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diff --git a/42940.txt b/42940.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 4b4fd5e..0000000 --- a/42940.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6537 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Battleship Boys in Foreign Service, by -Frank Gee Patchin - -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 www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: The Battleship Boys in Foreign Service - or, Earning New Ratings in European Seas - -Author: Frank Gee Patchin - -Release Date: June 13, 2013 [EBook #42940] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BATTLESHIP BOYS *** - - - - -Produced by Larry B. Harrison, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - The Battleship Boys in Foreign Service - - OR - - Earning New Ratings in European Seas - - By FRANK GEE PATCHIN - - - Illustrated - - THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY - Akron, Ohio New York - Made in U. S. A. - - Copyright MCMXI - _By_ THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY - - PRINTED IN U. S. A. - - - - -[Illustration: "Hip, Hip, Hooray!" Yelled Dan.] - - - - -CONTENTS - - -CHAPTER PAGE - -I. BATTLESHIP BOYS TO THE RESCUE 7 - -II. A SERIOUS CHARGE 20 - -III. AMBASSADORS ON THEIR TRAIL 32 - -IV. ICE CREAM COMES HIGH 42 - -V. A PLUNGE INTO SOCIETY 52 - -VI. STRANDED IN A STRANGE CITY 59 - -VII. UNDER THE FLAG ONCE MORE 66 - -VIII. HIS FIRST COMMAND 74 - -IX. ROUNDING UP THE STRAGGLERS 83 - -X. OUTWITTED BY A BOY 95 - -XI. BETWEEN SKY AND SEA 106 - -XII. IN THE COILS OF A "TWISTER" 118 - -XIII. TWO ARE MISSING 127 - -XIV. DOWN THE AMMUNITION HOIST 136 - -XV. LAND HO! 146 - -XVII. ON GIBRALTAR'S PEAK 154 - -XVII. ON THE BLUE MEDITERRANEAN 167 - -XVIII. JOLLY TARS IN EGYPT 178 - -XIX. ON THE SHIPS OF THE DESERT 193 - -XX. CALLING ON THE MUMMIES 201 - -XXI. CONCLUSION 209 - - - - -The Battleship Boys in Foreign Service - - - - -CHAPTER I - -BATTLESHIP BOYS TO THE RESCUE - - -"This is the famous Bois de Boulogne Sam." - -"The what?" - -"Bois de Boulogne, one of the most popular drives in Paris." - -"Huh!" grunted Sam Hickey. "That sounds to me like some kind of sausage. -What do they ever name their streets that way for in Paris?" - -"All the names in this great, gay city mean something," answered Dan -Davis. "This park here bears the same name. It was infested by desperate -robbers as far back as the fourteenth century." - -"Robbers!" exclaimed the red-haired boy. - -"Yes." - -"Are they here yet?" - -"No; Napoleon cleaned them out. We shall soon be out by the Arch. The -Frenchmen call it Arc de Triomphe." - -"They do?" - -"Yes." - -"Just like that?" - -"Of course." - -"I'll bet there isn't a Frenchman in France who would know what you were -talking about if they heard you call it by that name. I don't know -anything about French, but if that is French give me plain United -States. You are sure there are no robbers left in the Bologna sausage?" - -"Bois de Boulogne, Sam," corrected Dan. "No; there are no robbers here. -You need not be afraid." - -"Afraid! What do you take me for, Dan Davis. I----" - -"Hark!" - -"Nothing of the sort. I'm no coward. I, a sailor in Uncle Sam's Navy, -and afraid of robbers? Pooh!" - -"Listen! Did you hear that, Sam?" - -"Hear what? No; I didn't hear anything. But--wow! What's that?" - -Hickey gave a sudden startled jump. - -"It's a woman's scream," breathed Dan, listening intently. "Did you hear -it?" - -"I--I should say I did. Yes, and there it goes again. She's some sort of -foreigner. I wonder what is going on?" - -The scream was repeated. Though the lads were unable to understand what -the voice was saying, it was evident that the woman, whoever or whatever -she might be, was in dire distress. - -"Where is it--where is it?" demanded Sam, now very much excited. - -"The sound came from off yonder, where the trees are thickest." - -"I see nothing." - -"I do," answered Dan. "See, yonder is a carriage. Come on! There's a -woman in trouble. What is it?" shouted the boy, raising his voice. - -"Help! Help!" came the answer in plain English. - -"It's one of our own countrywomen--our own United States. We're coming, -madam!" - -Dan was off with a bound, followed a few paces behind by his red-haired -friend, Sam Hickey. - -As they ran they made out a coupe that had been drawn up beside the -road. One man was holding the horses by the heads, while a group of -others were standing by the door of the carriage. - -"What's going on there?" demanded Dan. - -"I--I guess Napoleon didn't chase all the robbers out," stammered Hickey -in a doubtful tone. - -"They are robbers and they're robbing two lone women," exclaimed Dan. - -"I guess we're Johnnie-on-the-spot, then," answered Sam. "Me for the -party holding the horses. He looks kind of weak like." - -Two women, attired in evening gowns, were standing beside their -carriage, which, at a glance, was seen to be an elegant private -equipage. The men surrounding the women wore small, black caps with the -visors pulled down over their eyes, and long, flowing handkerchiefs -about their necks. - -As the lads drew near they saw two of the men strip the handkerchiefs -from their necks, quickly twisting the cloths about the necks of the -women. The cries of the latter were stilled almost instantly. - -"Break away, you villains!" roared Dan Davis. - -"Yes; chase yourselves or you'll get your faces slapped," added Sam. -"Vamoose! Allez vous--scat!" - -"We're coming, ladies! Charge them, Sam! They're thugs! Look out for -yourself!" - -"I've got one of them!" yelled Sam Hickey triumphantly. - -In passing the horses he had sheered close to the fellow who was -holding them, hitting the man a blow on the jaw that tumbled him over in -a heap. The man did not rise, but Sam was too excited to notice the -fact. - -"Whoop!" he howled, making a rush and coming up by his companion. "We're -the wild men from the land of the cowboy!" - -The boys swept down on the robbers, the formers' fists working like the -piston rods of a locomotive. - -The ruffians turned on them instantly. - -"Quick! Into your carriage!" called Dan. He had neither the time nor -opportunity to assist the ladies in doing so. Both boys were now -altogether too busy to give further heed to the frightened women. - -Smashing right and left, they fell upon the robbers. - -Bang! - -A bullet whistled close to the head of Sam Hickey. The latter made a -dive for the man who had fired the shot, and ere the fellow could pull -the trigger for another shot, Hickey's fist had struck him on the jaw, -laying the fellow flat on his back. - -"Whoop!" howled the boy. "That's the way we do the thing in the good old -United States." - -Dan was having a lively battle with two men, each of whom held a knife -in his hand and was making quick thrusts at the lad, who was quickly -diving in and out. - -All at once Dan's foot came up. It caught one of the men on the wrist of -his knife hand. The fellow uttered a yell and his knife went soaring up -into the air. Dan tried to serve the other assailant in the same way, -but instead of reaching the man's wrist, the kick caught the fellow in -the stomach. This answered quite as well. With a groan the robber fell -down heavily. - -"Lay in! We've got them!" yelled Davis. - -"I am laying in," answered Sam. "Lay--lay in yourself. Whoop! That was a -beauty. I spun him like a top. He's spinning yet! Watch him, Dan!" - -Dan knew better than to turn his head. Three desperate men were now -seeking to surround and put an end to his fighting abilities. Dan found -them more difficult to handle than he had those others who had gone down -under his sturdy blows. - -In the meantime the women had sprung into their carriage, and the -driver, whipping up his horses, had started away. - -Attracted by the uproar, a squad of gendarmes were bearing down on the -scene on the run. - -"Robbers!" yelled the driver in French as he swept past the officers of -the law. - -"Where?" - -The driver pointed with his whip toward the trees under which the battle -was being waged. - -"The police!" yelled one of the robbers, catching a glimpse of the -gendarmes, as the latter ran into the light of a street lamp. - -Instantly every man of the robbers plunged into the bushes and -disappeared, those who had been knocked down by the two brave lads -having gotten to their feet just in time to get away. - -"Follow them!" cried Dan. "We'll capture a couple of them, anyway." - -Sam caught a foot on the curbing and fell headlong. His companion -hesitated for one brief instant. Both lads thought they had put the -robbers to flight. They did not know that the desperate men had seen the -police coming, for the cry of "police" had been uttered in French. - -"Look out! Here they are again!" warned Dan. "Sail in, Sam! They've -surrounded us." - -Sam was up like a flash. They were now well off the road. The spot was -dark and the boys did not know that it was the police who had come upon -and surprised them. - -Dan Davis laid low the first gendarme just as the man placed a hand on -his shoulder. Sam gave the next officer a good stiff punch that must -have made the man's head swim, for it sent him staggering away. - -Hickey uttered a yell of triumph. His fighting blood was up. He went at -them with a rush, punching with both hands, nearly every blow taking -effect. - -All at once Dan Davis made a discovery. - -He caught the glint of a brass button. - -"Cease firing!" he roared. - -"Not on your life! Not till I've licked this heathen----" - -"Sam! Sam! Stop! It's the police we are fighting! Stop, I tell you!" - -Hickey's ready fists dropped to his sides. He stepped back, half -inclined to run. - -"Well, well! What do you think of that?" he growled. - -Dan, too, had stopped fighting the instant he made the discovery that it -was the police whom they had assaulted. He sprang back, gazing almost in -awe at the rest of the squad of gendarmes who were bearing down upon -them. - -"This is the time we have put our foot in it. Gentlemen, I beg----" - -He did not finish the sentence. - -A blow from one of the gendarmes laid him flat on the ground. At the -same instant three men jumped on Sam Hickey. They took him so utterly -unawares that he had not made the slightest resistance. - -"Get away, you fools! Don't you know----" - -Hickey's breath was fairly knocked out of him. He was at the bottom of -the pile, unconscious almost the next second. - -The Battleship Boys had gone down fighting valiantly, the lads whom the -readers of this series now know so well. They were the same boys who, in -"THE BATTLESHIP BOYS AT SEA," enlisted in the United States Navy, -serving their apprenticeship at the Training Station in Newport. It was -there that they proved by their faithful attention to duty, their -courage and fitness to serve the Flag of their country. Then, on board -the battleship "Long Island," it will be recalled how Dan Davis whipped -the bully of the ship in a fair stand-up battle; how Hickey was punished -for an offence for which he was not wholly to blame, being confined to -the brig on rations of bread and water; and how finally both lads proved -themselves by their heroic rescue of a drowning diver. The latter was -the man who had been responsible for all their trouble on shipboard. For -their bravery in facing almost certain death the boys were rewarded by a -grateful government in the bestowal of that much-coveted decoration, the -medal of honor. - -Again, in "THE BATTLESHIP BOYS' FIRST STEP UPWARD," the reader will -remember Sam Hickey's having sighted a "shooting star," while on lookout -duty, and that the shooting star was a rocket signal of distress from a -sinking schooner. It will be recalled how Dan Davis was left alone on -the doomed ship; how the battleship turned its big guns on the schooner, -shooting the decks from beneath his feet, and how, in the end, the -plucky lad saved the schooner and its cargo. Dan's heroic effort in -saving a boat load of men from almost certain destruction by a rushing -torpedo, and his winning of a promotion to the grade of petty officer -will also still be fresh in the reader's mind. - -And now the boys were on their first foreign cruise. The battleship -"Long Island" had come to anchor off Boulogne, France. The Battleship -Boys had asked for a shore leave of one week, which was readily granted -to them. In that time they had planned to visit Paris and London, which -they would have ample time to do, and rejoin their ship before their -leave of absence expired. - -They had arrived in Paris that morning, after an all-night ride on one -of the fastest express trains in France, but which Sam Hickey had -referred to under the undignified title of "milk train." - -After considerable difficulty they had secured lodgings at a pension, as -the boarding houses in France are called, and had at once started out to -see the city. This they did with the aid of a map. They were -self-reliant boys, and the thought of getting lost did not trouble them -at all. - -During the afternoon they had wandered off along the fashionable avenue, -the Bois de Boulogne, and into the beautiful park of the same name, -where they lingered until nearly night. Hunger alone brought them to a -realization that it was time they sought their lodgings. So anxious were -they to see Paris, that they had forgotten all about breakfast, and, -when noon arrived, they saw no place where they could procure food. - -They were on their way back when they met with the adventure that now -promised to involve them in serious difficulty. They had assaulted a -body of men who were police officers of the republic of France. - -The gendarmes had not seen the robbers. They had seen only Dan Davis and -Sam Hickey, who now presented a most disreputable appearance. The boys -had lost their caps bearing the name of their ship, their blouses were -torn and covered with dirt, while Dan's shirt was ripped in several -places where the knives of the desperate men had made great rents in -it, his trousers were torn, and his face bruised where he had been -struck by one of the robbers. Hickey was in a similar condition. - -The gendarmes were chattering loudly, accompanying their words with wild -gestures. - -Making sure that their prisoners were wholly overpowered, they quickly -secured them, one of the number in the meantime having sent in a call -for a patrol wagon. Soon the auto wagon came puffing up and backed down -to the curb. - -Quite a crowd had gathered, attracted to the scene by the uproar. - -"What is it?" questioned one after another. - -"Apaches!" answered the officer in charge. - -A growl of rage ran over the gathering. There is no criminal in Paris so -dreaded or so hated as the one who belongs to the so-called "Apaches." -These men have but two aims in life--to rob and kill. It is nothing to -them who the victim may be, or how innocent. They are infinitely worse -than the worst red Indian of the past. - -The Apaches are found everywhere in Paris, and woe to the stranger in -the gay city who happens to stroll out alone at night, for the Apache -will track him to the death if he chances to strike the stranger's -trail. - -It was this desperate band of criminals to which Dan Davis and Sam -Hickey were supposed by the police to belong. On the contrary, the -Battleship Boys had met and practically whipped a band of Apaches single -handed and without weapons. It was an achievement to be proud of, had -they known it, but at that moment neither lad was in a condition to -realize anything. - -Searching the clothes of their prisoners for weapons, and finding none, -the gendarmes picked Dan up by the head and heels, hurling him into the -patrol. Next came Hickey. He was thrown in on top of his companion. - -Half a dozen officers piled into the wagon and sat down on their -prisoners. At that moment the patrol started away with the two boys, -moving over the smooth pavements of the French capital almost without a -jar. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -A SERIOUS CHARGE - - -By the time the patrol reached headquarters the Battleship Boys had -recovered consciousness. They were half-smothered, lying on their faces -as they were. - -Sam began to fight and kick. - -"Get off my neck!" he howled, in a muffled voice. "Get off, or I'll pass -you a punch when I get out of this!" - -"Keep quiet, Sam," advised Dan. "They will use you roughly if you -don't." - -"Keep quiet, nothing! I'll show them they can't use an officer in Uncle -Sam's Navy this way." - -His further remarks were lost, for the man who was sitting on Hickey's -neck moved over, throwing his weight on the lad's head. - -Soon after that the wagon drove up before the dingy headquarters. The -prisoners were jerked from the wagon rather than lifted out, and were -dragged into the building, up a pair of stone steps and along a dimly -lighted corridor. - -Arriving in front of a grated door, the policemen in charge of the boys -waited until an attendant had unlocked and opened it, whereupon they -threw the Battleship Boys inside. - -The door shut with a loud clang, and the gendarmes marched away, down -the corridor without a word to their prisoners. - -For a moment the boys lay where they had been thrown. Then Dan sprang to -his feet, and, going to the door, peered out into the corridor. All he -could see was a brick wall in front of him. - -Sam sat up, rubbing his red head reflectively. - -"I wonder where we are?" muttered Dan. - -"Where we are?" repeated Sam. - -"Yes." - -"Don't you know?" - -"I do not." - -"I know." - -"Where are we?" - -"We're in the brig again." - -"In the brig? Why, we are in Paris. Have you forgotten? I guess your -shaking up must have resulted in a loss of memory." - -"I have forgotten nothing. I'll never forget the wallop I got. Say, Dan, -do you know what they hit me with?" - -"No, that is what I have been trying to decide in my own case." - -For a few minutes there was silence. - -"This is a nice mess--a fine mix-up!" - -"Yes," agreed Dan Davis. "I fear we have gotten ourselves into a lot of -trouble. We have assaulted the Paris police. I wonder what the captain -of the 'Long Island' will say when he hears of it?" - -"If it's left for us to tell him it will be a long, long time before he -hears anything about it." - -"Don't be foolish. We will tell the police the truth and they will have -to let us go; but the question is, when are we going to be allowed to -tell the truth? It doesn't look as if we were even going to be -questioned to-night." - -For full two hours the boys sat on the hard stone floor, discussing -their predicament, trying to plan some way of extricating themselves -from their present unfortunate position. No conclusion was reached. All -they could now do was to wait and trust to luck. - -"Well, I'm going to bed," announced Sam Hickey. - -"Where?" - -"Right here on the floor. It isn't much of a hammock, but I'm going to -pipe myself down just the same. I wish I were back on the battleship. -Don't you, Dan?" - -"Yes, I do. Good night, Sam." - -"Good night." - -Sam rolled over on his back, using his arms for a pillow, and was soon -snoring loudly. This made Dan feel sleepy, and he, too, shortly toppled -over sound asleep. - -How long they had lain thus they did not know. Sam suddenly awakened. -Some one had hold of one of his feet and was dragging him across the -cell. - -"Leggo my foot!" yelled the red-headed boy, struggling to get up. - -Dan, hearing the commotion, bounded to his feet. He was quickly seized -and jerked out into the corridor, where he was soon joined by Sam. Then -they discovered that they were in the hands of officers, though not the -same ones who had arrested them. - -Neither of the officers said a word, but, taking firm hold of the arms -of their prisoners, marched them rapidly down the corridor. - -"I guess they must be going to hang us," said Hickey. - -"They don't hang people over here," answered Dan. - -"They don't?" - -"No." - -"What do they do with them?" - -"Guillotine them." - -"What's that?" - -"In other words, they cut your head off here in France," answered Dan, -with a short laugh. - -"Wow!" exclaimed Sam with such vehemence that the officers in charge of -him gave him a violent shake, uttering some rapid commands in his own -language. - -"I guess we'd better not stir up the animals any more," said Sam, with a -wink at his companion. - -"No. And be careful what you say. Do not volunteer any information. It -will perhaps be better for me to answer the questions, unless they -question you directly." - -The officers conducted the lads into a sort of reception room, where -they stood holding tightly to their prisoners until a door was opened at -the far end of the room and another man in uniform beckoned them to -enter. The officers did so, thrusting their prisoners into the room -ahead of them. - -Unlike the outer room, this one was brilliantly lighted; so much so that -the boys blinked vigorously for a few seconds. Then, becoming used to -the light, they began to take stock of their surroundings. - -The first thing that caught their attention was a keen-faced man sitting -behind a flat desk, industriously twirling his moustache as he surveyed -them keenly from beneath half-closed eyelids. - -The boys gazed at him intently. There was no quailing on their part, -though had they realized what a questionable looking pair they were, -they might have lost some of their assurance. - -The officer behind the desk addressed them in French. - -"We do not speak your language, sir," spoke up Dan. - -"Ah, so I perceive," answered the man in very good English. "You are -English?" - -"Not much. We're Yankees," Sam blurted out with considerable emphasis. -"And you'd better not monkey with us unless you want the United States -Government to get you by the collar and jerk you seven different ways at -the same time." - -"Be silent!" thundered the officer. - -"I'm mum," answered Sam, with a sheepish grin. - -"What is your name?" - -"Sam Hickey, sir." - -"And yours?" glancing at Dan. - -"Daniel Davis." - -"Residence of both?" - -"United States of America," answered the boys with one voice. - -A clerk was noting down their replies. - -"May I ask, sir, why we are thus detained? We have done no wrong." - -"Stop! I will ask all the questions here. What is your business, if you -have any?" - -"We are sailors on the U. S. S. 'Long Island.'" - -"Sailors, eh?" - -"Yes, sir." - -"If this be true, where are your uniforms?" - -"We are wearing what is left of them, sir." - -The officer glanced at the trousers of the lads and observed that they -were such as were worn by sailors. - -"A very excellent disguise." - -"Disguise!" exclaimed Sam with explosive force. "What are you talking -about?" - -"Be quiet," warned Dan. "You are only making it the harder for us. He -doesn't believe our story, as it is." - -"I don't care whether he does or not. I'm getting warm where my collar -was until it was torn off. Disguise! The idea!" - -"What are you doing in Paris?" - -"Getting into trouble, principally," muttered Sam under his breath. - -"We came here to see the city, sir," answered Dan. - -"When?" - -"This morning, or yesterday morning. I do not know whether it is morning -or evening now," he answered. - -"You say you are from a United States ship?" - -"Yes, sir." - -"What is the captain's name?" - -"Captain Farnham, sir." - -"Where is your ship?" - -Dan told him. - -"When did the ship arrive?" - -"Yesterday morning." - -The officer went over some papers on his desk, finally selecting one -which he consulted, then replaced it on his desk with a nod. - -"Where is the rest of your gang?" - -"What do you mean, sir?" - -"The other men who ran away." - -"I am sure I do not know. We were trying to catch up with them when we -were caught." - -"Ah! You admit!" - -The officer spoke rapidly in French to the clerk, who scribbled -industriously. - -"Well, sir, what have you to say for yourself?" demanded the officer -abruptly, turning toward Sam. - -"I've got a lot that I should like to say, if you will give me half a -chance," said Sam promptly. - -"I'll hear your story. Bear in mind that whatever you say will be used -against you. It is being taken down by the secretary. Speak! I shall -listen." - -"It was this way," began Hickey. - -"Be brief!" commanded the officer sternly. - -"We were walking along Sausage Avenue, peaceable like----" - -"What's that?" - -"He means the Bois de Boulogne," explained Dan, with the trace of a -smile on his face. "Never mind, Sam; I will tell the officer, if he will -permit." - -"Silence!" - -He motioned for Hickey to continue. - -"As I was saying, we were walking along Bologna Avenue----" - -"Bois de Boulogne," again corrected Dan. - -"Yes; something of that sort. We were talking, when, all at once, my -friend here heard a woman scream. Then two women screamed. We didn't -know what they were screaming about, because they were screaming in some -language we didn't understand. Maybe they were talking in French. I -guess they were. Well, we didn't know what kind of trouble it was, but -we knew it was a woman in trouble, and that was enough." - -"Proceed!" - -"We sailed in. There were a lot of fellows attempting to rob a couple of -ladies beside a cab. We thought so, anyway, and we mixed it up right -away. I gave the fellow who was holding the horses a short arm punch -over the eye with my left, and hooked his jaw with my right. You ought -to have seen him curl up and go to sleep," added Hickey, with a laugh. - -"Never mind that; tell me what happened." - -"That's what I'm trying to do, if you will let me alone. While I was -doing that, my friend Dan had fired himself right into the bunch. He put -several of them out and by the time I mixed in everybody was fighting. -Some of the fellows tried to stick us with knives, and one miserable -coward fired a shot at me. I guess he came pretty near winging me. His -bullet nearly clipped a lock of hair from my head. Well, anyway, we had -them pretty well thrashed when, all of a sudden, one of the robbers let -out a yell and in a minute they had hit the trail for the bushes, with -Dan and myself after them. If I hadn't fallen over a curbstone maybe we -would have caught them. About that time the police jumped on us, and I -don't remember very much after that, until we were taking a ride in the -automobile." - -"Your story is well told, but it is not in accordance with the facts." - -"You mean that I lie?" demanded Sam belligerently. - -"Why did you assault the gendarmes?" demanded the official, ignoring -Sam's question. - -"We did not know they were the police, sir," spoke up Dan Davis. "We -could not see plainly in the darkness under the trees. We thought the -robbers had returned. We defended ourselves as best we could, sir. I am -sorry we struck any of your men; it was a mistake." - -The official, with chin in hand, regarded the boys thoughtfully for a -minute or so. - -"Your story is not satisfactory." - -"I am sorry, sir," answered Dan. - -"We might give you another one. Perhaps that would please you more," -growled Sam, whose temper was rising. - -"Oh, Sam!" exclaimed Dan. - -The eyes of the official narrowed. - -"I have no doubt of your ability to do so," he said sarcastically. - -The officer pressed a button, whereupon four police officers entered the -room. Addressing them in French, he said: - -"Remove the prisoners to the Conciergerie," this being the detention -prison where those awaiting trial were confined. "I am satisfied that -they are desperate characters." - -"What are you going to do with us?" demanded Sam Hickey sullenly. - -"Put you both in prison." - -"Sir," spoke up Dan, "may I not ask why you are doing this--what charge -is made against us?" - -"Yes, seeing you are so innocent, I will tell you. You were caught red -handed. You are accused of attempting to rob two women--you are accused -of assaulting police officers of the republic of France, and, further, -you are believed to belong to the desperate band of Apaches with which -our city is infested." - -Dan uttered an exclamation of surprise. - -"Well, I must say you're the worst lot of thick-heads I ever saw in my -life," remarked Sam in deep disgust. - -The official waved them away, whereat the officers led the boys from the -room. - -"I wish we could get word to the battleship," said Dan in a low tone. "I -wish I had thought to ask him to permit us to do so." - -"It wouldn't do any good. They're determined to make a mark of us. But -wait till the Old Man hears of this. Won't he raise a row? Won't he make -these chattering Frenchmen stand around lively? Well, I guess he will!" - -"Perhaps Captain Farnham may not know anything about it, and when we do -not return on time we will be black-listed as deserters. That will be -awful." - - - - -CHAPTER III - -AMBASSADORS ON THEIR TRAIL - - -The entire matter was laid before the Prefect of Police shortly after -the Battleship Boys had been removed to another cell in the -Conciergerie. He listened gravely to all the facts, nodding his approval -of the work of his assistants. - -At the direction of the police head a message flashed over the wire half -an hour later, as follows: - - "Farnham, - - "Commanding U. S. S. 