CHAPTER XIV
TEN HOURS IN THE DANGER ZONE
"What do you make the reckoning?" asked the captain, as the navigatingofficer lowered his instrument, and turned to the book.
"Fifty, ten north," was the reply.
"On the line?" asked the captain.
"Twelve minutes east," answered the officer.
"Then we are forty miles due north of Havre," responded the captain.
"What did you mean by being 'on the line?'" asked Ralph, addressing thecaptain.
"The zero line, or the point where all calculations east and west arereckoned from, runs north and south through Greenwich, in England, aplace a little east of London. We are about fifteen miles east of thatline," replied the captain, "and one hundred and eighty miles south ofLondon."
But all were now interested in the further developments which might beexpected. The wireless was constantly receiving messages, andoccasionally the commander received messages which were, evidently,interesting reading, judging from the comments made. Most of theinformation related to the activities of the undersea boats, and onlyin that region where they were now approaching.
The vessel was proceeding slowly, when suddenly the officer in thecrow's nest sent down a signal that vitalized the gunners. The gunsswung around instantly. Away off to starboard was the faintest ripple,for the water was comparatively smooth.
Two shots rang out almost simultaneously from the fore and aft guns. Itwas a thrilling sight to see the streaks of glistening water, which thetwo shells brought up to be reflected by the brilliant sun. A shout fromthe gunner at the bow caused a chorus of answering shouts.
"Did they hit it?" asked Alfred.
"Well, there is one less periscope, if I know anything," replied thenavigating officer.
Ralph had descended the stairs leading down from the bridge, and quicklymade his way to the bow.
"I want to congratulate you on that shot," he said, as he approached.
The gunner, with glowing face, turned, and, seeing Ralph, replied:"Thank you, lad! Coming from you it's a compliment. Lor', but we like tospot 'em."
"That fellow's as good as useless," remarked the officer in charge.
"But suppose the submarine has any torpedoes left?" queried Ralph.
"That wouldn't do him any good; he would have to use that to sight by,"replied the officer.
"Yes; I can see that now," replied Ralph. "If he came to the top inorder to fire the torpedo he wouldn't last very long with these gunspointing at him."
As Ralph was ascending the stairway leading to the bridge on his returna half-hour later, the watch shouted out a warning: "Five points tostarboard!"
Every one was now keyed up to the highest pitch. The guns were quicklyswung to the angle indicated, and another tense moment arrived.
The captain walked over to the commander, and said: "It seems to me thatthe best policy is to bear down on him with all speed possible. Thatwill give the gunners the best chance, and at the same time present thesmallest target for the submarine."
The commander nodded and gave the necessary order, but before thehelmsman had time to execute the turning movement the forward gun washeard, quickly followed by the second gun. The aft gun also responded,making three shots that were fired, striking the water in such closeproximity to each other that the aim must have been very accurate.
"Gunners from the Royal Navy," remarked the captain, as he lowered hisglasses. "And they have hit the mark."
"Do you think so?" asked Alfred.
"I am sure of it, for this reason," said the captain, as the officers onthe bridge crowded around; "neither of the periscopes is visible, and Ican plainly see the boiling that follows a sinking submarine."
The ship was now at full speed, sailing directly over the course wherethe submarine was sighted. It did not take long for the vessel to coverthe mile, and, as they neared the tell-tale spot, the ship was veeredslightly out of its course, so that a good view could be obtained of thesurface of the water.
"How deep do you suppose that submarine is now?" asked Alfred.
"It is in less than two hundred feet of water; see, the air bubbles arestill coming up, although it went down fully fifteen minutes ago."
The steamer slowed down as it came abreast, and the passengers leanedover the side in intense excitement, watching the signs which indicatedthe death of another sea terror. Even while they were watching oneimmense boiling zone appeared and settled down, indicating that anotherair tank had given way, or that the pressure of the sea water had forcedthe air from one of the innumerable pockets in the interior of thesubmarine.
Four bells indicated a resumption of the journey. The great funnelsbegan to pour forth smoke in immense volumes, and the ship fairly shookwith the revolutions of the twin screws.
"So we are going directly south," said Ralph, who had just examined thecompass, and started for the stairway.
"There will be no let-up now," remarked the captain.
Every one understood that forced draught would now be resorted to, bothto avoid the likelihood of being torpedoed, and also to enable the shipto reach port at the earliest possible moment. The _St. Duneen_,although a twin-screw vessel, was not of more than 5,000 tons burden,having been built as a mail carrier for distant ports, in which speedwas regarded as the important element in her construction.
As the commander remarked to the captain, after the latter reached thebridge, he felt sure that the speed alone, which he was able to make inan emergency, would baffle any attempt to reach his hull. It seemed so,for the vessel fairly skimmed the surface of the water, and left a trailwhich could be marked for miles.
Every one felt happy, and there was a feeling of security aboard thatwas shared by every one. Luncheon was announced, and the boys weredescending the stairway leading to the cabin, when they felt a peculiarsensation. They were thrown down the steps, taking with them severalwomen and children, who were alongside.
