"These engines appear to be the best part of the craft," Darrin remarked to the engineer officer.
"They"re good engines-the best that the British know how to make,"
nodded the engineer officer. "But for that matter, they"re not much behind the rest of the boat. She looks worse than she is, sir. The "Prince" is renamed; she was a mighty good-looking craft before the naval camouflage gentlemen took her in hand and made such a tough-looking ship of her."
From the course Darrin knew that the "Prince" was heading into the submarine zone. Dan was surely hunting trouble, and he had a knack of finding it.
Dave soon found time hanging heavily on his hands. He was glad that he had brought along two novels, and these he read in his cabin. Dinner hour was welcome because it occupied some of the time. At this meal, too, he met Lieutenant Bixby, executive officer, who had been busy elsewhere at luncheon time.
Later in the evening Dan came down from the bridge, visiting his friend in his quarters.
"Darry, I"m in hopes we"ll be able to spring our joke before long," he cried briskly.
If he had hoped to rouse his chum"s waning curiosity he was disappointed, for Dave only covered a yawn with his left hand and languidly inquired:
"So?"
An hour later, when the chums were still talking, Lieutenant Bixby knocked at the door.
"I wish to report "all secure" sir," said the executive officer.
"And the ladies-?" queried Dalzell.
"In high spirits, and the best of good humor, sir."
The two officers returned smiles, but Dave Darrin did not appear to be looking their way.
"Are you going to turn in?" asked Danny Grin, as he rose to depart.
"Before long," Dave nodded. "But I"ll leave things so that I can turn out fast if I hear your whistle signalling to abandon ship."
Into Danny Grin"s eyes a mischievous look flashed, but all he said was:
"Good night, chum."
"Good night, Danny-boy."
After one of the most refreshing sleeps he had enjoyed since the war began, Dave turned out the next morning, on first waking, with the realization that the "Prince" was still on her way on the high seas, and that there had been no alarm.
"That sleep must have cleared up my wits," mused Darrin, as he turned water into the stand-bowl. "I think I begin to see the object of this voyage by the seemingly crippled old "Prince.""
Whether he had solved the mystery remained to be seen. At that moment the ship"s hoa.r.s.e steam whistle began the first of a series of long blasts.
CHAPTER XVII
THE HUMOROUS ADVENTURE
"Abandon ship, eh?" thought Darrin, springing to complete his toilet.
In his civilian attire he hastened down the pa.s.sage-way and up to the spar deck. And here, as he would also have seen had he looked aft, a remarkable scene was being enacted.
At the first sound of the whistle, which had now begun its wailing anew, the crew had sprung to clear the boats for launching.
"Will I be in the way on the bridge?" Dave called up.
"Come right up," Dan nodded.
Darrin was beside his friend in a jiffy.
"Over there," said Dalzell, nodding.
Off to starboard about a mile distant, a German submarine lay rolling.
In the morning light the tower stood out against the horizon, magnified in size. The submersible"s deck also showed, with sailors standing by the forward and after guns.
"We"ll get a sh.e.l.l in a moment," spoke Dalzell, calmly, as the second sounding of the whistle signal ended.
Though the "Prince" carried wireless apparatus for installing at need, no sign of it was visible in the form of aerials and connections, so the first sh.e.l.l was aimed not at the foremast, but at the single broad, tall smoke-stack. It missed by only a foot and went screaming to port.
For the third time the "Prince"s" whistle sounded, "Abandon ship."
Members of the crew sprang up into two of the boats. A few men who looked like civilian pa.s.sengers hastily followed. Then a feminine bevy raced out on deck.
"I thought so," said Darrin, nodding comprehendingly. "Dan, you"ve everything here but the children."
Those who had already entered the boats now turned to help the wearers of skirts. The two boats were swung out. After that, a third boat, similarly loaded, was also swung out on the davits. Blocks and falls creaked as the boats and their human freight were lowered.
Fortunately, the sea was not rough. All of the boats reached the water safely and rowed away.
From the submarine a puff of smoke at the muzzle of the after gun announced the rushing departure of another sh.e.l.l. This missile struck the water barely fifty feet in advance of one of the boats, but disappeared without doing any harm.
"At their old, dirty tricks of terrorizing and murdering pa.s.sengers in the small boats!" muttered Dan Dalzell, savagely. "And yet, at one time, there were Americans who wondered why we entered this war!"
For a fourth time the "Prince"s" whistle began its serial wail. Now, however-clever ruse!-the whistle"s sound was feebler, the jets of white steam smaller and fainter. It looked as though the boilers had been emptied of steam.
"Heinie von dem Sub has concluded that we"re a dead proposition,"
chuckled Dalzell, as the submarine, instead of firing other shots at once, moved in closer. On she came, this dirty, gray pest of the sea, until she was within three hundred yards.
"Abandon completely before we sink you!" was the message signalled from the enemy. "Your captain and chief engineer must come aboard us with all ship"s instruments and papers."
"Shake out the signal, "Your message understood,"" shouted Dan from the bridge.
After a moment the flags composing the signal were started toward the "Prince"s" foremast head.
As Darrin turned from watching the submarine he beheld naval gunners, this time in uniform, and with Ensign Peters in charge, taking the range carefully.
At some signal that Darrin did not catch, a whistle sounded shrilly.