'Long Island': - - "Two men giving the names of Davis and Hickey, accused of having - held up and robbed two women in this city to-night, claim to be - sailors on your ship. Do you know them? Not only this, but they - assaulted the officers who sought to arrest them. The prisoners are - believed to be Apaches. The courtesy of a reply is solicited. - - "Lepine, - - "Prefect of Police." - -Day had barely dawned, when another message was flashed over the wires. -This one, however, came from Boulogne and was addressed to the American -Consul to France, instead of to the prefect of police. It read as -follows: - - "Hamlin, Consul, - - "Paris: - - "Those crazy French police say they have two men, Davis and Hickey - from my ship, locked up accused of highway robbery. Preposterous! - They are two of my best men. Get the men out at once, please. No - finer types than these two to be found in the enlisted force. - Kindly acknowledge at once. - - "Farnham, - - "Commanding U. S. S. 'Long Island.'" - -Consul Hamlin was a man of action as well as a diplomat. Urgent though -the captain's message was, however, international diplomacy would not -permit the consul to go direct to the office of the Prefect of Police. -There were certain set forms that must first be observed. But the consul -lost no time. The wheels of the great government machine were set in -motion on the instant. The first move was to communicate with the French -foreign office. - -"The American consul desires an immediate audience with the premier, if -possible," was the message that the former's secretary telephoned to the -foreign office. - -This request being granted, Consul Hamlin entered his carriage and was -driven to the foreign office, where an audience with the premier was -accorded him at once. This meeting, though cordial, was extremely -formal. - -"Your excellency," began the consul, "two of my countrymen are, I am -informed, held by the police department, charged with having held up and -robbed two women last evening. Has the matter been brought to your -attention, may I ask?" - -"It has not." - -"Then I will give you such information as I possess in regard to the -matter," said Mr. Hamlin. - -The consul stated his case, adding that if the men under arrest were the -men he believed them to be, a very serious mistake had been made. - -The premier promptly put himself in communication with the Ministry of -Justice, and the latter in turn with the Prefect of Police. All the -facts in the possession of the police on this particular case were -returned through the same channel. - -"I have the honor to inform you," said the premier, "that I have ordered -the release of the men Davis and Hickey. They will be turned over to -you, as you request, by the prefect in person." - -"I thank you--my profoundest thanks----" - -"No; it is for me to offer you an apology," interrupted the premier -quickly. Then, with many expressions of good will on both sides, the -consul took his leave. Half an hour later Mr. Hamlin was received by the -Prefect of Police with great ceremony. - -"You are here," began the police official, "in behalf of the two young -men whom we have in our charge----" - -"Accused of the attempted robbery of two women last evening. I am, -monsieur." - -"And I am most happy to say that later investigations have made it easy -for me to grant your request that they be liberated. I am now well -satisfied that they are not guilty of the attempted robbery." - -"Naturally not." - -"But of the assault on my officers there can be no doubt. They----" - -"That was surely a mistake on their part, Monsieur le Prefect." - -"Yes, yes; no doubt----" - -"I am too glad to hear you say that, Monsieur le Prefect. These young -men, I am informed by the commanding officer of their ship, are above -reproach. A grave mistake has been made." - -The prefect bowed humbly. - -"A thousand pardons." - -"Will you be good enough to summon the young men here?" - -"Certainly." - -A few moments later the Battleship Boys were standing in the presence of -Mr. Hamlin and the Prefect of Police. - -"Well, lads, your appearance is certainly against you. Indeed, you look -as if you might be all they have accused you of being," exclaimed Mr. -Hamlin with a laugh. - -The faces of the Battleship Boys brightened. It was one of their own -countrymen who was speaking. - -"What is your name?" he asked, addressing Dan. - -"I am Daniel Davis, sir. This is Samuel Hickey. I am a gunner's mate on -board the 'Long Island,' he being a coxswain on the same ship." - -Mr. Hamlin nodded affirmatively. - -"How did you happen to get into the difficulty?" - -Dan related in a straightforward way all that had occurred on the -previous night, not omitting their brief battle with the police, whom he -said they had taken for the robbers attacking them again. - -Mr. Hamlin and the prefect listened attentively until the narrative came -to a close. - -"The way of the peacemaker is hard indeed," smiled Mr. Hamlin. - -"But you see, sir, we were not exactly peacemakers," announced Davis. - -"I am forced to agree to that. Monsieur le Prefect, I presume there is -no objection to these young men accompanying me from this place at once, -is there?" - -"They may accompany you, certainly. That is in accordance with the -request of the premier." - -"I thank you, Monsieur le Prefect. I hold myself wholly responsible for -these young men." - -"Monsieurs, a thousand pardons," said the prefect, turning to the -Battleship Boys with a profound bow. "You are at liberty to go where and -when you please." - -"Come, lads; I take it you have no desire to remain here longer?" - -"I should say not," spoke up the red-headed Sam. - -Dan saluted the prefect, but Sam hardly more than glared at the police -head as the boys left the office in company with the ambassador. - -"Well, lads, what do you propose to do now?" questioned Mr. Hamlin, when -they had reached the street. - -"I think we shall finish our sight-seeing, sir," replied Dan. - -"Very good, but you need clothes, both of you. Have you a change of -clothing with you?" - -"We have only these uniforms, sir." - -"Come with me, and I will see that you are fitted out." - -"Thank you very much, sir. We have money; but, if you will be good -enough to show us where we can purchase clothes, we shall be under a -further great obligation to you," answered Dan. - -Mr. Hamlin accompanied them to a store, where the boys were soon -supplied with shore clothes, hats and all. They presented a far -different appearance now. It was the first time they had worn citizens' -clothes since they had entered the Navy, but they did not enjoy the -change as much as they had expected. They would have preferred to be in -their uniforms. - -"Now, my lads, keep out of trouble. I do not believe you need advice -from me. You seem well able to take care of yourselves. Yet, should you -have further difficulty, or if you wish to see me, come or send word to -me at once. Here is my card." - -"We thank you very much, sir. Will--will you tell Captain Farnham that -we are all right?" - -"Certainly. I shall wire him at once. By the way, where are you boys -living?" - -"We have a room at 33 Place de la Concorde, sir. We have not slept -there," added Dan, with slightly heightened color; "but we hope to do so -to-night." - -Bidding Mr. Hamlin good-bye, the Battleship Boys started away for their -lodgings. At about that time another gentleman called at the office of -the prefect. The card that he send in read, "Guillermo Martinez, -Ambassador." - -He was the Spanish ambassador to France. - -Senor Martinez's greeting was most cordial, but the ambassador lost no -time in stating the object of his visit. - -"You have two young men here, I believe, Monsieur--young men who are -said to have robbed or attempted to rob two women in the Bois de -Boulogne last evening?" - -"Two young men were arrested," he replied. - -"They were sailors?" - -"I believe they are." - -"English sailors?" - -"No; American." - -"Ah! It is well. I have come here, with the permission of the premier, -to request that those young men be liberated at once." - -"I have but now received a message from the Ministry of Justice, -requesting that I receive you. I am honored, senor. May I inquire your -interest in this matter?" questioned the prefect, shrewdly suspecting -the truth. - -"Because I have reason to believe that a serious error has been -committed." - -"Indeed, senor! On whose part, may I ask?" - -"I should say that it was on the part of your department, Monsieur -Prefect--that a great injustice has been done to two very brave young -men, who risked their lives to serve two women in dire distress." - -The prefect smiled. - -"If these men whom you have in custody are American or English sailors, -I beg that you may quickly convince yourself of their innocence and -liberate them. I ask this in my official capacity." - -"The foreign governments appear to be taking a deep interest in the case -of these young men, senor." - -"Why say you that, Monsieur le Prefect?" - -"Because you are the second official who has been here this morning -demanding that they be set free," answered the police officer, -smilingly. "It is most surprising." - -"Indeed." - -"They may not be, and probably are not, guilty of the robbery charge, -but at least the men assaulted my officers." - -"I am sure that feature of the case could be easily explained." - -"You would have difficulty in convincing the officers who were assaulted -of that," laughed the chief. - -"Will you release the men?" - -"It will give me great pleasure to serve you, senor, in any manner in my -power. Do you know the women who had such a narrow escape last evening, -may I ask, senor?" - -"Certainly." - -"Would it be proper for me to ask their names!" - -"They are my wife and daughter," announced the ambassador. "Both ladies -were positive of the facts as I have stated them----" - -"That the men were sailors?" - -"Yes. And when they read this morning that two sailors had been -arrested, accused of the attempted robbery, the ladies were greatly -disturbed. They insisted that justice be done, that I spare no efforts -to obtain the release of the brave young sailors." - -"Disturb yourself no more, Senor Ambassador." - -"You mean?" - -"That the men have been discharged. They are free." - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -ICE CREAM COMES HIGH - - -"Ice cream! Ice cream! Ice cream! Can't you understand that much -English?" demanded Sam Hickey. - -The Battleship Boys had entered the first restaurant they found. This -proved to be none other than the Cafe de la Paix, one of the fashionable -resorts of Paris. The waiter who attended their table was unable to -speak a word of English, nor could either lad make his wants known, but -the waiter quickly brought an employe to whom the boys stated their -wishes. - -"Four dishes of ice cream, and in a hurry," commanded Sam Hickey. "What -are those things in the basket there?" - -"I do not know," answered Dan. "They are some kind of cake. I see them -on each of the tables." - -"I'm going to help myself. They don't look very nourishing for a good, -healthy appetite like mine, but they are better than nothing at all." - -Sam helped himself liberally. The cakes tasted so good that he ate ten -of them; then, motioning a waiter, he ordered another basketful. By this -time the ice cream was served. Ice cream was a luxury that the -Battleship Boys did not get on shipboard, so they ordered another plate -each. - -"There, I guess that will keep me going until supper time," decided Sam. -"I wonder how much we owe him?" - -"I should say about a dollar," answered Dan, motioning for the garcon -and asking for their check. - -Dan's eyes grew large as he examined the bill that had been laid beside -him. - -"I'm hungry yet. I could eat another round of the same thing," announced -Sam. "How much does he say it amounts to?" - -"I'm trying to figure it out. Six ice creams, thirty francs. Twenty-five -biscuit at a franc apiece, twenty-five francs. Fifty-five francs -altogether." - -"Fifty-five francs!" exclaimed Sam. "Wha--wha--how much is that--how -many cents is that in plain United States? I never could figure this -heathen money." - -"Five francs make a dollar," figured Dan, talking to himself. "Five goes -into fifty-five eleven times. That's eleven dollars' worth of ice cream -and cakes we have eaten." - -"Eleven dollars?" gasped the red-haired boy. - -"Yes, that's it," answered Dan ruefully, gazing at his companion in a -dazed sort of way. - -"But we didn't order any cakes, Dan." - -"It's those round cakes that were in the basket. They were put here so -we would eat them. That's a trick we didn't know anything about." - -"Eleven dollars," groaned Sam. "It's highway robbery. I wish we had held -up the women and----" - -"Sam!" - -Dan's tone was sharp. - -"Don't let me hear you speak like that again." - -"No; I'm to be the easy mark. I'm to be frisked eleven dollars' worth, -and----" - -"Don't grumble; let's pay and get out, or they----" - -"Yes, they'll be charging us rent for the chairs we are sitting in, -first thing we know. Can't we steal some spoons to get even?" - -Dan was handing the waiter the money, which he did without comment, Sam, -meanwhile, slowly counting out his share of the check, which he passed -over to his companion. - -"What do they call this place, Dan?" questioned the red-haired boy as -they started away. - -"Cafe de la Paix." - -"That's it. We should have known better. I see it all now. Why didn't we -look at the sign over the place before we went in?" - -"What do you mean?" - -"Cafe de la Pay. That's it; that's the place." - -"Sam Hickey, have you gone crazy?" - -"Cafe de la Pay--that's the place where you pay. And we did pay. I never -knew a place that was so well named," continued Sam with a sickly grin. -"We paid, didn't we?" - -"'Leven dollars' worth," answered Dan sheepishly. "Are you still -hungry?" - -"Hungry? No; I've lost my appetite; I've changed my mind. I shan't dare -get another appetite while I am in Paris. Say, it's lucky they locked us -up in the brig over at police headquarters, isn't it?" - -"Why?" - -"Because we'd be about a million dollars in debt by this time. Whew, but -they've got the original get-rich-quick scheme in this burg. Come on; -let's go out in the park where we will not see things to eat. They -excite me too much. I'm liable to lose control of myself and eat again. -If I change my mind again we're lost." - -As they stepped out a group of men made a sudden rush toward them. - -"Guide, guide, guide, sir--guide? Have a guide? Show you all the sights -of Paris----" - -"We do not wish a guide, thank you," answered Dan. - -"Guide, guide, guide, guide----" - -"Say, why didn't you fellows come around, last night?" demanded Sam. "We -needed a guide then. We don't now. We've been guided up against pretty -nearly everything that ever happened, as it is." - -By this time others of the same sort had hurried to the scene. All were -shouting at once. It seemed as if all the guides in Paris had -congregated in front of the Cafe de la Paix for the sole purpose of -waylaying the unsuspecting Battleship Boys. - -Several guides grabbed Dan by one arm, while as many more caught hold of -Sam. Now others took a hand, pulling this way and that. - -"Show you everything for five dollars, that's all. Show you----" - -"See here, you fellows!" demanded Hickey, whose color was rising with -his temper. "I cleaned out a bunch of Apaches last night and I licked -half a dozen policemen to rest myself. If you want the same kind of a -hand-out just keep right on. Leggo my arms!" he roared. "Shove off!" - -For an instant the men did let go. - -"Give them the flying wedge, Dan!" - -The boys bolted through the throng of guides, bowling two or three of -them over, sprang out into the street, then ran across to the opposite -side. - -"Let's get out of this confounded town," grumbled Sam. "First thing you -know I'll be getting into a fight. I shouldn't like to get mixed up in -one, 'cause I promised the captain I'd behave myself while I was over -here." - -"Come along," said Dan, taking his companion by the arm. "We will go to -see the sights by ourselves. I guess we shall see as much without a -guide as with one. No telling what sort of trouble these fellows would -get us into. I don't like their looks at all." - -"They'll look worse if they ever grab hold of me that way again." - -The boys hurried around a corner and down the Avenue de L'Opera. They -looked very neat and well groomed in their new suits. They strolled -along after getting out of sight of the guides, visiting some of the -smaller parks of the city. Chancing to come across a tourist agency they -bought seats on a "Seeing Paris" car, and were driven about the city -with a lot of other tourists, most of whom were Americans. With some of -these they got quite well acquainted. - -The visitors inspected the Cathedral of Notre Dame, erected in the -twelfth century; stood within the portals of the Madeleine, the famous -little edifice occupied by the insurgents during the Commune, and in -which building three hundred of them were shot down. - -The Battleship Boys also visited many other famous churches and noted -public buildings. The other Americans, having learned who the lads were, -made it their business to explain to them all about the places visited, -relating many interesting historical stories, some of which were already -familiar to Dan Davis, who had read widely for his age. - -The day that had begun so unhappily for the boys came to a close all too -soon, and they decided to return to their boarding house, which was not -far from where the tourist automobile stopped to discharge its -passengers. - -They had paid for their accommodations at the pension for the full time -they expected to be in Paris, so they had no fear of being overcharged -for their meals there. - -The table looked most inviting as they entered the dining room, taking -the places assigned to them. - -The boys had just begun their dinner when they were summoned to the -drawing room, where they found a foreign-looking man in livery awaiting -them. - -"Are you Monsieur Dan Davis?" he asked in English, but with a strong -foreign accent. - -"Yes, sir." - -"You are to go with me, you and your friend." - -"Go with you?" - -"Yes, sir." - -"Look out," whispered Sam. "I'll bet this is another pay-as-you-enter -game; then they won't give you anything to eat after you get in." - -"I do not understand you, sir. Why should we go with you?" - -"The carriage awaits you at the door." - -"'The carriage awaits you, sir,'" mimicked Sam, with a grimace at his -companion. - -"Be still, Sam. I do not understand at all what you mean, sir. Have you -not made a mistake? We know no one in Paris--no one would send a -carriage for us." - -For answer the servant extended an envelope, bearing a coat of arms. Dan -opened it wonderingly. - - "Mr. Daniel Davis and Mr. Samuel Hickey are requested to dine with - the Spanish ambassador, Senor Guillermo Martinez, this evening at - 8.30 o'clock." - -Dan opened his eyes wide when he read this, then passed the invitation -to his chum. Sam perused it, cocked one eye up and winked at Dan. - -"We seem to be getting quite popular. What are you going to do?" - -"I do not know what it all means, but I'm going to accept the -invitation, though I am not sure I am right in doing so. What do you -think about it, Sam?" - -"I don't think. I've gotten past thinking. Things are moving too fast -for me. I'm out of commission." - -"Do you know why the ambassador wishes to see us?" he asked of the -servant. - -"No, sir. He did not say, sir. He said he would tell you when you -arrive. Will you be ready soon?" - -"We are ready now. We will be with you as soon as we get our hats." - -It took the lads but a few moments to make themselves ready, after which -they hurried down to the street. There they found a handsome carriage, -with a coachman on the box, awaiting them. - -Entering, they were driven rapidly away. - -"This is different," laughed Dan, settling back among the soft cushions. - -"Yes; it's somewhat different from last evening," answered Sam. "We -didn't have any soft things like these to sit on then." - -"No; and we knew little more about what was going to happen then than we -do now." - -"I'm willing to take a lot of chances on this, just the same," retorted -Sam, with an audible chuckle. - -The carriage drove up in front of a handsome residence on the Champs -Elysees, almost directly opposite the Elysee Palace Hotel, the door of -the vehicle was opened and the Battleship Boys stepped out. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -A PLUNGE INTO SOCIETY - - -"Welcome, my lads!" greeted the Spanish ambassador, grasping the lads -warmly by the hand. They had been led into a broad hall by a footman and -then on into a drawing room brilliantly lighted. - -The boys had never gazed upon such a brilliant scene; for a moment they -were too dazed to speak. Suddenly they realized that the ambassador was -introducing his wife, Madame Martinez. Then a beautiful, dark-eyed girl -was led forward. - -"This, young gentlemen, is my daughter, Senorita Inez Martinez, to whom -we hoped you might owe your liberty. Happily, however, for you, your own -consul succeeded in getting you released before the matter was brought -to my attention. I trust you have suffered no ill effects from your -unjust imprisonment?" - -"No; thank you," answered Dan. - -"On the contrary, it was a mighty good thing for us," spoke up Hickey. - -"How so?" asked the ambassador. - -Dan nudged his companion, but there was no stopping Sam when he once got -started. - -"Why, sir, these get-rich-quick people would have had all our money by -this time. I never saw anything like it." - -"You do not mean that you have been robbed?" - -"Oh, no," interrupted Dan. "You see, we do not know the ways of the -country. We thought we had paid too much for some things. It is all good -experience, however, and we are not finding fault." - -"Ah! I hope you like Paris? I take it, this is your first visit here?" -suggested the ambassador's wife. - -"Is it not a glorious city?" added the daughter. - -"Yes," agreed Dan, "it is a wonderful city." - -"I don't think so," objected Sam. "I've had a hard time of it ever since -I came here--that is--until--until to-night," as he noted the eyes of -the beautiful senorita fixed upon him. - -Somehow her voice had a strangely familiar ring to him. He felt sure -that he had heard it before, but the more he thought about it the more -perplexed did he grow. The young woman seemed to divine what was passing -through the red-headed boy's mind. She smiled teasingly, then began -talking as if to give him further opportunity to make up his mind where -he had seen her before. - -Dan, too, was puzzled, but he concealed his perplexity better than Sam -had. Davis was growing quite at his ease. It seemed to him as though he -had always been with people of this sort, and he found himself talking -easily and well, discussing many subjects with which the average sailor -is not expected to be familiar. - -"I take it that you lads hope to be petty officers one of these days," -said Senor Martinez. - -"We have already won our ratings in that class, sir." - -"Indeed. What is your rating, if I may ask?" - -"I am a gunner's mate on the Battleship 'Long Island.' My friend is a -coxswain connected with the same ship." - -"Do you--do you shoot the big guns?" questioned Senorita Inez, with a -brilliant smile. - -"I hope to do so, some day--that is, I hope to do so at target practice, -though I trust the time may never come when I shall have to train a gun -on the ship of another government." - -"I am with you in that, my lad. I hope it may never be your lot to do -so. Of course you have ambitions to rise in your profession?" - -"Yes, sir; it is our hope to become officers of the line at some time in -the distant future." - -The ambassador nodded thoughtfully. - -"It is a splendid career that your Navy offers. Any man who has it in -him to advance himself may do so. The opportunities are unlimited." - -"Yes, sir; but the way is hard." - -"All things worth having are difficult of attainment. Were they not, -there would not be rooms for those at the top," smiled the Senor. - -The dinner was the most elaborate that the Battleship Boys had ever sat -down to. Their host was in uniform and the ladies were in evening gowns, -while behind the chairs of each stood a servant in livery. - -The Battleship Boys were filled with wonder over what had befallen them. -Strangely enough, their host seemed quite familiar with their records, -and all about their experiences with the Paris Apaches and gendarmes. - -Senor Martinez appeared to take a keen enjoyment in their perplexity, -though he was forced to admit that Gunner's Mate Davis was sufficiently -well-bred to hide his curiosity. - -At last the dinner came to an end, whereupon the party withdrew to the -drawing room. - -"Shall I sing for you?" asked the senorita, with a flash of her black -eyes. - -"I should be most happy to hear you," replied Dan courteously. - -"Yes; I like singing," added Sam. "The singing we hear on board ship, -sometimes, makes you wish you could jump overboard." - -A well-bred laugh greeted his announcement. - -"Do you sing?" questioned the young woman. - -"I thought I did once." - -"When was that?" - -"At a Sunday-school picnic that I attended at home in Piedmont." - -"Oh! And did you sing?" - -"They all said I didn't. They said my voice was a poor imitation of a -steam calliope." - -The well-bred laughter of the little company was lost in a roar. A -glance at Hickey's twinkling eyes told them that he was far from dull, -and that he was enjoying the fun he was creating fully as much as the -rest were. - -"So, you didn't sing after all?" - -"No, I didn't sing. I just made a noise that might have been singing--if -it had been." - -Thus the evening passed, full of song, of laughter and brightness. - -Dan, after a time, glanced at a French clock on the mantle. He gave a -start when he noted that it lacked but fifteen minutes of midnight. - -"Oh, we must be going, sir. I did not know it was so late," he said, -half rising. - -"In a moment, my lad. I presume you are somewhat curious as to why I -invited you to my home this evening?" questioned Senor Martinez -quizzically. - -"We are, indeed, sir. I have been wondering why you should do such a -thing. We are just plain American sailors, sir, serving our country as -best we know how. We are not used to being received in the splendid way -you have received us to-night." - -"My lad, that was well said. It has been an honor to have you here. We -have felt the keenest pleasure in being able to ask you. As for your -being plain American sailors, let me say that such men as you and your -friend would be a credit to any Navy. I congratulate yours in possessing -you. Can you not guess why you have been invited here this evening?" - -"I have not the slightest idea, sir." - -"No, we're all at sea, and I guess that's the proper place for sailor -lads," added Sam. - -"I had very good reasons. You have done myself and family a very great -service." - -"A service?" exclaimed Hickey wonderingly. - -"Yes. And let me say here that perhaps I never should have known of you, -had not my wife and daughter insisted that I look you up and ask you to -come here. They have purchased a little gift for each of you, which you -will find at your pension upon your return. I have had it sent there so -that you may have a little surprise when you reach your lodgings." - -The boys did not answer. There was nothing they could think of to say. - -"Have you not noted anything that struck you as familiar about my wife -and daughter?" - -"Mr. Hickey has," interjected the young woman, with a merry twinkle in -her eyes, "He has been wondering all the evening where he has seen me or -heard my voice." - -"That's the time you hit the target right in the center," answered the -red-headed boy. "If I'd been a ship, and that had been a projectile you -had fired at me, I'd been headed for Davy Jones's Locker by this time." - -The girl laughed merrily. - -"I'll tell you, my lads; you saw my wife and daughter last evening." - -"Last night!" exclaimed the boys. - -"Yes." - -"Where, may I ask?" - -"On the Bois de Boulogne. It was they whom you saved from the terrible -Apaches, who no doubt would have put them to death after having robbed -them. You see, my lads, myself and family have reason for feeling that -we owe you a deep debt of gratitude." - -"Is it possible?" muttered Dan Davis, looking from one to the other of -the smiling faces. - -"Well, all I've got to say is that it was worth going to jail for," -added Sam Hickey, with an admiring glance at the senorita. