"No one here," he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed.

He was right. Davis and the others had gone; and though Jack did not know it, they were at that moment aft haranguing the crew, who had gathered about them eagerly.

Every man aboard the ship was now armed, for Lord Hastings had decided it would be inadvisable to relieve them of their weapons--it would have aroused their suspicions--and they were receiving Davis' proposals with satisfaction. It seemed that they had long harbored such thoughts and all that had been needed to egg them on had been a leader. They seemed to have found one in Davis.

"Then you men are with me?" asked Davis, his face flushed with pleasure.

The answer was a cheer; and the cheer carried to Jack, who was still in Davis' quarters. It told the lad what had happened just as well as though he had been present and overheard the conversation.

"Quick men! Back to the bridge!" the lad exclaimed.

He dashed forward, but he was not quick enough.

As he left Davis' cabin the Germans appeared in the little pa.s.sageway aft, Davis in advance. He saw Jack the same moment the latter saw him and both raised their revolvers and fired. But neither had paused to take careful aim and both bullets went wide of their mark.

Edwards and the two other British sailors now sprang into the little pa.s.sageway and levelled their revolvers at the foe. For a brief moment the Germans hesitated, and in that moment the British poured in a volley. Two men fell, another groaned, and two cursed--while at a shouted command from Davis, the fire was returned.

The sailor McDonald flung wide his arms and toppled to the floor.

"Back, sir!" cried Edwards. "They are too many for us."

The three retreated along the pa.s.sageway until they reached the ladder leading to the bridge.

"You first, sir!" said Edwards, at the same time firing down the pa.s.sage.

Jack hung back.

"After you," he replied.

"Don't be a fool now," said Edwards. "Hurry, while I hold them off."

Again he fired at the crowd of German faces down the pa.s.sage, as did O'Brien.

Jack hesitated no longer and climbed the ladder rapidly.

"You next, O'Brien," said Edwards.

O'Brien sprang to the ladder, but a bullet from a German revolver halted him halfway. He toppled over without a word. Edwards glanced at him quickly once, saw that he was beyond help, and sprang to the ladder himself.

A bullet struck him in the side but it did not stop him. Jack, at the top, lent the man a helping hand, and a moment later Edwards stood beside him on the deck.

"No time to waste, sir," said the sailor. "Over the side with you, quick!"

Jack flung himself into the river as Davis showed his face on deck.

CHAPTER XXI.

AT SEA AGAIN.

Edwards, also about to leap overboard at that moment, paused, raised his revolver, took careful aim at Davis and fired. Davis uttered a hoa.r.s.e cry, dropped his own weapon, and crumpled up on the deck. Edwards smiled grimly, dropped his revolver and leaped lightly into the water.

He came up a moment later beside Jack, who was treading water while he awaited him.

"Which way, sir?" asked Edwards. "You know where we are. I don't."

"This," said Jack, "is the Thames. We'll have no trouble making sh.o.r.e.

Follow me."

Edwards did so and a few moments later both stood dripping on land.

"Now where to, sir?" asked Edwards.

"We'll have to hunt up Lord Hastings. He's gone to make his report to the British authorities. By inquiring a bit we should have no trouble finding him."

The lad was right. A subordinate officer directed them to the quarters of General Hamilton, where Jack felt sure he would find his commander.

At the door of the general's quarters an orderly halted them.

"Is Lord Hastings here?" demanded Jack.

"He is closeted with the general," was the reply.

"Well," said Jack, "you tell him his first officer is here and wants to see him immediately."

The orderly hesitated, but a second look at Jack and he did as commanded. A moment later Lord Hastings dashed out, closely followed by Frank.

"What's wrong?" he demanded.

"Nothing, only that we have been chased off the submarine," replied Jack quietly. "Davis headed a conspiracy to capture the vessel and I was unable to act quickly enough. Edwards and I escaped."

"And O'Brien and McDonald?" inquired Lord Hastings.

"Dead!"

"How about Davis and the others? Weren't you able to account for any of them?"

"A few, sir," returned Jack briefly, "but Davis----"

"I think I got Davis, sir," Edwards interrupted quietly. "I took a shot at him just before I went over the side. He went down."

"I'm glad to hear that," returned Lord Hastings. "He is too dangerous a man to be at large. Besides, without him, the Germans will hardly get very far."

He turned to General Hamilton, who had followed him from his room, and added: "If you'll be so kind as to give me a detail of ten men, sir, I'll go and see about this matter. It may be that we can recapture the vessel."

General Hamilton acted quickly. He summoned an orderly and commanded that ten men be placed at Lord Hastings' disposal immediately. The men appeared on the run a moment later and Lord Hastings led them toward the river, where they all embarked in a small motorboat and headed for the spot where they had left the submarine.