Part 20 (2/2)
”It looks as if they are expecting a crew from some place and want the boat ready for duty as soon as the crew arrives!” stated Ned.
Further conversation was cut short by the arrival of the orderly.
”Essen?” he inquired, pointing at his mouth and rubbing his belt.
”Don't say it twice!” cried Jimmie. ”We heard you the first time!”
The boys prepared to follow the orderly, who evidently intended to escort them to the mess hall, where they would secure dinner.
As they turned toward the iron ladder leading to the hatch Jimmie, who had followed close upon the orderly's heels, cried out:
”h.e.l.lo, Mackinder, where you from?”
CHAPTER XIII
A THREATENING SITUATION
”Who's there, Jimmie?” asked Ned, pressing forward.
”n.o.body now,” answered the other. ”I thought I saw our friend Mackinder looking down the hatchway, but possibly I was mistaken. At any rate he's gone now and we'd better hurry on for dinner.”
”Mackinder's a prisoner here,” stated Ned, positively.
”Maybe he broke loose,” suggested Harry.
”All right, I'm going up to the deck and look about,” said Ned.
As the boys reached the narrow confines of the small deck at the top of the conning tower they saw a figure hastening along the foot planks that led from vessel to vessel. The fleeing person was now almost at the building on the wharf. In a moment the shelter of this structure had been gained. The figure dodged out of sight.
”Now, that's a funny thing to do!” mused Ned. ”I wonder just what the fellow wanted. Are you sure it was Mackinder, Jimmie?”
”No, I'm not,” admitted the lad. ”Of course, the face was in shadow as he looked down the hatch. I'm not positive, but thought it was he.”
”Well, let's not bother about it any more,” said Ned, apparently dismissing the subject. ”We're too hungry for any more mysteries!”
As only hungry boys can the five attacked the ample dinner provided for them. The dishes were strange but appetizing. Jimmie declared that he intended to remain in that location for some time in order to become acquainted with the chef. He said that he would be the envy of the entire Wolf Patrol if he could cook in German style.
After dinner the boys gathered in the lee of a small building, where they would be protected from the chilling blasts. Puffy squalls, bearing dashes of snow, sleet or rain, came thres.h.i.+ng out of the west. It appeared to the lads that the weather was growing decidedly worse.
In spite of the inclement weather a number of the hardy workmen were indulging in out of door sports during their rest hour.
For some time the lads watched the games as the hardy men relaxed their work-tensed muscles. The sullen booming of surf on the rocky coast constantly sounded in their ears.
”There goes our late rescuer!” announced Jimmie presently.
”Where?” asked Frank. ”Whom do you mean?”
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