Jack with his prisoner returned aboard the Cumberland, where the lad turned the German commander over to Captain Marcus.
"Shall I go back to the town, sir?" he asked, as the commander signified that he might leave the cabin.
"If you like," was the reply.
"Have you any commands regarding the prisoners, sir? Or as to the manner of guarding the place against attack?"
"Yes; you may present my respects to Mr. Chadwick, and tell him that you two are in joint authority until morning, when I shall do myself the pleasure of paying you a visit. You will take whatever precautions necessary to guard against an attack from any of the enemy who may move against you from Boak."
"Very well, sir," replied Jack, saluting.
"Boak, as you probably are aware," continued the commander, "is another small German fortress further up the river. I do not anticipate an attack, but it is best to be prepared. You may also say to Mr. Chadwick that I am well pleased with his work, and with yours."
"Thank you, sir," returned the lad, and saluting again, he turned and left the cabin.
He was over the side of the Cumberland in a few moments, and was soon being rowed swiftly back toward Duala.
Several hundred yards from the little landing, his cars caught the sound of a great hubbub. There were cries and shouts and general confusion.
Rapidly the lad covered the intervening distance, leaped to the ground and sprinted in the direction in which he could see a knot of wildly gesticulating figures.
"Sounds to me like Frank was in trouble of some kind," he panted to himself as he ran along, for at that moment he had detected the sound of his friend's voice raised in anger.
Jack dashed up to the knot of men, all of whom lie now perceived were British sailors, and as he saw his friend standing calmly in the center of them unhurt, he paused on the edge of the crowd to watch developments.
With a flush on his face, plainly evident in the red glow of a camp fire, Frank stood facing a man. The latter, in height, topped the lad by a good three inches, and even from where he stood Jack could see that the man's fingers twitched nervously at his side.
"I am in command here until further notice," Frank was saying, "and while I am, our captives will receive such treatment as is due prisoners of war. Do you understand that, Mr. Stanley?"
"Bah!" cried the other, whom Jack now recognized as an officer aboard the Cumberland; "by seniority I am your superior officer. I am not answerable to you for my actions."
"Aren't you?" exclaimed Frank, taking a threatening step forward, a peculiar glint in his eyes. "We'll see about that later. In the meantime understand that I am in command here and that what I say goes. Molest another of the prisoners and you shall answer to me."
"Is that so?" sneered Stanley. "And what do you think you'll do about it?"
"Try and see," said Frank grimly.
"Do you think I'm afraid of you?" cried Stanley. "I'll show you!"
With these words, he took a sudden step backward, and Jack was able to see the cause of all the trouble. Crouching between two sailors was an old native, black of color and grizzled of hair. Stanley doubled his fist, and before a hand could be raised to stop him, drove it between the old native's eyes.
Jack sprang forward with a cry, but Frank forestalled him. He leaped upon the perpetrator of this inhuman act, and with a quick blow knocked him to the ground.
Stanley rose with blood on his lips and evil in his eye. Quickly he stepped back a pace, and a revolver glinted in his hand.
"You—you—" he stuttered.
At that moment the revolver was twisted violently from his grasp, and, turning, Stanley looked into Jack's angry countenance.
"What's the meaning of this?" Jack demanded. "Would you become a murderer?"
"He struck me," shouted Stanley angrily, "and he shall give me satisfaction, and so shall you, you meddling upstart."
"So?" said Jack quietly. "What kind of satisfaction do you want?I'm perfectly ready to accommodate you."
Stanley took one look at Jack's stalwart figure, fully his own height and equally as broad. Evidently he decided he cared nothing for a tussle with this opponent.
"I have nothing to say to you," he said. "But this fellow," pointing to Frank, "struck me and I demand satisfaction."
"Well," said Frank, interrupting. "You shall have it. Pull off your coat."
"I'm not a common bruiser," sneered Stanley. "I will fight you with revolvers at twenty paces."
"Enough of this," broke in Jack. "I will permit no duel."
"I do not want to kill you," said Frank.
"So!" exclaimed the enraged officer, "a coward, eh?"
Frank stepped quickly forward, an angry gleam in his eye.
"Enough," he said. "I'll fight you."
Again Jack started to protest, but Frank waved him aside and turned to the men gathered about.
