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Submarine Boys for the Flag

<h2 id="id01123" style="margin-top: 4em">CHAPTER XIV</h2> <h5 id="id01124">THE BOW GUN BOOMS AND EPH PUTS OFF</h5> In the nineteenth century, when a vessel left port, her destination unknown, that craft might get away from a pursuing squadron scattered over the seas. At best, knowledge of a marine fugitive's whereabouts could be gained only from the masters of other vessels that had sighted the fugitive. Usually, such information must be delayed until the informing master of the sighting ship reached port. In the twentieth century all is greatly changed. A vessel bound for parts unknown, carrying some fugitive from justice, is sighted by some steamship that is equipped with a wireless telegraph outfit. Hours before, perhaps, the master of the steamship has been asked to keep a weather-eye open for a vessel that answers the name or description of the runaway craft. Now, she is sighted by the master of the steamship. Ten minutes later the authorities on shore know the exact whereabouts of the fleeing craft. Should she change her course wholly, her new whereabouts is soon after reported to land by the master of some other wireless equipped steamship. Once upon a time the task of finding and overtaking a runaway vessel at sea presented innumerable difficulties. Nowadays, it is often necessary only that the pursuing craft possess sufficiently greater speed to overtake the easily located fugitive. As the "Sudbury" turned out into the open sea that little gunboat was in instant communication with Washington, and also with any wireless equipped ocean traveler up to nearly half way across the great Atlantic. At three o'clock the Navy Department at Washington reported to a gunboat out of sight of land that the last sighting of the supposed "Juanita" placed her on the same course as hitherto reported. At four o'clock came word that the Navy Department had had no new report as to the schooner by wireless. At five o'clock another wireless despatch was flashed through the air. Lieutenant Jack Benson, reading, discovered that the "Juanita" had again been sighted on the same course, headed for some port in the British West Indies. At 5:20 Ensign Eph Somers, port watch officer of the "Sudbury," sent a marine orderly to report to Lieutenant Benson that a schooner's topmasts were within sight. Benson hurried to the bridge, but found Ensign Fullerton there just ahead of him. "We'll shape our course in straight pursuit of the schooner, Mr. Fullerton," decided Lieutenant Jack. "Very good, sir." As yet the schooner's topmasts were visible only from the military top. After a few minutes had passed, however, the vessel's masts were visible from the bridge. "Does her rig look like that of the 'Juanita,' Mr. Somers?" questioned young Benson. "I can't say, sir," Eph replied. "I didn't see her, at Cobtown, under sail. I shall have to wait until I can make out the hull, sir, before I can make even a good guess." Smoke was pouring heavily from the "Sudbury's" two funnels by this time, for the gunboat was being pushed, under forced draught, to considerably better than twenty knots an hour. The schooner apparently was making between seven and eight knots an hour. In a few minutes more the hull of the stranger began to show. Eph, with a pair of marine glasses to his eyes, studied the stranger long and carefully. Lieutenant Benson, knowing it would be folly to hasten his comrade's judgment, waited in silent patience. "That craft looks very much like the 'Juanita,' sir," ventured Eph, at last. "In fact, sir, I think that's our schooner." "Steer up to windward of her, then, Mr. Somers," Jack directed. "Mr. Fullerton, give orders to have the port bow gun manned. When the order is given, be prepared to fire a blank shot toward the schooner. If, after one minute, the schooner shows no signs of heaving to, then fire a solid shot across her bows." "Very good, sir." Without leaving the bridge Ensign Fullerton passed the word for the manning of the gun and loading with a blank cartridge. There was a new, deeper glow in Eph Somers's eyes as he paced the bridge. He was to have, at last, his wish to see the "Sudbury" fire a shot. In a few minutes more the "Sudbury" was ranging tip alongside the schooner, though a full quarter of a mile away to windward. "Mr. Fullerton, fire the blank shot at the stranger," ordered Lieutenant Jack Benson. "Aye, aye, sir." The order was carried by a simple wave of the executive officer's hand. The petty officer in command behind the bow gun, looking for the signal, saw it and gave a low-toned order. Bang! Eph was watching for it. His eyes danced as he heard the sharp explosion and saw the cloud of white smoke, with the tongue of fire spitting through the center of it. In most of us there is left some of the spirit of the old Norse pirate; Eph had a lot of it. "The people on the schooner act as though they were bewildered," smiled Jack, watching the schooner through his glass. "It doesn't look as though they expected any such order from us. I wonder if they mean to obey?" "Worse for them, if they don't," replied Ensign Fullerton, grimly. "A solid shot across the bows, and a shot through their rigging after that. What schooner has any chance to defy a ship of war?" "There they go around," cried Jack, barely above his breath, "They'll heave to." "Of course," smiled Fullerton. "Your orders, sir?" "Lower the power launch. Send a corporal and four marines, and six sailors, armed, beside the boat-handlers. Mr. Somers will take command, as he's the only one of us who knows the fellow Gray by sight." Ensign Fullerton accordingly transmitted the orders, also ordering Midshipman Drake up to the bridge to serve as watch officer in Eph's absence. Hal Hastings was asleep in his cabin at the time. In the meantime the schooner continued "hove to," several men lining her starboard rail. "Somehow, Mr. Fullerton," muttered Lieutenant Jack, after Eph had departed in the power launch with his boarding crew, "I'm not much inclined to think that's our schooner." "Somers seemed to think so." "Mr. Somers said it looked like the 'Juanita.' He's too careful to commit himself to more than that." "We shall soon know, sir, anyway." It is probable that Eph was disappointed that the schooner had been stopped by anything less than a round shot through her rigging. Yet, as he stood up in the stern of the launch, as it bounded over the waves, he felt a heap of satisfaction in the thought that he commanded the searching party, and that he did so by virtue of