselves have -endured the havoc and witnessed the desolation that follows in the path -of War. To that end, Britons, Latins and Slavs will continue to strive, -giving freely of their very best and bravest, that the world may, at -last, be free. And it is for that far-off Freedom that the guns are -thundering now, on the Yser, on the wild plains of Poland, on the -towering heights of the Italian frontier, on the classic lands of -Greece, and even in the valley of the Tigris and the Euphrates, the -cradle of the human race. - -THE END - - PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY - RICHARD CLAY & SONS, LIMITED, - BRUNSWICK ST., STAMFORD ST., S.E., - AND BUNGAY, SUFFOLK. - -_An excellent series of Gift Books, of good bulk, handsomely printed, -illustrated and bound. Large crown 8vo, cloth gilt, coloured wrappers_. - -The Fifth Form at St. Dominic's. By TALBOT BAINES REED. - -A lively and thoroughly healthy tale of Public School life; abounding in -stirring incident and in humorous descriptions. - -A Hero in Wolfskin. By TOM BEVAN. - -A Story of Pagan and Christian. - -A young Goth performs feats of valour against the Roman legions, and -dazzles a huge audience with his prowess in the Coliseum. - -The Adventures of Val Daintry in the Graeco-Turkish War. By V. L. -GOING. - -A bright and vigorous story, the main scenes of which are laid in the -last war between Turkey and Greece. - -The Adventures of a Three-Guinea Watch. By TALBOT BAINES REED. - -A straightforward story of school-life, and of the duties and -temptations of young men entering upon the work of life. - -The Cock-House at Fellsgarth. A Public School Story. By TALBOT BAINES -REED. - -The juniors' rollicking fun, the seniors' rivalry, the school elections -and football match are all told in a forcible manner. - -Wild Life in Sunny Lands. By GORDON STABLES, M.D., R.N. - -A capital book of some butterfly-hunters' adventures, including fighting -bears, and penetrating trackless jungles in various Oriental regions, -told in this author's usual vivid style. - -A Dog with a Bad Name. By TALBOT BAINES REED. - -The story of a big, ungainly youth who seemed fated to be misunderstood, -and to be made the butt of his comrades. - -The Master of the Shell. By TALBOT BAINES REED. - -Dealing with the pranks of schoolboys, bubbling over with mischief and -fun, and the trials of a young House-Master. - -From Scapegrace to Hero. By ERNEST PROTHEROE - -The Scapegrace, who became a thorough-going hero, was a wild, -unmanageable village boy possessing an inveterate taste for mischief. - -My Friend Smith. By TALBOT BAINES REED. - -A first-rate story dealing with the temptations and difficulties boys -meet with when entering upon business life. - -Comrades under Canvas. By FREDERICK P. GIBBON. - -A breezy, healthy tale, dealing with the adventures of three Boys' -Brigade companies during their annual camp. - -Parkhurst Boys, and other Stories of School Life. By TALBOT BAINES -REED. - -A collection of stories from The Boy's Own Paper, containing some of -this popular author's best work and brightest wit. - -Reginald Cruden. By TALBOT BAINES REED. - -Depicting the last days at school of Reginald Cruden, who then starts in -business at the bottom of the ladder. - -Roger Ingleton, Minor. By TALBOT BAINES REED. - -A bright, vigorous story for boys, introducing the reader to various -characters, all drawn with this well-known author's usual skill and -power. - -For Queen and Emperor. By ERNEST PROTHEROE. - -A vivid description of the deadly struggle of the undisciplined Britons -against the victorious Romans, in which the exploits of Boadicea are -depicted. - -The Cruise of "The Golden Fleece." By SARDIUS HANCOCK. - -This stirring story of the days of Queen Mary is full of exciting -adventure, with battles on sea and on land. - -That Boy of Fraser's. By ERNEST PROTHEROE. - -David Fraser passed through many troubles caused by the disappearance of -his father; how he encountered them makes invigorating reading. - -A Collegian in Khaki. By WILLIAM JOHNSTON. - -A South African war story abounding in adventure. The hero is taken -prisoner, escapes, and takes part in many battles. - -With Rifle and Kukri. By FREDERICK P. GIBBON. - -The many heroic deeds called forth by England's "little wars" along the -Indian frontier are here narrated in stirring language. - -Meltonians All! By F. COWLEY WHITEHOUSE. - -A first-rate story of school-life and after, full of vim and stirring -incidents. Jim, Ken and Goggles make a fine trio. - -Myddleton's Treasure. By ERNEST PROTHEROE. - -Railway accidents, the evil doings of those in power, a shipwreck, and -adventures in Africa all help to make up a thrilling story. - -The Baymouth Scouts. By TOM BEVAN. - -A thrilling story, especially suitable for Boy Scouts, of the days of -Napoleon, and his threatened invasion of England. - -The Last of the Paladins. By CHARLES DESLYS. - -A romance of the chivalry of the Middle Ages, of gallant knights and -beautiful ladies, of battles and heroic feats. - -Rollinson and I. By W. E. CULE. - -The Story of a Summer Term. - -An attractive tale of schoolboy life, detailing a broken friendship, -much misunderstanding, repentance, and finally reconciliation between -the two characters in the title-role. - -Under the Edge of the Earth. By F. H. BOLTON. - -A schoolmaster with a genius for mathematics has various hobbies, one of -which proves useful in the rescuing of a kidnapped boy. - -Derrick Orme's Schooldays. By EDITH C. KENYON. - -Describes the experiences and persecutions of a high-minded Colonial lad -by a bullying schoolfellow, who is at last driven to admit his -transgressions. - -Sir Ludar. By TALBOT BAINES REED. - -A stirring tale of the days of Queen Elizabeth, dealing with the -wonderful adventures of a sturdy 'prentice-lad. - -Tom, Dick and Harry. By TALBOT BAINES REED. - -A splendid story, exhibiting in the highest degree this popular author's -knowledge of schoolboy life and humour. - -_A select series of entertaining stories for readers of all ages. large -crown 8vo, illustrated, cloth gilt._ - -A Peep Behind the Scenes. By Mrs. O. P. WALTON. - -The story of a child who lived in a travelling caravan, and saw beyond -the gay outer life of the show-people. - -On the Emperor's Service. By EMMA LESLIE. - -A splendid tale of the time of Constantine. The reader will not be -satisfied till the last page is reached. - -From the Enemy's Hand; or, The Chateau de Louard. By H. C. COAPE. - -An elaborate story of Huguenot times, full of the dangerous, exciting, -and cruel incidents of that period. - -Crushed, Yet Conquering. By DEBORAH ALCOCK. - -A Story of Constance and Bohemia. Abounds in incident and describes the -trial and martyrdom of John Hus, and his influence in later days in -Bohemia. - -The Brownie of Weirdlaw. By CYRIL GREY. - -The interference of the Brownie, a mis-shapen scrap of a man, though an -Earl, in the affairs of the heroine, has a most happy result. - -Condemned to the Galleys. By JEAN MARTEILHE. - -The Adventures of a French Protestant. Jean Marteilhe's capture and -condemnation to the galleys, his life as a slave, and his eventual -release, reads like a romance. - -Under Calvin's Spell. By DEBORAH ALCOCK. - -Dealing with the Reformation in Geneva at the time of Calvin's greatest -power. The incidents are many and exciting. - -The Reign of Love. By H. M. WARD. - -A baby, befriended by a good woman "with a heart as soft as rain-water," -eventually brings wealth to a humble home. - -Allan Ruthven, Knight. By E. FERGUSON BLACK. - -Left in impoverished circumstances, a family of boys and girls set -themselves to work for their mother and home, finally meeting with -success. - -_A splendid set of gift-books, providing recreation both for the body -and the mind. Profusely illustrated, of good bulk, handsomely Printed, -and attractively bound in cloth gilt._ - -The Boy's Own Book of Outdoor Games and Pastimes. Edited by P. P. -WARNER. - -Every phase of sport is represented in this volume, from Cricket to -Kite-Flying, and each contribution it by some well-known authority. - -The Boy's Own Book of Indoor Games and Recreations. Edited by MORLEY -ADAMS. - -Containing a mine of information on Conjuring, Ventriloquism, Model and -Toy making, Puzzles, Home Entertainments, and so on. - -The Boy's Own Book of Pets and Hobbies. Edited by MORLEY ADAMS. - -An invaluable guide to finding something to do. Many a long evening may -be brightly spent and lasting pleasure afforded by it. - -Every Boy's Book of Railways and Steamships. By ERNEST PROTHEROE. - -The author marshals his facts skilfully and tells, without -technicalities, the romance of the railway and the great waterways of -the world. - -The Handy Natural History (Mammals). By ERNEST PROTHEROE, P.Z.S. - -This marvellous book is something more than a mere record of -observation, while the exploits of many hunters of wild beasts are -recorded. - -Adventures in Bird-land. By OLIVER G. PIKE, P.Z.S. - -An admirably written description of the adventures which the -photographer and naturalist has to encounter in his quest for pictures -of British birds. - -Home Life in Bird-land. By OLIVER G. PIKE, P.Z.S. - -A deeply interesting narrative of the habits of our feathered friends, -which will be eagerly welcomed and appreciated for the charm which it -reveals. - -The Boy's Own Book of Heroism and Adventure. Edited by A. R. BUCKLAND, -M.A. - -Heroism of many sorts and thrilling adventures in many lands, by -well-known writers for boys, crowd these pages. - -_Excellent stories by popular authors, attractively bound and well -illustrated. Large crown 8vo, cloth gilt, coloured wrappers._ - -Max Victor's Schooldays: the Friends he made and the Foes he conquered. -By S. S. PUGH. - -This history of the friends Max made and the foes he conquered, makes up -a very interesting story of schoolboy life that is full of incident. - -The Martyr's Victory. By EMMA LESLIE. - -A Tale of Danish England. - -A stirring tale of the ninth century, dealing with the ravages of the -East Anglian Danes on the fields of Mercia and Wessex. - -Gentleman Jackson. By H. FREDERICK CHARLES. - -A Story of London Life. - -A lad starts in life heavily handicapped by a drunken father, but -succeeds by hard work in attaining an honourable position. - -The Story of a City Arab. By GEORGE B. SARGENT. - -Describes the life of a poor, neglected youth, brought up amid -wretchedness, and shows how honesty may enable the very poorest to -surmount the difficulties of their position. - -Harold, the Boy Earl. By J. P. HODGETTS. - -A Story of Old England. - -A stirring tale of Saxon England, full of adventure and facts relating -to the life and thrilling deeds of those exciting times. - -Ilderim, the Afghan. By DAVID KER. - -A Tale of the Indian Border. - -A stirring and highly imaginative tale of India, in which three lads -have many exciting and thrilling adventures while engaged in fighting -the Afghans. - -Adventures in the South Pacific. By ONE WHO WAS BORN THERE. - -The hero passes through hurricanes and famines; and perilous risks from -man-eaters, sharks, and other foes of the human race. - -The Story of a Pocket Bible. By GEORGE E. SARGENT. - -The Pocket Bible is made to write its own autobiography. Touching, but -natural, scenes are described by a powerful hand, and great principles -are enforced. - -Captain Cook. His Life, Voyages and Discoveries. By W. H. G. KINGSTON. - -The life and labours of this well-known explorer, his discoveries and -various adventures among the South Sea Islands, are graphically -described. - -The Heir of Bragwell Hall. By ALFRED BEER. - -A powerful story, in which the young heir, an objectionable person, -encounters many disasters in a tour round the world; these change his -whole character. - -The Wallaby Man. By Dr. A. N. MALAN, F.G.S. - -The "Wallaby Man" keeps a tame kangaroo. Two schoolboys attracted by -the animal get mixed up, unwillingly, in two robberies. A very amusing -story. - -Untrue to His Trust; or, Plotters and Patriots. By HENRY JOHNSON. - -A masterly tale of life and adventure during that interval of suspense -between the death of Cromwell and the return of the "Merry Monarch." - -Kormak, the Viking. By J. FREDERICK HODGETTS. - -This vigorous story abounds in exciting incidents, and depicts vividly -the life on land and sea of our old Viking