Part 32 (1/2)

”Better wait a bit and see what he wants us to do,” cautioned Ned. ”Maybe he's going to cut the line out of our propeller.”

The lad's prediction was correct. In a very few moments they could hear the stranger working away at the enc.u.mbering line which held their propeller in a vise-like grip.

Not many minutes pa.s.sed before the stranger again appeared at the porthole. Making a few signals easily comprehended by all, he repaired to his own craft, entering and closing the door of the air lock.

Almost immediately the other craft began to ascend perpendicularly.

”Guess we may as well make a mooch!” stated Jimmie, as he watched the other submarine rise out of their range of vision. ”We're done here!”

”All right, let's get going!” agreed Harry, stepping toward the levers and preparing to start the motors at the pilot's command.

At once Jimmie sprang to the wheel. He gave a pull at the bell cord, jangling out a ”go ahead” signal to Harry. As the latter touched the levers a startling crash at the stern of the craft was heard.

The motors spun the shaft around futilely without making headway.

With blanched faces the lads glanced about the craft. Harry's hand instinctively sought the levers again to turn off the current.

”What's the matter?” called Jimmie from his position.

”I don't know!” declared Harry. ”It sounded as if that fellow had tied a can to us and we'd set it going! What did he do?”

”Let's pump the ballast out and rise straight to the surface,” suggested Ned. ”I noticed that he did that. Maybe there's a reason!”

Harry lost no time in acting on this suggestion. The electric pumps were not long in emptying the ballast tanks. With this weight removed, the boat quickly shot upward to the surface.

As the conning tower portholes rose above the surface, the boys noticed that the afternoon was far spent. Darkness already was gathering.

Ned was working frantically at the clamps securing the hatch cover. With a cry of delight he swung the cover out of position, admitting a cool breeze. The wind had died down, leaving the surface of the ocean comparatively smooth. Sufficient breeze was moving, however, to serve the purpose of airing out the interior of the craft without putting the great fans into commission. All the boys came to the tiny deck.

Lying but a few fathoms from their port side they discerned the other submarine. Clearly distinguishable on the sides were the great letters ”U-13” painted in almost exact duplicate of those on their own boat.

”What do you know about that?” was Jimmie's surprised exclamation. ”If that fellow isn't a dead ringer for this s.h.i.+p, I'm a Dutchman!”

”He surely does look a whole lot like us!” agreed Ned.

”I say, Frank,” put in Harry eagerly, ”is that the fellow that sank the s.h.i.+p you were on? Can you identify it now?”

Frank shook his head hesitatingly before he answered slowly: ”Boys, I hate to say it, but it looks as like the other as two peas. I would not like to make an affidavit, but I'm willing to say that it bears a most remarkable resemblance to that other one, if it is 'other'!”

”Then, I guess we're done for!” despaired Jack. ”If that's a German craft, we may as well hoist the white flag now and surrender!”

”Think they'll take us back to Germany?” asked Ned quizzically.

”I'm sure of it!” declared the boy. ”And we won't stand much show, either, when they find that we've stolen this s.h.i.+p away from Helgoland!”

”Goodness!” exclaimed Ned suddenly. ”I declare I'd actually forgotten that we were on board a stolen submarine. That does make it look rather dubious for us. We are in a pretty mess!” he added.

”Here comes someone now!” announced Jimmie. ”Watch the hatch!”

A movement of the hatch cover on the other vessel indicated that someone was about to appear on deck. Slowly a figure stepped forth.