The Boy Allies Under the Sea Part 18

He led the way to where Williams still lay p.r.o.ne, Frank and Edwards following.

Jack bent over the man, then placed a hand over his heart. Then he got slowly to his feet.

"Is he----," began Edwards.

"Dead," replied Jack quietly.

For a moment there was silence; then Edwards spoke brokenly.

"The best shipmate a man ever had, sir."

He knelt beside his dead companion and tears streamed down his face.

Jack and Frank did not speak as he mourned silently for some minutes. At last Edwards got to his feet.

"War is war, sir," he said quietly.

He moved aft.

"Well," said Frank, "I guess we may as well be getting back to _The Hawk_. Lord Hastings will be worried."

"Right," said Jack. "You take the wheel. I'll try and coax the engine along."

They took their respective places.

"Which way, Jack?" called Frank.

"By Jove! You know as much about it as I do," was the reply. "I don't know where we are."

"Must be off to the left," declared Frank. "We'll steer that way, anyhow."

"All right," said Jack.

The engine began to sputter and directly the motorboat moved.

"We may as well go this way as another," Frank shouted to make himself heard. "It'll be daylight soon, anyhow, and we can probably pick up _The Hawk_."

"We'll go slowly, at all events," said Jack.

For half an hour the little craft forged slowly ahead, all three aboard keeping a sharp lookout for _The Hawk_.

Suddenly a breeze sprang up. It blew lightly at first and then with more and more violence.

"Looks like Lord Hastings' gale was about to materialize," shouted Jack.

"Guess this is it all right," replied Frank.

Edwards now came aft and took his stand by Frank.

"Want me to take the wheel, sir?" he asked.

"Guess I can handle it all right," replied Frank.

"Very well, sir, only I thought you would rather be forward with Mr.

Templeton."

There was an odd note in his voice and Frank glanced at him inquiringly.

"What made you think that?" he asked sharply.

"Only," replied Edwards, "only because this is liable to settle things for all of us."

"You mean the storm?" asked Frank.

"Yes, sir."

"You think it will be severe?"

"Very severe, sir. I have sailed the seas longer than you have, sir, and I recognize the signs."

"And you don't think this craft can weather the storm?"

"I am afraid not, sir. Of course there is always a possibility, and by running with the storm we have, of course, a fighting chance; but that's all we have, sir, a fighting chance."

"It is as much as we have had many times before," replied Frank.

"Very well, then," to Edwards, "you may take the wheel. Your advice is to run before it?"

"Yes, sir, at full speed."

"Your advice shall be taken. We'll keep the engine going and the steering is up to you."

"Very good, sir."

Edwards took the wheel and Frank made his way forward.

"h.e.l.lo," said Jack. "Thought you were going to do the steering."

"I was," replied Frank, "but Edwards seemed to think he could do better and I guess he is right. He says we are in for a bad gale."

"He's right," replied Jack. "I've seen the signs before. You may remember I lived on the ocean. Yes, we're in for it, I'm afraid. All we can do is run."

"That's what Edwards said."

"It'll be daylight in less than half an hour," Jack continued. "That will help some. If it will hold off that long, I'll feel better."

And the gale did hold off.

A faint gray streaked the east, making more plain the seriousness of their situation. The clouds hung heavy and low and it took no mariner to tell that a storm was brewing.