ancestors. - -Cyril's Quest; or, O'er Vale and Hill in the Land of the Inca. By A. -GRAY. - -Hal proceeds to Peru in search of treasure, and is lost. His brother -goes after him, and their adventures and final success are well -depicted. - -The Voyage of "The Stormy Petrel." By W. C. METCALFE. - -A stirring tale of an adventurous voyage in which exciting incidents, -narrow escapes, and strange experiences follow one another in rapid -succession. - -Duck Lake. By E. RYERSON YOUNG. - -Stories of the Canadian Back-woods. - -The bush life of the settlers is pictured with a graphic pen, and there -are a number of sensational episodes, including a bear hunt. - -The Settlers of Karossa Creek, and other Stories of Australian Bush -Life. By Louis BECKE. - -A sturdy family of selectors win success in spite of drought, bush -fires, and the enmity of a couple of desperate ruffians. - -The Specimen Hunters. By J. MACDONALD OXLEY. - -A Story of Adventure in India and the Far East. Professor Orde, with -his two nephews, has many thrilling adventures and hairbreadth escapes -while in quest of specimens of wild animals in the Far East. - -The Adventures of Timothy. By E. C. KENYON. - -A Tale of the Great Civil War. - -The hero passes through thrilling adventures in his endeavours to rescue -his betrothed from the hands of an unscrupulous villain. - -Out in the Silver West. By Dr. GORDON STABLES, R.N. - -A Story of Struggle and Adventure. - -Depicting, in Dr. Gordon Stables' usual vivid style, the difficulties, -hardships and experiences peculiar to early settler life in the -Argentine Republic. - -The Camp Doctor, and other Stories. By E. RYERSON YOUNG. - -A splendid series of stories dealing with settler and Indian life is the -back-woods of Canada; full of incident and excitement. - -In the Van of the Vikings. By M. F. OUTRAM. - -A fascinating story of the Vikings, whose courage and skill in fighting -is always attractive, skilfully woven from real Norwegian history and -tradition. - -In the Heart of the Silent Sea. By P. H. BOLTON. - -An up-to-date story of intense interest for boys who love adventure and -exciting situations, and illustrating the possibilities of the airship. - -Bob Marchant's Scholarship. By ERNEST PROTHEROE. - -A capital story of school life. Bob Marchant, a noble, generous-hearted -fellow, gained distinction in spite of adverse circumstances and untold -difficulties. - -The Heroism of Lancelot. By JEANIE FERRY. - -Lancelot is bitter at first against his twin brother Rex, but eventually -risks his life for him, and later risks his whole career as well. - -Jack Safford. By WILLIAM WEBSTER. - -A Tale of the East Coast. - -A thrilling story of adventure on land and sea. Jack, among other -things, had to find a way out of a very awkward predicament. - -From Slum to Quarter-Deck. By Dr. GORDON STABLES, R.N. - -A street arab wins his way into the Royal Navy, and while in the Service -has a series of interesting and exciting adventures. - -Allan Adair; or, Here and There in Many Lands. By Dr. GORDON STABLES, -R.N. - -Allan sees the world with a vengeance, circumnavigating the globe, and -having a succession of miraculous escapes from death in all conceivable -forms. - -Gallant Sir John. By SARDIUS HANCOCK. - -Sir John performs many deeds of daring at Agincourt. The schemes -hatched against him are all brought to naught, and he marries the lady -of his choice. - -The Voyage of "The Blue Vega." By Dr. GORDON STABLES, R.N. - -A brisk, dashing story, full of wild adventure. The weird description -of the frozen ship and crew is thrilling and blood-curdling. - -St. Merville's Scholarship Boys. By ERNEST PROTHEROE. - -Two boys climb from an Elementary to a Public School, where they meet -with exciting adventures, especially in combating the schemes of the -school bully. - -Young Sir Ralph. By M. B. FRASER. - -Ralph is haughty, sulky, wilful and disobedient, but he is eventually -teased out of his selfish ways by several young persons with whom he -stays. - -The Boy Settler; or, The Adventures of Sidney Bartlett. By H. C. -STORER. - -Stirred by a desire for adventure, Sydney Bartlett joins the New Zealand -Mounted Police during the Maori War, and afterwards becomes a settler in -that country. - -The Heroes of Castle Bretten. By M. S. COMRIE. - -The hero is a lad of indomitable courage, and, with his friend, has many -exciting adventures before he finally succeeds in tracing his lost -father. - -Interesting stories by popular authors. Each with coloured -illustrations. - -Large crown 8vo, attractively bound. 