The Boy Allies Under the Sea Part 12

"But just where are we bound now, sir?" asked Jack.

"Well," said Lord Hastings, "at first we shall do a little cruising off the Irish coast. In fact, most of the motorboat fleet is in Irish waters. Since the sinking of the _Lusitania_, most of the work has been done there; and apparently the German government is still bent upon the destruction of big pa.s.senger ships, neutral or not."

"Well, the sooner we can get busy the better it will suit me," declared Frank.

"I agree with you there," said Jack.

It was a long voyage for the little motorboat, and though Lord Hastings wished to join the others of the fleet at the earliest possible moment, he did not push the little craft, which bore the name of _The Hawk_.

Therefore, it was late the next day when they came to where the motorboat fleet had its base--Bantry Bay, on the extreme southern coast of Ireland.

As the little motorboat nosed its way into the harbor, several others dashed forward, with guns bared and alert figures standing ready for action. It was not until Lord Hastings had been satisfactorily identified that the warlike atmosphere disappeared.

The two lads looked about curiously. The bay was black with the little craft.

"Great Scott! There are more than two hundred here, if you ask me,"

declared Frank.

"Looks that way to me, too," agreed Jack.

They mentioned the matter to Lord Hastings.

"Captain Smithers just told me," replied Lord Hastings, "that at this moment there are in the neighborhood of a thousand of these little craft here. However, the bulk of them probably will be sent to other stations before long."

"You mean distributed up and down the coast?" asked Frank.

"Exactly."

"And when are we going to get busy, sir?" asked Jack.

Again Lord Hastings smiled.

"To-night," he said, after a moment's hesitation, "I think I can promise you a little excitement to-night. Captain Smithers has a tip that he intends to follow, and we have been selected for the job."

CHAPTER VII.

AN ENEMY.

_The Hawk_ crept over the still black waters as silently as the night itself. Not a light showed aboard the little craft--not a human voice was heard. Now and then the faint exhaust of the engine could have been heard by a keen ear, but the engine was m.u.f.fled and whatever sound it might make carried but a few yards at most.

_The Hawk_, with Lord Hastings, Jack and Frank and the other few members of the crew, was stalking the foe--no particular foe, perhaps--but any enemy that might be foolhardy enough to show itself.

Aboard, each member of the crew, besides his revolvers, was equipped with a small hand flashlight; and the larger searchlight in the bow was ready for instant use--to flash in the eyes of an enemy to blind him and to spoil his aim.

And the two heavy guns--one forward, the other aft--were ready for action.

The men stood at their posts--had stood there now for two hours--ever since _The Hawk_ had crept silently from the friendly shelter of Bantry Bay. The crew had been ordered to silence and the crew of _The Hawk_, commanded by Lord Hastings, obeyed orders.

So far _The Hawk_ had come upon nothing that had justified its lonesome and silent vigil--not an object of any kind had been encountered, and the hour was now after midnight. Still, keen eyes aboard the little craft peered untiringly ahead and swept the waters in all directions, trying to pierce the darkness of the night.

The night, though dark, was perfectly calm and peaceful, albeit black, overhanging clouds heralded the approach of a storm. But Lord Hastings, than whom there were few better weather prophets, announced that the storm would not break before well along toward morning and held to his quest without trepidation.

Frank and Jack were now becoming somewhat restless, for they had begun to fear that the night's venture would not bear fruit. However, each remembered what Lord Hastings had said regarding a "tip," so they knew that their commander had some object in view. Also, since leaving port, _The Hawk_ had held steadily to her course.

Now and then the commander of _The Hawk_, by the faint glare of his searchlight, shielded by his hand, consulted a chart and several times muttered low directions to the man at the wheel.

Suddenly there came a subdued command from Lord Hastings, and in response the engines were stopped. Lord Hastings placed a hand to his ear and listened intently.

"Did any of you hear anything?" he asked in a low voice.

No one had.

"Strange," muttered Lord Hastings; "I could have sworn I heard something moving through the water."

He gave the command to go ahead again; but less than five moments later once more brought _The Hawk_ to a pause.

"I am sure I heard something," he said to Frank, who stood near him.

"I thought I did myself, that time," replied the lad. "Sounded like a boat, and not a great distance away."

"We shall have to be careful," said his commander. "I know that there is not another British vessel in these waters to-night. If there is a second craft out here, it must be an enemy."

"Shall we flash our light about?" asked Frank.

"And betray our own presence? Not much. No; we shall just remain here for half an hour and see if we can't pick up the other fellow in the darkness."

Again the silence of death hung over _The Hawk_.

Then, suddenly, Jack, aft, gave a subdued exclamation.

Lord Hastings hurried to his side.

"What is it?" he demanded.

"Small craft of some kind bearing down on us, sir," he replied quickly.

"She'll b.u.mp us!"

Lord Hastings took in the situation at a glance. Less than 150 yards away a small object was coming toward _The Hawk_.

Lord Hastings gave a quick command.

"Full speed ahead!" he cried, and in response to this command, _The Hawk_ leaped forward.

Lord Hastings hurled a second quick command to the man at the wheel, and _The Hawk_ came about in a broad circle; and at the same instant a blinding glare flashed into the faces of all aboard.