Ruth Fielding Homeward Bound Part 26

Ruth tried to make the wounded Guelph more comfortable, although he was not seriously hurt. While she was doing this, and her three friends were searching the rest of the crew for arms and separating them so that they could do no harm, the girl chanced to glance over the rail and saw a sight that called forth a cry of rejoicing from her very heart.

There was a gray, swiftly steaming ship, a warship, bearing down upon the _Admiral Pekhard_, and the Stars and Stripes was at her masthead!

CHAPTER XXV-HOME AS FOUND

To clear up all the mysteries about their adventures-about Tom's wonderful flight in the airplane, his capture by the Zeppelin's commander, his wrecking of the Hun machine, his providential escape from the sea; as well, the trials and dangers through which Ruth had pa.s.sed-to clear up all these things certainly took much time. It was not until the excitement was over that they really could talk it all out.

For at first came happenings almost as exciting as those that had already taken place. The _Seattle_ had more to do than merely to take the Germans aboard as prisoners and Ruth and her friends as honored pa.s.sengers, while they put a prize crew on the _Admiral Pekhard_.

For the German plot had been so far-reaching, and it had come so near being carried through to a successful finish, that the commander of the _Seattle_, of the fast cruiser type, bound home for orders, felt an attempt must be made to punish the Germans connected with the plot.

That U-boat 714 must be caught. They made the a.s.sistant wireless operator, Krueger, admit that within the hour he had caught a message from the U-boat and had sent one in reply. The submarine would arrive about nightfall, Krueger said.

The commander of the American cruiser made his plans quickly. He sent a large crew aboard the _Admiral Pekhard_. Then the cruiser steamed away to a distance. But she was a very fast ship and she did not remain far out of sight of the British steamship.

Mr. Rollife had insisted on remaining at his post. The chatter of the _Admiral Pekhard's_ radio kept the American commander in touch with all that went on. When the submarine appeared on the surface, not many hundred yards away from the ship that was supposed to be in the hands of German plotters, the _Seattle_ started for the spot at top-speed.

It was a great race! Tom was as excited as any sailor aboard, and until it was all over he was not content to remain with Ruth below decks.

Four of the cruiser's prize crew, masquerading as Germans, manned the motor boat and shot over to the gray side of the huge submarine. They could all speak German. They fooled the U-boat commander, _Herr Kapitan-Leutnant_ Scheiner, nicely. He sent his first in command and the special crew brought from the submarine base at Kiel to the pa.s.senger ship, crowding the small launch to the very guards.

When these men went, one by one, up the ladder, they were met behind the shelter of the rail by a number of determined American blue jackets, who disarmed them and knocked them down promptly if they ventured to offer resistance.

Before the smoke of the _Seattle_ was sighted the two deck guns of the _Admiral Pekhard_, their breechlocks replaced, were trained upon the open hatch of the U-714. Through a trumpet the officer in command of the crew from the _Seattle_ ordered _Kapitan-Leutnant_ Scheiner to surrender his boat and crew.

When he made a dive for the open hatch, the forward gun of the British ship, manned by American gunners, put a sh.e.l.l right down that hatchway-and Scheiner was instantly killed.

The _Admiral Pekhard_ was sent to Plymouth, as that port was nearer than Brest. Besides, the _Seattle's_ commander had learned already by radio that the entire ship's company of the British ship had safely reached that port.

Mr. Dowd and Rollife went with the _Admiral Pekhard_; but after due consideration, and listening to the pleadings of Ruth Fielding and Tom Cameron, the latter pair were allowed to remain aboard the American cruiser.

"You are due to reach New York anyway, Miss Fielding," said the commander. "And from what he tells me of his experience, I believe Captain Cameron has earned a furlough. Although I presume he will first have to be reported as being absent without leave."

All this is in the past, now. It seemed to Ruth Fielding, standing on the porch of the old farmhouse attached to the Red Mill and looking down the rutted highway, that many, many of her experiences during the months of war must have been dreams.

Even the injured shoulder troubled her no more. She was her old vigorous, cheerful self again. Yet there was a difference. There was a poise of mind and a seriousness about the girl of the Red Mill that would never again wear off. No soul that has been seared in any way by the awful flame of the Great War will ever recover from it. The scar must remain till death.

The war was well nigh over. Tom's prophecy was to be fulfilled. The Hun, driven to madness by his own sins, could fight no more. The actual fighting might end any day. On a ship coming homeward were Helen and Jennie-the latter with a tall and handsome French colonel at her side, who had been given special leave of absence from the French Intelligence Department.

Ruth saw an automobile swing into the road a couple of miles away and grow larger and larger very rapidly as it rushed down toward her. She wound a chiffon veil about her head as she called back into the open doorway of the farmhouse kitchen:

"Tom is coming, Aunty. I sha'n't be long away."

"All right, my pretty! All right!" returned the voice of Aunt Alvirah, quite strong and cheerful again. "Oh, my back! and oh, my bones! All right!"

She hobbled to the door on her cane. Her apple-withered cheeks had a little color after all. The little old woman began to mend the moment she set eyes on "her pretty" again.

When the automobile pulled down at the gate for Ruth to step in beside the begoggled Tom and the engine was shut off, they could hear the grinding of the mill-stones. Times had improved. Uncle Jabez, as dusty and solemn of visage as ever, but with a springier step than was his wont, came to the door and waved a be-floured hand to them.

"All right, Ruthie?" asked Tom, smiling at her.

"Quite all right, Tom."

"Got the whole day free, have you?"

"Until supper time. We can take a nice, long jaunt."

"I wish it was going to continue forever-just for you and me, Ruth!" he murmured longingly, as he slipped in the clutch and the engine began to purr. "A life trip, dear!"

"Well," returned Ruth Fielding, looking at him with shining eyes, "who knows?"

THE END