CHAPTER XXI.
A NEUTRALITY VIOLATION.
Through the Gulf of Finland into the Baltic the D-16 made her wayrapidly, remaining upon the surface of the water, for in these seasthere was no danger of encountering an enemy. Some miles from the mouthof the Kiel canal, however, Lord Hastings gave the command to submerge,and the little submarine, sinking gently, hurried on, at a somewhatreduced speed, but making good time nevertheless.
On this second passage of the canal, Lord Hastings decided to make noraid upon the enemy's fleet cooped up within it, and accordingly theD-16, running close to the bottom, guided by Lord Hastings' own hand,made the trip in safety, without encountering a single one of theenemy's under-the-sea fighters. However, she did not rise immediatelywhen she was once more in the North Sea, for these waters were mined formiles, and it was necessary for the D-16 to pass under the mined areabefore coming again to the surface.
But, going more swiftly now, the British submarine soon reached a zoneof comparative safety and Lord Hastings gave the command to come to thesurface once more. Then, followed by Frank and Jack, he stepped on tothe bridge for a breath of the cool air.
"Well, I was sure we would get through safely, and we have," said Jack,as he peered off across the water.
"And we have accomplished," said Lord Hastings, "such a feat as wasnever before attempted, and one that has been rated as impossible. Youlads are both deserving of the greatest praise for your coolness andbravery."
"No more than our commander, I am sure," replied Frank quietly. "Had itnot been for you, the trip never could have been made."
"But," said his commander, "had it not been for you lads, the trip wouldnever have been thought of."
"Well," said Frank with a laugh, "we'll call it square all around andlet it go at that."
"Suits me," declared Lord Hastings, also laughing.
"It seems to me," said Jack, "that the crew is just as deserving ofpraise."
"So they are," said Lord Hastings, "and I shall see that their names aregiven special mention in my report to the Admiralty."
"Which reminds me," said Frank, "that we still have the German prisoneraboard."
"By Jove!" exclaimed Lord Hastings. "Do you know I had forgotten allabout him?"
"What do you intend to do with him?" asked Frank.
"Well," said Lord Hastings slowly, "I had intended giving him hisliberty at the first opportunity. So far none has presented itself. Ifsomething doesn't turn up soon, I fear I shall have to turn him over tothe Dover military authorities as a prisoner of war."
Jack gave vent to an expressive whistle.
"After what you have told him," he said, "that will make it ratherhard."
"So it will," admitted his commander, "but if half a chance turns up Ishall see that he is set free. For had it not been for him, Frank, youwould probably be imprisoned in Berlin right now."
"That is undoubtedly true," said Frank, "and I am properly grateful."
"We'll see," said Lord Hastings, and this put an end, for the timebeing, to the subject.
Still running at full speed upon the surface, the D-16 was making rapidheadway toward the British coast.
"We had best be careful, sir," said Jack. "Remember what the prisonertold us about the submarine blockade."
"Right," was the reply. "Of course there is a safety zone for theprotection of neutral ships, but as we do not know just where thesefellows are likely to be hanging about, we had better take a stitch intime and go down a ways."
He turned to give the command, but before the words could leave hislips, he turned suddenly again at a cry from Frank.
"What's up now?" he demanded.
For answer Frank pointed straight ahead toward the distant horizon.
"Looks like a ship in some kind of trouble, sir."
Lord Hastings raised his glass to his eyes and peered through it longand intently.
"She's in distress, that's sure," he said, lowering the glass at last."But I can't make her out from this distance. She doesn't look like aship of war, though."
"Probably some merchantman victim of the German submarine blockade,"said Jack.
"That's about the size of it," Frank agreed.
"Well," said Lord Hastings, "we'll go closer and see, although there isnothing we can do for them."
The object of this conversation lay almost due west, a trifle north. Thehead of the D-16 was consequently turned slightly, and she made for thevessel at top speed. The three officers remained upon the bridge, barelyrising above the water, and at last they were able to make out the ship.
"Merchantman, all right!" said Jack.
"Yes!" exclaimed Frank, becoming suddenly excited, "and do you make outher colors?"
Jack took another look.