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -STRANDED IN A STRANGE CITY - - -"Dan, I've been touched!" - -"What's that?" - -"Touched, I tell you! Touched," persisted Sam Hickey, raising his voice -with each word. - -"You--you don't mean you've lost your money?" demanded Dan Davis -incredulously. - -"No; I mean I've been touched for it." - -"Nonsense! You have lost it, if you haven't it. Look through your -pockets again. You have put it in some other pocket; that's all." - -The boys were strolling slowly toward the pension where they were -staying. They had insisted on walking back to their lodgings, after -having left the residence of the Spanish ambassador, and this despite -his warnings that it was not safe for them to do so at that hour of the -night. - -"Have you found it?" - -"I have not. And that's not the worst of it." - -"What do you mean?" - -"I never shall find it." - -A troubled expression appeared on Davis' face. - -"How much, did you have with you?" - -"You mean how much did I have left?" - -"Yes." - -"I don't know. I never can learn to count this foreign money. I had -quite a bunch of it. Maybe twenty dollars or something like that." - -"I am surprised, Sam. You are so careless. It's a wonder you did not -lose your money before this. I take care of my money. You never heard of -my losing any, did you?" - -"How about the cafe where you pay?" - -"That was different. That money was not lost." - -"Not lost?" exclaimed the red-headed boy. "Well, if it wasn't lost, will -you tell me where it is? Will you tell me that?" - -"I spent it." - -"You bet you did. And I've spent mine, only I didn't get anything for -it. This town is the limit. I don't wonder they had a revolution here. -They will have another, too--you mark me! Now, you've had so much to say -about my being careless with money, suppose you examine your own -pockets. Maybe you've been touched, too." - -Dan laughed. - -"No danger of that. No one could go through my pockets without my -knowing it." - -"Couldn't, eh? Why these Frenchmen could touch you through a stone -wall, and never move a stone. Just for the fun of the thing, shell out -and let's see what you have in your pockets." - -"All right; if it will please you. My money is safe." - -Dan thrust a confident hand into his trousers' pocket; then he went into -the other pocket. - -An expression of surprise appeared on his face, as he drew forth a -handful of small silver from a vest pocket. - -"Well, what about it?" demanded Sam. "Got it?" - -"I've--I've lost my money, too; almost every cent of it." - -Hickey uttered an uproarious laugh. - -"How much have you there?" - -"About five hundred centimes, that's all." - -"Five hundred centimes! You don't mean it?" - -"Yes; that's all." - -"All? Good gracious, isn't that enough? Why, man, it's a fortune. We're -all right, even if I have lost mine." - -"Wait a minute. Do you know how much five hundred centimes is?" - -"No; ask me something easier." - -"Well, it is about the equivalent of a dollar in American money." - -Sam groaned. - -"Broke!" - -Dan nodded. - -"I don't understand it at all. Where could we have lost our money?" - -"Lose it, nothing! I tell you we have been touched--touched good and -properly. It's a wonder they didn't take our clothes while they were -about it. By gracious, they even got my jack-knife. I'll fight somebody -in a minute." - -Dan did not answer. He was too amazed and upset to talk just then. - -"So no one can touch you without your knowing it!" jeered Hickey. "You -are an easy mark. I am not in the same class with you. Hold me up while -I laugh." - -"Don't laugh, Sam; this is serious." - -"Of course it is. I wouldn't laugh at it if it weren't. Most of the -funny things aren't worth laughing at. The serious things are, most -always." - -"Very well; laugh if you wish. I shan't. I am wondering what we are -going to do. We certainly are in a fix." - -"You've got five hundred what-do-you-call-thems, haven't you?" - -"Five hundred centimes, yes. They will not go far. A dollar will not -purchase much in France." - -"But the five hundred sounds big enough to buy a house and lot with. I -could put up a pretty good bluff on five hundred of anything." - -"We had better go home. The hour is late. We can talk there, though -talking will not help us out of this trouble at all." - -"Yes; that's a good idea. These Paris folks will have the shirts off our -back if we stay out here much longer. What time is it?" - -"I don't know." - -The boys wandered on, finding their pension without difficulty. Once in -their own room, they sat down facing each other. - -"This is a nice mess we're in, Sam." - -"We've been in worse," answered the red-headed boy wisely. - -"It is fortunate for us that we have paid our board." - -"How about the return tickets? Have you lost those, too?" - -Dan went through his pockets again. The more he searched, the more -excited he grew. - -"I--I----" - -"Stung again?" jeered Sam Hickey. "Maybe I got touched for my money, but -I didn't lose my tickets. You lost them both. But have you lost them?" - -Dan nodded helplessly. - -"Oh, this is too bad!" - -"Yes; I wish I'd changed my mind and stayed aboard ship. Let's get back -there right away." - -"How?" - -Sam reflected. - -"That's so," he said, with a grin. - -"There is no other way for it, but to walk." - -"How far is it to Boulogne?" - -"It must be all of a hundred miles." - -"Not for me," declared the red-headed boy, with an emphatic shake of the -head. "Hello, what's that on the table there?" he demanded, suddenly -espying a neatly wrapped package. - -Dan rose and took up the package. It was addressed to Daniel Davis and -Samuel Hickey. - -"Open it." - -Davis was already doing so. He tore off the wrapping, disclosing a neat -plush box underneath. - -"This must be the package that the ambassador referred to, Sam." - -"Yes, that's it. Hurry up and open it. I hope there's some money in it." - -"No; we could not accept it if there was. Ah!" - -"Well, what do you think of that!" muttered Sam. - -The ease upon being opened disclosed, to their amazement, two handsome -gold Swiss watches, with solid gold chains attached. On the back of the -first case Dan found his initials engraved. Opening the case, he read -the inscription, "Presented to Gunner's Mate Daniel Davis for heroic -conduct in saving two women from the Paris Apaches." Sam's case bore a -similar inscription. - -"Beautiful!" breathed the Battleship Boys in one voice. - -"We're all right now," exclaimed Hickey. - -"How so?" - -"We can borrow some money on the watches." - -"I guess not," answered Dan firmly. "We'll walk first!" - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -UNDER THE FLAG ONCE MORE - - -"I'm going to see the consul," announced Dan Davis next morning as they -were dressing for breakfast. - -"Better wait until he gets out of bed," suggested Hickey. - -"Yes; we will walk about until ten o'clock; then I will go over. He will -no doubt loan us enough money to pay our fares to Boulogne." - -"Sure thing. What's a consul for, if it isn't to help a -fellow-countryman who is in trouble?" - -To their disappointment, they found the consul out. The boys called -several times that day. At last, late in the afternoon, they found him -at his office, when they quickly made known their predicament. - -"Certainly I will help you, my lads. I will send over and have your -tickets bought for you. That will save you all trouble in the matter. I -do not think you will be able to get a train until late this evening, -however." - -"You are very kind, sir," said Dan. "As soon as possible after reaching -the ship we will send you the money you have advanced to us." - -"Never mind that. It is but a trifle." - -"Oh, no, sir; that will not do. We shall return it." - -"If you wish to remain in Paris longer I will loan you more money." - -"Thank you, but we think it best to get back to the ship. Our leave has -not quite expired, but we shall feel better to be back." - -The tickets were brought to them in due time. Late that evening the boys -presented themselves at the Gare du Nord, the station from which they -were to take a train for Boulogne. It was not yet train time, however, -so the boys strolled about watching the people. - -"Guide, sir? Show you all about the city, young gentlemen?" questioned a -man in fairly good English. - -Sam fixed him with a stern eye. - -"Get out!" he commanded. - -"Guide, sir?" - -"No, sir; we do not need a guide," spoke up Dan. - -"How much do you charge?" questioned Sam. - -"Two dollars for two hours." - -"Humph! I'll tell you what I'll do. If you'll stand up before me for two -minutes I'll send you two dollars as soon as I get back to the ship." - -"Stand up before you?" - -"Yes." - -"For what?" - -"So I can knock your head off! I owe you fellows a thrashing." - -"And so do I," broke in Dan. "You go away from here and let us alone, or -I'm liable to forget myself and give you a thumping that you won't -forget for the rest of the season. Now, beat it!" - -"Yes, scat!" added Sam. - -The guide gazed at them for one apprehensive moment. - -The Battleship Boys made a threatening move in his direction, whereat -the guide turned and beat a hasty retreat. - -Half an hour later, after much difficulty, the young sailors managed to -find their way to a second-class carriage on the Boulogne train. - -At last they were on their way to their ship. The boys breathed a sigh -of relief. - -"It has been a great experiment," said Dan. - -"Fine!" laughed Sam. - -"And we've seen a lot." - -"And got 'done' a whole lot more," added the red-headed boy. "If there -is anything we haven't bumped up against I should like to know about -it." - -Dan nodded reflectively. - -"Let me see; we have visited pretty nearly every point of interest in -the French capital; we have had a battle with the Paris Apaches, got -arrested and locked up; got our names in the Paris papers; had two -government officials working on our behalf, and have been dined by the -ambassador of a foreign power. That's going some, isn't it, Sam?" - -"Yes; but you have forgotten the most important part of it all." - -"What have I forgotten?" - -"That we got touched for our rolls, and went broke in Paree." - -Dan laughed happily. - -"The next question is, where are we going to sleep?" - -"We shall have to sleep sitting up." - -"Yes; these railway carriages, as they call them, are built on the bias. -I'd like to see a fellow try to sleep on these seats, divided off by -arms, without being crippled for life." - -Dan was looking about the carriage. Sam observed that his companion's -face had suddenly lighted up. - -"Made a discovery, eh?" - -"Yes, and I have an idea." - -"Good! Get it off your mind before you lose it. What's the idea?" - -"I'm going to sleep in the upper berth." - -"The upper berth?" wondered Hickey. - -"Yes." - -"I don't see any upper berth." - -"Then watch me." - -Dan proceeded to remove his coat and vest, collar and tie. Next he took -off his shoes, Hickey in the meantime watching his companion with -suspicious eyes. - -Along either end of the compartment, over their heads, was a luggage -rack extending the entire length, or rather, width, of the compartment. - -Dan grasped the rack, pulled himself up to it and lay down as snug as if -he were in reality in the upper berth of a sleeping car. - -"Hooray!" shouted Sam. - -"Can you beat it?" - -"Not this trip. You're a wonder, Dan. That's almost as good as the -hammock on shipboard. Will the thing hold you?" - -"I hope so. It seems secure. You try the other one." - -"I don't know whether I want to trust myself in that spider web or not." - -"It's made of woven leather strands. It holds me all right. Try it." - -Hickey pulled himself up to the rack, lay down, then peered over the -edge, grinning. - -"This isn't so bad, after all. But I dread to think what will happen to -me if I should have the bad luck to walk in my sleep." - -"Don't do it. You must get used to it, for to-morrow night we shall be -sleeping in our hammocks again." - -A few minutes later the boys were sound asleep, unmindful of the swaying -of the rapidly moving carriage, which was almost like the roll of the -ship. They did not awaken until daylight. The carriage had stopped and -they could hear talking outside. - -"Breakfast time; get up!" shouted Hickey. - -A guard opened the door and peered in. - -"Hello, down there!" called Dan. - -"Yes; is that the way you bolt into a gentleman's bedroom without -knocking?" demanded Hickey. - -The guard glanced up with a puzzled expression on his face, then slammed -the door shut. - -"We'd better get out of here, Sam, or they will have the police after us -again," muttered Dan, scrambling to the floor. - -Hastily pulling on their clothes, they got out to the platform, having -recognized the station as Boulogne. - -"We've got to go without our breakfast this morning, Sam." - -"I suppose so," replied the red-headed boy ruefully. "My, but I've got -an appetite!" - -"So have I, but it will keep." - -"I guess it will have to." - -Half an hour later the boys were standing on the quay. Off just outside -the breakwater lay the battleship "Long Island." - -"Doesn't she look good?" breathed Dan. "I'm really happy to get back." - -"I'd be happier if I knew there was a square meal awaiting me," answered -Sam. "How are we going to get aboard?" - -"I'll show you." - -Dan pulled out his handkerchief and began wig-wagging with it. After a -little a signal flag was observed on the forecastle. It was waving a -question. - -"What do you want?" - -"We want to come aboard," answered Dan. - -About that time the officer of the deck had leveled his spyglass upon -the boys. - -"Messenger!" he called. - -"Aye, aye, sir." - -"Tell the captain that two men in citizen's clothes are on the quay -asking to be put aboard." - -The messenger returned a moment later. - -"The captain wants to know who they are, sir." - -"Tell him they look to me like two of our men, Seamen Davis and Hickey. -I do not know why they should be in citizen's clothing, however." - -Again the messenger hurried below with the information. - -"The captain says it is all right, sir. He says have a cutter go out to -meet them, sir, and bring them aboard." - -A cutter was launched, and a few minutes later was plunging through the -green seas, headed for the quay. Great seas were breaking over the dike, -drenching those in the cutter as they shot alongside the quay. - -The Battleship Boys were taken off, and shortly afterwards they stepped -to the deck of the "Long Island," coming to attention as they saluted -the Flag. - -"Home again," said Dan, his eyes glowing happily. - -"You bet," answered Sam Hickey. "Got any real food aboard? I'm half -starved. No more French biscuit diet for mine!" - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -HIS FIRST COMMAND - - -"The captain wishes to see you, sir," said an orderly, approaching Dan. - -"I am in shore clothes, orderly." - -"The captain knows that. You are to come at once." - -Dan hurried below, leaving Sam to tell the admiring sailors of the -experiences through which they had passed in Paris. - -"Well, my lad," greeted the captain, with a laugh, "you are back, I -see." - -"Yes, sir." - -"You did not stay your leave out?" - -"No, sir." - -"Get tired of it?" - -"Well, yes, sir--rather." - -"How was that?" - -"We had a pretty good time. We saw everything worth seeing, I guess." - -"What is this that I hear about you lads trying to rob a couple of -women?" questioned the captain, with a quizzical smile. - -Dan flushed rosy red. - -"Did you hear about that, sir?" - -"Certainly." - -"Oh, yes, I remember! the consul said you had telegraphed to him. I am -sorry, sir, that we got into so much trouble, but we did what we thought -was right." - -"Indeed you did," answered the captain, dropping his quizzical tone. -"Not only that, but you proved yourself real men. But did you really -assault some of the French police?" - -"I am afraid we did," answered Dan, meeting his commanding officer's eye -squarely. - -"Bad, very bad. But how did it occur?" - -Dan related, briefly, their meeting with the Apaches, and the fight with -the police a few minutes later. From that he told of their arrest and -imprisonment. Davis told the story well, the captain listening intently -until the narrative was finished. - -"You boys certainly have had an experience. But you have not told me why -you cut your leave short?" - -"We lost our money, sir." - -"Lost your money?" - -"Yes sir." - -"How did that happen?" - -"As my friend Hickey would put it, we were 'touched,' sir." - -The captain threw back his head, laughing heartily. - -"That is not a new thing to happen to a sailor. Do you know how it -occurred?" - -"We can only guess at it, sir. We had been dining with the Spanish -ambassador----" - -"Dining with the Spanish ambassador?" questioned the captain in -well-feigned surprise. - -"Yes, sir; did I not tell you about that?" - -"No." - -"It seems that it was his wife and daughter whom we rescued from the -Apaches. We did not know that until some time afterwards. The ambassador -invited us to dine with them at the embassy; then later in the evening -he told us who the women were that we had rescued." - -"Well, I must say you lads are getting on in the world pretty fast." - -"Yes, sir; it seems to me that we have not been losing any time." - -"I should say you had not. But about losing your money?" - -"We walked home from the ambassador's residence, sir. On the way we sat -down on a seat in one of the little parks. We had not sat there long -before two gentlemen came along and sat down. There was one on either -side of us." - -"They began talking to us in English, and, learning who we were, became -quite friendly. They were very pleasant gentlemen, sir." - -"So I should imagine." - -"After talking for some time, we decided to move on, and, bidding them -good night, went to our pension." - -"Then you think those pleasant gentlemen were those who got your money?" - -"They must have been, sir. We were not near enough to any one else to -give him a chance to get into our pockets. I am ashamed of myself, sir, -to have been so easily fooled." - -"Many men more experienced than either of you lads have been taken in, -my boy. You did very well. I commend you both for the way you have -conducted yourself in the trying experiences you have had. The American -consul said some very pleasant things about you." - -"We had to borrow some money off him to get back to ship, sir," said -Dan. "I should like to return it to him at once. Shall I be able to put -a letter ashore?" - -"I am afraid not. We shall be sailing very shortly now. We were -waiting----" - -Some one knocked at the door. - -"Well?" - -"Orderly, sir." - -"Yes, what is it?" - -"The master-at-arms reports that twelve men are ashore, having -overstayed their leave, sir." - -"Thank you. Send the executive officer here to me." - -"Aye, aye, sir." - -"Davis, go to the canteen at once, and procure your uniform. See that -your rating badge is sewed on the sleeve; then report back to me here." - -"Aye, aye, sir." - -Dan hurried away, delivering the captain's order to the keeper of the -canteen. He was quickly furnished with a new uniform and a rating badge, -the latter showing that he was a petty officer. This rating badge -consisted of two white crossed cannon with three red chevrons beneath, -all surmounted by a white eagle, worn on the sleeve. - -Dan went out on the spar deck where he changed his clothes abaft of the -second stack. - -While he was thus engaged, the executive officer reported to his -superior officer. The two officers were engaged in conversation for some -moments. - -"See that the master-at-arms is informed immediately of my wishes. I am -sending Davis because I wish him to have the experience." - -"Are the men to carry arms, sir?" - -"Yes." - -"Has authority been obtained from the local authorities, sir?" - -"Yes; that has been arranged for, in case we found it necessary to land -a patrol." - -"Very good, sir. Shall I send Davis to you?" - -"I already have ordered him to report. See that the master-at-arms has -everything arranged at once. I desire to get away from here to-day if -possible." - -"Aye, aye, sir." - -The executive officer saluted and left the captain's cabin. He had been -gone but a few moments when there came another knock at the door. - -"Seaman Davis, sir." - -"Come in." - -Dan Davis, in his new uniform, stepped into the room, looking very -handsome and manly. He stood erect, with shoulders well back, in perfect -military position. - -The captain surveyed him with critical but approving eyes. - -"I wish you to perform a service, Davis," announced the captain in a -business-like tone. - -"Aye, aye, sir." - -"I am giving you this detail that you may get the experience. By rights, -the marines should do it, though it is discretionary with me to send -whom I choose. I have decided to send you." - -Dan did not reply. He could not imagine what was wanted of him. - -"You will take a detail of six men, armed, carrying five rounds of ball -cartridges. Proceed ashore in steamer number one, and round up the -delinquents. Bear in mind that you are on foreign soil, and that any -indiscreet act on your part might involve the United States in trouble -with the French government." - -The captain paused to give his words force. - -"Aye, aye, sir." - -Dan's eyes were sparkling, strive as he might to appear as if it were -nothing unusual to be sent ashore at the head of a patrol. - -"Twelve delinquents are ashore, having overstayed their leave. Bring in -all you can find, reporting to the American consul as to those whom you -fail to round up. Do you understand?" - -"Yes, sir." - -"You will use no unnecessary force, but simply bring in the men. You -will remember that you are clothed with no little power. Exercise it -discreetly. I know that I can depend on you. That will be all. Report at -once to the master-at-arms, who has instructions and orders in this -matter. Make all possible haste, as I desire to sail this afternoon, or -as much earlier as is possible." - -"Aye, aye, sir. Is that all, sir?" - -"Yes." - -The Battleship Boy saluted and retired. Proceeding directly to the -forecastle, he reported to the master-at-arms, who had already ordered -out the men who were to constitute the patrol. - -Dan's companions were looking on smilingly, for the lad was popular -among his fellows. - -"Here is the list of the men whom you are to bring in," said the -master-at-arms. - -Davis took the list, going over it deliberately and fixing the names in -his mind, after which he stowed the paper in his blouse pocket. - -"You have your orders?" - -"Yes, sir; the captain has given me my instructions. You have no idea -where I shall find the men, sir?" - -"No; that is for you to find out when you get ashore. Are you ready?" - -"All ready, sir." - -"Take charge of the patrol." - -"Carry arms!" commanded Davis, turning to his squad. "Right face, -forward march! Board steamer!" - -The men scrambled over the side, going down the Jacob's ladder into the -steamer that lay awaiting them below. - -"Cast off!" commanded the Battleship Boy. The steamer whistled once and -headed for the landing stage. - -Dan sat on the stern rail alone. He was impressed with the importance -of his assignment. He realized that he had it in his power, perhaps, to -bring on war between two friendly powers. Every minute the steamer was -drawing nearer and nearer to the landing stage. - -Dan felt no nervousness. He did not try to make up his mind what he -should do when he got ashore. Time enough for that when he got there. - -The landing stage reached, the men were piped out. - -"Fall in, forward march, by twos!" - -The men fell into step and marched steadily up the street. - -It was a small command that Dan Davis had under him, but he was as proud -of it as if he had been commanding a company. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -ROUNDING UP THE STRAGGLERS - - -"Halt!" - -The men came to a quick stop in front of a resort where Dan thought he -might possibly find some of the absent sailors. - -Instead of ordering his men to go in, he entered alone. - -"Have you any American sailors here?" he asked. - -The proprietor shook his head. He did not understand the words, perhaps, -but he had seen the detail of armed sailors halt before his place, and -well knew the meaning. - -"You are sure you have none of our men here?" - -"Non." (No.) - -"Who went into that room there?" pointing to a door that had closed with -a bang as Dan pushed open the front door. - -The proprietor shrugged his shoulders and turned away. - -The boy's mind was made up at once. A few quick strides brought him to -the door in question. He threw it open and sprang in. - -A pair of legs, clad in the blue of the Navy, were protruding from -beneath a table. Dan grabbed the legs, giving them a mighty tug. The -result was that a sailor was jerked out into the middle of the room. - -"So you thought you would get away from me, did you, Anthony? Stand up." - -Anthony did stand up. He sprang to his feet, launching a terrific blow -at Seaman Davis. Dan merely parried the blow, making no attempt to -return it. - -"Anthony," he said, stepping back. "I have a patrol outside. Do you want -me to call them in?" - -"I'll lick you first," growled the man. - -"Stop where you are! You are not wholly responsible for what you are -doing or saying, but you know what will happen to you if you resist. I -came in here to get you, and I'm going to take you out with me." - -Dan whirled at that instant. He had caught an expression in the eyes of -his man that told him something was going on behind him. The boy ducked -like a flash, thus avoiding a vicious blow that had been aimed at him by -the proprietor of the place. - -"Don't you do that again!" warned Dan sternly. "You are facing the -United States Government now, remember. Stand aside!" - -With this he grabbed Anthony by the arm. The sailor struggled to release -himself, but Davis' grip was too strong to enable him to break away -easily. Anthony swung his free hand. That was just what Dan wanted. - -With a quick twist he brought both the sailor's arms behind the latter's -back, giving the fellow a violent push. - -There was nothing for Anthony to do but to go ahead. He did so with a -rush, Dan running behind him and pushing with all his might. They struck -the swinging doors with a bang. The doors flew out, the Battleship Boy -and his prisoner landing with a bump against the astonished jackies of -the patrol, who were waiting outside. - -"Two of you men take this fellow down to the steamer and tell those -aboard that he is under arrest. Tell the coxswain I shall hold him -personally responsible for the man's safe keeping. Hurry back. You will -find us up the street somewhere. Anthony, you had better go peaceably -unless you want to spend the next three months in the brig." - -The two men detailed for the purpose led the ugly sailor away. - -"Twos right, forward march!" commanded Dan. - -The little company trudged up the street, many persons pausing to look -at the slim, well-set-up fellow who was plainly in command of the four -remaining men of the squad. - -The part of the town in which they now found themselves was the location -of most of the sailor boarding houses in Boulogne. Somehow, Dan had an -idea that some of their men would be found there. He kept his eyes open, -slowing his men down. - -"Halt!" he commanded. - -Dan had espied a sailor from one of the trans-atlantic ships on the -other side of the street. He crossed over to the man. - -"Good morning, shipmate," greeted Davis. "I'm looking for some of our -delinquents. Have you seen any of our men in this quarter within the -last hour or two?" - -"You from the 'Long Island'?" - -"Yes. Have you seen any of our fellows?" - -"I guess I have. One of them gave me this black eye 'bout half an hour -ago. I'd have trimmed him proper if he hadn't had a gang back of him." - -"Where was that?" - -"Down the street a piece." - -"Where is the man now?" - -"See that two-story building down there?" - -"Yes." - -"Well, that's a sort of hotel; that's what they call it; but I reckon -it's a joint where they shanghai fellows for the long cruises. I -wouldn't go in there for the price of a round-trip voyage." - -"Thank you. I'll soon find out." - -"You ain't going in there, are you, shipmate?" - -"Sure. Why not?" - -"Why, they'll knock your block off, the first thing if you try to get a -man out of there." - -"Don't be too sure about that," answered Dan, with a smile. "I guess -they had better not try it." - -"Take my advice and take your men in with you. I see they have their -guns, and you'd better see to it that the guns are loaded, while you are -about it." - -"Thank you very much. I will look out for myself." - -By the time the young commander rejoined his squad the two men who had -taken their prisoner down to the ship's steamer had returned. Dan now -had six men that he could use. - -"Forward march!" he commanded. - -They continued on until they reached the place that the merchant sailor -had indicated. - -"Men, I want you to wait here. Do not enter unless I give three short, -sharp whistles, then come quickly. But do not lose yourselves. Under no -consideration use your guns. It is not necessary. We have our fists if -it comes to a fight." - -"Hadn't you better take a couple of us with you?" questioned one of the -men. - -"No, it is not necessary. An armed force might stir up trouble." - -Dan entered the place, and he saw at once that the sailor had not -overdrawn the character of the house. It was about the worst he ever had -seen. The place was thronged with tough characters, few of whom were -sailors; or, at least, they did not appear to be. - -"I don't believe a man of them has ever smelled salt water unless he's -been out on the breakwater," thought Dan. - -Glancing about, he failed to see any of the men for whom he was looking. -He strolled about, attracting as little attention as possible, though -several of the men regarded him suspiciously. - -The front room was a sort of office and lounging room. A small desk, on -one side, was walled off by a rusty iron screen. Around by the lower end -of the desk was a door opening into a rear room. - -Dan decided to investigate. He made his way as quietly as possible to -the end of the desk, pushed the door slightly ajar, peered in and -sneezed. - -The odor of bad tobacco was almost over-powering. The boy blinked and -sneezed again. - -"Shut that door, you lubber!" roared a voice from the rear room. - -Davis shut it, but when the door closed he was on the inside, with his -back against the door. - -It was with difficulty that he made out the faces of the men congregated -there. Not one of them paid the least attention to him. - -"Ah, there's one of my men now," muttered the boy. - -The man indicated was an ordinary seaman, who had been aboard but a -short time. His name was Kuhn. He was in deep conversation with a man -better dressed than most of the others. The older man appeared to be -seeking to convince the sailor of something that he was telling him. - -Dan edged over near them and listened. Perhaps he suspected what was -going on, for Dan Davis was a shrewd lad, and he was learning many -things about the life of the sailor and the snares that are set for him. - -A moment's listening convinced him that he was right. The well-dressed -stranger was trying to induce Kuhn to desert and join a ship bound for -China. A large increase in wages was promised, good grub and a real -berth to sleep in. - -"But they'll come and get me and lock me up," protested Kuhn. "I'll be a -deserter." - -"Nothing of the sort, my lad. How are they going to get you when you are -in China? Why, you'll never be heard from again. I'll tell you what the -skipper of the schooner is willing to do for a likely lad like you." - -"What?" - -"Sh-h-h, don't say anything about it, but he's promised to make you -first mate." - -"He has?" - -"Sure thing." - -The sailor's eyes glowed with anticipation. - -"All right; if you will get me out of this uniform, so I shall not be -recognized, I'll----" - -"You'll come with me," finished a voice behind Kuhn, as a hand was laid -lightly on his shoulder. - -The sailor leaped to his feet, his face flushing. An angry light flashed -to his eyes as he recognized the features of Gunner's Mate Davis -confronting him. - -Dan had heard enough. He understood. He did not blame the young, -inexperienced sailor so much, but he felt rising within him a righteous -indignation toward the Englishman who was seeking to induce the young -fellow to desert the Flag under which he was serving. - -"Come, Kuhn; it is time you were getting back to the ship," said Dan in -a quiet tone. - -"I--I am not going." - -"Not going?" - -"No. I----" - -"Never mind, Mr. Sailorman. The boy and me is friends. You just let him -alone. I'll see that he gets back to the ship afore you get there -yourself." - -Dan turned upon the Englishman. - -"Who are you?" - -"I just told you. I'm a friend of the shipmate here." - -"A nice sort of friend you are," replied Dan witheringly. "Are you -coming with me, Kuhn? You know what it means to refuse to return to ship -as you have just done. The ship is preparing to sail. If I have to use -force it will be the worse for you. I know what this man is trying to do -with you. He is a bad man, Kuhn. He is trying to induce you to -desert----" - -"You go away and let me alone----" - -"See here, young fellow," commanded the Englishman savagely, "if you -know what is good for you, you get right out of here, and don't you come -back again. It'll be the worse for you if you do. Understand?" - -"Look out that you do not get into trouble yourself. Kuhn, you are -coming with me." - -The Battleship Boy laid a firm grip on the arm of his shipmate and began -moving toward the door by which he had entered the room. - -Suddenly Kuhn was jerked violently from his grasp. Dan made a spring, -recovering his prisoner. - -All at once the Englishman uttered a series of short, sharp exclamations -in French. Like magic, nearly every man in the room was on his feet. -They appeared to understand perfectly what was wanted of them, and with -one accord made a rush for Seaman Davis. - -"Stand back!" roared the young officer, boldly facing the mob. "You will -have to answer to your government if you dare lay hands on me." - -They gave no heed to his warning, but threw themselves upon the lad. Dan -fought manfully, using his fists to good purpose, and many a hardy -stoker and sailor went down before Little Dynamite's sturdy blows. - -Not daring to cease fighting long enough to reach for the boatswain's -whistle with which he had provided himself before leaving ship, he -uttered three sharp whistles with his lips, but in the din about him the -whistles failed to carry beyond the room. - -The whistles did, however, have the effect of quieting the uproar. The -men interpreting them as some sort of a signal, hesitated, looked at -each other inquiringly, then at the cool, hatless young fellow who was -facing them, working his way determinedly toward Ordinary Seaman Kuhn. -The latter was standing with a half-frightened expression on his face. -He had begun to realize the enormity of his proposed act. - -"Kuhn, come here!" demanded Dan sternly. - -The sailor made a move as if to comply with the order. Ere he had taken -a step forward, however, the Englishman had fastened upon his arm. - -"You're in it now. You can't get out. If you go back to the ship they -will put you in the brig. You just stay here till the ship has sailed, -and you'll be all right." - -"But where--where? They'll come here and get me." - -"We'll see to that." - -Again Dan had forced his way to where Kuhn was standing, but before he -was able to lay his hands upon the young fellow a dozen men threw -themselves upon the Battleship Boy. - -Davis struggled with all the strength that was in him. His struggles -were fruitless. Men of brawn and muscle had hold of him now. He was as a -child in their hands, though, had his hands been free, he would have -given a good account of himself. - -Some one gave a few brief directions in French. The men picked Dan up, -bearing him through a door, into a long, dark hallway, down which they -carried him until they reached a door at the end. Opening the door, they -threw the Battleship Boy in bodily, slamming and locking the door. - -"I've made a mess of it," groaned the lad, "but I'll beat them yet." - - - - -CHAPTER X - -OUTWITTED BY A BOY - - -The room was quite dark, except for the light that came in through an -open skylight above Dan Davis' head. A glance about him told the boy -that he had been thrown into a storeroom. All about him were boxes, -cases and trunks. - -"It will do me no good to shout. If I do, I'll give them the -satisfaction of knowing that I'm done for. No; I won't yell. My men -could not hear me if I did." - -Dan pondered for a few moments, and an idea came to him. - -"I believe I could batter that door down," he mused. "I'll take a look -at it." - -A brief examination convinced him that such an attempt would be foolish. -The door was constructed of heavy plank, and had been made to withstand -assaults. The room in which he had been made a prisoner was a place -where sailors' chests were stored, a sort of safe deposit vault. There -were no windows on either side, only the skylight in the ceiling, some -twelve feet above the boy's head. - -Dan gazed up at it longingly. - -"I wonder if I could do it," he thought. "I cannot more than fail, -anyway." - -He quickly went to work, piling up boxes and chests. The latter were so -heavy that he was unable to handle them and get them up more than three -high. On top of these he piled boxes and climbed to the top of the pile. -He found that he was still some distance from the skylight. This was a -double affair, with the lights turning up on either side of a brace -between them. - -Dan crouched down, measured the distance and made a leap straight up -into the air. His fingers barely touched the frame of the opening, then -down he shot. - -The lad landed on the edge of the upper packing case. It toppled over -with him, and nearly every one of the boxes he had piled up came down -with a crash that made that part of the building shake. - -An empty case turned over Dan, imprisoning him beneath it. At first he -lay still, not knowing whether he had been injured or not. Finally -concluding that he had not been hurt, he eased the case from his body -and crawled out. - -"Either they are all deaf and dumb, or else they have deserted the -place," he said out loud. "I don't believe I shall try that again. I'll -try some other plan, and----" - -Footsteps were heard coming down the hall. A new idea occurred to the -lad. In an instant he had flattened himself on the floor, pulling the -packing case over him as it had been before. - -A key grated in the lock and several men entered. Among them was the -Englishman. Dan recognized his voice, though the fellow was speaking in -French. The men set up a great chattering when, as they thought, they -found the room empty. It appeared plain to them how their man had made -his escape. - -"He's climbed out of the skylight!" cried a voice in good English. - -"I shouldn't wonder if he is up there now. He can't get down," answered -the Englishman with whom Dan had had the trouble out in the other room. - -"Get him, quick! Somebody climb up there!" - -The men began chattering in French again. Instantly they started piling -boxes on top of the chests which they had put in place on the pile -again. - -"This is the time I lose," muttered Dan. - -Fortunately for him, however, they were getting their cases from the -other side. They found light and empty cases for their purpose, and it -required but a moment to fling them up in place. - -Three men instantly clambered to the top of the pile thus made. One man -was lifted by the other two and boosted to the skylight. He grasped the -frame, holding on, his feet standing on the hands of the other two -beneath him. - -The pile of boxes wavered and swayed beneath the weight placed upon -them. - -In the meantime Dan Davis had raised the box from his own body just far -enough to enable him to peer out. He saw what was going on, and his eyes -lighted up with joy as a sudden idea occurred to him. - -"I'll show them they can't beat a Yankee tar," he thought, raising the -box little by little. Fortunately for him, the men on the floor were at -the other side of the pile of boxes, while those on top were too busy -with their own affairs to look down. - -Crouching for a spring, he gathered himself. - -All at once the box over him landed several feet away with a crash. - -Dan was on his feet in a twinkling. The door leading into the hallway -stood open. Freedom was at hand, but the boy was not yet ready to take -advantage of the opportunity offered him. - -With a bound he threw his whole weight against the pile of packing -cases. - -For one giddy moment the cases trembled, then fell inward toward the men -on the floor. Those above emitted a yell. Down they went, howling and -shouting, their companions not having had time to get out of the way, -being caught under the falling boxes and buried beneath them. All of the -men were fighting, kicking and struggling to extricate themselves from -the wreckage. - -"Hip, hip, hooray!" yelled the Battleship Boy, unable to control his -delight at the downfall of his enemies. "Next time maybe you'll think -twice before you try to beat the United States Government." - -With that Dan sprang out into the hallway. He slammed the door, turned -the key in the lock, then hurled the key from him. - -"Let them stay there and think it over for the rest of the day. It will -do them good," he laughed, starting for the other end of the hall. He -stepped into the room from which he had been taken a short time before. - -There were still a number of men there, but they had not observed his -entrance. Dan's eyes swept the room. In a far corner, crouching low in -his chair, sat Kuhn, making himself as inconspicuous as possible. There -was a frightened expression on the young sailor's face. - -Dan walked quickly around the outer edge of the room. Kuhn did not -happen to look his way. The fellow's eyes were fixed on the door leading -out into the office in momentary expectation of seeing a squad of blue -jackets enter the place. - -"I've got you this time, young man!" exclaimed Davis, pouncing upon the -sailor. - -Kuhn toppled from his chair to the floor, with Dan on top of him. - -"Get up!" commanded the Battleship Boy, scrambling to his feet and -jerking his prisoner up beside him. "Out of here, before I serve you -worse. I'm getting angry. You'll regret acting the way you have to-day. -Come along!" - -Ere the others in the room had an opportunity to protest, Dan had -dragged his man to the door, which he kicked open, pushing his man -through, then running him to the front door. With a shove, Dan sent his -prisoner staggering to the sidewalk. Ere Kuhn stopped going he had -measured his length in the street before the eyes of the jackies who -comprised the patrol. - -"Hold him, men!" commanded Davis. "That's it. Take him down to the -steamer, two of you. I believe there are other men in this place. It is -taking long chances, but I am going in to find out. Two of you come in -with me this time. Be careful that you do not start anything. Take no -part in any fight that may occur unless I tell you to do so." - -At a carry arms, two of the detail followed Dan into the office of the -place. - -Approaching the proprietor, he said: - -"Do you speak English?" - -The man, a fat, red-faced Frenchman, nodded surlily, his eyes on the two -armed men standing at attention at one side of the room. - -"Are any of our men in your place?" - -The fellow shook his head. - -"I have reason to believe there are." - -"No men here." - -"Do you wish me to report your conduct to the Prefect of Police?" - -The fellow's face took on a darker shade. - -"Unless you convince me that none of our sailors are under your roof, I -shall place a guard at the door to see that none of our men leave; then -I shall go to the police and enter a complaint against you. They don't -love you any too well now, you know." - -Davis had taken a long shot, but he saw, from the expression on the -proprietor's face that it had reached the mark. - -Just then the Englishman, followed by the other men whom Dan had -imprisoned in the store room, burst into the office. Espying the -Battleship Boy, the Englishman made a dash toward him. - -"There he is! Grab him!" - -The men behind the Englishman started forward. None had observed the two -jackies standing rigidly at one side of the room with eyes front. - -"Stop where you are!" commanded Davis. - -They paid no attention to his command. - -"Port arms!" he commanded sharply, turning to his own men. "Load!" - -Two audible metallic clicks sounded above the noise in the room. - -"Take aim! Steady, there," he ordered, in a voice just loud enough for -his men to hear. "I wouldn't have you pull the triggers for a million -dollars. Don't get excited." - -The rush stopped instantly. - -"Now, you fellows, I want you to stand out of my way. At the first sign -of opposition on your part I shall order my men to fire. Mr. Proprietor, -lead the way through your place." - -Backed by the two armed men, Davis started in the wake of the -proprietor. They examined all the rooms on the ground floor, after which -Dan, leaving his men in the hallway to guard the rear, proceeded -upstairs where a number of rooms had been arranged for lodging places. -In one of these he found three sailors sound asleep on the floor. They -were awakened with no little difficulty. - -"Guard, there!" called Dan down the stairway. - -"Aye, aye." - -"One of you come up here. Take these men out to the patrol with -instructions for two of them to march these fellows down to the steamer. -Tell the men to report back at once. If the other two have returned, -send one of them in to me!" - -The sailors, rubbing their eyes, rose, grinning sheepishly. - -"Where are we heading, matey?" demanded one of them. - -"For the ship and perhaps the brig," answered Dan shortly. - -"What for?" - -"Overstaying your leave. Come, hurry out of here!" - -The men ruefully made their way down the stairs, and a few minutes later -were on their way to the landing stage, where the steamer was waiting to -receive them. Dan was convinced that the men had not intentionally -overstayed their leave. Still, he had little sympathy for men who had so -light a regard for their duty as to forget it entirely. - -"Now, Mr. Proprietor, what other rooms have you in this establishment?" - -"None." - -"I am afraid I can't take your word for anything after the way you have -tried to deceive me. We will look about below a little. Where does that -door lead to?" he asked, espying a small door under the stairway after -they had reached the hallway again. - -"To the cellar. There's nothing down there." - -"Open the door." - -The owner of the place did so. Dan peered down into the darkness and was -about to turn away, when he thought he heard voices. He listened -intently. - -"Who is down there?" he asked of the proprietor. - -"No one." - -"Get a light and lead the way." - -The proprietor did so, his face working convulsively as he sought to -control his rage. - -Leading the way across the cellar, the fellow threw open a door. A great -wave of damp, smoky air smote the newcomers in the face. - -"So that's the game, is it?" demanded Dan triumphantly. There were the -others of the missing men, enjoying themselves immensely. They were -laughing and joking. - -"Attention!" commanded Davis. - -A loud laugh greeted his order. - -"Bring him in here. It's Little Dynamite!" shouted the men. "Hurrah, for -Little Dynamite! Hurrah!" - -Sudden silence settled over the room. Behind the stern-faced Battleship -Boy the eyes of the occupants of the room all at once made out their -companions, armed with Krag rifles. - -They understood. - -"Attention! Forward march!" ordered Dan. - -The men rose, hesitated, then bowing before the authority that they knew -represented the United States Government, they filed from the room, up -the stairs and into the hallway, where another guard stood at attention. - -Dan led the way through the hall, on through the two rooms. He paused at -the street door, while the men filed past him. They lined up in the -street where Dan had halted them. - -"Right dress. Twos right, forward march!" - -The disconsolate sailors started away down the street, guarded in front -and rear by armed men, with the Battleship Boy at their head. - -Dan had had a lively time, but he had carried out his orders faithfully. - -No conversation was indulged in, and, reaching the landing stage, the -men were ordered into the little steamer, which quickly got under way -and headed for the battleship. Shortly after that the delinquents were -climbing up a sea ladder to the deck, the gangways having been taken in -in preparation for getting under way. - -"All present, sir," announced Dan, saluting the officer of the deck. