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Submarine Boys for the Flag

<h2 id="id01035" style="margin-top: 4em">CHAPTER XIII</h2> <h5 id="id01036">COMMANDER OF A U.S. GUNBOAT!</h5> "Lieutenant Benson, sir?" inquired a coxswain, saluting. "Yes," replied Jack, returning the salute. "The gig is waiting to take you to the 'Sudbury' sir." This information was punctuated by another salute which Jack, as head of the party of three young officers, again returned. "Lead the way," directed Jack. For the third time saluting, the coxswain possessed himself of Jack's suit case and sword, then crossed the wharf to the landing stairs down below, the gunboat's cutter waited, a natty little craft, occupied by a bowman and four oarsmen. The three young officers seated themselves at the stern of the gig. "Cast off," directed the coxswain. "Up oars! Let fall! Give way!" With the long, steady, magnificent sweep of the Navy which the sailors pulled, the little gig seemed to race through the water. "Is that the 'Sudbury'?" inquired Jack, nodding toward a trim little gunboat some two hundred feet long. "Yes, sir." All three of the submarine boys gazed at the gunboat with secret enthusiasm. Had it not been for the guns fore and aft, and at the rail on either side, the "Sudbury" might have been mistaken for some multi-millionaire's yacht. In another moment the gig was making fast at the gangway. Then Jack Benson stepped out, and, heading his comrades, went up over the side. At the head of the gangway a corporal and four marines stood drawn up. At a low-voiced command from the corporal the marines presented arms, standing thus until the three new young officers, saluting, passed. Just beyond the marines, stood an officer of the Navy. He brought his hand to his cap in a smart salute. "Lieutenant Benson?" inquired this officer. "Yes." "I am Ensign Fullerton, executive officer of this vessel." They shook hands and Jack presented his comrades. "I think I had better show you to your cabin, sir," suggested Ensign Fullerton. "As you please," nodded Jack. The way was actually led, however, by three of the marines, who, at a word from the corporal, had possessed themselves of the limited baggage of the new arrivals. In Jack's cabin was a broad double berth, two deep wardrobe closets, a book-case, desk and several chairs. "I had no idea junior officers had such roomy quarters," murmured Jack. "They don't, usually, sir," smiled Fullerton. "But it's different, of course, in the case of the commanding officer." "But I'm not the commanding officer," gasped Jack. "For the purposes of this cruise you are," smiled Fullerton. "But I forget. You haven't received your orders. There they are on your desk. They arrived less than an hour ago by wire." Like one in a dream young Jack Benson picked up a bulky telegraph envelope and broke the seal. There, before his eyes, danced the words of the latest order from the Secretary of the Navy. Lieutenant Jack Benson was directed to take command of the United States gunboat, 'Sudbury,' until further orders. Ensigns Hastings and Somers were directed to assume such duties aboard as were assigned to them by Lieutenant Benson. "I didn't expect this," stammered Jack. "I—I—we thought our temporary rank in the Navy was given us merely that we might have legal standing in making one arrest that is wanted." "No one ever does know just what is wanted of him, until the order comes," laughed Ensign Fullerton. "At least, that has been the case since Mr. Sanders became Secretary of the Navy. He keeps all officers on the jump. But I guess that is what a good many of them need, sir." As the Ensign appeared to be at least twenty-five years old that respectful "sir" struck young Benson's ear queerly. "Pardon me, gentlemen, but be seated," suggested Lieutenant Jack, suddenly, as he realized that his chums and this one sure-enough naval officer were all standing. "You have been aboard naval vessels before, sir, haven't you?" asked Ensign Fullerton. "Oh, yes; but never in the present way," smiled Benson. "Then, no doubt, you understand, sir, that the 'Sudbury' is under steam, only awaiting your order to put to sea." "The last part of these orders," replied Jack, picking up the telegram, "advises me that sailing orders will be wired soon." "Then may I make a suggestion, sir?" "Of course," nodded young Benson. "At your direction I will have Mr. Hastings and Mr. Somers shown to their cabins. Then I will send for the one other young man left of the gunboat's old equipment of officers, and present him to you. After that I would suggest, sir, that I have the crew piped to quarters for brief inspection by the new commanding officer." Hal and Eph were quickly made acquainted with their own cabins, which were on the port side of the gun-deck, Jack's being on the starboard. Ensign Fullerton brought in a slim, very erect young man in a midshipman's uniform—Mr. Drake, just out of the Naval Academy. "Our engineers are all warrant machinists or petty officers; no commissioned officers among them," stated Fullerton. "Our highest marine officer is Sergeant Oswald. Besides the sergeant we have eighteen other enlisted men among the marines. Here is the ship's complete roster," continued the Ensign, taking a document out of a pigeon-hole over the young commander's desk. "And now, sir, shall I pass the order for piping the crew to quarters?" "If you will be so good," Jack nodded, rising. At this moment Hal and Eph appeared at the doorway. "Pardon me, gentlemen, for suggesting that you had better put your swords on," suggested Fullerton, "Inspection of crew at quarters is about to come off." Hal and Eph vanished, but soon reappeared, wearing their new swords and trying hard not to look conscious of the fact. Jack was engaged in adjusting his own side-arm to