"Can I depend upon you men not to let this go any further?" he asked.
"You can, sir," they answered in chorus.
"All right, then," said Frank. "Get ready, sir."
One sailor volunteered to act as second for Stanley and Jack stepped to Frank's side. Then the two seconds met and decided the details of the duel. The principals were to be allowed one shot each. This was to be all, whether either man was hit or not.
Before accepting the revolver from the hand of his second, Stanley quickly drew his own revolver, and taking aim at a little knob on a tree some fifty feet distant, fired quickly. The bullet splintered the bark on the tree and the pieces flew high in the air.
"Half an inch away!" called a sailor who stood near the tree.
Stanley turned to Frank with a sneering smile on his face.
"Say your prayers," he taunted. "They will be your last."
Frank smiled grimly.
"I heard a story once," he replied quietly, "about a man who could hit a dime every shot at a hundred yards. But when he fired with a loaded pistol pointed at him he didn't come off with such a good record."
The principals now stood back to back. Each was to take twenty paces forward—Jack had refused to make the distance any closer—turn and lire when ready.
"Ready, go!" came Jack's voice, and slowly the two started away from each other.
"Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen—" counted Frank, and at that instant there was a sound of a shot and a bullet whistled over his head, grazing the scalp.
Stanley, nervous because of the lad's coolness, had fired at the count of nineteen.
"Twenty!" said Frank without a sign of nervousness in his voice. He turned slowly, and aimed his revolver at the ground in front of him.
Very slowly he raised the barrel of his weapon until it pointed at the knees of his now shaking antagonist, then to his belt, to his chest, and finally to his head.
Beads of perspiration stood out on Stanley's forehead. Then, with a quick movement, Frank raised the muzzle of his weapon still higher, and fired over Stanley's head.
Then he calmly replaced the weapon in his pocket and walked back to where Jack was standing.
Having thus escaped what appeared almost certain death, Stanley became bold again. Evidently he had not realized that Frank had missed purposely.
"I demand another shot," he cried angrily.
"There will be no more duel so far as I am concerned," said Frank quietly.
Jack walked angrily up to Stanley.
"He spared your life," he said heatedly.
"Bah!" replied Stanley. "He missed cleanly, and he's afraid to try again."
Frank walked quickly over to his late opponent.
"You fool!" he said quietly. "Look here!"
Quickly he whipped his revolver out, and without taking aim, fired twice in rapid succession.
Although three times as far away as Stanley had been when he gave his exhibition of skill, the little knot on the tree leaped into the air, and as it fell, the second bullet caught it in midair and splintered it into little pieces.
Midshipman Stanley staggered back aghast.
"I could have killed you with ease," said Frank calmly, and walking away, he picked up his coat and put it on.
"I—I didn't know he could shoot like that!" sputtered Stanley to Jack.
"That's not so very good—for him," said Jack.
"Why, once—"
"Never mind," interrupted Midshipman Stanley, backing hurriedly away, "I'll take your word for it. But, remember, I am not through with either of you yet. My time will come, and when it does—"
He broke off abruptly, an evil sneer in his voice, and walked quickly away.
Now the sailors surrounded Frank and gave him three rousingBritish cheers.
"You're all right, Frank!" they called, some of them slapping him familiarly on the back.
Frank waved them laughingly aside, and turned to Jack.
"Any orders from Captain Marcus?" he asked, as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
"Lead the way to your excellency's quarters, and I'll tell you," replied Jack with a smile.
Frank led the way.
Briefly Jack repeated Captain Marcus' orders to Frank.
"I took the liberty of making those preparations without awaiting such a command," said Frank. "I have thrown out outposts, and there is no danger of a surprise tonight."
"You mean this morning," disagreed Jack, after a look at his watch. "It's after four o'clock now."
"Then it will soon be daylight," said Frank. "You had better turn in and get a little sleep. I'll stand watch."
Jack well knew the futility of an argument over this matter, so he turned in without further words by the simple process of throwing himself on a pallet on the floor of the tent. Frank took his seat in the doorway, where he remained looking out into the distance.
The sun was high in the heavens when Jack awoke. He jumped up with a start. Frank was not there. Jack made a hasty toilet and set out to find his friend. He came upon him at the river landing, and, as the lad cast his eyes down the stream he made out the launch of Captain Marcus coming, swiftly toward the camp.