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -BETWEEN SKY AND SEA - - -"You got them all, did you?" questioned the captain. - -"Yes, sir." - -"Good work! Did you have any trouble?" - -"Nothing very much, sir." - -"You look it," the captain laughed. "You will appear at mast this -afternoon, at one o'clock, and give such evidence as you may have -obtained, relating to where you found the men, and who of them offered -resistance." - -"Aye, aye, sir." - -"Mr. Coates, are all our men accounted for?" - -"I will ascertain, sir." - -The executive officer returned a few minutes later and saluted. - -"The master-at-arms reports that the ship's crew is on board." - -"Very good; we will get under way at once. Davis, I take pleasure in -commending you for your excellent work. You have done much better than I -had any idea you could possibly do. That will be all. Your uniform needs -attention." - -"Aye, aye, sir." - -Dan seemed fated to lose his clothes. He was without a hat, his garments -were torn and soiled and his hair looked as if it had not felt the touch -of a comb in many days. His condition necessitated another visit to the -canteen for fresh supplies. - -"If this keeps on I shall be spending all my wages for uniforms," said -the boy with a happy laugh, as he drew a cap, a new jacket, a blouse, -and a new rating badge. - -The forecastle presented a scene of activity when finally Dan emerged -upon it from the forward companionway. Orders were being passed rapidly, -boatswain's mates were piping up their different watches and jackies -were making all snug about the decks. - -"I think we are ready, Mr. Coates," announced the captain. - -"Up anchor!" roared the executive through his megaphone. - -Chains rattled and clanked as the powerful electric apparatus began -hauling in the heavy anchors. - -"Anchors shipped, sir," sang a midshipman from the forecastle. - -"Slow speed ahead, both engines," ordered the captain. - -The ship swung slowly about, clouds of black smoke belching from her -funnels. Poking her nose out into the English Channel, the battleship -headed southward for a long cruise. - -The band on the quarter-deck about this time struck up "The Red, White -and Blue," every jackie on the decks raising his voice in the words of -the song. It was an inspiring scene. - -Dan Davis felt an unusual pride that afternoon. He had accomplished -something of which he was proud, and for which he had a right to be -proud. - -Shortly after mess the mast court was called, at which all the -delinquents that the Battleship Boy and his squad had rounded up were -arraigned on deck. This was the part of his work that the boy did not -like. He was placed in a position where, if he should tell the truth, he -would be obliged to give information that would send some of his -shipmates to the ship's brig for many days. It was a foregone conclusion -that Dan would tell the truth, and he did. He related the story of the -arrest of each man, leaving out his own part in the affair as much as -possible. However, the facts were skilfully drawn out by the commanding -officer. - -Most of the men who had overstayed their leave were remanded for trial -by summary court, and two days later, at muster, sentence was -pronounced. - -The "Long Island" was now starting on a long cruise to southern waters. -The Battleship Boys were looking forward to new sights and new scenes, -as well as new experiences, of which they were to have a full measure. - -The English Channel was left behind two days later, the battleship -beginning once more her strife with the broad Atlantic. The skies were -gray and the water of that dull leaden hue which to the experienced eyes -of the sailor means trouble. - -Before that afternoon had come to a close huge seas were breaking over -the forecastle, sending the spray over the bridge and high up on the -military masts. - -"The glass is falling, sir," announced the navigating officer. - -"Yes; we are in for a rough night," answered the captain. "Is all -secure, Mr. Coates?" he asked, turning to the executive officer. - -"All is secure, sir." - -The quarter-deck, long since, had begun shipping seas, so that now it -was wholly awash, the deck being buried beneath tons of water, save now -and then when it would rise, dripping, from the sea, only to bury itself -again a few minutes later, the after flag staff disappearing beneath the -green seas that swept over it. - -Sea after sea would rise over the forecastle, leap the forward turret, -striking the weather cloths of the bridge with a swish and a thud, then -go hissing past the officers on the bridge with terrific speed. - -Watches had been set as if the hour were late, for it was becoming more -and more difficult to see ahead, in the blinding salt spray that hung -over the ship like a fog. - -As far as the eye could reach the sea was a mass of angry, swirling -waters, here and there rising into great white-capped mountains. - -All at once the voice of the lookout in the tops sang out a new call. - -"Waterspout off the starboard bow!" - -Instantly every man within sound of the lookout's voice sprang up to -view the sight. - -"Pipe all hands up to see waterspout!" roared the executive officer. - -It was dangerous business coming on deck in that sea, but the men knew -how to look out for themselves. They came piling from hatchway and -companionway like as many monkeys. - -"Where away?" called one. - -"Off the starboard bow," answered a voice from the bridge. - -When the battleship rose on a great heaving billow a splendid sight was -obtained of the twister. The swirling pillar of water appeared to reach -high up into the skies. The column was traveling at tremendous speed. - -"What would happen if the thing should hit us?" questioned Sam Hickey -apprehensively. - -"It would rake your red hair and turn it green," jeered a companion. - -"I'd hate to be on board a ship that it did hit," added a boatswain's -mate. - -"I was on a barkentine, trading between New York and Brazil once, when -we got hit by a twister," said a machinist's mate. - -"Do any harm?" - -"Not much. Stripped her clean, washed seven sailors overboard and a few -other trifles." - -"Do you mean it washed a few other trifles overboard?" questioned -Hickey. - -"No; I don't mean anything of the sort. I mean that it cut up a few -other capers. We were picked up by a coasting steamer three days later, -half drowned." - -"Any danger of her coming our way?" asked Sam a little apprehensively. - -"I guess not. The officers will look out for that." - -The officers on the bridge were looking after the waterspout, and very -carefully at that. An extra watch was posted in each of the military -tops, with instructions to keep a keen lookout. Hickey was one of these. -His station was on top of the forward cage mast, a hundred feet from -the deck. - -The red-haired boy's head swam as he clung desperately to the rope -ladder in his perilous ascent. Now and then the battleship would heel -over until it seemed as if she never would come back. - -When half way up he paused a few seconds, to turn his head aft and get a -free breath, for water was smiting him at every step. He saw a signal -wig-wagged to him from the after mast. It was from Dan Davis, who was -going up on the same duty. - -"I'll race you to the top," signaled Davis. - -"Go you!" answered Sam, starting up the ladder at a lively clip. Dan was -not caught napping. He was off with Sam. Every little distance up these -masts is a landing made of woven leather strands, and a person mounting -to the top has to cross each one of these, taking a ladder on the other -side. - -The Battleship Boys barely struck the high places in crossing the -landings. It seemed as if they surely must fall. - -"Look careful, aloft there!" roared a voice from the bridge. - -"Aye, aye, sir," floated back the reply from Hickey. - -They had reached next to the last landing, far up there in the -spray-laden air, when a shout attracted all eyes aft. - -A man was seen hanging from the platform by his feet. With each roll of -the ship his body would swing far out from the mast, as he hung -suspended between sea and sky. - -"Man the main mast!" thundered an officer, his voice being heard above -the roar of the storm. - -Half a dozen jackies sprang for the mast. - -"Who is the man aloft there?" demanded the captain. - -"It's Gunner's Mate Davis, sir," answered the executive officer. - -The captain groaned. - -"He'll be lost. Look alive there, men! Quick! Quick!" - -Sam had seen and understood, but he did not halt. He was under orders to -go to the top, and to the top he went as fast as his feet and hands -would carry him. Not until he had reached the swaying platform at the -top of the cage mast did he venture to look astern. - -The lad's heart fairly leaped into his throat as he saw his companion's -terrible peril. - -In running across the landing, Dan had been caught by a sudden violent -lurch of the ship and thrown forward. He felt his head and shoulders -going through between the braces of the mast. With quick instinct he -spread both legs, turning his toes outward. - -Nothing else saved him from plunging a hundred feet into the sea. And -there he clung by his feet, every muscle in his body strained to its -utmost tension. With each roll of the ship he felt that he would be -unable to hold on through another. - -"Hold fast!" shouted a voice far below him. - -[Illustration: "Hold Fast!" Shouted a Voice Below.] - -"Hold fast--they're coming!" howled Sam Hickey from his perch high in -the air. His voice was lost on the roar of the gale, but he did not know -it. - -"Where's that confounded waterspout?" he muttered. "Oh, I see it. The -thing is going to come pretty close to the ship, I'm afraid. But I don't -care. I'm too high up to get hit by it." - -His mind turning from the waterspout to Dan Davis, Sam wheeled, -steadying himself by holding tightly to the railing that extended around -the top. Every lurch of the ship was like "cracking-the-whip" at school. -It seemed to make every bone in one's body snap. - -Sam groaned as he saw Dan swaying back and forth. - -"Oh, why doesn't he grab the mast? Why doesn't he?" - -Sam did not know that Dan was making desperate efforts to do this very -thing, but thus far had been unable to. - -All at once the lad's feet slipped out of position. - -"He's going! He's going overboard!" yelled Hickey in a voice that was -heard on the bridge and to the stern of the superstructure. - -Sam shut his eyes and stood there trembling. He had forgotten -waterspout, raging sea and all--all save the fact that his companion was -falling. - -A yell aroused him. The yell was different from the rest. It was a yell -of joy. Sam opened his eyes, blinked, rubbing the salt water out of -them, then gazed aft through the mist. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -IN THE COILS OF A "TWISTER" - - -"There he goes! Oh, that's too bad!" groaned the captain. - -He had seen the boy's body shoot outward. - -"No, he's struck something. He's caught a stay," cried the executive -officer. - -"He'll never hang there. He'll surely go over now." - -Dan was hanging with desperate courage to the rope that he had caught. - -"Such grit! What a pity!" - -By this time the jackies had reached the platform, but they could be of -no assistance to their shipmate. Dan was hanging twenty feet out from -where they were. - -He seemed to have lost his bearings, and, for the moment, appeared not -to realize where he was. Little by little his power of reasoning -returned to him, while all hands were watching him with breathless -interest. The stay to which he was clinging extended forward to the -foremast, running from the middle of the mainmast to the middle of the -foremast. - -Hand over hand the plucky lad began moving along the rope brace. It was -slow progress at best. At last he was directly over the huge funnels. -Hot, suffocating smoke, belching from the funnels, hid him from the view -of those on deck. The smoke and coal gas well-nigh strangled the boy, -but he kept on. A cheer reached his ears as he at last emerged from the -cloud of black smoke. - -"Keep it up, Dynamite! Keep it up!" howled a dozen voices. - -"Steady now! Hold to your course. You're on the last lap!" - -"Come on, Dan!" howled Sam Hickey, dancing about on his insecure -foothold, almost beside himself with excitement. - -On the other hand, at that moment, Dan Davis was perhaps the least -excited of all that ship's company. He was in full command of himself, -though his arms ached and he had to exert great self-control to keep -from letting go. Now and then he would pause, hanging by one hand to -rest the other arm, then he would go on again, moving more rapidly than -before. - -"Bridge, there!" roared Sam. - -"Aye, aye." - -"Can't somebody come aloft to give Davis a hand when he reaches the -foremast?" - -"Get aloft, there!" bellowed the executive officer. - -"Yes, the boy Hickey has more sense than all the rest of we officers -down here," exclaimed the captain. - -Men ran up the ladders in a squirming white line, and quickly clambered -out into the steel rigging. As Dan neared them they stretched forth -their hands. - -"Only a little way further, matey," they encouraged. "That's the boy! -You'll make a tight-rope walker one of these days, only you want to -learn to walk with your feet instead of your hands." - -"Grab me!" called Dan. - -"Got him!" yelled a jackie at the top of his voice. - -The word carried to the bridge and to the superstructure, where a -hundred or more sailors were crouching trying to peer up into the mist. -They broke forth into a wild yell of applause. - -In the meantime strong hands had grasped Dan, pulling him in among the -steel supports of the cage mast, where they held him while he rested -from his great ordeal. - -Sam Hickey was dancing a jig on the top of the military mast, yelling as -if he had suddenly gone mad. - -"The boy is safe, sir," announced the executive officer. - -"Thank God!" breathed the captain. "Aloft, there!" - -"Aye, aye." - -"Is Davis all right?" - -"Yes, sir." - -"Send him below as soon as he is able." - -"Aye, aye, sir." - -"I'm able now," said Dan. "I'm going below. I've got to get back to my -station." - -"All right, matey. Want any help?" - -"No; I can get down alone." - -Dan's arms ached, and his muscles were pretty well stiffened, as he -started to make his way down the rocking mast. - -At last he reached the foot of the mast, which was the navigating bridge -of the ship, and started to run down the steps to return to his post. - -"Davis!" The voice was sharp and commanding. - -"Aye, aye, sir," answered the boy, halting and saluting. - -"Where are you going?" - -"To my post, sir," he answered, as he faced the commanding officer. - -"You need not return to your post. There are enough men aloft in the -mainmast now. You have done quite enough. How did you happen to fall?" - -The boy explained, not omitting the fact that he and Sam were running a -race for the tops. - -The captain did not rebuke the boy for this, perhaps realizing that Dan -had already been severely punished for his foolhardiness. - -"That is all for the present. Aloft, there!" - -"Aye, aye, sir." - -"How about that waterspout!" - -The seas were engulfing the ship so that the officers could not see the -waterspout at all. They had wholly lost sight of it. - -"Yeow! Wow!" yelled a voice far above their heads. - -Looking up, they saw the red-headed Sam dancing again, shouting lustily -and pointing off the starboard bow. - -"Aloft, there, what is it?" - -"Waterspout! Waterspout!" howled Hickey. - -"Where away?" - -"It ain't away at all." - -"Where away? Answer, you lubber!" - -"Right off the starboard bow, sir. Look out, she's going to hit us! -Lo-o-o-o-k out! Ye-ow!" - -"Hard aport!" shouted the captain. "Hold fast on the bridge! Look alive, -men aft, there! Waterspout coming aboard. Every man look out for -himself!" - -All tried to do so, but not all were quick enough to get under cover. -Only a few of them succeeded. - -With a terrifying roar the waterspout swept down on the ship. It towered -above them like a huge mountain, bearing to the northeast. It struck the -battleship on the starboard bow, sending a shiver through the ship, -hurling to the deck every man who was not clinging to some support. - -The twister recoiled after sending tons of water over the ship--recoiled -as if to gather strength for a final crushing blow. The quartermaster, -who had been holding the steering wheel, had been wrenched from the -wheel and hurled down a flight of steps to the spar deck. Not an officer -on the bridge was on his feet. - -Dan Davis, who had crept up the companionway to get a better view of the -waterspout, was huddled against the cage mast, clinging to one of its -supports. - -All at once he discovered that no one was at the wheel. Without waiting -for an order, he leaped forward. Grasping the wheel, he swung it sharply -to port. The thought suddenly occurred to him that the best way to meet -the twister would be head-on. He did not know what the result of such a -meeting might be, nor did he have time to think. As it was, the ship -was laboring in the trough of a terrific sea, and might be swamped. - -The bow of the ship pierced the base of the waterspout. With a mighty -roar the towering column of water suddenly collapsed. The sound was like -thunder, as tons upon tons of water beat down on the decks. The whole -ship seemed to be under water. Everything movable was moving. The -officers lay prone upon the narrow navigating bridge, clinging to its -stanchions for their lives. - -At the wheel a hatless boy, fairly swimming in salt water, was working -to get a foothold that would enable him to swing the ship. At last he -managed to wrap both legs about the wheel frame, and there he clung, -tugging at the wheel with all his strength. - -Very slowly, at first, the ship began to respond. First the battleship -seemed to shake itself, trying to throw off the great weight of water -upon its decks; then its blunt, stubborn bow rose clear of the seas. A -moment, and the shining decks themselves cleared the water, every -scupper discharging a green salt flood overboard, every deck below -soaked with brine. - -The captain was the first to regain his feet. He sprang up, his eyes -taking in the after part of the ship in one sweeping, comprehensive -view. Then his eyes rested on the man at the wheel. - -"Davis, is that you?" - -"Yes, sir." - -"You weren't at the wheel before we were struck?" - -"No, sir." - -"How did you happen to get there?" - -"I guess I must have been washed here, sir. - -"Where is the quartermaster who was at the wheel?" - -"I saw him falling down the after companionway, sir. I think you will -find him on the spar deck, sir." - -"You steered us out?" - -"Yes, sir." - -"Where is the spout?" - -"I smashed it, sir." - -"You what?" - -"Smashed it." - -"How?" - -"I steered the ship into it." - -"You did that?" - -"Yes, sir," answered Dan, now expecting that he was in for a severe -rebuke. - -"Explain." - -"I saw, immediately after the wheelman had been swept away, that the -ship was in a bad position. The waterspout was going to hit us, -quartering on the starboard bow. It seemed to me that the best thing to -do would be to split it. I didn't know whether I could do it or not, but -I made up my mind to try. There was no one to ask, nor time to do so. I -had to do something in a hurry." - -"So you rammed the waterspout, eh?" - -"I did, sir." - -"What do you think of that, Coates?" as the executive officer picked -himself up, wet, capless, very much the worse for his encounter with the -waters of the twister. - -"What is that, sir?" - -"Davis rammed the twister." - -The captain then went on to relate in detail what had happened while -they were on their faces, holding fast to the bridge stanchions to keep -from going overboard. - -"Davis, I shall have to commend you again and for this--perhaps saving -the ship--I shall send your name in to the department. Quartermaster, -here!" - -"Aye, aye, sir." - -"Man the wheel!" - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -TWO ARE MISSING - - -Night came on; dark, heavy clouds were hanging low in the sky, the wind -shrieking dismally. - -The jackies, however, were happy. They were not disturbed by the roar of -the gale. So rough was the sea, however, and so heavy the roll of the -ship, that it was decided not to set the mess tables for the evening -meal. The men sat around on the lower decks, legs crossed, balancing -themselves and their plates of food, joking and laughing over the little -mishaps of their companions. - -Down in the captain's quarters matters were little better. Most of the -time the commanding officer was holding to his own table with both -hands. A plate of hot soup had just turned turtle, landing in his lap, -soiling the spotless uniform that he had put on after returning from the -bridge. The officers in the ward room, where all the other commissioned -officers eat, were having their own troubles. - -All at once there was a yell. Some tumbled over backwards in their -chairs, while others sprang up and scrambled out of harm's way, as a -huge object came hurling through the air. It landed full force on the -mess table, the table going down beneath it with a mighty crash. - -The dark object was the ward-room's upright piano. The captain, hearing -the crash, rushed in from his quarters adjoining. - -"What's wrong?" he shouted. - -"Nothing, captain. There's music in the air, that's all," answered the -ship's surgeon. This put all hands in good humor, even though a quantity -of china had been utterly ruined. - -China was not troubling the jolly tars forward, nor were they disturbed -over the wet decks on which they were sitting. Every man of them was -soaked with salt water. - -In the galley kettles were sliding across the range, and from there out -on to the deck. Food was everywhere, except where it should have been. - -Suddenly the jackies on the seven-inch gun deck set up a yell of -delight. A steward descending a ladder carrying a kettle of hot beans -suddenly lost his hold. - -With a howl, he plunged headlong. Sam Hickey chanced to be right in the -path of the human projectile. The kettle of boiling hot beans turned -turtle just as it was hovering over the red-headed boy's head. Down came -kettle, beans and all over Sam's head. Part of the contents scattered, -catching other unlucky jackies who were sitting near him. - -Hickey's yells could be heard above the roar of the storm, as he -scrambled madly to his feet, tugging at the kettle to get it off his -head. The handle had dropped down under his chin. - -Shipmates sprang to his rescue, else Sam would have been seriously -burned. As it was, his face was red and swollen, his hair was matted -with beans and his eyes glared angrily. - -"You did that on purpose," he howled, starting for the unlucky steward. - -"Yes, of course he did," urged several voices. "He ought to be dumped -overboard for the fishes." - -"No; he's too tough, they wouldn't eat him." - -The steward himself settled the question of his disposal, by scrambling -up the companionway as fast as he could go. He knew the jackies well -enough to be aware that they would like nothing better than having some -sport with the "sea cook," as they call every man connected with the -kitchen department. - -"Hello, Sam, what's the matter?" questioned Dan Davis, as he shot across -the deck head first, having lost his grip on the frame of the -water-tight door where he had been standing for a moment. - -"Look out! Here comes the dynamite projectile!" warned a voice. - -Dan landed among a group of sailors, and what food they had in hand was -scattered all over that part of the deck. The next second he found -himself sprawling in the middle of the deck, where they had hurled him. - -Hickey grinned. - -"What's the matter with you?" - -"I must have been fired with a charge of smokeless powder, as I don't -see any smoke," laughed Dan. "Well, you are a sight! What happened to -you?" - -"Beans!" jeered the jackies. - -"I thought you looked like one of the fifty-seven varieties," laughed -Dan Davis, at which there was a loud uproar. - -"Throw him overboard. It's them kind of jokes that causes waterspouts -and earthquakes. Don't you ever dare say anything like that again, -Dynamite, or we'll forget you're a shipmate and bounce you!" - -"You had better begin right now, then," retorted Dan defiantly. "I'm -ready for any kind of a row you want to start. It's a good night for a -rough-and-tumble. We haven't anything else to do. Come on, if you are -looking for trouble." - -Dan squared off as if ready for a fight. Just then the ship gave a -heavy lurch. The Battleship Boy disappeared under one of the big guns. -His messmates hauled him out by the feet, amid shouts of laughter, and -began tossing him about as if he were a ball. - -Davis took his rough treatment good-naturedly. - -"Thought you were going to fight?" jeered the jackies. - -"No; like Sam Hickey, I've changed my mind," laughed Dan. - -"Hark!" - -"What is it?" All hands stopped to listen. - -"It's the bugle. They're piping some squad to quarters. I wonder what's -up now?" - -"That's the whaleboat crews they're piping up," nodded Dan. "I guess the -boats are being washed away." - -"There goes another call." - -"Starboard seven-inch gun crew called to quarters!" shouted Gunner's -Mate Davis. "Jump for it, boys!" - -There was a rush of those of the gun crew who were on the deck with Dan. -They well knew that something was wrong at their station. For all they -knew they might have been called to work the gun; still such a call was -hardly to be looked for during the mess hour. - -Reaching the seven-inch turret, they found the place flooded with salt -water. With every lurch of the ship a great column was forced in, as if -through a gigantic hose. The first charge of this caught Sam Hickey, -sweeping him clear out into the corridor. - -Sam came back, choking and coughing, yelling at every one in his -excitement. - -"Attention!" roared the gun captain. - -"Attention!" repeated Dan Davis. He saw instantly what had happened. - -"The steel buckler plates have been wrenched loose!" - -These buckler plates are employed to cover the opening in the side of -the ship about the guns. Without them the ship would be flooded in heavy -weather. - -It was not an easy task that had been set for the gun crew. Every man -knew that. - -"Who will volunteer to do the work outside?" demanded the gun captain. - -"I'll attend to that," answered Dan promptly. - -"Me, too," added Sam, without hesitation. "I can't get any wetter than I -am." - -"You'll get something besides wet," said the captain. "Very well, you -two go out. Hold fast! Look out for yourselves." - -The Battleship Boys were climbing from the turret ere the words were out -of his mouth. - -"Don't try any tricks, Sam," advised Davis. - -"Better take that advice to yourself. If I remember rightly you were -running a race, or something, when you fell off the cage mast to-day. -Woof!" - -A heavy sea smashed into them, laying them flat on the deck. The boys -hung on until the sea had rolled over them. They were high up on the -superstructure, where the seven-inch guns are located. Not a thing could -they see in the darkness, but they knew their way about as well as if it -had been broad daylight. - -The buckler plates were thrust in from the inside of the turret, the -duty of the lads outside being to make fast the catches which were -employed to hold the buckler plates in position in heavy weather. Under -ordinary conditions it was not necessary to set these emergency catches. -It had not been done in this instance, consequently the plates were -battered in, flooding the deck and all that part of the ship. - -"All ready out here!" shouted Dan. - -With a grating sound the bucklers were shoved into position. - -"Click!" - -The catches snapped into place. - -"Right!" bellowed Hickey, placing his lips close