Part 5 (2/2)
Right after the start, Williamson, a grown man and machinist, dropped below. Eph Somers stood beside the young submarine captain.
For some minutes both boys gazed out over the waters. Then Eph remarked:
”Well, we got away without being overhauled by a j.a.p or a Russian, didn't we?”
”I don't know,” smiled Jack, unsuspectingly. ”See that launch over to port? Hanged if she doesn't seem to be putting toward us.”
”She does,” admitted Eph, solemnly. ”Oh, well, with a few more turns of the screw we can easily get away from that launch.”
For some moments Captain Jack paid no especial heed to the launch bearing down upon them on the port side. He noted only, at the distance, that the launch contained two men. Presently, however, as the launch came nearer, Captain Benson made a discovery.
”Eph,” he gasped, ”look over there! Are my eyes going back on me, or is that a j.a.panese in the bow of the launch?”
”j.a.panese?” gasped Eph Somers, in turn. ”Nothing but!”
Eph made a swift dive for the box that contained the signal flags used in the international marine signaling code. Moving swiftly, young Somers selected the two flags representing ”N” and ”D.” These he strung to the halliard of the short signal mast forward. Nor was he ahead of time, for by this time the launch had described part of a circle, and was coming up alongside.
In the bow of the launch stood the j.a.panese, smiling, and holding a megaphone in his hand.
”Submarine, a-ho-o-o-oy!” came the hail. ”Will you slow down? I have something to say to you.”
Up flew the signal flags, fluttering in the breeze. Then Eph s.n.a.t.c.hed up a megaphone, holding the smaller end to his mouth.
”Launch ahoy!” he shouted back. ”Just tell your folks that you saw our signal!”
The j.a.panese read the fluttering flags, then called back:
”N.D.? What does that mean?”
Hoa.r.s.ely Eph Somers bellowed back:
”_Nothing doing!_”
CHAPTER III
THE MAN WHO MARKED CHARTS
It was a little before midnight when the ”Spitfire” came to anchor in Craven's Bay, after having been piloted to anchorage by a quartermaster's tug that put off from Fort Craven on signal.
”Fine place, if your searchlight is keen enough,” yawned Eph, gazing off into the darkness.
Eph and Williamson had slept through the evening, after supper, and were now to take the night watch tricks, the machinist's deck watch beginning at once and lasting until four in the morning.
About an hour after daylight, Eph Somers deserted the deck, except for occasional intervals. After a while the odor of coffee and steak was in the air. Then, s.n.a.t.c.hing up a bugle, Somers sounded the reveille tumultuously through the small cabin of the submarine torpedo boat.
Not long did the other members of the crew take to turn out and dress.
They came out into the cabin to find Eph trotting between table and galley, putting things on the table.
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