He tapped Frank lightly on the shoulder.
"Why didn't you wake me up?" he demanded.
"Well, you were sleeping so comfortably I hated to disturb you," replied Frank.
"And I suppose you would have let Captain Marcus find me asleep?"
"I don't believe he would have minded. He knows we all sleep some time."
"I'll get even with you one of these days," said Jack laughing, and both lads stepped to the very edge of the landing to give Captain Marcus a hand as he clambered from the boat.
"How is everything?" he demanded, as he arose to his feet.
"First rate," replied Frank.
"No signs of the enemy?"'
"Not a sign, sir."
"Good! Evidently he doesn't know we have occupied the town. I believe that by a quick dash we can capture Boak. What do you think?"
"Fine!" exclaimed Jack with enthusiasm.
"Of course we can, sir," agreed Frank.
"All right, then; it shall be your job!"
Jack and Frank saluted.
"Thank you, sir," both said breathlessly.
Several hours later the two lads, in the captain's launch, found themselves at the head of a small flotilla moving slowly up the river. Each boat was equipped with one rapid-fire gun and carried twenty men. In all there were twelve boats.
The farther up the river the little party progressed the narrower became the stream, until finally it was little better than a deep creek. Foliage of large trees overhung the water, making it almost as dark as night. The water was black and murky.
Frank shuddered as he glanced at it.
"Looks like it might be full of all kinds of reptiles and things," he said.
"It certainly does," Jack agreed. "I would as soon think of jumping into the bottomless pit as of diving into this black stream."
Around bend after bend in the small stream the little flotilla proceeded cautiously, and ever, as they progressed, the stream became narrower and more fear-inspiring.
In some of the boats men began to grumble. Jack turned and called out angrily:
"Silence!" Then he added more companionably: "It's all right, men. Where men have gone before men can go now without fear of the unknown. I'll admit it doesn't look very pleasant, but surely an English sailor is not afraid to go where a German foot has trod."
The men started a cheer at the lad's words, but he silenced them by a motion of his hand, and called out:
"Silence! We do not want to warn the enemy of our approach."
Now, rounding a little bend in the stream, the lads could make out, some distance ahead, what appeared to be the huts of a little village. Also, they could see that, at that point, the stream widened out considerably.
Apparently secure in the belief that the forts at Duala could successfully ward off the attacks of any enemy, the German commander at Boak had grown careless, and the lads could not see a single sign of soldiers or sentries.
Frank glanced behind him and ordered softly:
"Take down all flags!"
The command was passed from one boat to another, and soon the little flotilla was moving up the river, looking more like a pleasure party than a hostile force, except for the uniforms of the men. However, these could not be plainly seen from the village, because of the shadow cast by the dense foliage that overhung the river.
Now, through their glasses, the boys could see several German officers peering at them through long telescopes.
"They've seen us," said Jack.
"Yes," was Frank's reply. "But evidently they believe us friends, or they would open fire on us."
"Perhaps their guns are not of the heavy caliber of those atDuala."
"By Jove! I believe you have hit it!" exclaimed Frank. "In that case, with our rapid-firers, we should have little trouble taking the village."
At the point where the stream widened out, Jack allowed two of the craft behind to come up even and thus, three abreast, the journey was continued.
Every man was now at his post. The gunners were ready to open with the rapid-firers at a moment's notice. All held their rifles ready. Still the Germans did not fire, apparently uncertain of the identity of the newcomers—or rather, seemingly certain they were friends.
Suddenly a squad of six German soldiers wheeled a small, old-fashioned cannon to the landing near the officers, and a moment later a solid shot plowed up the water in front of the first boat of the British flotilla.
"A signal to show our colors," said Jack grimly. "What do you say, Frank? Are we ready to show them?"'
"Yes!" cried Frank.
An instant and the English Jack floated over each boat, while at the same time the first three boats in the battle line opened with their rapid-firers.
At the distance, scarcely two hundred yards, the execution was terrible. The German officers and the entire gun squad, riddled with bullets, fell forward on their faces.
But this was only the beginning.
