CHAPTER XVI
THE DUEL THROUGH THE DOOR
Bang!
A stateroom door closed just before the two young officers reached it.
Click! That told the story of a bolt shot into place.
"You may as well open!" called Jack, coolly. "We have ample force forbreaking down that door!"
Crack! In that confined space the discharge of a pistol sounded almostdeafening. A line of red shot through the stateroom door. The bulletfrom the weapon whizzed between Jack Benson and Eph Somers, the missileburying itself in wood across the passage.
Crack! Crack!
With that desperate fellow the other side of the door, shooting throughthe key-hole, it was worse than folly to remain in line of range.
Yet Jack and Eph retorted coolly, with the dignity of officers.
"My man," requested Lieutenant Jack, turning to one of the sailors,"hand me your revolver."
Taking the weapon, Benson glanced at it a second or two, then raised theweapon, sighting for the top of the stateroom door.
Bang! The shot that Jack fired sent a bullet crashing through the doorclose to the upper framework.
"You see, Gray!" Jack called coolly, "we're armed, too, and inoverpowering numbers. Resistance is worse than foolish."
Bang! came the hostile answer.
This shot was fired through one of the panels of the stateroomdoor--fired at an angle, too.
Plainly the shot was intended to hit the young naval lieutenant. Itpassed Benson's right side by a margin of barely two inches.
"Pass me another revolver," whispered Benson, in the stillness thatfollowed.
All through the day and evening these seamen, though outwardlyrespectful, and wholly well disciplined, had cherished a great deal ofamusement over their boyish officers.
Now, however, these bronzed men of the deep beheld Benson and Somers atwork in a manner worthy of any product of Annapolis.
The second revolver was handed to Jack.
"I want to be in this, too," muttered Ensign Eph, and held back his handfor weapons.
"Are you going to surrender, Gray, and open that door?" demandedLieutenant Jack.
"Never--to you," came the ugly defiance.
Bang! Again Gray fired, straight in the direction of the voice thebullet, crashing through a panel of the door, fanned Jack's left ear sothat he felt the breeze.
"Open up on him, Mr. Somers," directed Benson. "Slowly. Fire high, andfire low. Try to get him somehow."
Two more shots came from the other side of the locked door.
Then pop-pop-pop! began the fusilade from outside, Jack and Eph firingwith either hand as they sighted their weapons for new spots.
R-r-rip! crash! A long enough bombardment of this sort was certain toreduce the panels to splinters and leave the way clear--if they didn'triddle Gray with bullets in the meantime.
Pop-pop-pop! The air was becoming heavy with the white fog of smoke.Breathing was somewhat difficult, with so many shots being fired inthe confined space.
Then both young officers stopped, passing back one revolver apiece tobe reloaded.
Bang! came a defiant shot from inside the stateroom. The bulletstruck the cabin floor just behind Jack, having passed between his feet.
The sailors, back where they were comparatively safe from harm, lookedon in admiration at these two grit-full young American officers.
Pop-pop-pop! began the fusilade by Jack and Eph again.
"Ouch!" came a sudden yell from the stateroom.
"Hit you, did we?" called Jack, calmly. "Well, we're going to riddleyou unless you stop that nonsense."
The answer was another shot from inside the stateroom. The bulletclipped off a stray lock of hair at the left side of Eph Somers's head.
Both young officers fired slowly, searchingly, until their weapons wereemptied. Then they passed the hot smoking revolvers back for newloads.
From the other side of the stateroom door came no sound.
As soon as he and Eph had received the reloaded weapons, Jack motionedEph Somers not to fire.
For a few moments they listened. Then Jack turned, selecting the twomost stalwart-looking of the husky sailors back by the companionway. Anod of Jack's head brought them stealthily to his side.
"Put your shoulders to the stateroom door, and force it," commandedLieutenant Benson.
At the same time Jack and Eph moved up with the sailors, holding theirrevolvers ready to fire at the first sign of renewed hostilities fromwithin.
Bump! Two pairs of sturdy shoulders went up against the door. Fromwithin there came no sign of defiance. Bump! At the second determinedassault the door flew open.
"Step back, men! We'll go in first," commanded Lieutenant Benson.
Revolvers in hand, and ready, the two young officers of the "Sudbury"pressed forward into the battered-looking room.
"Where is the rascal?" growled Eph Somers.
"Here, hiding like a cornered rat," replied Jack, aiming both revolversat a huddled figure well in under the lower berth. "Come out, Gray!You won't be hurt unless you try tricks on us."
The answer was a groan.
"Are your hurt?" inquired Lieutenant Benson.
"Yes."
"How badly?"
"You hit me twice."
"Where?"
"Once in the left arm; once in the right thigh. O-o-o-h!"
Jack Benson felt a swift twinge--almost a guilty jerk of his conscience.
To be sure, Gray had been defying properly appointed officers of thegovernment engaged in performing their sworn task. Gray had attemptedto kill or injure the young officers.
Still, Gray was a human being. Benson, despite his fighting spirit, atneed, was not fond of gazing upon misery.
"I guess you can get out, with a little aid," coaxed Lieutenant Jack.
Gray's answer was another groan.
"We'll help you out, then," Jack continued. "But don't you dare to openfire upon any of our party!"
"I would, if I could," snarled the wounded man.
"Why can't you?"
"Fired my last cartridge!" snapped the wretch, defiantly. "Else youwouldn't have got in here without losing a few men!"
Jack signed to the two men who had forced the door to lend a hand inmoving Gray out from under the berth. As they got the wounded man outon the carpet he presented a sad picture in his bloodstained clothing.
"Will the Lieutenant pardon a suggestion?" spoke up one of the sailors,saluting.
"Yes."
"I have a first aid package, sir. With some help I can, bind this man'swounds until we get him over to the sick bay on the 'Sudbury.'"
"A fine idea," agreed Lieutenant Jack. "Go ahead."
First of all, the wounded prisoner was taken out into the passageway.Jack and Eph had yet important work to do here. For a few minutesthey searched in vain. Then, in turning over the lower berth's mattress,Eph's hand touched something hard.
"Wait until I get my pocket-knife out," he smiled.
Rip! r-r-r-r-rip! As Ensign Eph tore open the mattress and thrust hishands inside, the grin on his face broadened.
"I reckon we've got the object of the whole expedition," he announced.
He drew out a package wrapped in heavy paper. Jack broke the string,unwrapping, and pulling out to the light, a bundle of charts, layerupon layer.
"Yes. Here we have what we're after," nodded Lieutenant Benson. "Andhere are two books written chock-full of notes to go with the charts.Gracious! That fellow. Millard must have stolen plans of everyimportant fortified harbor on the Atlantic coast. And here are chartsof some of the gulf ports as well."
Gray, his wounds bound, had been laid on the door of the stateroom,which had been taken from its hinges. On this stretcher, the prisonerwas taken over the side into the launch.
"Who's going to pay for the damage done here, sir?" asked the skipperof the Cobtown schooner, stepping forward.
"Hm!" muttered Jack. "I
t seems to me you are lucky, my man, that wedon't put a prize crew aboard this craft and take you back to Norfolk."
"I haven't done anything," protested the fellow, "except to stand for alot of damage on board because you're backed by sailors and marines."
"My man," retorted Jack, grimly, "if you think you have suffered anyunfair damage, then lay your case before the Navy Department. But myprivate advice is for you not to attract the attention of the authoritiesto you in case they seem likely to overlook you."
"Is my vessel at liberty to proceed?" inquired the man, sullenly.
"Yes; I have no orders to seize your craft. I'd like to, however,"Lieutenant Jack Benson added, dryly.