"Phew!" exclaimed the officer, wiping his forehead. "What an escape! I thought we were all booked for Kingdom Come. Come, lads, man the oars quickly. We'll get those anarchistic rascals out of their rat-holes and make them suffer for this outrage. But what the dickens was the matter with that torpedo?" he muttered.
"I think I can explain, sir," rejoined Ned.
"By Jove, you can? Let's hear your explanation."
"You see, sir," said Ned, "while Herc and I were exploring that cabin, we found those torpedoes. Well, when an opportunity presented itself, I unscrewed the head of each, and withdrew the gun-cotton. But I was afraid that, after they marooned me, the anarchists might have examined them and found out what I'd done and reloaded them. But I'm confident now that they haven't."
"No, you've drawn their teeth with a vengeance.I tremble to think, though, what would have happened if they had had an opportunity to use one of the loaded ones. They're a sharp outfit of tricksters, too, with their disguised sloop."
"But not sharp enough to fool Uncle Sam," exclaimed Ned, as the boat was run alongside.
As it scraped the disguised sloop's side, a figure suddenly appeared on the deck. It was Herc. He made a flying leap for the boat, and landed in a heap in their midst.
"Row for your lives!" he yelled. "That maniac, Muller, is about to blow up the vessel. I got away by knocking a couple of the crew galley-west."
"Give way, men!" shouted the officer, and willing arms pulled the boat from the schooner's side. But the explosion did not come. Instead, two figures, recognized as those of Merritt and Chance, appeared on the deck. They signalled for the boat to come closer.
"We captured Muller, just as he was about to blow up the sloop," they shouted. "If we surrender, will you show us clemency?"
"I'll make no promises," was the grim reply of Ensign Bulkley.
Something like an hour later, the destroyer, with the disguised sloop in tow, re-entered Blackhaven Bay. On board her—a raving maniac—was Herr Muller. His long-smouldering insanity had at last broken into flame. He was confined on board theManhattanfor a time and then removed to an asylum, where he now is. He will never recover his reason, and unceasingly imagines that his mission is to destroy the United States navy. As for his followers, they received various terms in prison. Kennell, alone, escaped. It transpired that he had been sent ashore after supplies, and so was not on board the disguised sloop when the futile attempt to blow up the destroyer was made.
Of course, the suspicion which had been directed against Ned and Herc was speedily explained away, and they were rated higher than ever in the estimation of their officers. Part of the substantial monetary reward Ned receivedfor his courage and resource in reaching the fleet, via aeroplane, was sent to Professor Luminetti, the King of the Air. The quartermaster at Dundertown received a severe reprimand for his over-zealousness, but nothing more was done to him, as, after all, he thought he was performing his duty.
Had we space, we would like to relate the further aerial adventures of Ned and Herc on Aero Service. But sufficient have been related here to convey some idea of the importance of such an adjunct to our navy. It will always be a proud boast of the Dreadnought Boys that they helped to establish the aeroplane as a valuable auxiliary of the modern battleship.
But the scenes shift rapidly on the stage of naval life. Fresh places and opportunities were shortly to be presented to the Dreadnought Boys.
Uncle Sam's navy was on the eve of its epoch-making, globe-circling voyage. If you care to follow further the careers of The Dreadnought Boys, and learn how they conductedthemselves amidst novel surroundings and changing and exciting conditions, you will find it all set down in the next volume of this series, "The Dreadnought Boys' World Cruise."
THE END.
Transcriber's Notes:Retained some inconsistent hyphenation (e.g. farmhouse vs. farm-house) from the original.Images may be clicked to view larger versions.Page 1, added missing quote before "THE DREADNOUGHT BOYS ON A SUBMARINE."Page 86, changed ? to , after "I guess that's just what we are, ma'am."Page 178, corrected chapter number from XVI to XVII and removed unnecessary quote after "inclined to doubt him."Page 196, corrected chapter number from XVII to XVIII.Page 207, fixed typo "interruped" in "Further conversation was interrupted."Page 243, corrected chapter number from XXII to XXIII.Page 268, fixed typo "montony" in "it will relieve the monotony."
Retained some inconsistent hyphenation (e.g. farmhouse vs. farm-house) from the original.
Images may be clicked to view larger versions.
Page 1, added missing quote before "THE DREADNOUGHT BOYS ON A SUBMARINE."
Page 86, changed ? to , after "I guess that's just what we are, ma'am."
Page 178, corrected chapter number from XVI to XVII and removed unnecessary quote after "inclined to doubt him."
Page 196, corrected chapter number from XVII to XVIII.
Page 207, fixed typo "interruped" in "Further conversation was interrupted."
Page 243, corrected chapter number from XXII to XXIII.
Page 268, fixed typo "montony" in "it will relieve the monotony."