Swiftly moving German troops now came marching to the river front, steadily, in spite of the withering British fire, and sternly, to repel the foe. Slowly they came into position, and, dropping on their knees, poured a volley into the little flotilla.
But, deadly as this fire was, that of the rapid-firers aboard the boats was more so. The British did not escape without considerable damage, but the German loss was far heavier.
Steadily, in spite of the grilling German fire, the boats pressed on.
Each man concealed himself as well as he could behind the low sides of the boats, exposing just enough of his head to take aim at the enemy.
The first boats were now but a scant hundred yards away. For some reason, evidently thinking to pick off the men in the boats, the enemy had not brought artillery to bear. But at this juncture a squad sprang forward to serve the gun already used.
A charge was rammed home and the gun sighted; but, as the man detailed was about to pull the lanyard, Frank sprang suddenly to his feet in the boat and his revolver spoke. The German flung wide his arms and toppled to the ground. Another sprang to his place, but only to meet the same fate; and another, and still another.
All this time the little rapid-firers were continuing their deadly work, and at last a bugle sounded the call for the German retreat. Slowly they drew off, firing as they went, but, as the British now moved up faster, the Teutons turned and ran.
Quickly the little flotilla came alongside the wharf and men scrambled ashore. It was but the work of a few minutes to land the rapid-firers, half the British with rifles meanwhile holding off the enemy.
Then, everything in readiness, Frank gave the order for an advance.
Now, from all sides, came a withering German fire. The enemy had taken to the woods, seeking to pick off the English one at a time; but, at a word from Jack, the machine-guns were turned upon the trees, and this scattering fire soon turned the retreat into a rout.
As the English at length poured into the streets of the little village itself, from every house and hut came a German bullet. Many British fell, and it was here that the heaviest losses were sustained by the attacking party.
But Frank soon found a remedy for this. The rapid-fire guns were turned upon the huts and houses, and, as the bullets began to find their way into the openings, the work of the snipers stopped.
For some minutes there was a lull in the fighting, while ammunition for the guns was brought up from the boats; when, suddenly, down the street came a band of Germans at a charge.
Quickly the British formed to meet them, the rapid-fire guns for the moment being useless. Swords and bayonets were bared and rifles were clubbed. The Germans came on with a rush. The impact was terrific, but the British sailors stood firm, and gave thrust for thrust, blow for blow—and more.
Being unable to force the British back, and, seeing that they were getting the worst of this hand-to-hand encounter, the German officers ordered a retreat. This proved their complete undoing, for, as they drew off at a run, the rapid-firers of the British again came into action, and the enemy were mowed down like chaff.
More rapidly now the British pushed on through the heart of the village, Frank telling off a few men here and there to give notice of a possible approach of reinforcements from some other direction.
But no reinforcements came, and the Germans finally retreated before the victorious British until they were once again sheltered by a dense forest. Then Frank called a halt.
He threw a cordon around the town and dispatched three men in a little boat to inform Captain Marcus of the success of his expedition.
"Well," said Jack, with a laugh, "we've got the town all right.What are we going to do with it?"
"That's the question," replied Frank. "I guess, before making any further move, we had better wait for orders."
"My idea, exactly," said Jack.
"Since we're agreed," replied Frank, "we'll wait."
It was not until somewhat late the following morning that CaptainMarcus, accompanied by the commander of the British cruiserDwarf, reached Boak. Frank and Jack were at the little wharf togreet him.
After expressing a few words of commendation for the manner in which they had handled their men in the capture of the town, the two British commanders took a turn about the village.
"It will be impossible for us to remain here for the sole purpose of guarding these towns," said Captain Marcus. "We have other work to do. So now the question arises as to what to do with them."
"I would suggest," said the commander of the Dwarf, "that we put a prize crew aboard the German merchantman still in Duala, iron our prisoners, put them aboard her and send her home. We can make a thorough search of the town and destroy all arms and ammunition to be found."
"But," said Captain Marcus, "we shall first have to dispose of those Germans who escaped to the forest."
"That shouldn't be a hard job," replied the commander of theDwarf, "I do not imagine there are many of them."
"About how many would you say?" asked Captain Marcus, turning to Frank, who, with Jack, had accompanied the two officers on the tour of inspection.
"Not more than a hundred, sir," was the lad's reply.