No sooner had they landed at the bottom, when the most terrific crashwas heard.
"Submarine!" shrieked a voice.
The sensation of the oscillating movement of the vessel was a sickeningone. The dining room was half-filled with women, children and men.
"To your cabins at once; life belts as quickly as possible!" shouted anofficer. "The men must aid the women and children. Do not becomeexcited."
This warning had a marked effect; it restored the confidence which hadbeen so rudely shocked. Ralph and Alfred sprang for the closets wherethe life preservers were kept, and threw them out on the floor as fastas they could grasp them. They caught up one child after the other, and,without heeding the resistance which some offered, adjusted the belts,and, as fast as this was done, they assisted in pushing the childrentoward the companionway.
_A Contact Mine_]
The ship was slowly sinking to one side. The angle was very perceptible,and especially noticed as the boys reached the stairway, for it wasfound to be impossible to ascend by the starboard stairs. This made itmore difficult to get the people out of the crowded rooms below.
"Don't get excited!" shouted the officer from the head of the stairs."We can all clear the ship safely before she goes down."
As fast as the passengers reached the deck, officers were present todirect them to the most advantageous boats, but no orders were given toman the boats. The bow of the ship had gone down, and she was now lyingat a considerable angle, but it was evident that there was considerablebuoyancy in the vessel, and that there was no immediate danger.
"Are you sure that all are out of the cabins?" asked the captain, as oneof the porters appeared at the end of the passageway.
"We might as well take a look," said Alfred, as he rushed toward theport passage.
"I will go through the other passageway and meet you at the aftstairway," said Ralph, as he darted toward the gangway leading along theright side of the ship.
Alfred diligently opened every door and glanced about; he was not longin reaching the aft stairway area, and
waited for some minutes for Ralphto appear. As he was crossing the open space between the twopassageways, he heard a shriek, followed by piercing screams, evidentlyfrom the port passage.
Directed by the sounds he sprang from door to door, and soon detected aterrific struggle. "Help! help! I am being murdered!" was the cry.
At the door of a cabin Alfred saw two forms, one the woman, and theother Ralph in a fierce struggle, the woman with her arms around thepost, which extended upward from the floor at the side of the cabincouch. She defied every effort on the part of Ralph. Alfred seized herhands, gradually loosened them, and when they had succeeded in freeingher, she dropped down, completely exhausted, threw her head to one side,and swooned.
This greatly facilitated her removal. The boys dragged her along thepassageway, and, nearing the stairs, noticed a peculiar sound, somethinglike a muffled explosion, followed by a sudden lurch of the ship, whichdestroyed their balance so that they were compelled to drop theirburden.
"What can that be?" asked Ralph.
"Seems as though we have been hit the second time," replied Alfred.
"Oh! here you are!" shouted the captain, as he rushed down the stairway,followed by an officer.
"What was that?" asked Ralph.
"A bulkhead has just given way," replied the captain.
"Then we are bound to go down," said Alfred with a sigh. "We must gether up before she comes to."
"Yes, but we'll try to save her," replied the captain.
The ship was slowly sinking. The motion of a vessel as it loses itsbuoyancy gives a most peculiar feeling to those on board, independentlyof the knowledge that danger is lurking very near. The sinking motion isnot a smooth and steady going down, but the movement is accompanied bysuccessive throbs, as it seems,--it almost appears as though the shipwere a living thing, sobbing away, until the final plunge takes place.
Aided by the captain and the officer, the woman was quickly brought tothe deck, where it was learned that her husband had lost his life on atorpedoed vessel a month before. She opened her eyes as they wereplacing her in the boat, and instantly recognized Ralph.
"Did I resist and try to injure you?" she asked. "Forgive me!" she saidpleadingly. "But I have had so much trouble. You must be a brave boy toact as you did."
"Don't mind that for a minute," replied Ralph. "We were bound to get youout; we didn't think of anything else."
"Come on, boys; take the boat at the next davit," said the captain. "Iwill be with you in a moment."
The boys entered the little dory and sat down. The navigating officerwas the last one to step in. He stood there with his instruments in hishands, and cast a gloomy look along the deck. "Too bad, too bad!" hesaid reflectively.
"Say, Ralph, I have an idea that we are hoodoos!" said Alfred, with aserious air.
"Who is a hoodoo?" asked the captain, approaching and overhearing theconversation.
"Hoodoo, nothing!" answered Ralph.
"Well, it begins to look like it," responded Alfred. "There is some sortof deviltry around wherever we have happened to be ever since the warbegan."
Notwithstanding the gravity of the situation, the captain could notrepress a smile, which he quickly suppressed, as he answered:
"Then what would you call me? They have sunk four ships under me bytorpedoes, and one by a mine. You have seen and experienced some of theother adventures I have had within the past ten days, and now this isanother vessel to go down under me on account of a mine," said thecaptain.
"A mine! a mine, did you say?" almost shrieked Alfred.
"Yes; one of the floating mines that the Germans are strewing about inopen defiance of all the laws," answered the captain with a bittervoice.