In his effort to shake himself clear the sub sank. As he did so Gwennap"s grip became a close embrace. Down, down, down; it seemed as if Hythe had sunk a full twenty feet ere the downward motion ceased.
His lungs seemed ready to burst with the pressure. Even if he would he could not now free himself from the relentless grasp.
Once more his head appeared above the surface. He drew in a deep, reviving draught of air, even though it was salt-laden; then with a sudden effort he wrenched his right arm clear, drew back his fist, and planted a tremendous blow upon Gwennap"s temple, and his struggles ceasing he was now practically harmless.
"Pity I didn"t think of that before," thought Hythe dimly. "I wonder if I"ve killed him, but there was no other way."
"Cheer up, Hythe!" exclaimed a hearty voice that the sub recognized as Devoran"s. Turning his head the well-nigh exhausted rescuer saw close to him the chief officer and O"Shaunessey, who, having divested themselves of the greater portion of their clothing, had dived overboard to aid their comrades.
"That"s right, you hang on to me," continued Devoran, "O" Shaunessey will look after that lubber. The captain will give him a dressing-down when we get aboard again."
Hythe was too done up to inquire why Gwennap should be reprimanded. He was only too glad to rest his hand upon Devoran"s brawny shoulder.
"We"ll be all right in a brace of shakes," said the chief officer encouragingly. "The water"s quite warm, and we are fresh enough. They are turning the "Aphrodite" and will bring her to windward of us."
Ten minutes later, the submarine, with her upper platform barely three feet out of water, glided slowly up to the group of immersed men. Ropes were thrown and caught by Devoran and O" Shaunessey, and by this means Gwennap and Hythe were hauled on board. Captain Restronguet was waiting to congratulate his guest upon his heroic action, but instead he sprang forward and grasped Hythe by the arms, just in time to prevent the sub from falling helplessly to the deck.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE MISSING SUBMARINE.
When Arnold Hythe recovered consciousness he found himself lying on his bunk in the cabin that had been appropriated to his use. The scuttle was closed, an electric light was burning, and by the slight and peculiar oscillation of the vessel he knew that the "Aphrodite" was running submerged.
He was not alone. Sitting at the head of his bunk was Kenwyn, the second officer. He was reading a book, but hearing the sub move he replaced the volume on a shelf and asked Hythe how he felt.
"Not quite up to the mark, thanks. But what am I doing here? Ah, I remember. Have you got Gwennap safe on board?"
"Yes, thanks chiefly to you. He"s still unconscious. Devoran told me he saw you knock the nonsense out of him, By Jove! I shouldn"t like a blow like that."
"I hope I didn"t hit him too hard?" asked the sub anxiously.
"Too hard? Not much. He"s as tough as nails, and he thoroughly deserved to have his figure-head damaged. He is the only member of the ship"s company who cannot swim, and the captain has been trying to get the fellow to learn for a long time past. But you are a plucky fellow, Hythe."
"Where are we making for now?" asked Hythe, seeking to change an embarra.s.sing subject. "Has the propeller-shafting been cleared yet?"
"We"re making for the North coast of Spain: Machichaco Bay, to be exact--a place a short distance to the east"ard of Cape Villano. You see, the rising sea and Gwennap"s accident interrupted the work in hand, so Captain Restronguet, rather than put into any of the harbours on the French Biscayan coast, has decided to make for Machichaco Bay, where there are excellent facilities for repairing the damage without fear of interruption. We are running with only the port propeller, that gives us barely twelve knots when submerged, and at that rate we expect to sight land about mid day on Thursday."
"Is Captain Restronguet going to beach the "Aphrodite" at half tide?"
asked Hythe.
"Rather not. No, our repairs will be carried out on the floor of the bay, where we shall be unseen by every one. But don"t talk any more at present. Drink this and try to go to sleep."
"But I don"t want to go to sleep," expostulated Hythe.
"Very well, then, don"t, only drink this. It will buck you up."