2s. each. - -Adnah. By J. BRECKENRIDGE ELLIS. - -A Tale of the Time of Christ. - -Adnah suffers unjustly for some years, and his long trial, when a slave, -his hardships, struggles and escape, make interesting reading. - -A Hero in the Strife. By LOUISA C. SILKE. - -The hero finds abundant scope for heroism in the agitating events of the -Great Plague and the Fire of London. - -Margaret Somerset. By LOUISA C. SILKE. - -A historical tale of the time of the Monmouth Rebellion, abounding in -stirring incidents and incorporating many important historical -personages. - -The Chariots of the Lord. By JOSEPH HOCKING. - -A romance of the time of James II. and William of Orange. Benedict is a -right manly fellow who has many contests with the infamous Judge -Jeffreys, and escapes from peril and prison. - -From Prison to Paradise. By ALICE LANG. - -A Story of English Peasant Life in 1557. - -Describes the time of Mary Tudor, and illustrates the conflict between -the Romish and Protestant idea of life and service. - -Dearer than Life. By EMMA LESLIE. - -A splendidly written story of the adventures of brave knights and fair -ladies during the times of Wycliffe. - -The King's Service. By DEHORAH ALCOCK. - -A tale of the Thirty Years' War, during which many exciting incidents -occur. This book has its full share, and is written in the author's -usual clear and vivid style. - -The Wonder-Child. By ETHEL TURNER (Mrs. H. R. CURLEWIS). - -A young girl has an extraordinary musical gift, which, developed by -careful training, brings to her both fame and fortune. - -Mistress Dorothy Drayton: Her Diary, 1553-1559. Edited by JULIA -GREVILLE. - -This interesting story, drawn from the diary of a lady of the sixteenth -century, possesses all the charm of that period. - -The Awakening of Anthony Weir. By SILAS K. HOCKING. - -A young minister enters upon a pastoral life from selfish motives, but -the stern discipline of events shows him his true position. - -A Rose of York. By FLORENCE BONE. - -A captivating historical romance of absorbing interest. Humphrey -Thorpe, a young Royalist, is employed against his will to spy upon a -suspected enemy of the King. - -Money and the Man. By H. M. WARD. - -Two young men through integrity and industry reach important positions, -while the downward career of a rich mine owner's son comes out sharply -by contrast. - -Living It Out. By H. M. WARD. - -A family passes through some very trying experiences, caused by their -being unjustly under a cloud; they are eventually found innocent. - -In the Days of the Gironde. By THEKLA. - -Describing the adventures of the heroine in Paris during the reign of -terror. She is condemned to the guillotine, but manages to escape. - -The Trouble Man; or, The Wards of St. James. By EMILY P. WEAVER. - -The life of a clergyman and his young wife among the rough but -kind-hearted settlers in the North-West of Canada is described in a very -readable manner. - -The Secret of Lake Kaba. By MARGARET S. COMRIE. - -Dealing with the fortunes of a pair of lovers involved in the -persecutions in Germany during the Thirty Years' War. The plot is full -of interest, and so worked out as to be fresh and keen to the end. - -Peggy Spry. By H. M. WARD. - -A clever Lancashire story of a man who makes a strange will. There is a -strong love element in the tale. - -The Intriguer's Way. By J. BLOUNDELLE BURTON. - -A tale of much dramatic power, dealing with the period that brought to a -close the Stuart dynasty, and placed a Hanoverian on the English Throne. - -The Battle by the Lake. By DORA BEE. - -A Story of Zurich in the Days of Zwingli. - -The vicissitudes of a young German officer, who plays a prominent part -in the fighting around