"Good!" replied Captain Marcus. "Do you feel equal to the task of rounding them up?"
"Perfectly, sir," Frank made answer.
"So be it, then. You may act at your own discretion; only see that you make a good, swift job of it."
Frank and Jack saluted and hurried away. Leaving half their force to guard the village, the lads, with the other half, which had dwindled to less than 100 by now, were soon lost to sight in the forest. They went quickly, but as silently as they could, for they wished, if possible, to take the foe by surprise.
"This is likely to be, a wild goose chase," declared Jack, when, at the end of an hour of forced marching they had seen no sign of the enemy. "There is no telling where the Germans are. They know the lay of the land and we don't. If they continue to retreat, there is no telling where we may come up with them, if at all."
Frank's lips set grimly.
"We'll get 'em," he said, "if we have to follow 'em clear acrossAfrica."
They continued their march in silence. At length Frank drew his friends' attention to the fact that, a little to the left, the grass had been recently trampled, apparently by a considerable body of men.
"They can't be far ahead of us," he said. "Evidently they are not aware they are being pursued, for they apparently have been traveling slowly."
The British became more wary. Frank divided his men into two bodies, one of which he placed under Jack's command, while he himself led the other.
For another hour or more they continued, still without sign of an enemy.
The two British forces were now separated by at least a quarter of a mile, when Jack unexpectedly came to the edge of the forest. There, just ahead of him, lay the entire German command in a little opening surrounded on all sides by large trees.
Jack raised his hand and his men came to a halt. Frank, at the head of his command, perceived this movement, and also halted his men. Then he covered the distance to where his friend stood peering through the trees as quickly as possible.
Without a word Jack pointed out the Germans. Frank took a quick look, and together the two boys drew back into the shelter of the trees. They had not been seen.
"I believe I have a plan that will deliver the whole bunch into our hands, possibly without bloodshed," said Jack.
"What is it?" demanded Frank.
"Well," said Jack, "you will notice that the opening in which the Germans lie is entirely surrounded by trees. My idea is to completely surround them, and, at a given signal, fire a volley over their heads. Believing that our force is much greater than it is, and apparently cut off from escape in all directions, the Germans may surrender."
"A good idea," exclaimed Frank. "We will act upon it at once."
Quickly he scattered his men in a wide circle around the German camp. Then, when he felt that all was in readiness, he gave the signal—a shot from his revolver.
Immediately there was a fierce volley from the British, aimed high. The German troops sprang to their feet in a moment; then, at a command from their officer, dropped quickly to the ground again.
Whatever idea Frank had had of a bloodless victory was quickly dispelled, for the German troops—lying flat on their stomachs, fired volley after volley into the woods at their unseen opponents.
This was ineffective, however, because the British were well protected by the great trees. At a command from Frank, which was passed rapidly along the British line, the sailors trained their rifles upon the enemy and fired.
The effect was fearful. Germans toppled over on all sides, and some jumped to their feet and ran toward the trees. Bullets greeted them from all sides, however, and, after making one last stand, the entire German force threw their weapons to the ground as one man.
"We surrender!" called the officer in command.
Slowly the circle of British emerged from the forest and closed in on them. The German officer delivered his sword to Frank without a word; then, at the lad's command, the British surrounded the prisoners and started on their return journey to Boak, where they arrived after a three hours' forced march, and were greeted with acclaim by the sailors who had been left behind. Not a single sailor had been killed in the short but decisive battle, though two had been wounded.
Captain Marcus, and the commander of the Dwarf also, complimented the lads highly upon the quick success of their expedition. The village had been thoroughly searched for arms and ammunition during their absence, and all was now ready for a quick departure.
"Get the prisoners into the boats, and we will start down the river at once," ordered Captain Marcus.
This was soon accomplished, and the little flotilla was on its way back toward Duala. At Duala a second search was made for arms, ammunition and other munitions of war. This done, the commander of the Cumberland turned to Frank.
"You will go aboard that German merchantman in the harbor," he said, "and take her to London. You are in command, and Mr. Templeton shall be your first officer. The others you may select yourself. A prize crew will be put aboard immediately."
Frank was somewhat taken aback at this good fortune.
"But I am not a navigator," he said in some confusion, wishing now that he was.
"That makes it different," was Captain Marcus' reply.
