CHAPTER XXVI.
SCOUTING.
"We may as well go up now."
It was Lord Hastings who spoke. For two hours, starting at nightfall,the D-16 had been creeping along under the waters in the Dardanelles.Submerging before she started, the submarine had not yet come to thesurface once. But now, at Lord Hastings' words, Jack gave the command.
"Seems to me we should not be far from the opposite end," Lord Hastingscontinued.
Slowly the D-16 rose toward the surface, Frank, in the lookout room,meanwhile keeping a careful watch for obstacles ahead. There was littlefear of encountering a hostile under-the-water craft, and for thisreason the huge searchlight of the D-16 was allowed to play about thewater, lighting it up for some distance on all sides.
The submarine reached the surface without trouble, and followed by Jackand Frank, Lord Hastings ascended to the bridge.
The water was very rough, and it was perfectly black outside.
"We could not have selected a better night," said Lord Hastings.
"But without a moon or light of some kind," asked Jack, "how are wegoing to make out the lay of the land?"
"We'll run inshore and do a little scouting," was the reply.
Accordingly the submarine was headed shoreward.
"The water here is deep enough to permit us to go almost to the bank,"said Lord Hastings. "After that we shall have to swim."
When the D-16 had approached the bank as near as Lord Hastings deemedpossible with safety, the commander turned the bridge over to Frank andannounced that he and Jack would go ashore.
"But is there not fear of your being discovered?" asked Frank.
"We shall have to take that chance," was Lord Hastings' reply. "Now youstay right here with the submarine until daylight. If we have notreturned, you will know that we have fallen into some difficulty, andyou will return and report."
"Very well, sir," replied Frank.
Lord Hastings and Jack lowered themselves quietly into the cold water,and struck out boldly for the shore. They had to swim no more than aminute, when they felt the gradual rise of the land under their feet.Stepping softly, they continued their way, and soon stood upon dry land.
"Which way now, sir?" asked Jack.
"It doesn't make much difference," was the reply. "We'll go to theleft."
They started out cautiously.
"Keep your eyes open," Lord Hastings instructed, "and your hand uponyour guns. I don't fancy falling into the hands of the Turks."
"Nor I," replied Jack, as he followed his commander's advice.
The two stepped forward cautiously. They walked for perhaps fiveminutes, and then they brought up suddenly before a huge gray wall.
"Fort," said Lord Hastings briefly.
Jack said nothing, but followed his commander. Lord Hastings drew back afew yards and glanced up carefully.
"I'll get this in my mind," he whispered, "and draw my map later."
Jack nodded.
Lord Hastings scrutinized the fort carefully, and then with a nod,passed on. Jack followed.
For perhaps an hour they continued along the shore, Lord Hastingsstopping now and then to take in some detail of the ground.
"We have reached the point where the _Queen Elizabeth's_ shells havebeen dropping," he finally said. "There is no use going farther. Let usgo back."
They turned and retraced their steps.
Arrived opposite the point where the submarine waited, they plunged intothe water and swam back.
"We'll try the other side now," said Lord Hastings.
The submarine was guided close to the opposite bank, and once more thetwo plunged into the water and were soon ashore.
Again they proceeded for perhaps an hour, and again Lord Hastingsdiscovered the effects of the _Queen Elizabeth's_ shells. As he deemedit unnecessary to go further, they turned and once more retraced theirsteps.
They had almost reached the point off which the submarine waited whenseveral figures loomed suddenly up in the darkness ahead of them. Theywere so close at this moment that it was impossible to avoid acollision. Jack, realizing this, and also knowing that the figures aheadmust be enemies, did not wait for the latter to strike the first blow.
As he bumped into the man nearest him, he struck out heavily with hisright. There was a fierce muttered Oriental imprecation and the man wentto the ground.
Lord Hastings performed a similar operation upon the man nearest him,and he also toppled over. The rest drew back, and sent up a cry of rage.Realizing that their opponents would receive reinforcements in a minute,Lord Hastings and Jack sprang into the midst of them.
Striking out right and left, Jack disposed of two more of the enemy, andLord Hastings a third; but at that moment Lord Hastings felt a sharppain in his side and fell to the ground.
Warding off the blows of the one remaining assailant, Jack stooped overhis commander.
