CHAPTER XVII.PETROGRAD.
Lord Hastings stepped close to the Russian commander.
“You will interfere with us at your peril,” he said quietly. “We are all that we represent ourselves to be, as you could plainly see if you were not so thick headed.”
“What!” exclaimed the Russian. “You insult me? Take them away.”
“One moment,” said Lord Hastings, raising a hand. “First it would be well if you were to allow me to inform the officer in command of my submarine what has happened, for when we fail to go back, he is likely to believe that you are a German and sink you.”
“We escaped your torpedoes before, we can do it again,” said the Russian.
“I have told you,” said Lord Hastings calmly, “that we are not the same submarine that pursued you. You don’t believe it. Very well. However, you will learn that you cannot run away from us as you did the other.”
“We shall see,” said the Russian.
“Oh, you’ll see, all right,” said Lord Hastings. “However, we are here and that’s all there is about it. Now, if you will not have us confined, we promise to make no attempt to escape.”
The Russian considered this proposal for some minutes.
“Very well,” he said at last. “I shall accept your paroles. See that you do not attempt to break them.”
He turned and went on deck.
Five minutes later and the Russian cruiser had come about and was heading east once more. Gradually she gathered headway, until she was traveling at full speed.
The Russian kept close watch on the D-16, which now lay to the rear. And as the cruiser began to draw away, the D-16, which had been lying idle, also came to life, and started in pursuit.
Frank, aboard the submarine, was greatly puzzled when the cruiser came about and started off toward the east.
“Wonder what on earth the reason is?” he muttered to himself. “Well, I suppose we had better go along also.”
He gave the signal and the D-16 started in pursuit.
Frank held a consultation with the German prisoner.
“I believe,” said the latter, “that the Russian has refused to accept your commander’s explanation and has had him and his first officer placed under arrest.”
“By Jove!” said Frank. “I hadn’t thought of that. I wouldn’t be surprised if you are right.”
He gave the order for full speed ahead, and gradually the submarine began to overhaul the Russian cruiser. As he came nearer, Frank perceived signs of action aboard the larger vessel, and then he was hailed across the water.
“Sheer off, or we shall fire into you.”
“Don’t you try it,” cried Frank, angrily. “Where is my commander?”
“He is a prisoner,” came back the reply, “and has given his parole not to escape.”
“Let me speak to him,” demanded Frank.
When this command was taken to the Russian commander, he hesitated. But at length he decided to allow Lord Hastings to hail the D-16.
“What’s the matter, sir?” asked Frank, when his commander’s voice reached him across the water.
Lord Hastings explained.
“But what shall I do, sir?” asked Frank.
“Just follow us. That’s the best thing that can be done under the circumstances,” replied Lord Hastings.
“All right,” said Frank, and the conversation ended.
The Russian commander, who had listened to this conversation, still was unconvinced, and he said to Lord Hastings:
“I would advise that you have the submarine keep away, for if she comes too close we shall sink her.”
Lord Hastings made no reply.
All the afternoon the Russian cruiser continued her eastward journey, the D-16 trailing behind at a considerable distance.
It was five o’clock.
Came a cry from the lookout aboard the Russian cruiser.
“Cruiser off the port bow!”
Instantly all was haste and bustle aboard the war vessel.
“German cruiser!” came the next cry, and it was followed immediately by the cry of the Russian commander:
“Clear for action!”
“Now,” said Jack to Lord Hastings, “we shall see how the Russians fight.”
In spite of the fact that the ship bearing down on them appeared to be much larger, the Russian commander determined to give battle, and this, too, in face of his belief that one of the enemy’s submarines was trailing him.
At last the vessels came within range. A shell from the German struck the Russian squarely in the bow, cutting a deep hole and sending up a cloud of splinters, which, falling, laid three men low.
The first three Russian shells went wild.
“Rotten,” said Lord Hastings.
“I should say so,” agreed Jack. “Now——”
He broke off suddenly, for at that moment, chancing to glance back, he saw the D-16, half a mile to stern, disappear from sight.
“The fight won’t last long now,” he said to his commander.
“Why?” demanded the latter.
“Because the D-16 is going into action.”