Zurich, are described. - -A splendid series of entertaining stories, by Popular Authors, for girls -still at school. Illustrated. - -Crown 8vo, or large crown 8vo, cloth gilt, 3s. each. - -Bede's Charity. By HESBA STRETTON. - -A poor farmer's daughter, "an unlearned woman," tells the history of her -life--and very interesting reading it makes, too. - -Carola. By HESBA STRETTON. - -A most graphic and powerful story. The career of the heroine and the -character of an old Jew are skilfully portrayed. - -The Children of Cloverley. By HESBA STRETTON. - -A charming story for children of life in England and America during the -terrible time of the American Civil War. - -The Cloak of Charity; or, Miss Molly's Adventures at Sandmouth. By LADY -ARBUTHNOT. - -The cloak is a large, well-worn, but warm garment, worn when its owner -went on errands of mercy. - -Cobwebs and Cables. By HESBA STRETTON. - -A powerful story, the general teaching showing how sinful habits that -begin as "cobwebs" generally end as "cables." - -Dwell Deep. By AMY LE FEUVRE. - -The difficulties and happiness of a very sober-minded girl among her -more flighty companions are brightly described. - -Enoch Roden's Training. By HESBA STRETTON. - -A thoroughly interesting story for young people, who will find the -teaching conveyed in it very helpful when in trying circumstances. - -Fern's Hollow. By HESBA STRETTON. - -An interesting story of humble life, illustrating the power of faith in -seasons of disappointment and loss. - -The Fishers of Derby Haven. By HESBA STRETTON. - -Having caught the meaning of religious truth a fisher-boy endures much -persecution and ruffianism from his brutal master. - -Half Brothers. By HESBA STRETTON. - -Describes the passionate love, and misunderstandings, which grow up -between a girl-wife and her boy-husband. - -In the Hollow of His Hand. By HESBA STRETTON. - -Michael Ivanoff is a boy Stundist, whose experiences are as fascinating -as any middy's or boy-explorer's. - -Jill's Red Bag. By AMY LE FEUVRE. - -A nursery chronicle of the amusing adventures of Jack, Jill and Bumps. -Vivaciously told with all this author's usual charm. - -Legend Led. By AMY LE FEUVRE. - -The legend of the Holy Grail took firm hold of little Gipsy's fancy, and -led her to many exciting adventures. - -A Little Maid. By AMY LE FEUVRE. - -Peggy is the funniest and most lovable of small servants. Her history -would touch anybody's sympathies. - -Odd. By AMY LE FEUVRE. - -A little girl, who is not understood by those about her, lavishes her -affection upon a dog, which finally saves her life. - -Olive's Story. By Mrs. O. F. WALTON. - -This bright and charming book contains vivid sketches from a girl's -life, with evangelical teaching very deep and true. - -A Peep Behind the Scenes. By Mrs. O. F. WALTON. - -The story of a child who lived in a travelling caravan, and saw beyond -the gay outer life of the show-people. - -Pilgrim Street. By HESBA STRETTON. - -An interesting and pathetic tale describing the joys and sorrows, the -privations and homely pleasures of a family of operatives. - -A Puzzling Pair. By AMY LE FEUVRE. - -An indolent father, a puzzled stepmother, and a pair of very dissimilar -twins are the principal actors in this splendid tale. - -Scenes in the Life of an Old Arm-Chair. By Mrs. O. P. WALTON. - -The vicissitudes of an old arm-chair have given this popular author -scope for her fancy, and the story is full of interest. - -The Soul of Honour. By HESBA STRETTON. - -Phoebe Lincoln passes through some trying experiences owing to the -unscrupulous behaviour of her supposed father, a big financier. - -A Thorny Path. By HESBA STRETTON. - -Dealing with aspects of humble life, but nevertheless full of genuine -pathos, and will appeal to the sympathies of all readers. - -Through a Needle's Eye. By HESBA STRETTON. - -An exciting story of a clergyman's experience of wealth and poverty. He -conquers in a struggle against sore temptation. - -Was I Right? By Mrs. O. F. WALTON. - -Should a woman marry a man who has not her own religious belief? That -is the whole point of this interesting tale. - -Winter's Folly. By