"But I am, sir," Jack interrupted. "I have studied navigation for years."
"Good then!" said Captain Marcus. "In that event, I shall appoint you to take command and your friend as first officer."
"But—" Jack started to protest, when Frank interrupted him.
"I shall be glad to serve under him," he said.
So it was arranged, and several hours later the two lads found themselves aboard the German steamer Lena. For the first time in his life Jack trod the bridge of his own ship, and he could not but be proud of that moment; Frank, too, was elated at his good fortune.
With this parting injunction, Captain Marcus dropped over the side of the Lena:
"Make straight for London. Although you carry some guns, if attacked do not fight back unless absolutely necessary. Show the enemy your heels, if possible. However, if you do have to fight, fight as the true sons of Great Britain."
"We shall, sir," replied both lads grimly, and Captain Marcus realized that he could not have put the ship in better hands.
From among the crew Jack now selected a sailor named Jennings for second officer, and another by the name of Johnson for third officer. There was a hissing of steam from below, slowly the cable was loosened, and the Lena put off down the river.
The two British commanders followed in small boats. At the entrance of the river the steamer slowed down, and the boys watched the two commanders go aboard their respective cruisers.
A moment later guns on both ships boomed loudly. It was a salute, carrying a cheery "Good luck" to the ears of the two lads. As they sailed out to sea they could perceive that the cruisers also were getting under way, and were heading in the same direction as the Lena.
The Lena quickened her pace and sped off toward the north, heading for the open water. Night fell and still she steamed rapidly on, the cruisers following in her wake.
Frank took the first watch, and Jack turned in. The sea was perfectly smooth and the Lena steamed on, rolling gently on the even swell of the waves.
At 7 o'clock, the sun streaming high in the heavens, Jack appeared on deck. A moment later Frank who had been relieved by the second officer during the night, also emerged from his cabin.
Both turned their eyes over the stern, where the night before the two British cruisers had been following, offering protection in whatever danger threatened.
The cruisers were not in sight. There was not even a cloud of smoke to show their presence anywhere on the wide sea. They had turned off on another course during the darkness.
"Well," said Jack, "it's up to us to get into port safely. We have been thrown upon our own resources."
"Yes," Frank agreed. "Captain Marcus has put great confidence in us. It's up to us to make good."
"Well," declared Jack slowly, "we'll do it."
"Yes," said Frank, "we will!"
Among the prisoners who were being sent home to England on the Lena was the German commander who had been captured at Duala, Colonel Von Roth. He had given his parole, and accordingly had not been put in irons with the other prisoners in the hold, but had been given a cabin to himself near the one which Frank and Jack shared jointly.
Besides Jack and Frank and the two other officers, the crew of the Lena was made up of fifty sailors, a chief engineer and his assistant and a squad of stokers. In all, there were probably seventy-five British aboard.
All the prisoners captured had not been put aboard the Lena for the reason that there were too many of them. Some were aboard the Cumberland, and the Dwarf was caring for the remainder. However, there were probably a hundred prisoners aboard the Lena besides the colonel.
Colonel Von Roth made himself very agreeable, said, in spite of the fact that he was an enemy, the boys took quite a liking to him. He conversed fluently upon subjects pertaining to America, where he said he had visited more than once, and also spoke familiarly of that spot on the African coast where Jack had made his boyhood home.
Having thus thrown the lads off their guard, Colonel Von Roth set about finding a way in which he could recapture the ship. Of his parole he thought nothing.
"What's a parole worth when given to a couple of children?" he had muttered to himself.
From the start the German officer made himself, perfectly at home, and, although the boys had thought of remonstrating, he was allowed the freedom of all parts of the ship. He went below, when, he felt so disposed, and returned when he was ready.
"It seems to me that our gallant colonel is taking things almost too free and easy," Frank had remarked to Jack, at one of their daily conferences.
"So he is," Jack had made reply, "I'll have to, speak to him about it."
He did so, and was somewhat taken aback at the officer's manner of receiving the rebuke.
"I meant no harm," he replied, with an air offended dignity, "but, of course, if you do not wish me to go below, I shall not do so."
However, he had quickly seemed to forget this and neither lad, because of his apparent sensitiveness, had the heart to remind him of it.