The sub took the gla.s.s proffered by the wily Kenwyn, and drained it at a gulp. Within three minutes he was sleeping peacefully.
When Hythe awoke again after an eight hour"s sleep all traces of his strenuous exertions had vanished. He tubbed, dressed in his own clothes, which had meanwhile been dried and pressed, and went down to breakfast in the captain"s cabin.
Captain Restronguet greeted his guest warmly, until Hythe felt quite uncomfortable at the praises bestowed upon him for his act of gallantry.
Once more he succeeded in changing the subject, this time by asking if any news had been received of the "Vorwartz."
"Nothing that will give us definite information as to where she is making for," replied Captain Restronguet. "But from my British agent I have had news that Karl von Harburg has been declared a pirate by the Great Powers and by several lesser maritime states as well, and that war vessels are authorized to capture or destroy the "Vorwartz" without compunction. I fancy, however, that that part of the business will be left to us."
"You mean to track him down?"
"Through the five oceans, if needs must. But for the time being we are put out of the running. Have you ever been to the north coast of Spain, Mr. Hythe?"
"Yes, to Bilbao, Santander, and Coruna; but it was two years ago, when I was in the old "Alacrity.""
"Then you don"t know Machichaco Bay?"
"Never heard of it until Mr. Kenwyn mentioned the name to me, sir."
"H"m. Do you remember the disaster to "La Flamme"?"
"The French submarine that was supposed to have been run down on her way from Rochefort to Toulon?"
"Yes, the Dutch liner "Huitzens" arrived at Rotterdam about that time with several of her bow plates buckled, and reported she had been in collision with an unknown object thirty miles off Cape Finisterre. The theory was advanced and generally accepted that the liner ran down the French submarine."
"And didn"t she? Do you know anything about it?" asked Hythe interestedly.
"I think I can show you certain evidence before many more days are pa.s.sed. Ha, Devoran, what is it?"
"Cape Machichaco in sight, sir."
"Very good. We"ll go to the fore conning-tower, Mr. Hythe. You will then be able to see how we con the "Aphrodite" into this somewhat intricate roadstead."
The submarine was now running at a little less than eight knots and at thirty-five feet below the surface. The electrically operated periscope with its flexible attachments was in operation, and by looking at the object-board the sub could discern what appeared to be a range of hills, above which a remarkably-shaped peak towered to a considerable height.
Close to the edge of the cliffs could be seen a circular lighthouse and the keeper"s house, both painted white. Some little distance from the cape two forbidding looking rocks reared their gaunt black heads above the sea, while between these rocks and the sh.o.r.e was a tumbling ma.s.s of white foam.
"Is that the cape? Where, then, is the bay?" asked Hythe.
"It is hardly recognizable from the distance. There it lies--away to the east"ard. A point to starboard, quartermaster--gently does it--so."
Slowly and steadily the "Aphrodite" approached the desired anchorage.
Through the starboard observation scuttle the sub saw vicious-looking rocks more than once, rising boldly from the bottom of the sea at less than twenty yards off. Between them were cavernous depths that could only be compared to an American canyon suddenly submerged in a tremendous flood.
While the quartermaster kept the "Aphrodite" on her course Captain Restronguet directed all his attention to the submarine cliffs. Hythe could hear him counting as the dangerous rocks appeared to slip by.
"Hard a port."
Round swung the "Aphrodite" till her bows pointed straight for a narrow gap in the rocks. The sub stood aghast. Surely it was courting disaster to plunge into a submarine defile, so dark and so narrow that it seemed an impossibility for her to pa.s.s without touching the jagged pinnacles on either hand?
The gauge now showed a depth of fifty-five feet. At a sign from the captain, Kenwyn touched a switch and instantly two parallel beams of brilliant light flashed from the sides of the conning-tower. As far as the beams penetrated nothing but water could be seen, but in the reflected light on either hand the ghost-like rocks flitted past in a seemingly endless procession. The "Aphrodite" was threading an intricate pa.s.sage between the dangerous shoals of Machichaco Bay.