Mrs. O. F. WALTON. - -This helpful story shows how a little girl found her way to the heart of -a disappointed and friendless old man. - -The Wonderful Door; or, Nemo. By Mrs. O. F. WALTON. - -A very spirited and amusing story of a nameless child who is adopted by -a basket-hawker, a noble-hearted dwarf. - -Kiddie; or, The Shining Way. By AMY WHIPPLE. - -Kiddie is a child of misfortune who escapes from the cruel guardianship -of the owner of some travelling roundabouts. - -Looking Heavenward. By ADA VON KRUSENSTJERNA Translated by A. DUNCAN -DODDS. - -A Russian lady's sincere Christian character and conversation bring -blessings and peace to the hearts of all whom she meets. - -The Hillside Children. By AGNES GIBERNE. - -Risely's boyishly-clever criticisms and witticisms frequently lead to -his own undoing, and his venturesome pranks bring trouble. - -The Scarlet Button. By KATE MELLERSH. - -John and Joan discover an old family jewel, the fortunes of which form -the chief subject of this story. - -Our Dick. By LAURA A. BARTER SNOW. - -A really good story of a boy who is a boy, and fights his battles in a -brave, manly way. - -More About Froggy. By BRENDA. - -Froggy has much trouble, brought about by some bad acquaintances, and -many adventures on land and sea, until all ends well. - -Peter and Pepper. By KATE MELLERSH. - -Peter is a jolly little fellow, and the pranks he and "Pepper" play -together provide splendid and interesting reading. - -The Shadow on the Hearth. By the Rev. T. S. MILLINGTON. - -A young architect, a Protestant, marries a Roman Catholic lady, and much -trouble arises through priestly interference; but the dark "shadow" is -removed in the end. - -Full of excitement, incident and adventure, yet pure and wholesome -reading throughout. - -Illustrated. Crown 8vo, or large crown 8vo, cloth gilt. - -Jeffrey of the White Wolf Trail. By J. CLAVERDON WOOD. - -Tells in a stirring way how a schoolboy, after many rough experiences as -a scout, Indian fighter and ranchman, finally became a wealthy -mine-owner. - -Sinclair of the Scouts. By J. CLAVERDON WOOD. - -An exciting story of thrilling incidents, hairbreadth escapes, and -daring adventures. For skill, pluck, ability and confidence Tom is hard -to beat. - -Branan, the Pict. By M. P. OUTRAM. - -A slave boy only discovers that he is a king, after he has saved his -young mistress from the long-lived vengeance of a rejected suitor. - -The Conscience of Roger Treherne. By E. EVERETT-GREEN. - -Roger's warfare with himself, a year or so of storm and stress, is -powerfully and skilfully told. - -In Pursuit of a Phantom. By E. EVERETT-GREEN. - -An up-to-date tale of society with its bridge-playing and gambling, and -the consequences that follow in their train. - -John Delmayne's Ambitions. By MARK WINCHESTER. - -John joins an expedition to the heart of Africa. His terrible -experiences with the Ruga Ruga tribe and his remarkable escape are told -with great cleverness. - -Marcus Stratford's Charge; or, Roy's Temptation. By B. EVERETT-GREEN. - -Roy had much to contend with, and for a time gave way to unworthy -suspicions, but he at length conquered temptation. - -In Quest of Hatasu. By IRENE STRICKLAND TAYLOR. - -Graphically describes the search for the tomb of the ancient Queen of -Egypt, while the final scene and combat with Arab tomb riflers, and the -explosion, give a decided thrill. - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SUBMARINE U93 *** - - - - -A Word from Project Gutenberg - - -We will update this book if we find any errors. - -This book can be found under: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/39387 - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one -owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and -you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission -and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth in the -General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to copying and -distributing Project Gutenberg(tm) electronic works to protect the -Project Gutenberg(tm) concept and trademark. 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