Part 36 (1/2)

And then as if some sudden idea had struck him, he rushed from the bridge, and while the Little Peace Maker was slowly pa.s.sing over the plaza in front of the Palace, the men on the bridge saw with a mingled feeling of horror and delight a large black object, which resembled a submarine mine, dropping from the port side of the s.h.i.+p, and they stood in breathless expectation of seeing the hideous Renaissance monument, erected by Schluter, blown to atoms. When the sinister-looking cylinder struck the pavement it exploded, but instead of death and destruction the flaggings were strewn with egg-sh.e.l.ls, coffee-grounds, and garbage.

”I always did like that French chef,” said Lawrence when he returned to the bridge, gasping for breath.

”I am sorry,” he added, ”that we didn't have our little lynching bee this afternoon, but the sinking of a billion dollars' worth of battles.h.i.+ps must be almost as much fun as hanging a 'kink.'”

They were now going at top speed, and after waiting about for some time and finding that Edestone did not return to the bridge, he went to his room and dressed for dinner.

At dinner Edestone appeared, but he was very quiet.

”Lawrence,” he said, ”you must forgive me, but I really am not myself. I cannot recall at any time in my entire life when I was ever so angry as I was this afternoon. I think they call it 'seeing red.'”

”You were 'seeing red' all right,” said Lawrence, ”and you certainly got my goat.”

”If one of the men on this s.h.i.+p had been killed, after that pledge had been given for their safety, I do not know what I would have done.”

”Exactly what do you propose to do?”

”I intend to wreck and destroy everything in this country that will be of the slightest use to them for military purposes. Today it is Kiel with its s.h.i.+ps, s.h.i.+pyards, and dry-docks; tomorrow, Krupps; and so on until they will have to stop fighting for the lack of munitions of war. I shall endeavour as far as possible to avoid loss of life, but,”

with an ironical smile, ”if these people wish to indulge in a fanatical display of heroism and patriotism, I shall allow them the privilege of sinking with their s.h.i.+ps, or dying with their pet inventions.”

With everything closed down tight they were fast approaching Kiel, and going up into the conning tower Edestone and Lawrence were able to see the entire German fleet. His message had evidently been received, but the commanders, instead of accepting his warning, had steam up, were stripped for action, and with flags flying were making for the open sea.

Edestone, as quietly as if he were standing on the bridge of the _Storm Queen_ giving instructions for the next day's cruise, turned to ”Specs.”

”Go out and circle them,” he said, ”meet the leading s.h.i.+p, and then with every gun, aerial torpedo, and bomb dropper destroy them.”

The air was soon filled with the most frightful conflict that had ever taken place in the heavens above, on the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth. Every s.h.i.+p in the fleet was, as far as possible, training all of her guns on them, while they, moving at the rate of thirty knots, were sailing around and around, dropping bombs on those under them, bombarding with their great 16-inch guns the distant s.h.i.+ps, while the smaller guns rendered the middle distance untenable to any s.h.i.+p yet built by man.

In the course of an hour not one of the German s.h.i.+ps could be seen above the water, and Edestone, with none of his usual kindness of heart and sympathy for others, leaving to their fate the dead and dying that filled the sea beneath them, gave the orders to destroy the s.h.i.+pyards and dry-docks before it was too dark.

For a week this rain of destruction was continued day after day until his prophecy had been fulfilled, and Germany, driven to her knees, was suing for peace.

CHAPTER x.x.xVI

THINK OF IT! WHY NOT?

Edestone, in the meantime, through Sir Egbert Graves, had communicated with the King of England, politely calling His Majesty's attention to what he was doing, and begging that he would call upon his Allies to stop all hostilities, and intimating that the same treatment would be meted out to any who declined to comply with His Majesty's request.

He also suggested that it was his sincere hope that His Majesty would call to a conference the representatives of the nations of Europe to discuss the settling of all questions that had caused the war, or had grown out of it, as well as the possible methods of securing for the world perpetual peace.

He stated that he would put at His Majesty's disposal the Little Peace Maker if it were necessary in order to accomplish this.

He intimated that, if it were perpetual peace that was sought, much time and many lives would be saved if all would, of their own accord, each for himself, do what he was doing for Germany as fast as possible, namely, destroy all s.h.i.+ps and implements of war.

This raised a storm of protest, and international notes burned the ether of s.p.a.ce as they flashed back and forth. Even the United States entered the controversy, seeming to have at last found something sufficiently threatening to her interests and insulting to her dignity to cause her to take her place with the other nations of the world.

Edestone was inundated with communications from the different nations, drawn in the most bombastic manner; for although they must have by this time realized that they were absolutely in his power, they were unable to set aside the boastful method of addressing their fellow-men which they had inherited from their savage ancestors, who, standing half-naked around the council fire, tried by this method to throw terror into the hearts of their listeners.