The Boy Allies with Uncle Sam's Cruisers Part 14

"Jack!" instructed Lord Hastings, "take fifty men and march the prisoners below and lock them up."

Jack touched his cap. "Very good, sir."

He selected his men, surrounded the prisoners and marched them below.

Frank appeared a few moments later with the crew of the engine room.

These, too, were locked up, Lord Hastings detailed some of the victorious seamen for engine room duty, ordered the decks cleared of the dead and injured, and motioned Frank to follow him.

"Mr. Chadwick," he said, "you are my second officer. You will hold the bridge until Mr. Templeton, the first officer, relieves you."

Frank touched his cap and Lord Hastings descended below.

Half an hour later the captured raider got under way. Jack and Lord Hastings were also on the bridge now.

"Shape your course north, sir," said Lord Hastings to Jack.

"North she is, sir," said Jack, pa.s.sing the word along.

"I suppose you will be interested to know where we are bound?" asked Lord Hastings a few moments later.

"Yes, sir," said Frank and Jack in a single voice.

"New York," said Lord Hastings.

"New York!" echoed Jack. "I supposed of course we were bound for Liverpool or Glasgow."

Lord Hastings smiled.

"No," he said. "I had offered, if successful in this venture, to turn the Vaterland over to the American government. It will be used to transport troops to Europe."

"I see, sir," said Frank. "And when shall we return to England, sir?"

"Not immediately, I believe. We shall probably remain in New York until the first United States expeditionary force sets forth. We shall probably go aboard one of the convoys."

"That suits me, sir," said Jack. "Does it you, Frank?"

"Down to the ground," was Frank's reply.

"Very well," said Lord Hastings. "Mr. Templeton, you will take the bridge. I'll announce the watches later. In the meantime I'll go down and have a talk with my friend, Captain Koenig. Come along, Frank."

Under administering hands Captain Koenig had returned to consciousness. He was in no amiable mood.

"How are you, Captain?" said Lord Hastings cheerfully, as he entered the cabin.

Captain Koenig looked at him with a savage scowl.

"I trust you are feeling better, sir," said Lord Hastings.

"No, I'm not, you blasted Britisher!" said Captain Koenig in very good English.

"I'm sorry, Captain. Is there anything I can do for you until I turn you over to the United States military authorities as a prisoner of war?"

"Not a thing," declared Captain Koenig.

"Too bad," commented Lord Hastings. "What do you say to concluding that game of chess?"

Captain Koenig's reply was a fierce German imprecation.

"Come, Captain," said Lord Hastings, "don't let your temper run away with you. It is very foolish. Why, do you not remember how calmly I took my captivity?"

"You had something up your sleeve," growled Captain Koenig.

"Well, that's true," returned Lord Hastings, "and I'm glad that you haven't. Until we reach New York, Captain, you shall be kept under close guard here. If there is anything you want, please let me know."

Lord Hastings bowed and left the German commander to his own reflections.

Half an hour later, on deck, Frank again encountered Elizabeth Wheaton.

"It was splendid!" exclaimed the girl. "I am so sorry I doubted you in the first place."

"I guess it was only natural," said Frank, with a smile. "I guess I would have done as you did under the circ.u.mstances. How is your mother?"

"She is as happy as she can be. She says that she knew the American navy would look out for us."

"You might tell her," said Frank, with a smile, "that it was the British navy that pulled off this job, although I am an American. Lord Hastings and Mr. Templeton are British."

"I guess I won't tell her," laughed the girl. "It would spoil it for her. She thinks there is nothing like the American navy. But what are your duties now?"

"Well," said Frank, "I am the second officer of this ship, rank of lieutenant. Mr. Templeton is the first officer."

"Is that so?" asked the girl in some surprise. "You are so young for such an important position."

Frank turned red.

"I--I--I'm not so awfully young," he stammered.

"May be not," admitted Miss Wheaton, with a smile, "but I'll wager you are not over twenty."

"I'm nineteen," said Frank.

"Just a year older than I am," mused the girl, "and still, think of what a lot of excitement you have been through."

"Were you frightened during the fight?" asked Frank, changing the subject.

"Not a bit. I knew you would capture the ship. Mother wasn't frightened either, but some of the others were. It must have been terrible."

"It was," said Frank simply.

Frank took the bridge at 6 o'clock and Jack turned in. And, as the big ship sailed smoothly along during the long hours of the night, Frank gazed out over the deep with a strange sensation in his breast.