Part 13 (2/2)

”Gug o tot, 'e mum, gug o i nun gug, sus o mum e!” exclaimed Kent with such a mischievous twinkle in his eye that the two officers bristled their moustaches in a fury of curiosity.

”Yack o u, bub e tut!” was Jim's cryptic rejoinder.

For the benefit of my readers who have never whiled away the golden hours of childhood with Tutno or who have perchance forgotten it, I reckon (being a Southerner myself, I shall say reckon) I had better explain the intricacies of the language. Tutno is a language which is spoken by spelling and every letter sounds like a word. The vowels remain the same as in English but the consonants are formed by adding u and then the same consonant again. For instance: M is mum; N is nun; T is tut; R is rur. There are a few exceptions which vary in different localities making the language slightly different in the states. In Kentucky, C is sank; Y is yack; J is jug. Now when Jim exclaimed: ”Yack o u bub e tut!” he conveyed the simple remark: ”You bet!” to Kent's knowing ears.

Kent had opened the conversation by the brilliant remark: ”Jim, can you speak Tutno?” and Jim had answered: ”Sure!” Then Kent had come back with: ”Got 'em going some!”

The Kentuckians were in great distress when they realized that no doubt the sinking of the _Hirondelle de Mer_ had been reported in the United States and that their families must be in a state of doubt as to their whereabouts. They had requested the Captain to let them send a message if possible, and he had told them with great frankness that in war time the women must expect to be uncertain. Two more s.h.i.+ps had been sunk since they had been taken on board, but they were kept in ignorance as to what s.h.i.+ps they were or what had been the fate of the crew or pa.s.sengers. They knew that some men had been added to the number of prisoners on board, but as they were kept in a compartment to themselves, they never saw them.

Between operations, when the submarine came up on top of the water and all on board swarmed on deck to smoke and enjoy the fresh air and suns.h.i.+ne, Kent and Jim were politely conducted down into the cabin after they were deemed to have had enough, and then the other prisoners, whoever they were, were evidently given an airing.

After our young men started their Tutno game they were never left alone one minute. Such a powwowing as went on after it was reported was never beheld. It was evidently considered of grave international importance.

Once they found their keeper taking furtive notes. Evidently they hoped to gain something by finding out what the Americans were saying.

The plentiful food that had at first been served to them was growing more meagre and less choice. There was nothing but a small portion of black bread with very bad b.u.t.ter and a cup of coffee for breakfast; a stew of a nondescript canned meat and more black bread for dinner, and for supper nothing but black bread with a smearing of marmalade.

Jim's superfluous flesh began to go and Kent got as lean as a grey hound.

”Pup rur o vuv i sus i o nun sus, lul o wuv, I rur e sack kuk o nun!”

said Jim, tightening his belt.

It had been more than two weeks since the sinking of the _Hirondelle_ and the young men were growing very weary of the life. Their misery was increasing because of the uncertainty they knew their families must be in. No respite was in sight. They could tell by the balmy air when they were allowed on deck that they were further south than they had been when they were struck, but where, they had not the slightest idea.

”The water looks as it does around Burmuda, but surely we are not over there,” said Kent in Tutno.

”The Lord knows where we are!” answered Jim in the same language.

”I wish the brutes would let us telegraph our folks, somehow. They could do it if they chose. They can do anything, these Prussians.” When Kent said Prussians in Tutno: ”Pup rur u sus sus i nun sus,” the young officer whose turn it was to guard them whipped out his note book and examined it closely.

”Sus often repeated!” he muttered.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE ”SIGNY.”

”The orders of the Commander are for the Americans to disembark!”

A lieutenant clicked his heels in front of our friends and saluted.

”Bub u lul lul yack!” shouted Jim. ”Where? When?”

”Immediately!”

The submarine was on the surface of the water, but Jim and Kent had been ushered below, evidently to give their mysterious fellow prisoners a turn at the deck. They were never allowed to see them, and to this day are absolutely ignorant as to who they were or how many or of what nationality.

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