"Hurt badly, sir?" he asked anxiously.
"Pretty badly, I fear," was the reply. "Caught me in the shoulder. Wait,I'll try to get up."
He made a valiant effort, but fell back with a moan of pain.
At the same instant the sound of running footsteps could be heardapproaching.
Jack stooped over his commander and threw an arm about him.
With his feeble strength, the latter threw him off.
"Hurry!" he cried. "Save yourself! You can't get me away."
"You do as I say now," commanded Jack sternly.
He bent over.
"Put your arm around my neck."
Lord Hastings protested, but in vain. Jack raised his body and slippedan arm beneath it.
"Put your arm around my neck," he commanded again.
This time Lord Hastings obeyed. Jack lifted him up as though he had beena child, and turning, dashed for the spot off which he knew thesubmarine lay.
He had almost reached it, when he found himself suddenly confronted bytwo dark figures. Without a word he laid Lord Hastings gently upon theground and hurled himself upon the men before him.
With two smashing blows--a left and a right--he laid two of them lowbefore they could recover from their surprise, and as a third man, witha cry of rage, dashed upon him with upraised arm, Jack caught him by thewrist.
He gave a violent twist, there was a snap and a sharp cry of pain, and aknife fell to the ground. Jack planted his other fist squarely in theman's face, and even as the latter tumbled to the ground, the ladstooped over Lord Hastings and in another moment was running along thebank with him.
"You can't do it, Jack," gasped Lord Hastings, as the lad ran on.
"Keep still," ordered Jack. "I'll get you back aboard or break a leg."
Lord Hastings subsided.
Now Jack reached the point where the submarine lay only a few yards offshore.
"Drop into the water," he commanded Lord Hastings.
"But I can't swim with this arm," the latter protested.
"You do as I say," ordered Jack. "I'll get you before you go down."
Without further words, Lord Hastings obeyed, and as he disappeared fromsight in the water Jack leaped lightly in after him. His hand touchedhis commander's collar before the latter had struck bottom, and comingto the surface, he supported Lord Hastings with one arm while with theother he struck out for the submarine.
Frank, upon the bridge peering intently into the night, had heard thesounds of confusion, but strain his eyes as he would, he did not makeout the two forms in the water until Jack's voice, sounding almost inhis ear, startled him.
"Lend a hand here, quick, Frank," came his friend's voice.
Quickly Frank leaped to obey.
Leaning over he held on to his commander while Jack scrambled aboard,and then both assisted their commander over the side, as gently aspossible, so as to avoid straining his wound.
"Are you badly hurt, sir?" asked Frank, when Lord Hastings lay pantingon the bridge.
"I don't know," came th
e faint reply. "But I have a nasty stab in theshoulder."
"We'll soon have that fixed up," said Jack cheerfully. "Help me carryhim down, Frank."
With Lord Hastings stretched out in his bed, Jack ordered Frank to seeabout getting the submarine away from the dangerous location, while hetended to Lord Hastings' wounds.
"You'll have to hurry," he exclaimed. "They know we are around here someplace, and they'll be after us like a pack of wolves."
Frank hurried back upon the bridge, to gain his bearings. As he emerged,a hand clutched him by the throat. In vain did the lad attempt to cryout. He struck blindly at his unseen opponent, who had grabbed him frombehind.
Frank threw himself to the deck, and the man who had swam aboard thesubmarine fell on top of him. Taken at a disadvantage for a moment byFrank's ruse, his hold upon the lad's throat loosened.
At the same moment the submarine was made as bright as day by thepowerful rays of a searchlight which fell upon it; but this glare was aboon to Frank, for it gave him a chance to determine his opponent'sposition, and he was not slow to take advantage of it.
With right and left he struck out swiftly time after time, and the Turk,badly battered, at last tumbled from the bridge and into the sea with ahowl of pain.
At the same instant other figures began to clamber over the side of thesubmarine, where they had been attracted by the sounds of confusion.
Frank acted quickly. Jumping to his feet, he dashed below, closing thedoor to the bridge and conning tower after him.
"Submerge!" he cried as the doors came together with a clang.
In vain did the figures upon the top of the D-16 seek to retain afoothold. Their foundation slipped gradually away from them, until theywere all left floundering in the sea.
Then the D-16 turned in the direction of the allied fleet.