CHAPTER XI
A FLEET OF SUBMARINES
Upon seeing Mackinder's face, Ned halted in amazement.
A smile spread over the other's countenance as he noted Ned's look ofwonder. But beneath the appearance of amused indifference the lad's quickeye detected a look of care. He was not the same Mackinder.
For a brief moment nothing was said. Then the officer saluted thecommander, who recognized the act. The boys were presented.
"So, my friends," the commander began, "you were adrift on the North Seain an open boat? Have you suffered greatly?"
"No, thank you," replied Ned, acting as spokesman. "We have not beenadrift very long. The vessel on which we were riding struck somethingwhich we took to be a floating mine. The crew got away quickly in one ofthe boats, while we left a little later in another."
The shrewd eyes of the commander narrowed perceptibly.
"And what was the name and rig of the vessel?"
"The Lena Knobloch, a schooner, of Amsterdam," replied Ned.
"And the name of her captain?" continued the commander.
"Von Kluck," the boy answered.
"Ah, a Hollander! I believe he is a peaceful trader in small cargoes. Heis what the English call a 'tramp' of the sea."
"May I ask what boat this is and where you are bound?" asked Ned. "Wewould like to get to the United States, you know," he added.
"Yes," smiled the commander. "But you are far from that country now andwe think your company delightful. This vessel is the Sturmvogel, adestroyer of the German navy. We have been doing some small tasks uponthe high seas and are returning to a base of supplies."
"Can you put us in touch with some means whereby we can secure passage ona vessel leaving for the United States?" asked Ned.
"I am afraid that is impossible for the present," slowly replied theother, with apparent reluctance. "We like your company, you see. We alsoare favored with the presence of one of your countrymen," here heindicated Mackinder, "who has consented to pay us a brief visit."
"Pardon me, sir!" stated Mackinder, half rising. "These are _not_countrymen of mine! I must disclaim that honor!"
"So-o-o?" drawled the other. "Then you do not know them?"
"No!" stated Mackinder positively. "They are strangers to me!"
"Then you did not mean what you said a few moments ago?"
"I was mistaken!" replied the other, briefly.
"As you please," responded the commander with a wave of his hand."Perhaps I misunderstood your statements concerning them!"
An order was given to the officer who had conducted the boys to thecabin. The German language was used. Saluting the officer approachedMackinder. Without a word that gentleman rose and stepped from the room.
As Mackinder was conducted from the apartment the commander motioned theboys to seats about the table. He smiled at them kindly.
"Do you know what von Kluck's cargo consisted of?" he asked.
"Mostly cheeses," replied Ned. "Also an airship!" he added.
"An airship?" was the questioning response. "An airship?"
Ned smiled a trifle regretfully as he related briefly the adventures ofthe four lads with those who have read the previous volume of this seriesare already familiar. He concluded by saying:
"We were trying to get ourselves and the airship back to the UnitedStates, when this man Mackinder seemed bound to delay us on some flimsypretext. Unfortunately our Grey Eagle went down with the schooner."
"Yes. And now you are headed directly away from your desired destination.For you, at least, the situation is unfortunate!"
"We think we are lucky to be afloat!" declared Ned.
"Yes. You are indeed fortunate in that respect. But I wish to make someinquiries," went on the commander.
"We shall be pleased to give you any information possible," answered thelad heartily. "We highly appreciate your kindness to us!"
"Perhaps my act of picking you up was not altogether prompted by such anoble sentiment," smiled the other. "I want some information."
"I hope we can help you out," replied the boy.
"What I want to know is this: What did you do with the package?"
"What package?" puzzled Ned, unable to grasp the other's meaning.
"The package so much desired by your friend Mackinder!"
Instantly the boys comprehended the statement. They were unable tounderstand how this man should know anything of the mysterious packageunless Mackinder had told him. They glanced at each other inapprehension.
"Haven't we got clear of that thing yet?" spoke up Jimmie.
"If you please, sir," said Ned, "we don't really know anything about thepackage. A package was found in our baggage when we were searched at theborder between Belgium and Holland. It was stolen by some person whom webelieve to be this man Mackinder, who has since been trying to get us todeliver it to him, although we have not had it."
"I presume that you understand him to be an officer in the British army?"inquired the commander kindly.
"We heard so from von Kluck," replied the boy.
"Do you know what was in the package?"
"No. We had not seen it until the time it was taken from our kits by thesoldiers who were searching them. All we know is that it was marked'U-13' on the outside. We have seen it but that once."
"I cannot understand why Mackinder should be trying to take the packageout of the possession of his own countrymen!"
"But I beg to say that we are not countrymen of his!" declared Ned. "Weare citizens of the United States. Here are our passports!"
"I beg your pardon!" apologized the commander. "Circumstances seemed toindicate that you were Englishmen. The mistake is mine!"
"I admit that the mistake was natural," said Ned. "But can you tell me ifthere is any connection between the package marked 'U-13' and thesubmarine vessel of the same name? If there is, why should Mackinder, anEnglishman, have anything to do with the package?"
A smile greeted this query. Clearly the officer was amused.
