The Submarine Boys for the Flag by Victor G. Durham
CHAPTER XV
"THE RIGHT BOAT AND THE RIGHT CREW!"
Three hours later, under a new order from Washington, the gunboat'slaunch stole in alongside of a second schooner that had been pursued,overhauled and brought to a standstill.
This craft, however, proved to be a Nova Scotian vessel, with papers allright, a cargo beyond suspicion and no sign of the fugitive Gray aboard.
When news of this second failure had been flashed to Washington, andtwenty minutes more had passed, the instructions came back out of theether:
"Cruise slowly about where you are. Await new instructions, which willgo forward to you as soon as we have fresh, reliable information fromany source. See that your own search light is freely used through thenight."
"'Puss in the Corner,' at sea," muttered Lieutenant Benson. "And weain't even find a corner."
An hour later the young commander of the "Sudbury" turned in. Hal wason the bridge.
The gunboat cruised along lazily at about eight knots an hour. Forsome time Hal paced the bridge indolently, while the sailor lookout,forward, manipulated the searchlight, sending its beam in wide circlesover the waters.
It was within half an hour of the time of calling the new watch, in fact,when the bow watch reported:
"Sail dead ahead, sir!"
Barely more than a topsail could be made out, even through the marineglass of the young watch officer.
"Hold the light on her; we'll overtake and examine her, anyway," wasEnsign Hastings's quick decision. From the bridge he gave orders forthe engine room to go ahead with increased speed. While the gunboat wasbounding off after the stranger, time came to call the port watch. EphSomers came up to the bridge, somewhat sleepy.
"Same old story, I guess," yawned Eph. "Have you passed the word tothe executive office?"
"Not yet," Hal replied. "I didn't believe it worth while to break theslumber of Mr. Fullerton, or of the commander, until we got close tosee whether the stranger looks in the least like the 'Juanita.'"
"I don't believe the 'Juanita' is anywhere on this wide ocean," mutteredEph, stifling a yawn.
"It doesn't look that way," smiled Hastings.
Down before the wheelhouse a bell began to sound briskly.
"Eight bells; your watch, Mr. Somers," announced Hastings. "But I amgoing to remain on the bridge with you for a while. I want a look atthat mud-hooker over yonder."
Within fifteen minutes more the gunboat was running fairly close,though off to starboard.
"That doesn't look even a little bit like the 'Juanita,'" mutteredEnsign Eph, disgustedly. "Why, she's longer than the Cobtown schooner.Besides, the 'Juanita' is a two-sticker, while that hooker yonder hasa third mast with a yawl-rig leg-o'-mutton sail."
Hal said nothing, but continued to study the stranger through hisnight-glass.
"She is a queer-looking hooker," muttered Hastings. "Say, Eph, somehowthat boat doesn't look as though she was built to fit her own rig."
"Why not!" demanded Eph.
"Well, look at her length. Then take a peep at the height of herdory-mast. Does it look tall enough for the length of the schooner?"
"I hadn't thought of that," admitted Somers, also taking a careful lookthrough the nightglass. "Jove, Hal, she is an odd-looking piece ofhulk."
Eph turned to pass the order to run in still closer to the schooner.
"What's wrong with her stern-hull?" asked Ensign Somers, three or fourminutes later.
"Looks like a patchwork affair," declared Hal, more interested thanever.
"Has she a built-on stern?" demanded Somers, half a minute later.
"By Jove, I half believe she has. Eph, without that stern and the yawlmast, would you say the craft looks like the 'Juanita'?"
"I believe she would," muttered young Somers, excitedly. "Marineorderly!"
A sea-soldier came quickly up the bridge stairs, saluting.
"Mr. Somers's compliments to Mr. Fullerton, and will the executiveofficer come to the bridge?"
Again saluting the marine vanished aft. It doesn't take a naval officerlong to report, even when he has to rouse himself out of a sound sleepto do it.