to the side of the -muzzle of the gun. - -"Come, let's get out of here," called Dan. - -"Look out for yourself. Duck! Grab!" roared Sam. - -"Wha--what----" - -Dan did not complete the sentence. A wall of water struck the turret -with a report like that of the three-inch forward rifles. - -From the depths of the great green wave came a muffled yell. Sam -Hickey's grip had been wrenched loose from the guard rope at the side of -the muzzle of the seven-inch. - -At the same instant both lads felt themselves lifted from their feet. - -Then down, down they dropped. It seemed to them that hours were consumed -in that terrible drop. They felt themselves falling into an abyss of the -sea. Such was not the case, however, though their situation was, at that -instant, every bit as serious as if they had in reality been falling -into the sea. As it was, they were being swept toward it. - -The smash of the wave having carried them from their feet, rolled them -along the upper or spar deck, dropping them down some twenty feet to the -quarter-deck, that was all awash. Fortunately the water below caught -them, or they might have been killed in the twenty-foot fall to the -quarter-deck. - -Suddenly Sam came into violent contact with something that he gripped -anxiously. That something did not give way. Dan met with a similar -experience, and there the lads hung, neither knowing what had become of -the other, seas smiting them, threatening every second to hurl them on -and into the sea itself. - -In the meantime those of the gun crew had returned to the gun deck to -dry their clothes. The gun captain, however, waited for the return of -the boys who had gone outside. - -"I wonder what has become of those boys," he mused, peering out through -the hatchway that he opened the merest crack. There was neither sight -nor sound of them. - -"Davis! Hickey!" he bellowed. - -His effort brought no answer. - -The gun captain knew no personal fear. He stepped out, closing the hatch -behind him quickly. He clung there, watching, listening, then shouting. -All at once he turned and hurried back to the gun deck. Sending word to -the executive officer, he informed that officer of the absence of the -two boys. - -The captain heard the news a moment later, and a stir ran all through -the ship. - -"They're overboard. Nothing could save them, sir," advised the executive -officer. - -"Man the searchlights. Both tops!" commanded the captain, now all -activity. "Pipe all hands to stations!" - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -DOWN THE AMMUNITION HOIST - - -The searchlights flashed out over the troubled sea. Nothing but -water--angry, foaming water--could be seen. Not a sign that looked as if -it might be a man were they able to pick up. - -"They're trying to find us. They think we have gone overboard," muttered -Dan Davis. He uttered a loud shout. - -At that instant there sounded another shout close by him. At first he -thought it was the echo of his own voice. All at once he made the -discovery that some one else was near. - -"Hello!" shouted Dan. - -"Hello yourself!" - -"Is that you, Sam?" - -"No, it's only part of me. Most of me has been blown overboard. That -you, Dan?" - -"Ye-e-e-s," answered Davis in a choking voice. "Yell, Sam, if you've got -any voice left. Yell for your life. They don't see us." - -Hickey uttered a lusty howl. Dan saw at once that the men in the tops -were unable to depress the searchlights enough to sweep the quarter-deck -with the light rays. - -"They don't see us, Sam. Yell louder." - -"I'll have to borrow a stomach pump to jerk the salt water out of me, -before I can yell any more at all. I'm afloat, inside and out, and not a -compass to guide me. Where are we?" - -Dan felt about him cautiously. - -"I think we are astern somewhere. Judging from the position of the -searchlights, I think we must be somewhere on the quarter-deck." - -"How'd we get here?" - -Another wave made it impossible for Davis to answer for a minute or so. -When finally he had gotten his breath he said: - -"I think we must have been washed here. But----" - -"Say, let's get out of here, Dan." - -"But how we ever dropped from the topside to the quarter-deck without -being killed is more than I can figure out." - -"I'm going to try to cross the deck." - -"Don't do it, Sam. You will be swept into the sea instantly. Wait! I -have a plan." - -"What is it?" - -"Can you work your way along the rope railing to where I am?" - -"I can swim over to you." - -"Come on, then, but keep tight hold of the rail." - -"Here's the flagstaff," shouted Sam. "I've got my bearings now." - -"You will need something more than that to get you out of this scrape. -Come up close to me and I'll tell you what to do." - -"Here I am. Where are you?" - -Dan reached out a hand, grasping the arm of his companion. - -"There ought to be a rope right at the foot of the staff, here. Yes, -here it is. Hold fast to me, so I don't go overboard, while I untie the -knot." - -"What are you going to do?" - -"I'll show you in a minute." - -Dan made the rope fast to a cleat on the after stanchion, then took a -twist about his own arm with the free end. - -"Now, I want you to stand right here until I give three tugs on the -rope." - -"What are you going to do?" - -"I don't know what I am going to do, but I'm going to try to get to the -twelve-inch turret with this rope." - -"You'll have to swim for it, then." - -"I expect to have to swim part of the way, but leave that to me. When I -give three long tugs on the rope you start working along it." - -"But where will we go? The water-tight doors are fastened on the inside; -we can't get in. We shall be swept from the deck. I guess I'll stay -where I am, and hang on until morning." - -"No; you can't do it. You will be washed overboard. Watch the rope. I -may go over, too, but you can tell by the feel of the rope, and if you -think I'm going over, haul in. I'll yell, too. The wind is this way and -you can hear me. Now, don't bother me. I'm going in a minute." - -Dan hung to the rail, rope in hand, watching the roll of the ship, which -he was obliged to observe not by sight, but by the sense of feeling. - -All at once, as the stern rose into the air, he darted forward. He was -in water nearly up to his waist, but as the quarter-deck rose the water -rushed to the sides of the ship in a raging flood. - -Suddenly Dan felt himself being drawn backward. At first he could not -understand the meaning of it. Then he realized. Sam was hauling him in. - -"Stop it! Stop it!" yelled Davis. - -Sam kept on hauling. Losing his foothold on the slippery deck, Dan went -down. At the same time the quarter-deck shipped a big wave and Dan was -swimming blindly. Through it all he managed to keep hold of the rope -with one hand. He was being dragged along the deck so fast that he -could not get to his feet, even after the water had receded a little. - -Finally, yelling at the top of his voice, Hickey finished his work, -grabbed Dan from the deck and slammed him against the rail. - -"I got you! I got you! I saved your life, didn't I?" - -"Sam--Sam Hickey, you're the biggest fool I ever bumped into in all my -life!" - -"A fool--a--see here, is that all I get for saving you----" - -"What did you haul me back for?" - -"Because you yanked on the rope." - -"I did nothing of the sort." - -"You did." - -"I didn't." - -"We--we won't argue the question. I--I haven't enough breath left in me -to argue. Now, next time, don't you pull on the rope until you hear me -yell, or until the rope swings way over to port. I am going to run -quartering so that if I get caught by another wave I will be washed -toward the twelve-inch turret. Understand?" - -"Sure, I understand." - -Waiting until the stern rose again, Dan made another dash. This time he -had, as he had planned to do the other time, reached a spot opposite -the turret before the deck sank under another wave. He was washed right -up against the turret when the wave did come. - -The instant the wave left him, he took a turn about a big ring-bolt on -the turret. - -"Sam! Sam!" - -A faint "hello" was wafted to him on the gale. - -"Come on!" - -Dan waited and waited, but no Sam came. He began to grow worried. - -"Sam!" - -"Yeow!" - -"Come on. I'm waiting for you." - -A strain on the rope told Davis that his companion had started, and a -few minutes later Sam Hickey stood beside him. - -"What's the matter, Sam?" - -"Nothing, except that I'm wet." - -"Why didn't you come when I called you?" - -"I was watching the sparks up there on the wireless aerials. Say, it is -just like a lot of lightning bugs. Did you ever watch the sparks at -night?" - -"Yes, but not when I was trying to save my life and another's. I don't -believe it was half worth the effort. I am beginning to think that there -doesn't much of anything matter, so far as you are concerned. Let's get -inside now." - -"How are you going to do it?" - -"We will climb up under the turret, through the manhole." - -"I never thought of that." - -Dan unfastened the opening on the under side of the turret projection, -and, sending Sam ahead, climbed in after, closing the opening behind -them. It was intensely dark in the turret and the room was so small that -it was with difficulty that the boys could find their way through. - -For a minute or so they were engaged in climbing up to get into the -enclosure from where a ladder led down into the lower part of the -turret. - -"Now, Sam, be very careful that you don't fall. This is a bad place to -be fooling around in when it is dark. I wish I could turn on the -electric lights here, but I don't know where the button is." - -"Shall I light a match?" - -"No, sir!" - -"Why not?" - -"Supposing there should chance to be some powder scattered on the floor, -and----" - -"Wow! That would be a nice thing, wouldn't it? There'd be an explosion, -eh?" - -"There might be. Better take the chance of bumping our heads----" - -"Say, Dan, where are you going?" - -"I am going to follow you. Come here. Give me your hand." - -"What for?" - -"Get in here. Make yourself as small as possible." - -Hickey crawled into the small opening, though he did not know where he -was. - -"What is this place you're stowing me in?" he demanded. - -"It's the ammunition hoist," answered Dan, as he began to pull down on a -rope. - -The ammunition hoist for the twelve-inch guns is a sort of dumb waiter -that is raised and lowered by pulling on a rope attached to its top and -bottom. - -A few minutes later the guard on duty in the magazine corridor was -startled by a creaking and groaning sound. After listening a moment, he -traced the sound to the ammunition hoist. - -All at once the hoist came down with a bang, spilling Hickey full length -on the floor of the corridor. The guard made a grab for the newcomer, -and, at the same instant, Sam Hickey wrapped both arms about the legs of -the marine who was on guard duty. - -That worthy went down on top of Sam. For a minute there was a lively -tussle, but ere it had come to an end, the ammunition hoist shot down -again and Dan Davis leaped out into the passageway. He gazed in -astonishment at the two men on the floor. - -"Get up, Sam! What in the world are you trying to do?" - -Sam threw the guard off. - -"This chocolate candy soldier jumped on me when I came down. Let me at -him----" - -Davis pulled his companion away. - -"You'll have to come with me," announced the guard. "I shall be obliged -to arrest you. Your conduct is suspicious." - -"Well, I like that!" grumbled Sam. "First you get tossed overboard and -then you get arrested because you didn't go drown yourself. I won't be -arrested." - -"Take us to the master-at-arms; he understands," said Dan. - -They were led to the upper deck, where they were suddenly confronted by -Captain Farnham. - -"What's this, what's this?" he demanded. - -The marine guard explained. - -"You may release them, guard. Now, lads, explain how you got into the -ship? I can see from your appearance that you must have had a hard -time." - -"We got in through the twelve-inch turret," explained Dan, after having -told the captain of their experiences. - -"Most remarkable. I have come to the conclusion that there is no use in -worrying about you boys. It is evident that there is nothing on land or -water that can kill you. But you are shivering, Davis." - -"I am a little cold," admitted Dan. - -"Go to the chief steward and tell him I order that coffee be made for -you. How about you, Hickey? Are you in a chill also?" - -"No, sir; my hair keeps me warm, sir. At least that's what the -boatswain's mate says." - -The captain laughed heartily. - -"Run along, both of you, and get warmed up. It will soon be time to turn -in. Good night." - -"Good night, sir," answered the Battleship Boys, saluting and turning -away. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -LAND HO! - - -The following days passed uneventfully. The storm abated late the next -afternoon, for the ship was running into southern seas where the skies -took on a deeper blue, the water a golden hue under the southern sun. - -One afternoon a few days later the lookout sang out, in a voice that had -a note of gladness in it: - -"Land ho!" - -"Where away?" - -"Three points off the port bow." - -Glasses were leveled in the direction indicated, and the jackies on the -forecastle, who had heard the cry, lined the rail, scanning the horizon -with shaded eyes. But the land was too far away to be seen from where -they were standing. - -"There it is!" cried Dan, half an hour later, as a thin blue line -appeared to rise from the sea off the port bow. "What land is it?" - -"Spain, I reckon," answered a shipmate. "Leastwise, it was Spain when I -was along here last time." - -"Spain, did he say?" questioned Hickey. - -"Yes." - -For a few moments the Battleship Boys gazed in silence. It was their -first glimpse of the shores of that far-away country. After a time the -rocky shores grew into plain sight. - -"That is Portugal over there," said a boatswain's mate. "We ought to -sight Lisbon before dark." - -Dan and Sam looked into each other's eyes. - -"We are seeing things for sure, aren't we, eh?" grinned Hickey. - -"Yes; it is a wonderful experience, well worth all the hardships we have -gone through." - -"I wonder if they are going to stop?" - -"I don't know. Do we make port anywhere along here?" Dan asked of the -boatswain's mate. - -"I don't know. The captain hasn't taken me into his confidence yet." - -"Can you blame him?" came back Dan Davis, quick as a flash. - -"Look here, Little Dynamite, don't get fresh," answered the boatswain's -mate, with a good-natured laugh. "I'll tell you, though, that it is more -than likely that we'll tie up to a tree somewhere along here. We need -some repairs after the banging around we've been having for the last two -weeks. We'll have a field day when we do, and don't you forget that." - -"I don't want that kind of a field day," spoke up Sam. "Field day aboard -ship means work, and lots of it." - -"Lisbon lies off yonder, in that depression in the shore line that you -can make out if your eyes are good, boys," said the boatswain's mate, -pointing off the port bow. - -"I see it, I see it," cried Sam. - -"And I," added Dan. They gazed long and searchingly. "I was in hopes we -would run in and anchor there." - -"The captain is making for some other place. We are grinding along at a -nineteen-knot gait. That ought to bring us up somewhere about to-morrow -night." - -"Have you any idea where?" - -"Yes; I've got an idea, but I guess you had better figure it out for -yourself." - -After mess that night Dan got out a map and studied it carefully, after -having stolen a glance at the standardized compass high up on the after -part of the superstructure. - -"I believe we are headed for Gibraltar," he said to himself. - -"You've guessed it, lad," said the mate, coming up behind him. "I -thought you'd get your course figured out. It's better for a man to get -in the habit of looking those things up for himself. He doesn't forget -them when he gets them that way." - -That night the Battleship Boys turned in full of anticipation. They were -heading into strange seas. There was hope that they soon would have an -opportunity to go ashore and see something of the people and the life -that thus far they knew only from the books they had read. - -The first thing in the morning, after getting their baths and dressing, -the boys ran out on deck. There, looming faintly through the morning -mist, the mighty rock of Gibraltar rose from the sea. - -"I see it," breathed Dan Davis, in a tone that was almost awe. "That is -Gibraltar, Sam." - -"Yes, anybody could see it." - -"Isn't it wonderful?" - -"I'll tell you after I get a closer look at the place," replied the -red-headed boy. - -"I never thought to see so grand a sight." - -"What's that thing on top of it, Dan? They must have a church up there." - -"It must be the signal tower. I remember one of the men telling about -that. It is fourteen hundred feet above the sea level." - -Hickey uttered a low whistle. - -"I'd hate to walk in my sleep up there." - -"Up there they keep a constant watch on all ships coming in from the -sea." - -"And do you think they see us?" - -"Of course they do, and they know who we are, and where we are bound -probably better than we do. I wonder whether we are going through the -straits?" - -"The Straits of Gibraltar?" - -"Yes." - -"Of course we are. We are going to all the places down around here, I -heard the Old Man and the executive officer talking about it when we -were up off Boulogne. We're going all the way around Africa before we -head back for America. It is going to be a long cruise." - -"I know that, Sam. We are going to be away from home for a full year. -Think of that. But when we get back, we are going to have a leave to go -to Piedmont and see all the folks." - -A bugle call piped all hands to clean ship. They were nearing port and -everything must be in perfect condition. There was need of work, for the -long storm had left the ship in bad condition. - -The early view of the famous rock gave the impression of a barren cliff, -but now little patches of emerald green began to grow out of the great -gray pile. - -"Look at the guns sticking out!" exclaimed Hickey, later in the day, as -the ship drew nearer and nearer. - -"Wonderful!" breathed Dan. - -"I don't see anything so wonderful about it. It looks business-like, -that's all," said Sam. "Say, do you know what I'll bet I could do?" - -"What?" - -"I'll bet that in three shots I could knock the block off the top of -that mountain with the seven-inch." - -"You mean the lookout station up there?" - -"Yes." - -Dan surveyed it with critical eyes. - -"If you did you would have to show better marksmanship than you have -thus far." - -"Marksmanship? Why, I haven't fired a gun since I've been in the Navy." - -"You have had dotter practice, which is practically the same thing." - -"There's the town." - -As they neared the southern point they could see the white walls of the -city glistening in the sun. Everywhere one looked new sights came into -view, and not for one moment did the Battleship Boys cease wondering -over what they saw. - -A low, dark line attracted Sam's attention, far off to the right of -them. - -"I guess that must be the Dark Continent," he said with a laugh. - -Dan gazed fixedly at the point to starboard indicated by his companion. - -"I think you are right. That must be Africa over there. Just think of -it! Would you like to be there, Sam?" - -"I don't know," admitted Hickey. "Somehow, I always think of snakes when -Africa is mentioned." - -"There's the harbor," cried Dan, interrupting. - -"And I see some ships there, too." - -"I believe they are war ships," added Dan. "Yes; look, look, Sam! Look!" - -"Where, where? What, what?" demanded Sam, dancing about excitedly, -looking first at his companion, then toward the harbor. - -"The Flag! The Flag!" - -"Oh, is that all?" said Sam in a disappointed tone. - -"Isn't that enough? Thousands of miles from home and to come in sight of -the Stars and Stripes! Wouldn't that send the blood coursing through -your veins?" demanded Dan, with flashing eyes. - -"Yes; I guess it would make some folks blood run cold. What ships are -those?" - -"Let me see; there are three of them." - -"I know that--I can count. What I want to know is who they are?" - -"I don't know, Sam. Here comes the master-at-arms. I'll ask him." - -Dan did so. - -"Those are the 'Idaho,' 'Georgia' and 'Wisconsin.' They are to join us -here for the rest of our cruise." - -"Thank you," answered Dan. - -By this time they were approaching the harbor, and all work was -suspended for the moment. - -"Boom!" roared the "Long Island's" six-pounder. "Boom!" answered the -other ships of the fleet. "Boom!" roared a gun from the mountain. The -air seemed full of smoke and powder. Bands played, jackies shouted -themselves hoarse, flags fluttered down from gaffs, only to go up again -on the after gaffs. The American ships were at anchor, the three already -in having only just arrived. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -ON GIBRALTAR'S PEAK - - -That afternoon the Battleship Boys got leave to go ashore. Their good -conduct always earned a quick shore leave for them when many others were -denied it. - -The quaint old semi-Moorish town at the base of the great mountain -appealed to the lads and impressed them deeply. Red-coated British -soldiers were everywhere about, wearing their jaunty caps tilted to one -side, carrying their swagger-sticks airily, and now and then deigning a -glance at the Battleship Boys. - -"Do you know what those fellows remind me of?" questioned Hickey. - -"Not being able to read your mind, I cannot say," answered Dan. - -"That cap, at least, reminds me of the organ grinder's monkey that -passes the hat for pennies. But they are the real thing, aren't they?" - -"The caps?" - -"No, the monk--I mean the soldiers." - -"Boom!" roared a gun. - -There was no answer to it, and Dan, wondering, asked a citizen what the -meaning of the shot might be. - -"One o'clock, me lad," was the answer. - -Sam laughed aloud. - -"Do--do they announce the hours here by firing guns?" he questioned. - -"They do." - -"Then--then I guess I would prefer to sleep at sea. What do you think of -that?" - -"It certainly is a curious custom," agreed Dan. - -The boys wandered about the quaint town, peering into out-of-the-way -places, talking with a soldier here and there, when they found one who -was willing to unbend sufficiently to answer their questions. - -What impressed them most was the tremendous masses of masonry, parapets -and guns. In whatever direction the boys glanced their eyes rested on -the frowning muzzles of big guns. - -"How would you like to have all those guns turned on a ship in which you -were?" asked Dan. - -"If they all shot straight it would be all day with us. But, Dan, don't -you think that rock is a pretty good mark itself?" - -"Yes. And if it is all like what it is here at the bottom, I think a -shot from a seven or eight-inch would crumble it. I----" - -"Look!" cried Sam. - -What appeared to be a basket of some sort was rising in the air far -above their heads. - -"What is it?" - -"It looks like some kind of air-ship. But that cannot be possible." - -"There's some one in it!" - -"Are you sure?" - -"Yes," answered the red-headed boy, now all excitement. - -"I know now what it is," cried Dan. "I've read about that--no, I haven't -read about it either. A jackie on the 'Long Island' told me about it. -That is a metal basket in which the signal men and watchmen go up to the -lookout station that you see on top of the mountain." - -"You don't say," muttered Sam in amazement. "How does it soar through -the air that way?" - -"It doesn't. It is on a cable that is pulled up by some sort of power." - -"Let's go over and look at the thing," urged Sam. - -Dan was willing. He was as curious as was his companion, and even more -enthusiastic, for all this was new and full of interest. - -It was after making numerous inquiries that they found their way to the -landing platform from which the basket started on its way upward. By -this time the metal basket had returned. There was room in it for four -men. The boys looked it over curiously and enviously. - -"How would you like to take a ride in it?" questioned Dan, smiling into -the solemn face of his companion. - -"I'd give a dollar and a half," answered Sam earnestly. "Let's get in -and look the thing over." - -"I am afraid strangers are not allowed to do that. Yes, we'll get in. We -can imagine we are going up to the top of the mountain, anyway." - -Both boys climbed into the basket, gazing up into the air, where the -thread-like cable grew smaller and smaller until it was lost to view -entirely. - -"I wonder how it works?" questioned Sam, turning to the mechanism of the -basket. - -"Perhaps by electricity. Sh-h-h!" - -"What is it?" - -"Some one is coming," whispered Dan. - -The boys crouched down out of sight in the basket, laughing delightedly -as they nudged each other. - -"They'll be surprised, if they find us here," said Sam. - -"Keep still. He's going away now, whoever he is." Peering over the -basket, Davis saw that the man, a soldier, was walking rapidly down to -the engine house, just below the landing platform. The man disappeared -within. - -"Look out! We're moving!" howled Sam. - -[Illustration: "We're Going Up!" Howled Sam.] - -A glance over the side showed the platform dropping from beneath them at -a rapid rate. - -Sam made a move as if to jump from the basket. - -"Sit down!" commanded Dan. "Do you want to kill yourself?" - -"But we're going up," protested Hickey. - -"We can't help it. We don't know how to stop the car, and even if we -did, I doubt whether we could do it from here. I have an idea that the -car is controlled from that engine house down there. I know now why the -man came up to look at the car. He wanted to see that everything was -right before he started the basket upward." - -"Do--do you think we are going to the top?" - -"It looks very much that way," answered Dan, with a mirthless laugh. - -The basket appeared to be gaining a little speed as it moved upward. It -was swaying giddily from side to side, and had the boys not been used to -being in high places on a rolling ship, they no doubt would have been -made sick by the swinging of the basket. - -"Hurrah!" cried Dan. "I know what I'll do!" - -"Are you going to jump overboard?" - -"No. Do you see the 'Long Island' lying out there in the harbor?" - -"Sure I see her." - -"I'm going to wig-wag to her." - -Dan stood up while Hickey held him. Then Davis began making signals to -the ship with his handkerchief. - -"There they go. Some one is answering," cried Davis in high glee. "Won't -they be surprised?" - -"What are they saying?" - -"I can't read the message so far away. I wish we had a glass." - -"Come on up, fellows. We're having a ride up to the clouds," wig-wagged -Dan. - -Glasses already were trained on them from more than one ship in the -harbor. - -"Two enlisted men going up on the cable, sir," said the officer of the -deck to the captain of the "Long Island." - -"Who are they?" - -"I'll ascertain, sir." - -Dan caught a flash of the signal flag as the sun shone down on it, and, -with quick intuition, he understood that the ship was asking who they -were. He signaled their names back. - -"I can't read you so far away. Have no glasses," wig-wagged Dan. "Going -up by accident." - -The information was quickly conveyed to the captain of the "Long -Island." - -"Those boys are both wired for electricity," laughed the commanding -officer. "All they need is a dynamo to set them in operation, and they -usually carry the dynamo about with them." - -"I'm afraid they will get into trouble with the authorities, sir," said -the executive officer. - -"Why so?" - -"They have no business to go up there. The English government is, as you -know, very secretive and very strict about its fortifications here at -Gibraltar." - -"Never mind, Coates. Leave that to the lads. They have a way of getting -out of scrapes." - -In the meantime the swaying basket was mounting higher and higher into -the air. So lost were the Battleship Boys in admiration of the wonderful -view unfolded before them that they almost forgot to take note of their -sensations. - -A gun was fired from somewhere below them. The boys instinctively threw -their hands to their ears. It sounded as if the gun were right beside -them. - -"We are a pair of landlubbers," announced Dan Davis, with a sheepish -grin. - -"I thought it was right here." - -"So did I, for a minute," answered Dan. "Sound travels up fast and -strong, you know. There is the signal tower. We shall be up there pretty -soon. Look out for a row when we get there, Sam." - -"I'm ready for any old kind of a row. I'm having the time of my life -this morning." - -Looking up with shaded eyes, they saw the lookouts examining their -basket with their glasses. - -"They have spotted us," said Dan. - -"I don't care. Let them spot. Maybe they will know us next time they see -us." - -The basket mounted the last stage of the journey, going more and more -slowly. At last it reached the landing. Dan was the first to leap from -the car, followed quickly by Hickey. - -"Good morning," he greeted, coming to a salute, as he found himself -facing three red-coated soldiers. - -"Who are you?" - -"Men from the U.S.S. 