“By Jove!” exclaimed Lord Hastings. “If Frank just acts quickly enough.”
“He will, never fear,” said Jack quietly.
Still the battle raged. Shells fell aboard the Russian cruiser with great regularity now. Men lay wounded and bleeding upon the deck, in the turrets, and in the engine room, where one German shell had penetrated.
But the Germans had not escaped. The Russians, once they had found the range, poured a veritable hail of shells aboard the enemy. The forward turret guns of the German were silenced by a shell that struck the revolving structure squarely and destroyed it.
For half an hour the battle raged, and then, suddenly, there came terrible cries from aboard the German, carrying plainly over the water to the ears of the Russians.
“Submarine!” came the cry. “We have been torpedoed!”
The fight was over. German sailors, those of them who were able, sprang into the sea by the dozens. Others attempted to launch the life boats. And while this was going on, there came a terrific explosion from aboard the enemy, and she sprang into flame, lighting up the semi-darkness for miles around.
Lord Hastings turned to the Russian commander, who passed him at that moment.
“You have my submarine to thank for this victory,” he said quietly.
The Russian bowed gravely, and replied:
“I know it. I have treated you badly. I am sorry. However, I am willing to answer for my actions, for I had the good of my country at heart.”
Lord Hastings stretched forth a hand.
“I am sure of it,” he said simply. “I bear no ill will.”
The Russian shook his hand heartily; then turned to the work of looking after the dead and wounded. Lord Hastings and Jack turned their eyes toward the German cruiser, which was slowly sinking.
Hundreds of German sailors were in the sea, clinging to such pieces of débris as came to hand. Immediately the Russians launched life boats and set about the work of rescue; and all who were in the water were saved, the German commander among them.
Then the German cruiser sank; and as she disappeared from sight, at a point not half a mile distant, another form appeared upon the surface. It was the D-16.
The Russian commander, who stood near at that moment, turned to Lord Hastings.
“I shall be pleased,” he said, “to have you sent back aboard your ship immediately. Or I shall be still better pleased to have you accompany me, as my guests, to Petrograd, for which port I am bound.”
Lord Hastings turned to Jack.
“What do you say?” he said. “Would you like to see Petrograd—or St. Petersburg, as it was called before the outbreak of the war?”
“Very much, sir,” replied the lad, “if Frank can come along.”
“I guess that can be managed,” was the reply.
Lord Hastings turned to the Russian commander.
“Is there a safe place where I may leave my submarine?” he asked.
“It shall follow us, and be one of us,” was the reply.
“In that case,” said Lord Hastings, “we shall be glad to accompany you.”
The Russian bowed.
“Then,” said Lord Hastings, “if we may trouble you to set us aboard our own vessel, we shall follow you at a respectable distance. Besides, I should be pleased to have you come aboard, for I can promise to show you such a submarine as it has never been your pleasure to see before.”
“I shall accept that offer with pleasure,” replied the Russian.
Calling his first officer, he ordered that a boat be lowered, into which they all stepped and were soon upon the bridge of the D-16.
Frank received his commander and his chum with unfeigned delight, for he had been greatly worried about them.
“It was all my fault,” the Russian commander said. “As your commander told me, I was thick-headed. I am sorry.”
“Say no more about it,” declared Lord Hastings. “Mistakes will happen.”
All descended below, and, the Russian commander expressing a desire to go beneath the sea, the D-16 submerged.
Then Lord Hastings conducted the Russian on a tour of inspection of the vessel, and explained its mysteries to him. The Russian was charmed, and all sat and talked long into the night.
It was almost noon of the second day when the D-16, still following in the wake of the Russian cruiser, anchored in the harbor of Petrograd.
“I shall be pleased,” said Lord Hastings, “to pay my respects to Czar Nicholas.”
“I fear,” said the Russian, “it may be impossible, for he is very busy these days with affairs of state.”
“Nevertheless,” said Lord Hastings, “I have his command to always present myself when in Russia.”
“In that case,” said the Russian, “it is, of course, different.”
“And this time,” said Lord Hastings, “I shall present to his majesty my first officer, Mr. Templeton, and my second officer, Mr. Chadwick.”