CHAPTER XIX
A GERMAN VIEW OF SUBMARINES
Suddenly the Hun craft, as indicated by the trail of bubbles in her wake, made an oblique turn, going off to Dan"s port. But Dan kept on, shouting down to the spar deck:
"Stand by the port guns! Not a shot unless ordered!"
A moment or two and the submersible, as indicated by the bubbles on the water, had turned head-on again coming close to the surface. She was now in position to deliver two torpedoes.
It was the moment for which Dan had waited.
"Let go with all three guns, port battery!" he yelled. "Rapid fire."
Three jets of smoke and flame shot out from as many muzzles. The gun crews rushed to reload.
"One hit!" shouted Dan. "Again!"
"Two hits-and she"s done for!" yelled Dan, joyously, as he scanned the water. "Good work, men!"
The hits had been made by guess, except for the guidance of the wake, while the submarine ran barely submerged. Even Dalzell"s report of hits had been based on appearances. But now the "Prince," plowing on her way, steamed into a patch of oil-strewn water and out of it again.
"I"ll be satisfied if there is no more fighting in this day"s work," Dan confessed, mopping the icy perspiration from his forehead.
"Danny-boy, you"ve done a big enough day"s work to satisfy the greediest of fighters!" cried Dave, gripping his chum"s hand.
"Now we"ll look after the prisoners, and pick up the survivors from the wrecked steamship," proposed Dan.
Then, as he glanced out forward, where a small, sullen German mob stood scowling under guard of armed sailors, he added:
"In view of what we"ve seen to-day I"m sorry we have so many prisoners."
"Dan, that"s not humane," rebuked Dave.
"I don"t feel humane," Dan admitted, simply. "What I"ve seen to-day has made my blood hot. I"d be willing to let go, with both batteries, at the whole German people."
"Thank goodness you can"t do it," laughed Darrin. "You"ll cool down soon, Danny."
Putting back, Dan ran the "Prince" toward the boats and rafts from the sunken steamship. While overhauling them he went down from the bridge and approached the German prisoners.
"Who was the commander of this outfit?" Dalzell inquired, in English, of course.
"I was, and am," replied a scowling German officer.
"Your name?"
"Sparnheim!"
"Then, Sparnheim, all I have to say to you is that you may have been commander, but now you"ll take orders, instead of giving them. Do you feel any shame for what you did to that steamship?"
"I don"t," was the frowning answer. "I attacked enemies of Germany and of the Kaiser!"
"What did the women in the boats yonder do to Germany, or the Kaiser?"
Dan demanded.
"They sailed the sea, at least," retorted Sparnheim.
"Is that a crime?"
"But the German government had warned all pa.s.sengers from the sea!"
"Under the impression that the German government owned the sea?" Dalzell demanded, ironically. "To-day"s work, so soon after light and sunrise, must have shown you that others have something to do with the control of the sea. Three of your accursed submarines have gone to the bottom."
"Yes, through your treachery!" hissed the German officer.
"Treachery?" Dan asked, with a hard smile.
"Yes; you hoisted a flag that does not belong to you."
"We fired under our own flag. That is a right recognized by the nations."
"It was treachery, just the same," insisted the German. "You were afraid of us, so you took a cowardly advantage."
"Treachery! Cowardly advantage!" Dalzell repeated, in disgust. "We destroyed your craft. But did you not try to destroy ours? Cowardly advantage? Of what use would submarines be to your people if you scorned taking cowardly advantage? Sparnheim, you are paid as a German officer?"
"To be sure," admitted the other.
"Then you are making your living as an a.s.sa.s.sin-as a cowardly murderer.
And the nation that employs you is no better than you are, but a partner in your crimes."
"It is not true! We are not murderers, not criminals!" raged the prisoner. "We fight that Germany may live!"
"If she must live by such cowardly work as is done by her submarines, then she does not deserve to live," Dan retorted. "I am not going to take advantage of your helplessness. I regard you as a man with a lost soul, and to that extent I am sorry for you. I wanted your view of your crimes, and could not forbear to express my own opinions. We know each other"s views, and do not need to talk further."
The "Prince" had lain to again, for now she had overtaken the first of the boats from the foundered steamship. A gangway had been lowered and the men and women who had taken to the small boats were now coming up over the side.
"Which animal among them commanded the craft that sunk our ship?"
demanded a woman hoa.r.s.ely, as she eyed the sullen Germans. Dan pointed out Sparnheim.
"You killed several men and two women and a baby!" cried the woman, pointing an accusing finger at the quivering Sparnheim. "The baby was mine! One of the men that you murdered was my husband! May you never know another moment of happiness!"
[Ill.u.s.tration: "You murdered my husband."]
Beside herself, she tried to spring past the sailor guards to attack the fellow with her own hands.
Darrin came along just in time to take hold of one of her arms.
"Come, madam," he urged, soothingly, "do not foul your hands by touching such a beast."