his belt. "I neglected to state, sir," continued Ensign Fullerton, "that we have no medical officer at present. A hospital steward down in sick bay is our nearest approach, at present, to a medical officer." "Forewarned is forearmed," laughed Jack. "We'll try not to be ill." It was time, now, to proceed to the quarterdeck; for, forward, the shrill sound of the boatswain's whistle seemed to fill the air. Though all the crew, including the marines, had been summoned and formed at the mast, the inspection was but a matter of a moment. Its purpose was more to give the crew a glimpse of their new officers. Just as the inspection was ending, a marine of the guard approached, announcing in a low tone: "Telegram for the commanding officer, sir." Ensign Fullerton received it, returning the marine's salute, and passed the envelope to Jack Benson, who opened it. "Our sailing orders, Mr. Fullerton," announced Jack, as soon as the former had dismissed the formation at the mast. "This telegram gives, as you see, the latest reported position of the schooner believed to be the 'Juanita,' and her course. You will get under way at once, Mr. Fullerton. Then you and I will work out the course." "This is the starboard watch, sir," continued the executive officer. "Which officer is to command it?" "Mr. Hastings. Mr. Somers will take the port watch." "Very good, sir. And I would suggest, sir, that Mr. Drake is an excellent pilot between here and the sea." "Then direct Mr. Drake to take the bridge with the watch officer." "Very good, sir." "And, as soon as we are under way, Mr. Fullerton, come to my cabin and we will figure out our course more in detail." "Very good, sir." It was Ensign Fullerton, who, acting as executive officer, transmitted the needed orders to Hal, Eph and Midshipman Drake. The three young officers now removed their swords, sending them by a marine orderly to their respective cabins. Hal took command from the bridge, subject to Fullerton's directions, while Jack, as commanding officer, also took his station there briefly. Eph, being free to do as he pleased for the time, went to his cabin to try to figure out whether he were dreaming. Quickly the "Sudbury" left her anchorage, proceeding downstream. As soon as the start had been fairly made Ensign Fullerton reported at the cabin of the young commanding officer. They worked out on the chart the probable positions that the suspected schooner would take that afternoon. "We should sight her at about five o'clock, sir, if she doesn't change her course, and if the wind holds the same," said Ensign Fullerton. "If we get the right craft, first off, it will be a short cruise, won't it?" smiled Jack, rather wistfully. "I—I—" began Ensign Fullerton, slowly, then paused. "Well?" smiled Jack Benson. "On second thought, I believe I had better not say what I started to say," replied the ensign. "Oh, go ahead, Fullerton," urged Jack. "It isn't easy to wound my sensibilities." "I was going to say, sir," replied the Ensign, flushing a bit, "that I quite understand how you feel about a short cruise. The sensation of holding a command in the United States Navy is one that you would not care to give up too soon." "I was thinking of something of the sort," Benson admitted. "But—see here! On one point my orders don't quite enlighten me. If the suspected schooner proves not to be the right are we to come back to report the fact?" "If you were so to order," replied Fullerton. "Yet you do not need to. This vessel is equipped with wireless, and you are in instant communication, at every moment of the day and night, with the Navy Department at Washington." "I'm glad of that," admitted Lieutenant Benson, frankly. "It will lessen the danger of my making a fool of myself during my first and last naval command." "Not your last command, I hope," remarked the ensign. "The only way I could get a permanent command," retorted Jack, "would be to get appointed to Annapolis, if I could, and then work through the long, long years for command rank." "There are other ways," replied Ensign Fullerton, quietly. "And especially, if a war should break out. Young men trained as finely as you and your comrades, and showing as great talent, sir, would have no difficulty in reaching important rank in a war of the future, when so much must be risked on the submarine craft of which you young men are masters." "We have run a few submarine boats, I suppose," nodded Benson. "But none of us has ever had the Annapolis training." "Not all of the best American sea-fighters have come out of Annapolis, sir," replied Fullerton, soberly. "If a boy gets through Annapolis there's nothing wonderful in his making a fairly good officer. But my cap, sir, is off to boys who can come through the ordinary machine shop and qualify themselves to command submarine boats or anything else afloat!" Then, dropping back to his ordinary manner, Fullerton saluted, next left the cabin to carry to the watch officer the orders for the course. Lieutenant Jack Benson, briefly of the U.S. Navy, strolled out to the after deck for a short promenade. Here he was joined by Eph Somers, who, in his naval uniform, did not forget to salute before accosting the commanding officer of the U.S.S. "Sudbury." "I'm really beginning to feel that I'm not dreaming," confided Eph, almost in a whisper. "Whee! but it's fine to be out on a craft so big that you don't get a cramp in your leg from walking! Say, do you know, Jack," he whispered, "I am almost crazy to see one of this ship's big guns fired!" "You may have your wish," laughed Jack. "Who knows?" Who knew, indeed? How was it possible, for that matter, for any of these three young officers to guess what lay ahead of them? <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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