It had just struck four bells two days later a Jack stood on the bridge alone. Frank had gone to his cabin and lain down. He felt somewhat ill, and decided that a rest was what he needed to put him in condition again.
Jack, having just ordered a slight alteration in their course tothe man at the wheel, signaled the engine-room for more speed.There was no response to the signal, and Jack tried it again.Still there wits no response.
"That's funny," said the lad to himself, "the bell was working all right a moment ago. Guess I'll go and see what's the matter."
He called the second officer, who took the bridge while Jack went below. As he made his way to the engine-room, he was brought to a sudden stop at the door. He heard a familiar voice inside, speaking in a tone of great satisfaction.
"Colonel Von Roth, or I'm much mistaken," Jack fold himself, laying a hand on the door. "I wonder—"
Struck with a sudden thought, he drew back suddenly, and then laid his ear to the door.
"You dogs!" came the colonel's voice from within. "Thought to get away with this ship, did you? Well, I'll show you!"
Without a moment's hesitation Jack opened the door and sprang inside. The action almost cost him his life. He had expected to find no enemy but the German officer in the engine-room, but in this he was sadly mistaken. The room was full of men.
The colonel had laid his plans carefully, and they had worked out to his satisfaction.
In a moment when the attention of the sentry guarding the captives had been attracted elsewhere, Von Roth sneaked up on him from behind and struck him a heavy blow with his fist. Then, tying the prostrate man, the colonel had possessed himself of the guard's key and removed the irons from some of the German prisoners.
He did not wait to release all of them, for he was too anxious to try his plan of retaking the ship. Therefore, when he had freed twenty-five men, he led them quickly to the engine-room, thinking first to capture their strategic point and to take care of the rest of the ship's crew later.
He had burst into the engine-room so suddenly, with his men at his heels, that the engineer and his assistants had been too surprised to resist, in spite of the fact that not one of the prisoners, save the colonel himself, was armed—the colonel having appropriated one of Frank's revolvers.
When Jack sprang into the room it was with his revolver held ready for instant use. In a trice lit took in the situation, and realized that it was no time for talk. The stokers, the engineer and his assistant were standing helpless, evidently awed by the larger number of Germans.
Jack's revolver spoke, and Colonel Von Roth's hat leaped from his head. In his hurry Jack's aim had been poor.
The German officer whirled and his revolver also rang out. Jack felt a sting in his left arm, but he did not pause.
Right into the middle of the crowd of Germans he sprang, his revolver spitting fire as he leaped. Down went three Germans, and then Jack was in among them. The tenth and last shot of his automatic went squarely into the face of a German soldier.
Battling desperately the Germans leaped upon him and overwhelmed him. So closely entwined were the struggling men that Jack was unable to take the time to draw his second revolver; but he was not daunted. His fighting blood was up, and he hurled his six feet of height and 178 pounds of weight into the thick of the conflict.
His revolver reversed in his hand, he struck out often and fiercely. Here and there the sound of a crunch told him a blow had landed. But he had no time to investigate; the press was too thick.
By this time the engineer, his assistant and the stokers had recovered from their surprise and rushed to Jack's aid. Friend and foe alike grabbed up whatever weapon they could lay their hands on wrenches, hand-bars and heavy iron pokers.
Guarding his head as well as he could with one upraised arm, Jack struck right and left with his revolver butt. A man sprang at him with a heavy wrench, but the lad caught it, by a quick move, on his revolver. It saved his head, but the weapon went to the floor in a thousand pieces.
Jack grappled with this antagonist, and, by a quick twist of the arm, whipped the wrench from his opponent's hand. It rose and fell and the German toppled over.
Colonel Von Roth, now the only man in the room armed, stood off to one side, trying in vain to bring his revolver to bear upon Jack. He was afraid to fire, however, for fear of hitting one of his own men. Hither and thither he darted around the struggling mass of men, attempting to get a clear shot at the lad.
Suddenly Jack stooped near the door of one of the furnaces and picked up a heavy iron poker. With this he laid about him right lustily, and in a moment had cleared a little circle about himself. The rest of the English, driven back by the Germans, were still fighting desperately at the opposite side of the room.
Now that Jack was standing alone, he made an excellent target for Colonel Von Roth's revolver and the colonel was not slow to realize it.
