"Oh, well, you"ll be carried there, then," said Dalzell, carelessly.
"But a ship"s brig is no place to confine officers," the German went on, heatedly. "As an officer I demand proper quarters."
"Take them below," Dan ordered, briefly.
For the first few steps the German officer had to be dragged. Then, realizing the hopelessness of resistance, he yielded and walked along in company with his seamen, though he called back:
"I have helped to sink many ships, and trust that I may have had the honor and pleasure of sending friends of yours to the bottom."
Ignoring the fellow, Dan went back to the bridge, thence down to the hurricane deck. Men were already engaged in removing the wreck of the smashed smoke-stack.
Emergency repairs were completed in due time, with materials kept on board for such a case.
And now, when he could safely run at full speed once more, if necessary, Dalzell gave the order to proceed. He was about to go below, to the wardroom for luncheon, when a radio operator came running to the bridge.
As has been stated, the "Prince" carried a full radio outfit, that could be installed rapidly, but Dan"s orders had been to conceal all evidence of radio equipment until absolutely necessary to use it.
None the less, a small receiving station had been rigged up, and concealed, so that, though Lieutenant-Commander Dalzell"s sending radius was short, he could receive messages from any quarter.
The message at which he now glanced read:
"S. S. "Prince": Report."
It had come in code, but Dan was able to translate it without reference to his code book.
Instantly, he gave orders to have the radio outfit erected, then descended to his meal.
Later one of the radio men reported that the equipment was in shape for signalling. So the young commander sent in his report of work so far accomplished to the destroyer base at the home port.
"Excellent!" came back the hearty commendation. "Results better than expected. But ruse will soon be known, so return and report. Darrin"s new orders will also be ready for him on arrival."
"Home, James!" said Dan, jovially, to the officer of the deck, when he had deciphered the coded instructions.
That night he and Dave took an extra long sleep, though both remained fully dressed, ready for summons at any moment.
CHAPTER XXI
THE S. O. S. FROM THE "GRISWOLD"
"Belle on her way, and due soon to arrive!" Dave Darrin cried, joyously, as he read the cablegram that had been handed to him on his arrival at the American admiral"s headquarters.
That cablegram had lain there for days, having arrived the same forenoon that Darrin had put to sea on the voyage of the "Prince" with Dalzell in command.
Belle was his wife, his schoolboy sweetheart, whom he had not seen in many months. He had known that she was trying to induce the Red Cross authorities to send her to France, but had had no word to the effect that she had been successful.
Now he knew, from the number by which the expected ship was designated in the cablegram, that she was on the pa.s.senger liner "Griswold."
"When is the "Griswold" due?" Dave asked a clerk at headquarters.
"Arrival date hasn"t been reported," answered the clerk, "but it should be in to-day. I"ve an idea, sir, that the "Griswold" cannot be far out now."
"Your sailing orders, Darrin!" hailed a staff officer, walking briskly up and holding out a bulky envelope.
"Do I have a few days in port?" Dave inquired, hopefully.
"Sorry to say that you do not. You are required to drop out with the tide at four this afternoon."
"Very good," nodded Dave, pleasantly, though he did deeply regret that he could not have a few days in port. He must miss meeting Belle, who was bound for this same port.
"Your orders, too, Dalzell," continued the staff officer, handing Dan an envelope of appearance similar to that which Darrin had received.
"Sailing orders for to-day for me, too?" he grinned.
"Same time as Darrin"s," and the staff officer had hurried away.
While the friends had been out on their last cruise two big, new destroyers, lately commissioned, had arrived from the United States.
To Darrin and Dalzell, in recognition of their fine work against submarines, had fallen the commands of these new sea terrors.
The "Asa Grigsby" was Dave"s new craft; to Dan had fallen the "Joseph Reed."
Ordinarily Dave would have been glad of his fine new command and prompt sailing orders. Now, he wished regretfully that he could have had a few days ash.o.r.e. That he might meet the "Griswold" at sea, of which there was not more than half a chance, meant little to him. He would, in that case, pa.s.s the ship on which Belle journeyed, but that would mean nothing.
"Oh, well, it"s war-time," Dave sighed, when Dan expressed sympathy. "A few years of war, you know, and then a man will have a chance to see his home folks again, once in a while."
"It"s tough, that"s what it is," answered Dan, sympathetically.
"No, it isn"t even that," Dave rejoined, quickly. "There are thousands of men at sea on ships who may not see their wives again unless we chaps do our duty all the time. There are scores of women on the sea whose husbands will never see them again if we sleep or lag. The men of the destroyer fleet have no right to think of their own pleasure or convenience. I"m ready for sea, and I pray for a busy and successful cruise against the enemy!"
Only from the deck of the "Prince" had the two chums seen their new craft. Now they went down the hill toward the harbor, ready to report and take over their ships.
It was the first time during the war that the two chums had sailed separately. It was also Dan Dalzell"s first regular command, for the "Prince" had been handed over to him only on temporary detail.
"We"ll miss each other, Danny-boy," cried Dave, regretfully, as the chums gripped each other"s hands at the quay. "We"ve been used to sailing together."
"We can have a radio talk once in a while," Dan returned glumly.
"Yes, but we"re supposed to talk by radio only on official matters."
"We can at least find out when we"re near each other."
After they had entered their respective gigs, and had started toward their craft, the chums waved hands toward each other.
Then Darrin, turning his thoughts to duty, tried to forget his disappointment over his inability to meet Belle.