Ensign Fullerton reached the bridge rubbing his eyes, but he listenedintently to what the two younger ensigns had to say.
"Marine orderly!" called the executive officer. "Mr. Fullerton'scompliments to the commanding officer, and will he come to the bridge?"
Barely a minute later, Jack Benson stood on the bridge, listening to hissubordinate officers and staring across the gap of water at theunknown craft.
"Mr. Fullerton," directed the young commander, "prepare to fire a signalshot and to lower the power launch. Make up the boarding party as usual.Mr. Somers, you will go in command of the launch. And I will accompanyyou this time. Mr. Fullerton, when I leave the bridge, you will assumecommand."
Both officers, as they received their orders, saluted.
Bang! The signal gun barked out, the flash from the muzzle sending along tongue of red through the darkness.
But the stranger continued on her way through the night. EnsignFullerton regarded the young commanding officer of the gunboatexpectantly.
"Put a solid shot across her bows, Mr. Fullerton."
Again the order was transmitted, with little noise. The gun-crew thenawaited the signal from the executive officer.
Bang! This time the solid shot struck the water a bare fifty feet aheadof the strange craft's bows as she forged on through the waves, her bowstirring up a gleaming white foam.
"That ought to stop her!" muttered Lieutenant Jack Benson, impatiently.
"I don't believe it is going to, though, sir," reported Ensign Fullerton,studying the other vessel through his night-glass. "I don't see a signof motion on the stranger's decks."
"Load again with solid shot, then," directed the gunboat's youngcommander. "This time hit her square in the fore-rigging."
"I'll step below and sight the piece myself," replied Ensign Fullerton.
A few moments later the executive officer reported the port bow gun inreadiness for service.
"Fire whenever you are ready, Mr. Fullerton," called Lieutenant Jack, ina low voice.
Bang! barked the bow gun, a moment later. Over aboard the strangerthere was a crash, a tearing sound, and then her foretopmast toppled,hanging loosely in place by the stays.
"That'll stop her, I reckon." chuckled Jack Benson.
And "stop her" it did. There was no choice but to stop. This gunboatof the United States Navy was in a position to shoot every standingstick out of the schooner, if provoked too far, and the legal right togo to such lengths existed.
"Stranger is heaving to, sir," reported Ensign Somers.
"Very good, Mr. Somers. Order the power launch lowered. Put off asquickly as possible."
"Very good, sir."
Ensign Fullerton hastened back to the bridge, to assume command, whileHal hastings stood by him.
Boat-handlers and armed sailors and marines scampered over the side.Down the gangway followed Jack and Eph, looking very stately as theyheld their swords clear of their legs. Busily the launch chuggedacross the intervening water gap.
"Schooner, ahoy!" hailed Eph, as the launch ran in alongside "What craftis that?"
"Schooner 'Malta,' Cooper, master, from Sidney, N.S.," came the reply ofa man at the after rail.
"Seems to me I've seen you before, in Cobtown!" suddenly exclaimed EphSomers, as he leaped over the rail in advance of his marines.
"C-Cob--town?" demanded the schooner's master, falteringly.
"By the great Constitution! We've caught the 'Juanita' in disguise!"bellowed back Ensign Eph, turning to Jack Benson, who was just boarding."See! There's the false stern structure."
"You're making a huge mistake of some sort, gentlemen!" protested thevessel's master, tremulously.
"Marines, lay aboard," thundered Eph. "Take the deck, Corporal. Roundup all the crew you see, and make 'em stand at attention along
"We hold you responsible for the deck, Corporal," spoke Jack, in a lowtone to the noncommissioned officer of marines. "We're going to takethe sailors and go below."
A rush was made for the companionway leading down into the schooner'scabin. A man's white, scared face showed below, for a moment.
"Hurrah!" yelled Eph Somers, drawing his sword and making a bound below"There's Brother Gray. Oh, we've the right boat--and the right crowd,too!"