Quickly he raised the revolver and fired; but at that same moment Jack suddenly took two rapid steps forward, and the bullet whistled harmlessly over his head.
The lad raised his eyes from the rest of his opponents for a brief instant, and in that instant realized that the colonel had singled him out for his bullet.
With a sudden fierce bellow he raised his heavy poker in both hands, and plunged into the thick of the conflict. There was no stopping him now. His rush was irresistible. He bore down upon the foe like a human catapult.
Heavy wrenches, pieces of steel, nuts and bolts were hurled at him. Some struck him and some flew past. But to these he paid no heed. Strong as a lion he fought his way on. The Germans retreated before this fighting figure of sinew and muscle; they quailed before his grim set mouth and the gleam in the eye of him.
With mighty strokes he swept them aside with broken heads and arms and limbs. His object now was Colonel Von Roth, who still stood at the far end of the room, his revolver raised, ready to fire.
Taking heart from the gallant action of their commander, the British stokers sprang forward anew, and now the Germans tried to escape. The English pushed them back rapidly.
Straight for Colonel Von Roth went Jack. The colonel, with upraised revolver, saw him coming and turned pale. He aimed quickly and fired. Jack staggered back a step and then came on again. A second time the colonel fired, but this time the lad did not even pause.
The heavy iron poker seemed to whirl about his head; there was the sound of a blow. Colonel Von Roth went to the floor with a groan, and Jack fell sprawling on top of him, unconscious.
Even as the lad fell, the one German soldier who still remained in the room, picked up a heavy wrench and sprang forward. Quickly he raised his arm, and was in the very act of hurling it at the head of the unconscious lad when there was the sound of a revolver shot. The German threw up both arms, spun rapidly around once or twice, and fell to the floor.
In the doorway stood Frank. Aroused from his slumber by the sounds of scuffling below, he had sprung up suddenly. At first he could not make out the cause of the disturbance. Then there suddenly flashed before his face a vision of Colonel Von Roth.
This vision spurred him to instant action. Leaping from his bunk he ran on deck. There all was serene and quiet. He paused for a moment, undecided. Then, urged on by some uncanny foresight, he dashed toward the engine-room.
On the steps he met the first of the retreating German soldiers. With a cry over his shoulder to the third officer, who had followed him, he plunged in among them, striking out swiftly right and left. At the door of the engine-room he halted.
At first he could not make out Jack's unconscious figure lying, on the floor. But, as the German stooped to pick up the wrench, the lad divined his purpose. He had fired just a moment before the wrench would have crushed out his friend's life.
Quickly Frank bent over his chum and gently raised his head to his knee. There was no sign of life in the still body and Frank quickly placed his hand over the lad's heart. A faint fluttering was his reward.
"Thank God! he's alive!" he said.
Exerting himself to the utmost, he lifted Jack to his own shoulders, and started toward the door. At that moment the third officer came rushing down the steps. Together they carried Jack to his cabin, where they laid him on his bunk. Then Frank hastily summoned the surgeon.
The lad bent over his friend anxiously as the physician examined him.
"Will he live, doctor?" he asked anxiously.
The surgeon shook his head doubtfully.
"Bullet just grazed his temple," he said. "Also he is badly bruised about the body. So far as I can see there are no broken bones; but he may be injured internally."
"Is there anything I can do, doctor?"
The surgeon looked at the lad's white face.
"Yes," he replied. "Go and see that the prisoners are safely secured. I can work better without your presence here."
Frank started to protest, but the surgeon raised a warning hand.Without another word Frank left the cabin.
Making sure that all the unwounded prisoners had been safely secured, Frank gave orders that Colonel Von Roth's body be prepared for burial. An hour later he returned to the cabin.
"How is he, doctor?" was his first question.
"Still unconscious, as you may see," was the reply. "However, I have made a thorough examination, and I believe that you need have no fear; but he must have perfect quiet for several days. Some one must be with him constantly. It would be well to have someone come now and wait here until he regains consciousness. I have other work to do."
"I'll sit here myself," said Frank quietly. "As you go out will you tell the second officer to keep the bridge until further notice?"
The surgeon bowed and left the cabin. Drawing up a chair, Frank sat down beside his unconscious friend and took up his silent vigil.