"If, as I suspect," he stated presently, "the package containedinformation valuable for the 'U-13' do you not understand why Mackinderwould be glad to get possession of it? The 'U-13' is a German craft!"
"Oh, yes," cried Ned. "And the two countries are at war!"
"And you will also understand why, under the circumstances, we must feelhonored by your presence, as well as that of Mackinder, for a littletime. Just now we should hate to see you go!"
"Then we are going to be prisoners?" asked Jimmie.
"Oh, no! Nothing so harsh as that!" reassured the other. "We will call itsimply guests for the time being. That sounds better!"
"Would you mind telling us what Mackinder had to say about us?" inquiredNed. "We would like very much to know that!"
"Consider," temporized the officer, "how little time there has been sincewe first sighted you for conversation of any sort!"
"Yes," agreed the lad, "but he has told you something!"
"Nothing of importance!" declared the other, rising to indicate that theinterview was at an end. "You will be given quarters forward, where youwill receive every consideration until we reach our destination."
"Where are you bound, Captain?" asked Jimmie.
"Our destination just now is a lonely island in the North Sea," answeredthe other. "It is heavily guarded, so you will be in no danger."
"Does Mackinder go ashore, too?" Jimmie continued.
"That has not been decided yet," replied the commander. He touched abutton, summoning an orderly. "Take these young gentlemen forward and seethat they want no comfort. They are our guests!" he ordered.
In a few minutes the boys were seated at a table in the forecastle, wherethey were provided with a great profusion of well-cooked food from thesailors' mess. With sharpened appetites they fell to eagerly.
Since none of the members of the crew with whom they came in contactseemed able to speak English the boys were forced to content themselveswith speculating on their destination.
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They knew that the torpedo boat destroyer had been headed nearlynortheast when it overhauled, and picked them up. They also knew that inthis direction lay the entrance to the river Elbe and the Kiel shipcanal, but whether the boat was making for some port in that vicinitythey were unable to learn.
Keenly as the lads regretted their lack of definite information they werenot inclined to become despondent. They found it possible by using signsto carry on a sort of desultory conversation with the members of thecrew, who had gathered out of curiosity in their vicinity.
At length Frank jumped from his seat with an exclamation.
"I'll bet I know where we're going!" he announced, gleefully.
"So do I!" stated Jimmie in a nonchalant manner.
"Where?" asked Frank, somewhat crestfallen. "Aw, you don't either!" hedeclared, after searching his comrade's face intently.
"All right," admitted Jimmie, laughing. "I just wanted to take some ofthat overconfidence out of your system, that's all!"
"Where do you think we are bound for, Frank?" inquired Ned.
Frank placed a finger on his lips, glancing about to make sure that noone was close enough to overhear his whispered words.
"Helgoland!" he said, cautiously.
Instantly the others jumped to their feet, slapping Frank's shoulders,shaking his hands and otherwise showing their appreciation of hisshrewdness. Their enthusiasm could scarcely be restrained.
"Sherlock Shaw, The Scout Sleuth!" shouted Jimmie.
"Frank, you're the real, old-fashioned guesser!" declared Jack.
"How did you do it, Frank?" asked Harry, admiringly.
"Well, the commander said we were destined for a lonely island in theNorth Sea that was heavily guarded. I guess Helgoland fits thatdescription right enough. Besides, as I remember the geography of theseparts, that's about the first land we'd strike going on this course."
"But I understand that is a sort of naval base," put in Harry. "Isn'tthat the island where the Germans are fitting out so many of theirZeppelins? Seems to me I read something about that in a paper."
"That's the very place!" put in Ned. "The paper said it was a lonely,rocky island, difficult of approach and quite well fortified."
"And book agents, canvassers, peddlers and rag men are not allowed thereat all!" asserted Jimmie, gravely.
"Take his pie away!" shouted Jack. "He's raving again!"
"And you have to deliver all goods in the rear," added Jimmie, as Jackreached for the plate containing the lad's breakfast.
"Hurry up, let's finish this food and get out on deck, where we will beable to see something," suggested Harry. "This is interesting!"
Directly the boys were standing in the lee of a deck house eagerlyscanning the horizon for some sign of the island where they expected tobe landed as prisoners of war.
The gale gave no hint of abating. Indeed, the motion of the waves wasmuch more noticeable. Jack attributed this partly to the build of thecraft, whose lines were sharper than those of the Lena Knobloch. Thesharp prow cut the water like a knife, while the slender, tapering sternslipped through the seas without making a roller of large proportions.
Presently, just as Jack declared he could see a blue smudge in thedistance, indicating the presence of land, the lads were joined byMackinder. He glanced at the group without speaking.
Speedily the vessel approached the object that had been sighted.
An officer drew near. He conducted Mackinder toward the stern.
As the craft slowed slightly to enter a harbor Jimmie grasped Ned's arm.He pointed eagerly toward several large objects on land.
"There is a whole flock of Zeppelins," he declared. "And as I live," hecontinued, "I see a bunch of submarines at that dock over there!"
"There must be a dozen or more!" gasped Frank, in amazement.