"By Jove!" he exclaimed.
Lord Hastings also raised his glass to his eyes again, then started backwith an exclamation of surprise.
"They have gone too far this time," he said slowly. "This meanstrouble."
For the colors flying at the masthead of the sinking merchant ship werethe Stars and Stripes!
"The United States will not let them get away with anything like that,"declared Frank vehemently.
"Don't be too sure," replied Lord Hastings. "Remember the incident ofthe firing of Turkish forts upon an American battleship launch atBeirut. Nothing came of that."
"But," protested Frank, "it is inconceivable that the United States willnot take action if a German submarine has sent one of her merchant shipsto the bottom."
"Looks like an act of war to me," said Jack.
"Germany will probably claim," said Lord Hastings, "that the ship didnot stay within the established safety channel, or else deny that aGerman submarine is responsible."
"She might do the latter," said Frank, "but I don't believe the UnitedStates would accept the former explanation."
But the United States eventually did, as it developed later, althoughshe lodged a formal protest through her ambassador at Berlin.
"B-o-s-n-i-a," Frank spelled out the name of the sinking ship, as theD-16 drew closer.
"I wonder if her crew is safe?" he asked anxiously.
Lord Hastings pointed across the water.
"You can see some of them in the small boats," he said. "I hope they allget away. The submarine must have torpedoed them without warning."
"I haven't any doubt of that," said Frank, "although it is against allrules of civilized warfare."
"I do not claim that the Germans are conducting a civilized war," saidLord Hastings quietly. "The tales of cruelties coming out of Belgiumaugur decidedly against that."
At this juncture a fourth figure ascended to the bridge. It was that ofthe German prisoner.
He took in the situation at a glance, and turned to Lord Hastings with afaint smile.
"A victim of the blockade, I suppose?" he questioned.
Lord Hastings nodded.
"Looks like it," he said briefly, "and an American ship at that."
The German muttered an imprecation under his breath.
"I was afraid something like that would happen," he said. "I never wasin favor with the policy of torpedoing neutral ships, whether in theblockaded zone or not. To my way of thinking, no good can come of it."
"I have an idea that no good for Germany will come from this," said LordHastings.
"Still," said the prisoner hopefully, "it may be all right. The UnitedStates will endeavor to stay out of the war on any pretext. Besides, sheis woefully slow to act, as has been proved by her actions towardMexico. Therefore this may be overlooked."
"Don't you believe it," cried Frank hotly. "The United States willprotect her citizens and property the world over."
"Well," said the German with a scornful smile, "it's about time shebegan to do it."
"What do you mean?" asked Frank taking a step toward the prisoner. "Doyou mean we are all cowards?"
"Well, hardly that," replied the German, w
ith a faint smile, "but----"
"But nothing," cried Frank. "We don't raise such things as cowards inthe United States."
The German lifted his eyebrows skeptically, and Frank grew angrier.
"You'll try us too far some of these days," he said, "and we'll do youlike Dewey did some of your ships at Manila. He said: 'Get out of my wayand don't interfere with me or I shall send you all to the bottom.'"
The German's face flushed. Plainly he also was growing angry.
"If you try it," he said, "you'll wish you hadn't."
"Why?" demanded Frank. "Do you think you can lick us?"
"I don't think there is any question about it!" was the reply.
"Well, don't you ever fool yourselves!" exclaimed Frank angrily."We----"
"Here, here," exclaimed Lord Hastings at this juncture, laying a handupon Frank's arm. "No more of this. Remember, Frank, that this man is aprisoner and should be treated courteously."
Frank drew away grumbling.
"Then he wants to let my country alone," he protested.
The German, also, would have continued the argument, but Lord Hastingssettled the matter.
"Not another word of this," he said sternly, and Frank and the prisonerbowed to this command.
"There she goes," cried Lord Hastings suddenly, pointing to the sinkingship.
All gazed toward the vessel. Slowly she rose high in the air, seemed tohang in the very air for a few brief moments, then dived and the watersclosed over her. The American Steamship _Bosnia_, torpedoed by a Germansubmarine or shattered by a German mine, sank to the bottom of the NorthSea.