Boy Scouts in the North Sea Part 18

"If, as I suspect," he stated presently, "the package contained information valuable for the 'U-13' do you not understand why Mackinder would be glad to get possession of it? The 'U-13' is a German craft!"

"Oh, yes," cried Ned. "And the two countries are at war!"

"And you will also understand why, under the circ.u.mstances, we must feel honored by your presence, as well as that of Mackinder, for a little time. Just now we should hate to see you go!"

"Then we are going to be prisoners?" asked Jimmie.

"Oh, no! Nothing so harsh as that!" rea.s.sured the other. "We will call it simply guests for the time being. That sounds better!"

"Would you mind telling us what Mackinder had to say about us?" inquired Ned. "We would like very much to know that!"

"Consider," temporized the officer, "how little time there has been since we first sighted you for conversation of any sort!"

"Yes," agreed the lad, "but he has told you something!"

"Nothing of importance!" declared the other, rising to indicate that the interview was at an end. "You will be given quarters forward, where you will receive every consideration until we reach our destination."

"Where are you bound, Captain?" asked Jimmie.

"Our destination just now is a lonely island in the North Sea," answered the other. "It is heavily guarded, so you will be in no danger."

"Does Mackinder go ash.o.r.e, too?" Jimmie continued.

"That has not been decided yet," replied the commander. He touched a b.u.t.ton, summoning an orderly. "Take these young gentlemen forward and see that they want no comfort. They are our guests!" he ordered.

In a few minutes the boys were seated at a table in the forecastle, where they were provided with a great profusion of well-cooked food from the sailors' mess. With sharpened appet.i.tes they fell to eagerly.

Since none of the members of the crew with whom they came in contact seemed able to speak English the boys were forced to content themselves with speculating on their destination.

They knew that the torpedo boat destroyer had been headed nearly northeast when it overhauled, and picked them up. They also knew that in this direction lay the entrance to the river Elbe and the Kiel s.h.i.+p ca.n.a.l, but whether the boat was making for some port in that vicinity they were unable to learn.

Keenly as the lads regretted their lack of definite information they were not inclined to become despondent. They found it possible by using signs to carry on a sort of desultory conversation with the members of the crew, who had gathered out of curiosity in their vicinity.

At length Frank jumped from his seat with an exclamation.

"I'll bet I know where we're going!" he announced, gleefully.

"So do I!" stated Jimmie in a nonchalant manner.

"Where?" asked Frank, somewhat crestfallen. "Aw, you don't either!" he declared, after searching his comrade's face intently.

"All right," admitted Jimmie, laughing. "I just wanted to take some of that overconfidence out of your system, that's all!"

"Where do you think we are bound for, Frank?" inquired Ned.

Frank placed a finger on his lips, glancing about to make sure that no one was close enough to overhear his whispered words.

"Helgoland!" he said, cautiously.

Instantly the others jumped to their feet, slapping Frank's shoulders, shaking his hands and otherwise showing their appreciation of his shrewdness. Their enthusiasm could scarcely be restrained.

"Sherlock Shaw, The Scout Sleuth!" shouted Jimmie.

"Frank, you're the real, old-fas.h.i.+oned guesser!" declared Jack.

"How did you do it, Frank?" asked Harry, admiringly.

"Well, the commander said we were destined for a lonely island in the North Sea that was heavily guarded. I guess Helgoland fits that description right enough. Besides, as I remember the geography of these parts, that's about the first land we'd strike going on this course."

"But I understand that is a sort of naval base," put in Harry. "Isn't that the island where the Germans are fitting out so many of their Zeppelins? Seems to me I read something about that in a paper."

"That's the very place!" put in Ned. "The paper said it was a lonely, rocky island, difficult of approach and quite well fortified."

"And book agents, canva.s.sers, peddlers and rag men are not allowed there at all!" a.s.serted Jimmie, gravely.

"Take his pie away!" shouted Jack. "He's raving again!"

"And you have to deliver all goods in the rear," added Jimmie, as Jack reached for the plate containing the lad's breakfast.

"Hurry up, let's finish this food and get out on deck, where we will be able to see something," suggested Harry. "This is interesting!"

Directly the boys were standing in the lee of a deck house eagerly scanning the horizon for some sign of the island where they expected to be landed as prisoners of war.

The gale gave no hint of abating. Indeed, the motion of the waves was much more noticeable. Jack attributed this partly to the build of the craft, whose lines were sharper than those of the Lena k.n.o.bloch. The sharp prow cut the water like a knife, while the slender, tapering stern slipped through the seas without making a roller of large proportions.

Presently, just as Jack declared he could see a blue smudge in the distance, indicating the presence of land, the lads were joined by Mackinder. He glanced at the group without speaking.

Speedily the vessel approached the object that had been sighted.

An officer drew near. He conducted Mackinder toward the stern.

As the craft slowed slightly to enter a harbor Jimmie grasped Ned's arm.

He pointed eagerly toward several large objects on land.

"There is a whole flock of Zeppelins," he declared. "And as I live," he continued, "I see a bunch of submarines at that dock over there!"

"There must be a dozen or more!" gasped Frank, in amazement.

CHAPTER XII

A NEW "U-13" APPEARS

Eagerly the lads gazed at the strange sights before them. On their right rose several huge buildings; evidently workshops. On the left they could see a field devoted to the erection and testing of several gigantic dirigibles. Everywhere they saw bustling activity on the part of the numerous workmen. Sentries paced about with arms in readiness.

"That fleet of submarines looks to me as if Germany were preparing to destroy every s.h.i.+p in the world!" stated Jack presently, as the destroyer on which they stood pa.s.sed the undersea craft.