The Boy Allies with Uncle Sam's Cruisers Part 39

"Listen to me, men. Captain Jack here, most likely, has been promised immunity for his crimes by these new friends of his. He's trying to lead you on to death or the gallows. I, for one, refuse longer to recognize his leadership. Who is with me?"

But the men, apparently, were not yet ready to take sides. Captain Jack smiled at Jackson; then his face grew stern.

"I'll attend to you directly, Jackson," he said quietly. "Now, men, you know me well enough to know I am not trying to betray you. I am asking you, for once, to do a good deed. Most of you are Americans, French, Italian or British. Your countries are at war with Germany.

Will you not strike a blow when you have the chance? It is true, there will be no rich booty for us, nothing but danger and perhaps death, but there will be riches greater than booty after all; for the adventure that I propose will bring to each man the consciousness of a duty well done, and that is more than gold. Men, we have been together for many months. I have not failed you in the past. Will you fail me now?"

There were wild cries of "No! No!" and "Destruction to the Germans,"

but there also were voices raised in protest.

Jackson, realizing that his chances were fast slipping away, determined upon a bold stroke. With a sudden cry he sprang toward Captain Jack, a knife gleaming in his hand.

Frank uttered a cry of warning and his revolver flashed out.

Captain Jack saw the lad's movement from the comer of his eye, and before the lad could press the trigger, he cried sharply:

"Don't shoot! Leave this man to me."

He avoided Jackson's rush by a quick side step, and as lie prepared to defend himself, he explained to Frank:

"One shot might prove our undoing. It would set the men wild. I can handle this fellow. Don't interfere, or allow any of the others to do so, no matter what happens."

Frank returned his revolver to his pocket.

Jackson, who had been carried beyond Captain Jack by the impetus of his spring when Captain Jack stepped aside, now wheeled about and returned to the attack, his gleaming knife raised above his head. Captain Jack, with no weapon in his hand, although he wore both revolver and knife in his belt, waited for him calmly. His arms were spread wide apart and both feet were implanted firmly in the ground. He smiled slightly.

Apparently he presented an uninviting aspect, for Jackson hesitated in his rush. This hesitancy caused his undoing.

Captain Jack leaped forward with a mighty spring. His strong right arm encircled Jackson's neck, while his left hand clutched Jackson's knife arm. Jackson was borne over backwards and Captain Jack went down on top of him.

There was a sharp snap and the knife that Jackson held went flying through the air. Captain Jack's powerful fingers had broken the man's wrist. At the same moment Captain Jack drove his right fist into Jackson's face. Then he got to his feet and faced the others.

"Any more of you want my job?" he cried, his face red with anger.

No man stepped forth.

"I thought not," said Captain Jack. "Very well. Now, you have heard my proposition. You are free to accept or refuse it at your pleasure. As for me, I am going through with it, anyhow. Which of you are with me?"

Came cries of "I am, Captain! I am," and the men rushed forward.

Captain Jack smiled again. He was his old self now. He turned to Frank and Jack.

"You see," he said quietly, "I was sure of my men."

"Well, you know how to handle them, that's certain," said Jack admiringly. "Tell them to follow us back to the fort. Then we'll lay our plans."

Captain Jack gave the necessary command. Frank led the way back. The men followed, talking excitedly among themselves, all save Jackson, who was carried by two of his comrades.

CHAPTER XXVIII

PLANNING THE ATTACK

"Think I'll have a little confab with my friend Virginia," said Jack, soon after they had returned to the fort.

"With whom?" asked Captain Jack.

"Oh, we haven't told you about that, have we?" said Jack. "I mean the United States cruiser Virginia. I picked her up on the wireless yesterday."

"You did, eh?" laughed Captain Jack. "Did you give them our location?"

"I didn't know it," said Jack.

"Well," said Captain Jack, "if you'll let me do the talking this time I'll give it to them."

"Better give them the location of the submarine base, instead," said Jack. "We'll make our start tonight, and it might be well to have a cruiser or two drop in at the finish. But I didn't know you were a wireless operator."

"I'm not much of one," returned Captain Jack, "but I'm not so bad, either."

The two went into the wireless room, where Captain Jack adjusted the receiver over his head. Then he began to flash the Virginia call into s.p.a.ce; and at last he got an answer.

"Kaiserland?" came the query.

"Yes," Captain Jack flashed back.

"Who's sending?"

Captain Jack hesitated a moment and then replied:

"Pirate chief."

"So you have captured the other party, eh?"

"No, we've just joined forces. We are going to raid the German submarine base tonight."

"Are you telling the truth or trying to throw me off the trail?"

"I'm telling the truth. The man you talked to yesterday is here, if you care to talk to him."

"Let me talk to him."

Jack took Captain Jack's place at the wireless. It took some conversation to convince the commander of the Virginia that all was well but Jack did it at last and gave the location Captain Jack gave him.

"We haven't been able to pick up any wreck," said the Virginia, "and we had about given up hope of finding you. We tried all night and all morning to pick you up."

"We were busy," said Jack.