The Boy Allies under Two Flags Part 21

Standing up in the boat and shading his eyes with one band he looked eastward across the water for a long time. Then he sat down.

"See anything?" Frank asked.

"No."

"Have you any idea how far we are from sh.o.r.e?"

"I don't believe we can be very far away. With clear weather and steady rowing I believe we should make land within twenty-four hours, at least."

"Well," said Frank, "when we get ash.o.r.e, what then?"

"Why," replied Jack, "we must return to London if we can and report to the Admiralty."

"And then what?"

"Then," said Jack slowly, "I hope we shall once more be a.s.signed to a ship that is going into battle, that we may avenge ourselves for the loss of the Lena, and, yes, the death of Lord Hastings!"

CHAPTER XV

UNDER THE TRICOLOR

It was to be many a long day before Frank and Jack were destined to see London again.

All day, following the loss of the Lena, the little boats bobbed up and down on the smooth sea, as they headed eastward as fast as strong British arms could drive them. All day the sun shone brightly, but as night drew on the air became cold and penetrating.

The men wrapped themselves up as tightly as they could but even this did not keep out the chill.

Frank and Jack took turns sleeping and in keeping watch. At length the darkness began to give way to light; and, in the cold gray dawn of another day Jack, standing watch in the first boat, made out something in the distance that caused him to utter a loud cry.

Because of the intense darkness they had approached thus close without having gained a glimpse of what Jack now saw.

It was land.

Frank, aroused by Jack's cry, was on his feet in an instant and echoed his friend's cry of joy.

"Where do you suppose we are?" he asked.

"At a rough guess, I should say off the coast of France," was Jack's reply.

"Good! Then we should be perfectly safe."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that," said Jack. "You never can tell what is going to happen in times like these. However, we will land as soon as possible."

The sun was high in the sky when the first of the little boats, rounding a sharp promontory, came in sight of a large vessel.

She was plainly a ship of war, anch.o.r.ed a mile off the coast in a little bay. Beyond the lads could make out the houses of what appeared to be a small town.

"Wonder what place that is?" said Frank.

"I don't know," replied Jack, "but we'll soon find out. See!

Our presence has been discovered."

Frank looked in the direction Jack pointed. It was true. They were close enough to the vessel now for the lads to make out several figures standing upon the deck, pointing toward them and gesticulating.

A moment later and the guns on the vessel shone in the sunlight, as the ship came about. They were pointed squarely at the little British flotilla.

A flag was quickly, run up to the masthead. The boys made it out in an instant--the tricolor of France. A cheer went up from the British sailors, and in one of the boats a sailor sprang to his feet and waved a British ensign above his head.

This was seen from the deck of the French vessel, and several small boats were hurriedly manned and came toward the British.

Within hailing distance a voice cried out in French:

"Who are you and where from?"

"British prize crew aboard German merchantman, which was sunk by a German cruiser yesterday," Jack shouted back.

The French boats approached closer. The men in them were all armed, and it was plainly apparent they were not too confident of the ident.i.ty of the British. They held their rifles ready for instant use, and small rapid-firers in the prow of each craft were ready for business.

But now that the French had approached close enough for their commander to distinguish the faces of the English sailors the tenseness of the French sailors relaxed, and they came on more confidently. The French officer ran his boat close to the one occupied by Frank and Jack and leaped lightly aboard it. The lads rose to greet him.

All three saluted, and the French officer said:

"I'm glad to see you."

"Not half as glad as we are to see you," replied Jack with enthusiasm. "This time yesterday we didn't know whether we would ever see land again or not."

"You have been adrift all that time?" questioned the officer.

"Yes, sir."

"You said something about having been sunk by a German cruiser.

Why didn't they pick you up?"

"Because they were already at the bottom of the sea," replied Jack calmly.

"You mean that you sunk them with the small guns of your ship?"

asked the officer in great wonderment.

"Yes," replied Jack briefly. "We were fortunate enough to do that with our last shot."

"Good for you!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the officer. "But come! You must go aboard the Marie Theresa. Captain Dreyfuss will indeed be glad to greet two such gallant Englishmen."

It was fully half an hour later, the lads in the meantime having seen to the disposition of the British sailors aboard the French cruiser, before Jack and Frank were seated in the commander's cabin, relating their experiences to him.

"And what do you plan to do now?" asked the commander, after he had complimented the boys upon their gallant conduct.

"Well," replied Frank, "we had thought of returning to London.

By the way, just whereabouts are we?"