'Long Island.'" - -"What are you doing here?" - -"Just taking a little pleasure trip," answered Hickey, before Dan could -open his mouth to explain. "You've got a fine place up here, but it -must be rather drafty in winter time. I never did like drafts at that -time of the year. Do you know----" - -"Get back into that basket!" interrupted the lookout sternly. "You have -no business, up here." - -"Well, I must say you fellows are not very hospitable," grumbled Sam. -"Can't we take a look around your shack?" - -"You cannot. You will be lucky if something worse doesn't happen to -you." - -"I am sorry if we have done anything wrong," spoke up Davis. "We got -into the basket to look it over and the machinery started. But that is -no reason why you should be so gruff about it." - -"Get in there!" - -"Come on; he's a grouch," exclaimed Sam. "I'd rather be viewing the -scenery on the way down than standing here looking at that. Why, he -needs only a cake of soap in his hand to make a full-page ad. of him." - -Sam made a dive for the basket. - -"Start your machinery going as soon as you want to," said Dan. "We are -ready." - -There followed a peculiar grinding sound. The basket began to move, -gaining speed as it proceeded. It was going down much faster than it had -ascended. - -The boys waved their hands in farewell to the grouchy sentry. - -"That's what I should term a formal call," announced Davis with a laugh. - -"It wasn't a call at all; it was a call down," retorted Sam. "Wow! Just -look over the side!" - -Dan took one peep, then withdrew his head. - -"What a fall that would be," he breathed. - -"Yes, we'd be the Batteredship Boys instead of the Battleship Boys, were -we to fall down the rest of the way," jeered Hickey. - -"That was an awful joke, Sam; but perhaps it is better to get a thing -like that out of your system. My, but we're going fast!" - -The basket seemed to be gaining momentum every second. Sam Hickey's hair -was rising, his cap having soared away on the breeze. - -"Stop it!" howled Sam. - -"I'd like to, but I can't." - -"Put on the brakes! There must be a brake. Do something!" - -"Do something yourself. I don't know how the machine works." - -"We are nearing the bottom. I think the car has slackened its speed -some. I see that I've got to do whatever is done here, or we'll both -land in the middle of the bay with a loud splash," retorted Sam. - -Hickey ran his hands over the mechanism, finally discovering a lever on -the outside of the basket. - -"Here it is. Here's the brake. Now you'll see me steer the old tub. I'll -make a landing that would make our quartermaster green with envy." - -"Be careful. We are nearly at the bottom now, Sam. I think it will slow -down without any effort on our part. That evidently is the way the -basket always comes down." - -Sam gave the lever a shove. - -"Shut it off! What have you done?" yelled Dan. - -The basket shot forward, as if impelled by some sudden force. - -"I--I can't. The--the thing won't work." - -"You've done it this time," groaned Davis. - -"You've killed us both----" - -"Wow!" howled Hickey. - -Dan made a grab for his companion just as Sam's heels were disappearing -over the side of the basket. Davis missed the heels, then he followed -Hickey, while the basket was smashed with terrific force against some -solid object. The boys shot from the basket, turning somersaults in the -air as they plunged downward. - -They did not cry out, but each lad believed that his time had come. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -ON THE BLUE MEDITERRANEAN - - -The boys landed with great force, then shot down the slope that led from -the lower landing stage. - -The basket, in striking the landing, had been shattered, and it was when -the crash came that the Battleship Boys were fired overboard. - -By a lucky chance, they had sustained nothing more serious than black -and blue spots, torn uniforms and dirty faces. - -Dan sprang to his feet, after lying on his face a few seconds. - -"Sam! Sam!" - -"All present or accounted for," answered the red-headed boy, sitting up -and rubbing the dirt from his eyes. Neither of them could see very -clearly as yet. - -"Well, we are a pair of luck----" - -A heavy hand was laid on the shoulder of each. - -"Wha--wha--what!" exclaimed Dan, turning sharply. - -A file of soldiers confronted them. - -"We--we fell down, didn't we?" said Hickey, with a sheepish grin. - -A red-coated soldier with a corporal's stripe on his sleeve motioned to -his men. They took firm grip on the arms of the Battleship Boys. - -"What does this mean?" demanded Dan. - -"You are under arrest." - -"Arrest?" - -"Yes." - -"For what?" - -"Going where you had no right to go." - -"But we meant no harm. And, besides, we are American sailors on board -the 'Long Island.'" - -"You will explain to the officer of the day." - -The boys were taken to the barracks, where they were, after a time, -brought before the officer of the day. He wore a white coat instead of a -red one, and squinted at the boys through a monocle. - -He heard the story of the squad that arrested the Battleship Boys, then, -turning to the lads, asked who they were. - -Dan stepped forward and explained briefly, telling the officer of their -trip up the mountainside. The officer listened gravely. - -"You say you are from the 'Long Island?'" - -"Yes, sir." - -"How long have you been ashore?" - -"Not more than two or three hours." - -"Have you leave to be ashore?" - -Dan's eyes snapped. - -"We should not be here if we didn't have leave, sir. You can very easily -find out all you wish to know about us, if you will communicate with our -ship out there." - -"The matter will have to be laid before a higher authority than mine. -You have committed a very grave offence. If, as you say, you belong to -one of the American ships, your conduct may bring about grave results." - -"I am sorry, sir. Perhaps we have done wrong; but if so, it was not -intentional. That should count for something." - -"Take them away, corporal!" - -"May I ask where you are taking us to, sir?" questioned Dan. - -"You are going to be locked up." - -"What, again?" demanded Hickey. - -"So this isn't the first time, eh?" demanded the British officer. - -"Will you be good enough to communicate with the ship, sir?" asked Dan. - -The officer of the day made no reply, and the boys were led away by the -same squad that had picked them up after their thrilling slide down the -cable. - -They were taken to the barracks, where they were placed in a room and a -guard stationed outside. - -"Slid right into jail, didn't we?" demanded the red-headed Sam, after -they had been left alone. "That was a slide for jail instead of a slide -for life. I guess you and I had better stay aboard ship after this, -Dan." - -"We do have a way of getting ourselves into trouble. I wonder how long -the red-coats are going to leave us here?" - -Hours dragged on. The boys grew hungry, but no one came near them. They -could hear the measured tramp of the sentry on the outside. - -In the meantime word had been sent to the battleship "Long Island." -Immediately upon receiving the news, Captain Farnham had put off in his -motor boat. He was fully convinced that it would be useless to send one -of lesser rank than himself to intercede for the Battleship Boys. - -Captain Farnham went directly to the office of the Governor-General, -before whom he laid the case. - -The governor looked serious. He thought he would have to submit the -whole case to his own government. Men from a foreign warship had been -caught prying into the secrets of the fortification. That was more than -serious. - -"Nonsense, sir!" exploded the captain. "Mere boyish pranks. I wish them -released. I will hold myself personally responsible to your government -for your action in releasing them." - -The governor shook his head. - -"I am afraid the matter is beyond me to settle in that way." - -"Governor," said the captain in an impressive tone, "the shore leave of -these men expires at nine o'clock to-night. I greatly desire to have -them on board by that time. The 'Long Island' sails to-morrow morning at -daybreak. I trust that no act of yours will interfere with the movements -of United States ships. I bid you good afternoon." - -The captain bowed low and left the governor's presence, returning to his -own ship at once. - -Nothing more was heard from the shore before nightfall, but shortly -after dark a patrol entered the room where the Battleship Boys were -being held. They took the boys in charge, holding to them tightly, as if -expecting the boys would run away, conducting them in silence down to -the landing. There a boat belonging to the garrison was awaiting them. - -The boys were ordered to get into the boat. - -"You will tell your commander that you are not to come ashore again -during the ship's stay in this harbor," announced the officer in charge. - -Dan stood up in the boat. - -"I shall do nothing of the sort. I am not in the habit of giving orders -to my captain, sir. If the English government, through its -Governor-General, desires to communicate with the captain of the 'Long -Island,' let him do so in the proper manner. Good night." - -Dan sat down, well satisfied with himself. - -"There, Tommy Atkins, will you be good now?" jeered Sam Hickey. - -The officer motioned for the boat's crew to pull away, which they did. -Half an hour later, just before nine o'clock, the boat drew alongside -the "Long Island," and the Battleship Boys ran up the sea ladder, -reporting their arrival on board. - -That evening they were summoned before the captain, who gave them a -friendly talk regarding their duties and conduct when on foreign soil. - -"I am not rebuking you, my lads," he said. "I am simply giving you some -good advice. Foreign governments, especially monarchies, are very -touchy, much more so than is your own country, so be careful." - -"We will, sir," answered Dan. - -"We will, sir," added Sam Hickey. - -"Until the next time," thought Captain Farnham, passing a hand over his -face to hide the smile that he could not repress. - -At daylight next morning the four ships of the fleet weighed anchor, -circled and steamed out of the harbor, soon after poking their noses -into the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. - -Algiers was sighted late in the day, then the ships dropped the shores -to port and starboard and settled down to their course. The next port -was to be Port Said, the beginning of the Suez canal. The hopes of the -Battleship Boys were high. They were about to make their first visit to -the Orient, and already they were planning on the shore leave they would -have. They had forgotten their experiences during their last shore -leave, as perhaps they had the admonition of the captain. They were -looking forward to what was before them. - -Gun drills and dotter practice were now indulged in for the greater part -of the time by the gun crews, and thus far the starboard seven-inch crew -held the record for quick, effective work. Every man of the seven-inch -crew was looking forward to the day when the crew would be allowed to -work their gun with ball and powder, shooting at a real target. There -seemed no prospect of such an experience during this cruise, for it was -a cruise intended principally to give the men of the fleet a chance to -see the world. - -After several days of leisurely steaming the low-lying shores of Egypt -appeared off the starboard bow, looking golden against the blue of the -waters of the Mediterranean. The captain had decided not to stop at -Alexandria, but to continue on to Suez and there give his men a long -shore leave, when they would have opportunity to see sights that few of -the battleship's crew had ever beheld. - -The fleet came to anchor off the mouth of the canal at twilight. Port -Said lay in a deep shadow, with only the numerous twinkling lights to -show that the chief town of the Egyptian province of the isthmus was -near at hand. - -Songs floated out over the water after the anchors had been let go, -these sounds of gayety from the shore causing the jackies of the fleet -to look longingly shoreward. - -"To-morrow we'll get a leave," predicted Sam, as he and Dan were sitting -on their gun turret in the soft evening air. - -"Not to-morrow, Sam." - -"Why not?" - -"I understand no shore leave is to be granted here. We shall be entering -the canal early in the morning, on our way to Suez." - -"Oh, pshaw! That's a shame." - -"We are going to have a good time. You won't tell if I confide something -to you?" - -"Never." - -"We are going to have several days ashore." - -"How do you know?" - -"I heard the captain telling the doctor. A lot of us are going inland." - -"Where to?" - -"I don't know. I did not catch that, though the captain mentioned the -place. I guess some of the petty officers are going with us to see that -we behave ourselves." - -"The idea!" grumbled Sam. - -"Just the same, I think you and I need a guardian. We do not seem able -to keep out of trouble when we go ashore alone. Do we, now?" - -"I guess that isn't a joke, after all," answered Sam, while an -appreciative grin overspread his face. - -On the following morning the battleship moved slowly into the canal. - -The ship's chaplain was shading his eyes, gazing off to the left, when -the boys came and leaned over the rail near him. - -"Lads, do you know what lies beyond, almost within sight?" - -"No, sir." - -"It is the Holy Land. Palestine, Damascus, Jerusalem, all are within -easy reach even of the guns of this ship." - -"Is it possible?" - -"Yes; yonder lies Arabia with its great deserts; and there, off the -port bow, is Mount Sinai. It is a wonderful country." - -"Were you ever there, Padre?" questioned Sam, addressing the chaplain -after the manner of all sailors. - -"Yes, I once made a pilgrimage there. I wish that I might go again." - -"I hear we are going to make a pilgrimage when we get to Suez," said Sam -irreverently. - -"So I understand." - -"Do you know where we are going, sir?" questioned Dan. - -"I cannot say. But you will see much." - -"Yes, sir, we hope to." - -"Yonder, off the starboard beam, lies the valley of the Nile." - -"Shall we see it?" - -"Not on this cruise, my lads. Some other cruise you may get shore leave -when in Alexandria and take a short journey up the stream." - -Night had set in before the ships of the fleet emerged from the canal -into the Gulf of Suez, where lay the city of Suez. The moonlight -glistened on the domes and minarets, making a picture long to be -remembered by the Battleship Boys. - -Lights twinkled off on the shore; strange sounds floated out across the -waters, now a wailing cry, a ripple of laughter, then music and -shouting. - -Harsh and disturbing came the bugle's command, "Hammocks up." - -Regretfully the boys turned away from the rail and sought their billets, -for the bugle's command must be obeyed instantly. - -Soon the ship settled down to silence and sleep, the only sound on board -being the footsteps of the watch as they paced back and forth on their -stations. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -JOLLY TARS IN EGYPT - - -After the work of the morning had been gotten out of the way next day, -the word was passed about that shore parties were to be allowed to leave -the ship immediately after the noon mess. - -One party was to spend the day in Suez, while the other was to take a -longer journey. The Battleship Boys were of the latter party. There were -all of fifty of them. When they were ready to start they marched to the -quarter-deck, where the captain addressed them. - -"I am giving you three days' shore leave, men, in recognition of -faithful service and attention to duty. I shall expect you to carry -yourselves as befits an American man-of-wars-man. Arrangements have been -made for you to visit Cairo and the Pyramids. I shall hope to see you -all report on time and happy. That will be all, men. The steamers are -waiting to convey you to the landing." - -The men, regardless of discipline, gave three cheers for Captain -Farnham. - -Then they piled over the side of the ship with shouts and laughter, no -effort being made to check their merriment. - -"It pays to be good," howled Hickey from the bow of the steamer to those -still aboard. "If you're good you can go visit your friends, the -mummies. I'll give your kindest to the caliphs." - -With a shrill whistle the steamers headed for the landing, every jackie -on board singing. Reaching the landing, the whole crowd rushed for the -train that was waiting to convey them to Cairo. - -"Oh, look at the man with the kimono," shouted Dan. - -"That's no kimono; that's the conductor's uniform," answered a voice. - -There were a number of American tourists aboard the waiting train, and -many of these waved American flags from the windows. - -The jackies went wild. They hurrahed for America; they hurrahed for the -tourists, winding up with a "Hip, hip, hurrah, for the kings of ancient -Egypt." - -By this time the conductor was charging up and down beside the train as -if he had suddenly lost his senses. - -"Has he gone crazy?" called Sam. - -"No; he is always that way when he is starting the train. He has a fit -at every station on the line. He wouldn't think he were earning his -salary if he didn't," answered a traveler. - -The conductor's robe, a cross between a kimono and a bath robe, was -taken in at the waist by a sash, while a bright red fez adorned his -head. The fez was the wonder of the jackies. - -"That would match your hair, wouldn't it, red-head?" called a shipmate -who observed Hickey looking at the fez. - -"I'll have it, too, if he gets near enough to me. Maybe you think I -don't dare?" - -"I dare you." - -Sam made a dive for the conductor. Dan Davis stuck out a foot and Hickey -measured his length on the ground, right at the feet of the gayly robed -conductor. - -"Who did that?" demanded the red-headed boy, bounding to his feet, his -eyes blazing with wrath. - -"I did. Do you think I am going to let you mix us up in any more -trouble? If you had done what you proposed, we should have been -arrested, the whole crowd of us. Now, behave yourself, Sam Hickey, or -I'll thrash you right here before the train starts." - -"That's the talk, Dynamite!" called another sailor. - -"You can't do it. You can't----" sputtered Sam. - -"All aboard!" howled the jackies. At the same time half a dozen of them -picked Sam up bodily and tossed him in through a car window. The engine -gave a toot, and the train moved off, all hands singing the "Star -Spangled Banner." - -For some distance the route led along the edge of the Suez canal. Ships -were passed, and at sight of one the sailors would lean far out of the -windows, swinging their caps and hurrahing. - -The conductor hurried along the running board, trying to make the -passengers keep their heads in, but he might as well have tried to -prevent the wheels going around. - -It was like throwing a cat into a bed of catnip and expecting him to be -calm. The sailors joked the conductor good-naturedly, but it is doubtful -if he understood a word of what they were saying. - -"He's got more on his mind than the captain of a battleship," laughed -Dan. - -"More than the admiral of the fleet, you mean," shouted a jackie. "I -wouldn't have his job for the whole railroad itself. They say they chop -a conductor's head off every time a train is late in this country." - -"I know of some roads in America to which they ought to apply that -practice." - -"So do I," agreed Sam Hickey. "This reminds me of the milk train on the -peanut road out at Piedmont. Piedmont is where we hail from, mates," he -explained. - -"Yes; you look the part," answered a shipmate, at which there was a roar -of laughter. - -Sam's eyelids were at half mast. - -"I'll rub your nose in the desert for that when I get----" - -"Go tell it to the Sphinx. We're on the desert now." - -Stretches of yellow sand reached away and on to the foot of the Arabian -mountains in the far distance. Along the track the train passed -processions of dusty travelers, gorgeously arrayed with brilliantly -colored mantles thrown over their heads. - -"Look! Look, there's a circus going by!" yelled Hickey. - -"Where, where?" Jackies rushed to his side of the car and leaned far -out. - -"It's a caravan. What's the matter with you, red-head?" - -A long line of camels was dragging itself along the highway, each camel -holding the bobbing figure of a native, while on foot at the rear strung -a long procession of other natives. It was a most picturesque sight. It -was the first time the Battleship Boys had seen camels on their native -soil, and the boys leaned from the windows, watching the unusual sight -until the caravan was lost in the distance. - -Villages of yellow mud huts, their flat roofs covered with thatch, the -buildings surrounded by a drove of Arab goats, chickens, pigs, camels -and donkeys, were frequently passed, the sight causing the jackies keen -amusement. - -Everything was quaint and unusual; the lurching camels, the Arabs with -their long guns and queer costumes, all combined to make the journey one -long to be remembered. - -"Cairo! All out for Cairo!" sang the voice of the petty officer in -charge of the party. - -"Cairo! Cairo!" howled the jackies. - -"Remember, boys, you are in a city now--not out on the desert." - -This suggestion was sufficient for the moment, and the men-o'-warsmen -lowered their voices as they did so. But another din almost as great as -had been their own arose. A perfect army of beggars surged toward them. -Arabs, Greeks, Hindoos, Nubians, black, white and brown men surrounded -the jackies, crying out in shrill voices, "Backsheesh! Backsheesh!" All -tongues sounded alike when it came to begging. - -"Get out of my pocket, you heathen!" roared Sam Hickey. - -"This is almost as bad as Paris!" cried Dan Davis, trying to fight his -way through the mob. "But I'd rather meet a regiment of these howling -Dervishes, or whatever they are, than one Paris guide." - -"Give them the flying wedge," shouted a jackie. - -"Whoop! Go!" - -Beggars tumbled to right and left. Greek, Hindoo, Arab, Nubian and -Albanian went down in a yelling, shouting heap on either side as the -jackies charged into their ranks. - -Clang, clang! - -"Look out for the trolley car," shouted Dan. - -"What--trolley cars in this heathen country!" cried one. - -"Yes, and I'll bet that car there came from Newport, R. I.," jeered -Hickey. "Yes, sir; that's the very car that I used to ride to town on -from the training station." - -A shout greeted this announcement, but the sailors were amazed at what -they saw. Had it not been for the strange mixture of races, and the -quaint costumes, the sightseers might well have imagined themselves in -some American city. Veiled women rode in carriages through the busy -streets; here and there an automobile tooted its horn, while dogs -infested the gutters, snapping at the heels of the Navy men. - -"This is the original crazy house," laughed Dan. "I never imagined -anything like it." - -The sailors did not separate. They traveled about together, attracting a -great deal of attention. Now and then they met an American, who, when he -addressed them in their own language, would be greeted with a cheer. Up -one street and down another strolled the jackies, sometimes singing -their national anthem, then dropping into the march step to the "hep, -hep, hep!" of one of their number. - -The bazaars came in for a considerable share of attention. In these the -lads bought freely all manner of curios, for most of which they paid all -of twice what the articles were worth. Sam Hickey got into an argument -with an ebony-hued Nubian who had substituted an inferior article for -something that Sam had purchased. The fellow denied having done so, and -refused to make good the difference, or to hand over the original -article. - -"All-right; I can't lick you without causing international -complications, as the captain calls it, but I'm going to have part of -your clothes." - -With that Sam snatched the fez from the Nubian's head and stuffed it in -his trousers' pocket. The merchant made a dive at the red-headed boy, -but found himself face to face with a solid wall of jackies, who had -suddenly stepped between the enraged merchant and his victim. - -"See here, you man with the iron face," threatened one, "we'll take your -whole shop along if you don't look out, and we won't buy it, either." - -"Come along, boys; we can't afford to have any row here," warned Dan. -"We want to see the Pyramids, you know." - -"Hurrah for the Pyramids!" shouted the boys. - -"Donkey, sir, donkey?" questioned a group of native boys as the jackies -came from the bazaar. - -"Who's a donkey?" demanded Sam Hickey. - -"Want a donkey, sir?" - -An idea occurred to Dan. - -"How much do you charge for a ride?" - -"Twenty piastres for half an hour," answered the lad, in very good -English. - -"Twenty pi----" - -"That's about ten cents," spoke up a sailor who had been in Cairo on a -former cruise. - -"Good! How many donkeys have you? Enough for all of us?" - -"I get 'em. You wait." - -"If you'll hurry we will wait. Don't be long. My friends are not in a -mood to wait for anything to-night. Run, boy!" - -The boy darted away. In a few minutes donkeys began gathering, their -young masters prodding the lazy beasts, urging them along with shrill -shouts and sundry twists of the animal's tails. - -"Look at the donkeys," shouted the jackies. "What's going on here?" - -"You are all going to take a ride with me," announced Dan Davis. "We'll -wind up the evening with a parade; then we'll pipe up hammocks." - -"Hurrah for Little Dynamite!" howled the men. - -"Let's form a cavalry company and charge the town." - -"The town will do all the charging, and then some more," laughed Dan. -"Mount." - -With shouts of mirth the jackies swung themselves to the backs of the -donkeys. - -"Forward, march!" commanded Dan. - -The grotesque procession started away, while the sides of the narrow -streets were lined with natives and foreigners, all laughing at the -ludicrous spectacle. - -It was harmless fun, the pent-up spirits of the sailor boys being given -full play after weeks at sea. - -"Somebody sing," suggested a voice. - -"I'll sing," answered Hickey. - -"No; let Dynamite. He's the only sweet-voiced warbler in the crew. What -will it be, Dynamite?" - -Dan cleared his throat. - - "The harbor's past, the breezes blow, - Yeo ho, lads, ho! Yeo ho! Yeo ho! - 'Tis long ere we come back, I know, - Yeo ho, lads, ho! Yeo ho!" - -The jackies greeted the effort with a howl of delight; then all joined -in with a shout that brought people from their beds to the flat roofs of -their houses, from which they peered down wonderingly on the strange -procession. - - "But true and bright from morn till night my home will be, - And all so neat and snug and sweet, for Jack at sea; - And Nancy's face to bless the place, and welcome me; - Yeo ho, lads, ho! Yeo ho! - - "The bo's'n pipes the watch below, - Yeo ho, lads, ho! Yeo ho! Yeow!" - -The song ended in a roar of laughter that was taken up from the -housetops, running down the narrow street like a wave at sea. - -At that moment the bluejackets were nearing the bazaar of the Nubian -with whom Sam Hickey had had the trouble. For some reason Sam's donkey -was taken with a sudden attack of the sulks. Sam prodded the beast and -yelled at him; donkey boys punched the animal with their fingers to stir -him up, but still the animal refused to move. - -"Twist his tail," suggested a shipmate jeeringly. - -Hickey accepted the suggestion. Half turning, he grasped the beast's -tail, giving it a violent twist. - -"Hee--hee--hee-h-a-w--he-e-e-e-e," protested the donkey. - -The jackies shouted. - -"You better get a new horn for your automobile, red-head," jeered a -shipmate. - -"The one he has would make a good siren for the battleship," added -another. - -Hickey was having too much trouble, about this time, to give heed to the -jeers of his companions. The lazy donkey had all at once taken matters -into his own hoofs. These hoofs were flying in all directions. With -every kick the circle about the Battleship Boy and his mount widened. - -"I'm going to fall off. Somebody catch me!" yelled Sam. - -Dan Davis, though fairly doubled up with laughter, sprang from his -donkey and ran to Sam's assistance. He did not fear that Sam would be -harmed, but he saw that, with every kick, the animal was getting nearer -and nearer to the bazaar. - -"Hang on, Sam!" encouraged his companions. - -"Sprinkle some salt on the donkey's tail," suggested another. - -Dan leaped to the donkey's head. - -Instantly the animal whirled. Dan, seeing what was about to occur, threw -himself forward just as the hind hoofs of the animal shot out, the boy -falling against the donkey's legs and hips. - -The Battleship Boy was lifted right up into the air. He landed in a heap -some fifteen feet away. - -The jackies yelled themselves hoarse, while Dan got up, rubbing himself -and grinning sheepishly. - -A crash at that instant attracted their attention to the bazaar. Mr. -Donkey, with the red-headed boy's arms wrapped about its neck, had -bolted into the bazaar. - -[Illustration: Sam and the Donkey Bolted Into the Bazaar.] - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -ON THE SHIPS OF THE DESERT - - -Egyptian goods were flying in all directions. A saakka, or water -carrier, who had been delivering his wares to the merchant, landed on -his back in the middle of the street, followed by a varied assortment of -oriental wares. - -The Nubian merchant had bolted through a rear opening and made his -escape to a back yard, from which he watched the destruction of his -stock. The jackies, as soon as they were able to control their -merriment, rushed in, pounced upon and captured the mad donkey. From the -wreck they hauled out the red-headed boy, much the worse for his -experience. - -Several Nubian police had hurried to the scene and a great crowd had -been attracted by the uproar. The Nubian was wringing his hands and -wailing over his loss. - -"Sam Hickey, you did that on purpose," said Davis sternly. "You drove -that donkey in there to get even with the Nubian." - -"I didn't. What are you talking about?" - -"You know what I am talking about. You have ruined his stock. What are -you going to do about it?" - -"Let him buy some new stuff. I don't care what he does." - -"Fellows, shall we pass the hat for the bazaar man?" - -"Yes; pass the fez," shouted the sailors. - -"I'll put in two dollars' worth," announced Dan. "That is, as near as I -can figure it. Come, Sam." - -"Not for mine!" growled Hickey. - -"Put up or get a thrashing," commanded Dan. - -Sam reluctantly went down in his pocket and clumped a handful of money -into the red fez. - -"Backsheesh!" cried the beggars at sight of the money, crowding in -closer, their eyes wide and avaricious. - -"You'll get 'backsheesh' if you don't clear out of here mighty quick," -warned the jackies. "Charge them, fellows!" - -With a yell the sailors mounted their donkeys and rode right at the -persistent beggars. There followed a great scattering and yelling. The -Nubian policemen stood about, solemn-faced, but making no effort to -interfere. The sailors returned to the bazaar and dismounted. - -Finally, the collection having been taken up, Davis walked into the -booth and handed the money to the merchant. - -"We are sorry to have damaged your stock, sir, but it was an accident," -said Dan. - -The merchant wailed and wrung his hands. - -"This will pay you for your loss. As a matter of fact, I think you have -made enough out of our crowd already to pay you for all the damage we -have done." - -"Say, honest, Sam, what did you do to that donkey to make him cut up in -that way?" demanded Dan, coming out of the bazaar. - -"I told you I didn't do it. His rudder got jammed; that's what was the -matter with the beast. As soon as I got both engines going ahead full -speed there wasn't any more trouble." - -Once more the boys started off down the street, singing and shouting. -Hickey's mount was now as meek as a spring lamb, but the other men kept -a good distance away from the red-headed boy, not knowing at what minute -the donkey might have another fit. - -At last the donkey riders began to tire of their sport. Just then the -watchmen in the towers began to cry out the hour of midnight. - -"Eight bells," sang out Dan Davis. - -"All lights are burning brightly," mocked another. - -"Yes, but they will all be out soon," answered Dan. "Time to pipe up -hammocks." - -"Oh, not yet," protested Sam. - -"Yes, now. We've had a fine time to-night, but we have another day ahead -of us. Remember, we're going to see some wonderful sights to-morrow." - -"Dynamite is right," called out several. "We'll all pipe down." - -"Where do we stay?" - -"That has all been arranged for. We go back to the station, where the -boatswain's mate will be waiting for us. Sam, you and I are going over -to the hotel." - -"The Shepherd's Crook, or something of that sort?" - -"Shepherd's Hotel, you mean," laughed Dan. "Yes; we are very -extravagant, but we do not get a chance to see real life very often." - -Arriving at the station, the Battleship Boys bade their companions good -night, and made their way to the hotel where they had decided to stop. -They had picked out the most fashionable hotel in the Egyptian capital, -but they were made welcome, and the Americans, of whom there were many -there, took the boys up enthusiastically. It was with difficulty that -Dan and Sam got away from them finally. That night, for the first time -in many months, the lads slept in a real bed. - -They did not sleep well. They missed the swaying hammock, the fresh salt -breeze blowing over them and the swish or roar of the waves against the -side of the ship--sounds that had grown to be a part of their very -existence. - -At last, as day was peeping in through the open windows, they fell into -a sound sleep, from which they did not awaken until late in the morning. - -At eleven o'clock that morning the boys presented themselves at the -Gizeh Palace, where they were to take the train that would carry them -well on their way toward the Pyramids. - -Others of their shipmates came straggling along, and within an hour -nearly all were there, some having decided to remain in the city and -finish their sight-seeing there in preference to going out on the -desert. - -Every man of them was bright-eyed, happy, and ready for whatever the day -might bring forth. - -At Gizeh station, some seven miles from the city, all the passengers -were hustled out for a change of cars. - -"Do we walk?" came a chorus of demands. "How far is it?" - -"No; we take ship from here," answered Davis, with a quizzical smile. - -"A ship?" demanded Hickey incredulously. - -"Yes." - -"Pooh! You're joking. This is a desert, not a sea." - -"You will see." - -"Pipe down punning. It's too hot to laugh," commanded a voice. - -Dan, with the boatswain's mate, had arranged a surprise for their -shipmates, a new experience for every man of the party. - -Headed by the Battleship Boys and the boatswain's mate, the bluejackets -walked away from the station for a short distance. Suddenly they came to -an open space of sand. There, lounging about, was a large group of -Bedouins, clad in long, flowing robes, wearing turbans and armed with -long, stout sticks. Beyond the Bedouins, their many-jointed legs folded -under them, lay a herd of camels with half-closed eyes and disdainfully -curling lips. - -"See that hump!" yelled the jackies the moment they set eyes on the -ungainly beasts. "There are some bumps for you." - -"See them feed the babies," cried a chorus of voices. - -Several camel owners were squatting in front of their animals stuffing -little balls of grass down the throats of the beasts, while the latter -chewed lazily. - -"Where's the ships?" demanded Hickey, looking about him expectantly. - -"There they are," answered Dan, with glowing face. "That is the surprise -we have in store for you." - -"What, camels?" - -"Yes. Otherwise known as 'ships of the desert.'" - -"Are--are we to ride those things?' - -"If you wish. All of those who prefer may go the rest of the way by -train. It is a short journey, but we thought you would like it." - -"Like it? No train for us! Hurrah for the hunch backs!" came the -answering clamor. - -Few chose the train, it is needless to say. All was excitement, -everybody trying to talk at once, and to this the Bedouins added their -chatter in Arabic, interspersed here and there with an English word. The -camels, catching something of the excitement of the moment, lumbered to -their feet. The boys glanced at the great height of the beasts rather -apprehensively. - -"Where are the ladders?" demanded a voice. - -"Ladders?" - -"Yes; it will take a ladder or a flying machine to get aboard those -ships. I don't know whether I want to take the chance or not," said -Hickey. - -"Line up here, boys," commanded Dan. "All ready, Mr. Bedouin." - -The camel drivers uttered short, sharp commands to their animals, -whereupon the beasts got down on their knees. - -"All aboard!" called Dan. "No Jacob's ladders here; you will have to -climb." - -The boys piled on, so many getting aboard the first one that the beast -was unable to rise. It toppled over sideways, spilling all the -passengers overboard into the sand. - -"Attention!" shouted Dan. "Let's do this thing right or we'll never get -to the Pyramids. One at a time. There, that's right." - -At last all were up, Dan on the back of the tallest camel at the head of -the line. - -"All right, back there?" - -"Wait; I'm sliding off!" howled Sam. - -"Anybody got a rabbit's foot in his pocket? If so, pass it along to -Coxswain Hickey." - -"I'm off. Wow!" - -Sam hit the ground, sending up a little cloud of yellow dust. The -jackies burst into a roar. - -"Leave him! Let him walk!" - -"Yes, go on. It will do him good." - -The camels started off, with every man on them shouting suggestions to -poor Sam, who had regained his feet and was racing along trying to keep -up with the camels, and hurling threats at his companions in a -dust-choked voice. - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -CALLING ON THE MUMMIES - - -For a full mile they made the red-headed boy run. Then, at Dan's -command, a camel was made to kneel, and the perspiring coxswain was -permitted to climb the animal's hump. - -"That--that was a mean trick," growled Sam. "I'll even up with you for -that, Dan Davis!" - -Dan laughed happily. - -"You needed the exercise. It will put you in good shape for climbing the -Pyramids." - -A few minutes more of riding brought them to the feet of these -awe-inspiring monuments, and with the aid of their guides the jackies -scrambled up the sides of the Great Pyramid. - -"We must see the tombs on the inside of the Pyramid, fellows," cried Dan -after they had descended by skips and jumps the long steps of the -Pyramid. - -"Yes," cried Sam. "I promised to give the regards of the stay-at-homes -to the mummies." - -The guides lighted long wax tapers, and they entered the dark, -ill-ventilated passage leading into the great pile of masonry. - -"Whew!" said Dan. "I don't wonder mummies have that dark-brown color, -if they have baked in this oven a few hundred years. Guide, is there any -one in here except our party?" - -"No. Why?" - -"I saw two men, I thought, in one of those passages to the right." - -"It's nothing but a mummy ghost," suggested a shipmate. - -All at once they emerged into a great high-domed chamber, the walls of -which were covered with strange carvings. - -"What station is this?" questioned Dan. - -"The King's Chamber," replied the guide. - -"What is the King's name?" he asked. - -"Not know. Dead maybe two thousand years." - -"Two thousand years? He must have known our boatswain," said Hickey -solemnly. - -The others began asking questions, and Dan, walking to the other side of -the chamber, began examining the inscriptions on the walls. He was -standing near a corridor when suddenly he became conscious of a shadow -coming between himself and the light. He started, then peered into the -long corridor. - -"What are you looking for?" demanded Sam, who had come up behind Dan at -that moment. - -"I think there is some one out there," he replied. "I saw shadows -again." - -"Do you really think some of those old kings are nosing around here?" - -Dan laughed softly. - -"I'll risk their getting out. I think some of our fellows are playing -tricks on us. What do you say to our turning the tables on them? We'll -hide in the corridor, and give them a scare when they creep up to see -where we are." - -Davis and Hickey crept along on their hands and knees, chuckling softly -over the scare they were about to give their mates. - -"Sh-h-h-h," warned Dan suddenly, in a low voice. "I heard something." - -"Was--was it the boys?" - -"I don't know. I heard some one whisper, and it wasn't in English, -either. Be careful." - -The passageway had curved abruptly, going off in another direction, but -in the intense darkness they did not notice this. - -Suddenly Dan touched his friend's arm. - -"The light in the King's Chamber has gone." - -"Call out." - -"No, no. We will turn and go back. We were foolish to try a thing of -this sort." - -Keeping close together, the boys began crawling rapidly. All at once Dan -stopped. - -"We surely should have reached the King's Chamber before this," he -declared. - -"Maybe we have gone on past it?" - -"I think not. We should have recognized the place had we passed through -it." - -"Then there's only one thing to do--whoop her up until the mummies turn -over." - -"I guess you are right." - -Dan uttered a loud hello. There was no answer. Sam shouted, with no -better result. - -"Sam, we've been left alone in the dark this time--we're lost in the -Great Pyramid." - -Meanwhile the other bluejackets had finished their tour and had emerged -into the bright sunlight. - -While taking up a collection to settle with the guide, Spunk McGraw, a -friend of the Battleship Boys, suddenly looked up. - -"See here, where's that red-headed boy?" he demanded. - -"He's hidden so he won't have to hand out when the plate's passed," -answered a joking voice. - -"And Dan Davis is missing, too," said McGraw, with a scared look on his -face. - -"They're not going back on the train," one of the jackies volunteered. -"They said they were going back part way on the camels." - -"Oh, that's it, then," answered McGraw in a relieved tone. "Let's go to -the station and find out what time we can get a train." - -And no more thought was given to Dan and Sam until the boatswain's mate -found them missing at rollcall back in Cairo that evening. - -"Did they come back with you?" the mate questioned. - -"No, sir," replied Spunk McGraw. "I think they were going back to the -place where we change cars by way of the camels." - -"They may have been held up on that camel ride, sir," spoke up one of -the men, "but they may be on the train following. You can't keep Davis -and Hickey in one place against their will for very long." - -A ripple of laughter ran along the line at this, but when the next train -came wheezing in with no Battleship Boys, the mate looked grave. - -"It is my opinion that those men are lost in the Pyramid," he announced -with solemn emphasis. "I want ten men to go back with me to find them. -The rest of you will leave for Suez under McGraw's command on the -midnight train." - -Within half an hour he had procured an automobile and two Pyramid -guides, and with his detail of jackies had departed for the Pyramids. - -Back in the Pyramid the Battleship Boys were still lost and in utter -darkness. - -"What's the matter with our following the passageway back to the King's -Chamber?" asked Sam Hickey. - -"For the reason, Sam, that we do not know where the chamber is." - -"I guess you're right," he agreed. - -"Come along; we'll try it in this direction," said Dan. "Keep hold of my -hand. We do not want to get separated." - -The lads made their way along through corridor after corridor. They -could see nothing save now and then when they lighted a match. - -"Hark!" - -Dan gripped his companion's arm sharply. - -"I heard something again." - -Their voices had dropped to whispers. - -"It might have been some animal, and we have nothing to defend ourselves -with," said Dan Davis. - -"We have our knives," answered Sam. - -"Yes; we'll use them if we meet any four-footed enemies. Strike another -match, please." - -Sam did so at once. Instantly something happened. As the match flared -up, blinding them for the moment, Sam leaped into the air. - -"Wow!" he howled. "Look ou----" - -Dan uttered an exclamation before Sam had finished the sentence. -Something had given him a violent push from behind. At the same instant -Dan Davis was served in a similar manner. Instead of jumping, however, -he whirled with the intention of grappling with his assailant, whoever -he might be. - -Another push sent him reeling backward. He grasped wildly for something -to check his fall, but his hands slipped along the smooth rock. - -"I must be going all of a mile a minute," thought the boy. "Poor Sam. -Poor----" - -Suddenly he felt his body leave the sloping rock and shoot into space. -Then all at once everything became a blank. - -Dan landed heavily and lay still, but in a few minutes he began to -struggle with himself, fighting off an almost irresistible inclination -to lie back and go to sleep again. A few minutes of this and he sat up. - -"Oh, Sam! Hello, Sam!" he shouted. - -"Hello yourself," answered a voice so close to Dan that he could not -repress a start. - -"Where are you?" cried Dan eagerly. - -"That's what I've been trying to find out myself," answered the -red-headed boy. - -"Are you injured?" - -"Injured? Not I. I'm going to strike a match. That's about the only -thing about me that hasn't been struck sixteen times to the inch since I -started in to shoot the chutes." - -Lighting the match, he uttered an exclamation of delight. On one side of -the place was a heap of rubbish. They touched a match to it, and a -bright blaze rewarded their efforts. - -"How did you happen to fall over, Sam?" Dan questioned. - -"Just as you did, I guess. I was pushed." - -"You know I told you some one was dogging our footsteps earlier in the -afternoon." - -For a moment Davis sat lost in thought. - -"Let us push on, Sam," he finally said. "We may find our way out, and -our mates can find us in one place as well as in another, if they find -us at all." - -Dan took one of the glowing sticks from the fire to light the way, and -started out. - -"We'd better follow along on this level. We shall never get back the way -we came." - -"All right; I'm ready." - -"Sam, I think we're going down instead of up," said Dan after a few -minutes. - -"What's the odds? We might as well bury ourselves deep while we are -about it." - -Both lads laughed at the red-haired boy's grim joke, neither one -thinking of whining over their dangerous situation. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -CONCLUSION - - -Fully half an hour had passed when Davis suddenly uttered a low -"Sh-h-h!" - -"I hear voices again," whispered Dan. - -"So do I, now. I wonder where they are?" - -"Let's creep around this corridor. Speak only in whispers until we find -out whether they are friends or enemies." - -After making the turn the lads found they could hear the voices more -plainly. A moment more and their groping fingers made the discovery that -they were touching wood. - -"It's a door," whispered Dan. "Be ready to meet some trouble. I'm going -in." - -The door opened with a great noise, it's rusty hinges squeaking -warningly. - -Two Bedouins were sitting cross-legged on the stone floor. Above their -heads hung a smoky oil lamp, while about the walls were weapons. - -"We have lost our way," said Dan courteously. "If you will show us the -way out we will pay you well." - -With an angry exclamation the two Bedouins sprang to their feet, making -a dash for their revolvers in a niche in the wall. Davis caught the -significance of the movement. - -"Down them, Sam!" - -"I'm on the job," howled Hickey, as he landed on the back of the man -nearest him. - -At the same instant Dan had hurled himself at the other man. There had -been no time for further explanations. - -There followed a few minutes of desperate, silent struggling, and then -Sam suddenly uttered a yell of triumph. - -"I--I've got him this time. I've----" - -Ere he had finished the sentence there came a thud. Hickey had, by a -clever wrestling trick, thrown his man, the fellow's head striking the -floor so heavily that he lost consciousness. - -A moment later Dan succeeded in throwing his man over flat on his face. - -"Tear up some of those robes over there and make me a rope, quick," he -commanded. - -With the rope so made Dan bound the hands of the prisoners behind their -backs. - -"I don't know whether you understand English or not. I reckon you do," -announced Dan, after they had shaken Sam's man back to consciousness. -"We want you to lead us out of this place. We have your guns, and if you -cut up any we shall be obliged to shoot. If you behave yourselves we -will let you go when we get outside, providing you are not wanted by the -police. Now go." - -"And if you take us to any of your fellows we will shoot you first, then -take our chances with the rest," added Sam. - -The captives made no reply, but the boys were satisfied, from the -expression on their faces, that they understood. The Bedouin inclined -his head toward a passageway, and the strange procession started. - -Some twenty minutes later they stepped out into the fresh night air of -the desert. - -"This is great," breathed Hickey, with a glowing face. "Shall we take -these fellows along with us?" - -"No, we will keep our word to them." - -They untied the Bedouins, and the fellows slunk away and disappeared. - -Dan uttered a loud hello. - -"That you, Dynamite?" came an answer from one of the jackies who had -been left outside. - -With shouts of delight the party assembled, and all hands listened -wonderingly to the story the boys had to tell. The guides told Dan and -Sam that they had unearthed the lair of one of the worst bands that ever -infested the desert in the vicinity of the Pyramids. - -As a result of the information they gave, the band of brigands was -routed from their hiding place for good and all. - -Late that afternoon the lads once more set foot on the deck of the "Long -Island," and the battleship shortly afterwards got under way. At muster -that afternoon Dan and Sam were once more called before the captain. - -"I have this day received an order from the Navy Department," began the -captain. "It provides that for gallant service and quick wit Gunner's -Mate Davis is to be promoted to Chief Turret Captain. He will assume his -duties to-morrow morning. Coxswain Hickey is promoted to Gunner's Mate -first class. Lads, I congratulate you." - -The bugle blew and the men marched from the deck. - -That night Dan Davis climbed into his hammock for the last time. On the -following night he would take possession of a real berth in the chief -petty officers' quarters. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Battleship Boys in Foreign Service, by -Frank Gee Patchin - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BATTLESHIP BOYS *** - -***** This file should be named 42940.txt or 42940.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/2/9/4/42940/ - -Produced by Larry B. Harrison, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -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. 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