The Boy Allies with Uncle Sam's Cruisers Part 41

"Rifles, yes," was the reply, "but few big guns. They feel so secure in their hiding places that they have made use of their guns mostly to arm merchant raiders."

"I see," said Jack. "Well, we'll have to leave something to chance.

Now the question arises as how best to destroy the place, submarines and all."

"Well, I can fix that, too," said Captain Jack. "Bombs are the things to do the trick. Half a dozen bombs scattered about and timed nicely, and there won't be a German submarine base at this time tomorrow."

"All right so far as the land side goes," said Frank, "but how about the submarines?"

"Mines," said Captain Jack quietly, "timed to explode simultaneously with the bombs ash.o.r.e. You can lay them from the submarine."

"By Jove!" said Jack. "You'd make a first cla.s.s combined general-admiral, Captain Jack," declared Captain Glenn.

Captain Jack smiled slowly.

"I've had all this planned for many a day," he said quietly. "I didn't know when the Germans might declare war on me, and when they did I was determined to exterminate them."

"Well, plans thus being decided upon," said Frank, "there is nothing to do but await the hour of departure."

They discussed the plans in detail while they waited, however. At four o'clock Captain Jack got to his feet.

"Time to get busy," he said.

CHAPTER XXIX

IN THE NIGHT

Frank took command of the submarine. As he had feared, there was some protest among the men Captain Jack had decided upon to man the vessel, but the pirate chief soon overcame this. Therefore, when the submarine put off from Kaiserland, the men were anxious to obey the lad's every order.

From the fort to the place where the submarine lay the paths of both land and sea parties lay together. According to Captain Jack's calculations the start from this point, if made simultaneously by land and sea forces, would enable both to reach their destination at approximately the same hour, if the submarine was held to five knots an hour. It had been deemed advisable for the undersea craft to go some distance from land and then run south submerged.

From the deck of the submarine Frank waved a band to his friends on sh.o.r.e. The others stood watching while the vessel crept through the water. At length, upon Frank's order, it submerged.

Captain Jack ordered his men south.

The land party now was divided into three sections. Captain Jack led the main body, composed of twelve men. Jack had the same number under his command. Counting Timothy and Allen, Captain Glenn commanded thirteen men.

While Jack was nominally in command of the party, it had been decided that it would be wise to let Captain Jack show the way, this because the pirates would feel more secure under his guidance. They moved south at a rapid walk.

Darkness fell and still the marchers made their way through the thick trees and underbrush. The march would be a long one, so after two hours' walking, Captain Jack slowed his men down a trifle.

At 10 o'clock Captain Jack called a halt in the darkness. He glanced at his watch by the dim light of the moon, and pa.s.sed the word for Jack and Captain Glenn, who approached a moment later.

"Half an hour's march and we shall be within sight of the base," said Captain Jack. "The Germans have felled trees between them and the forest proper, apparently with the idea of preventing a surprise from this direction. We'll have to trust to luck and the darkness to get us safely across opening."

"We'll take it at a run," said Captain Glenn.

"That will be the best way," Captain Jack agreed, "but I figure we had better approach from different points. Templeton, I'll wait here with my men while you make a quarter of a mile detour to the right. Captain Glenn, you do the same to the left. I'll wait here fifteen minutes.

When you see the first of my men move across the opening, you follow suit."

"A good idea," was Jack's comment.

"Don't forget," Captain Jack said, "that the main thing is to get the bombs planted without being discovered. If we can do that without interruption, it would even be well to draw off without firing a shot.

But the bombs must be placed squarely within the German settlement or our work will count for nothing."

"Right you are, Captain," said Captain Glenn.

"Very good, then. Now, you fellows get to your places and then move toward the clearing. As soon as you see my men moving across the opening, advance."

Jack and Captain Glenn returned to their commands and gave the necessary marching orders. The men moved off in the darkness.

Less than an hour later Jack stood in the shelter of a large tree at the very edge of the clearing. In the distance he could make out what appeared to be numerous buildings. This was the point, the lad felt sure, where the blow would be struck.

In his left hand Jack carried a small but powerful bomb, which had been provided by Captain Jack. The fuse attached would burn fifteen minutes. In the time after it was lighted this meant that the attacking party had fifteen minutes to get out of the way before the explosion occurred. Captain Glenn and Captain Jack carried similar explosives.

Jack kept his eyes upon the place where Captain, Jack's party soon was to move across the open. For five minutes he gazed without result, and then he saw several shadowy figures stealing across the clearing.

Jack turned to his men with a command.

"March!" he ordered.

He placed himself at their head and they dashed through the darkness at a run.

A quarter of a mile on the other side of Captain Jack's party, Captain Glenn also had ordered his men forward.

Meanwhile, what of Frank and the submarine?

Shaping his course by the chart which Captain Jack had given him, Frank kept the course accurately. The speed of the vessel was maintained at five knots, in accordance with Captain Jack's calculations. As Frank's watch showed half past eleven, he felt that the time to exercise the greatest caution had come.

The lad turned the wheel over to Williams and took the latter's place at the periscope. Directly he was able to make out the coast line, and even at this distance he felt certain that he could make out a long row of buildings in the background. The submarine was, of course, still too far away for possible vessels, which would lie low on the water, to be within the lad's range of vision.

"Where are the mines?" the lad asked Williams.

"Foot of the ladder, sir," was the reply.

"Fuses attached?"

"Yes, sir, and anchors, too, sir."

"Good! Of course, we'll have to come to the surface to let them go."

"Of course, sir."

"Then be ready when I give the word. I can't pick up any submarines at this distance, but they may all be upon the surface as well as resting beneath the water."

"I'm ready, sir."