being an officer in the United States Navy. And this, too, was a form of duty in which Ensign Somers wore his sword at his side. "I hope they're preparing a surprise for us," chuckled Eph, as he looked about him at his armed crew. "I hope the schooner's people will try some mean trick for us, or attempt to put up a fight. Whee!" Yet none of these aggressive thoughts showed in the young Ensign's face. Eph knew his place, usually, and the amount of dignity that went with any place. "Make fast alongside!" Eph sang out, as the launch rounded in alongside the schooner. "What's wrong with the United States Navy, Midshipman?" came the jovial question from a bronzed, broad-shouldered, bearded man of fifty who appeared at the quarter rail, offering Eph a hand to aid him on board. But Eph, disdaining the proffered hand, seized the rail, vaulting neatly on board. Then he straightened up. "I am Ensign Somers, from the gunboat 'Sudbury.'" "Ensign, eh?" muttered the schooner's master, looking in some bewilderment at Eph's boyish face. "I beg your pardon, Mr. Somers." "What craft is this, sir?" Eph continued. "Schooner 'Varia,' from New York, bound for Jamaica." "We saw 'Varia' painted on your stern, of course," smiled Eph. "But was that name painted there during the night?" "Sir?" demanded the skipper, in some astonishment. "Oh, I see, Ensign. Your commander thinks we may be sailing under false colors. Will you be kind enough to step down into my cabin?" Here an elderly man, in yachting dress, stepped forward out of a group of sailors at the waist of the craft. "This schooner is chartered to convey—" he began, but Eph interposed, politely: "Pardon me, sir, but I am talking with the captain only." Then, turning toward the launch, Ensign Somers called: "Corporal, board with your marines, and wait further orders." Then Eph followed the captain below. "The gentleman who spoke to you," explained Varia's master, "is Dr. Herman Barnard. He chartered the 'Varia' at New York for a West Indian cruise for himself and his family. Here are my papers, as master. Here is the 'Varia's' license to carry passengers, and here are our clearance papers, from New York to Jamaica." The papers were all in regular order. Eph looked them over, noting that the master's name was Walford. "I don't see anything wrong here, Captain Walford," Eph continued. "Where is your list of passengers?" "Here, sir." Eph glanced over the list, noting that besides Dr. Barnard, there were five other men passengers, besides Mrs. Barnard, her two daughters and one other woman. "I shall have to ask you, Captain, to line your passengers up on deck," Eph continued. "I had hoped to escape that annoyance, sir," protested the schooner's master. "The ladies were alarmed, and took to their staterooms." "I am very sorry, Captain," Eph insisted, "but I must look over the passengers." "Very good, then," sighed Captain Walford. "And muster the crew forward. I must see on deck every person on this craft." "Very good, sir." Eph returned to deck, leaning against the starboard rail of the quarter deck. Below, he heard some sounds of remonstrance in feminine voices. Then, as a step sounded on the after companionway, and Eph straightened up, he heard a woman's voice say: "United States Navy? I would call this a good deal more like piracy!" "But, mamma—" "Hush, child!" Mrs. Barnard, when she stepped on deck, looked as severe as her husband appeared mild. Ensign Eph doffed his cap quickly to the ladies. "I know this does not please you," he said, courteously, "but I will ask you to remember that I am acting under orders, and have no choice." "It is outrageous to stop a pleasure craft in this fashion!" declared Mrs. Barnard, haughtily. "Do you know why we are making this search, madam?" asked Eph, sweetly. "Of course I don't," snapped the good lady. "Then I marvel," replied Eph, with another bow, "that you can have an opinion of something that you don't understand." One of the girls was so undutiful as to snigger. Thereupon, one of the young men joined in the laugh, which became so general that the severe expression on Mrs. Barnard's face softened considerably. "Perhaps I owe you an apology, young man, for having spoken as I did of you," admitted the good lady. "You only called us pirates," smiled Eph. "That wasn't much." "Perhaps I said more than I should have said, young man," admitted Mrs. Barnard. "Mamma, wouldn't it be better to address this officer by his title?" asked the elder of the girls. Then, turning to Eph, the same speaker inquired: "May I ask your title? Are you a captain?" "Only an ensign, miss," Eph replied, "and only an acting ensign at that." While this brief conversation had been going on, the cook, stewards and watch below were being routed out. Now Captain Walford came aft to report: "All hands on board, sir, have been turned out for your inspection." "All?" insisted Eph. "All, sir." "Then, Captain Walford, I am going to do something that may appear very extreme, but I regret to say that I can't help it. I must search this craft. If I allowed one for whom we are seeking to slip through our fingers it would bring a lot of blame down about my head." Eph now stepped back to the rail, ordering six of the sailors on board. To them he gave his orders. The party spread, going below. Eph, excusing himself to the ladies, went with the sailors. No more thorough search could have been made. Every nook and cranny of the schooner was searched, but at last Eph was obliged to admit that the man he sought was not aboard. "My apologies to everyone for all trouble caused," declared Ensign Somers. "I trust you will find it easy to believe that I have only been following my orders; and, therefore, doing my duty." "You couldn't have done less, Ensign," replied Dr. Barnard, courteously. "You couldn't have been more courteous." "Are we at liberty to proceed on our way, sir?" asked Captain Walford, as the young acting ensign went over the side. "I shall have to ask you to take the signal for that from the 'Sudbury,'" Eph answered. On the gunboat's quarter deck, following Ensign Somers's report, there was an anxious conference. "If this is the craft we've been following all the time," muttered Jack Benson, "we've a lot of hunting yet ahead of us." "Shall I signal the schooner permission to proceed, sir?" asked Ensign Fullerton. "By all means." Darkness came down over the ocean while Lieutenant Jack was sending a wireless despatch through the air to the Navy Department. <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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