Frank Reade Library: Six Sunken Pirates — page 6: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

6 SIX SUNKEN PIRATES. ‘“* Ahoy!” ‘© You fly the American flag?” ‘¢ You can see,” replied Frank. ‘s What doeg the American Government with a torpedo boat ia these waters?’ came the stern query. ‘¢ With your kind permission,” said Frank, ironically, that this is not a torpedo boat.” *¢ Not a torpedo boat?” ‘““No, air.” «( What then is she?” incredulously. ‘¢ She is a submarine boat.” ‘¢ Ah, a new form of craft; it is all the same.” us But you are dead wrong,” said Frank, testily, ‘this boat is the property of a private citizen and not of the government, She carries no guns or armament and her mission is a penceful one.” It was evident that this statement was not accepted on board the Spanish vessel, They were not satisfied. ‘‘ Your story may be true, senor,” came back from the cruiser, ‘‘ but there are discrepancies. Your vessel has all the appearance of bear- ing torpedoes. How will you prove that you did not come up uader us for the purpose of blowing us up? You may be Americans, but we believe that you are in league with the Cuban insurgents.” ‘‘You may believe what you choose,” retorted Frank, angrily. ‘¢ We did not Know that you or another craft were io this vicinity when we came to the surfuce,” ‘© Do you mean to say that that boat sails uuder water?” ** Certainly I do!” *¢ How far have you come under water?” “Fully two thousand miles!” ‘¢ And you say that you did not Know of our presence here until you came to the surface?” ‘‘T have said so once.” ‘‘ Senor Capitaine, we shall owe you an apology if we have made a mistake. But you will understand our position. Our nation is at war. We must regard with suspicion all craft of the character of yours. Have you any objection to receiving our deck officer?” ‘* Not in the least,” replied Frank. ‘Let him come along!” ‘Thank you, senor.” ‘‘ It is the best way out of it,” said Frank to Pentlow. Spaniards are hot-headed and not well informed. If we tried to run away they might really blow us out of the water. But if we prove to them our true character they will not dare molest us,” ‘*] quite agree with you,” declared Pentlow, earnestly. not afford to be rash.” The boarding crew of the cruiser were now rowing toward the sub- marine boat. The voyagers went out on deck, and the gangway was thrown out. In a very short time the Spanish boat was alongside, and the officer of the deck came on board. He was & scrupulously neat and dapper little martinet, and saluted gracefully. Frank took him over the submarine boat in its entirety. lieutenant bowed servilely and said: ‘¢So sorry, Senor Capitaine, to annoy you. flag as a mark of regret and apology.” And the Spanish cruiser fired a salute of six guns, a8 promised. Our voyagers were amply satisfied. Frank waved the American flag, and then sent the Sea Mole a trifle further out to sea. He had no inteniion of landing upon the Cuban isle, or in any way interfering with its people. It was not necessary to take bearings, for he knew where he was. ‘* Due west,” he said, ‘** will bring us to the coast of Yucatan. Once . sight of that we will drive southerly and easterly into the Caribbean ea.” ‘* It looks to me,” said the professor, ‘‘as if we were going to have a storm.” ‘Be jabers, that’s phwat I think too,” cried Barney. there’s ivery indication av it.” ‘¢ Well, let it come,” said Frank, ws Why—” began the professor. ‘* It is easy enough to see. All we have got todoisto go downa few hundred feet under the surface and we can laugh at the storm.” So the voyagers watched the oncoming of the hurricane with equan- imity. It was coming up very rapidly from the south west, Bat as they watched, Pentlow caught sight of a sail on the western horizon. He watched it a moment very intently and then cried: ‘* As I live I believe that vessel is showing a flag of distress. She 48 Surely ia trouble.” ‘‘T will state ‘“¢ These ‘¢ We can The little We shall salute your ‘¢ Shure ‘¢ it cannot harm us.” CHAPTER V. A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY. FRANK READE, JR., heard Pentlow’s words and came forward. ‘*In distress?” he exclaimed; ‘‘as I live, I believe you are right, Pentlow. Pomp, bring me my ‘best glass from the forward cabin.” ‘* A’ri¢ht, sah!” The darky very promptly returned with the glass, and Frank studied the cat and build of the distant craft. ey | eee eS “It is a coasting schooner, ” Le said, ‘and I actually believe she does fly a signal of distress.” ‘¢ What shall we do?” asked Pentlow, anxiously. ‘¢ Why—if she needs assistance we would be worse than crimina\ not to aid her,” said Frank. *¢ You are right.” ‘¢ Barney, hold the Sea Mole down fie that vessel. Send up a signal that we are coming to help her.” ‘+ All roight, sor.” Barney obeyed the command, and ran a signal up on the Sea Mole’s forward mast. It was evidently seen by the crew of the schooner. But Pentlow, who bad been watching the schooner with deepess interest, now gave a sharp cry: ‘¢We shall have to hurry, Frank! ing fast!” ‘s Pat on all speed, Barney,” said the young inventor in a low, tense voice. ‘* Don’t spare any effort.” The Sea Mole Jiterally flew over the water. ana rapidly cut down the distance. But before she could cover even half the distance there was seen a long running line of white on the horizon. Tt was the hurricane, and it was coming with the speed of the win Frank rashed into the pilot house and took the wheel from Bar- As I live, I believe she is sink- She was a fast sailer, Ye ‘¢ Bejabers, Misther Frank, I’m afraid we'll niver get. there in toime,” declared Barney. ‘“No,” said Frank tensely. schooner!” ‘‘Mercy! Can we do nothing to save them?’ cried Pentlow frantic- ally. ‘‘I tell you they are lost if we do not!” Frank crowded on all speed. But he could readily see that it was all of no avail. The gale cvertook the struggling schooner. to sight. Then it struck the submarine boat, For a moment all was confusion. The voyagers had taken the pre-e caution to retreat to the cabin and Frank closed the windows and doors hermetically. Then he saw that the storm was going to tax the strength of the boat greatly. There was nothing now that could be done for the schooner. Great wavegran over the Sea Mole completely enguifing her at times. Had she been other than a submarine boat she must have succumbed to the storm many times. Frank finally devided that the schooner was past any aid which he could render her. So he pressed the tank valve. Instantly the submarine boat went down under the surface. The water here was not at a great depth so that the bottom very soon came to view. Frank sent the search-light’s rays ahead, ard for somewhile the submarine boat kept on under the sea. ‘“‘God kelp the poor souls on that She was instantly lost There was much discussion as to the probable fate of the schooner. . ‘*T don’t see how she could possibly outride the storm,” ssid Pent- low. ‘‘ It is terrible to think of the fate of her crew, and we unable to help them.” ‘‘The bed of the ocean is strewn with unfortunate wrecks,” said Frank. ‘* On my word, I believe there is one now. What! Does not that look very much like the schooner” Sare enough, right in the search-light’s pathway there lay a sunken vessel. She was a schooner. Both masts had gone by the board, and she certainly bad not been in her present position for long. ‘¢That is the vessel!” cried Pentlow, eagerly, ‘‘ How awful! Of course, her crew went down with her.” The words had barely left his lips, when a great cry of horror went up. It was at an awful spectacle which they beheld. Down through the water there sank a man’s form. was beating wildly With his arma, Doubtless he was one of the crew who had leaped overbéard with a life buoy or some support and in hopes of saving his life. Frank Reade, Jr., acted with marvalous quickness. The submarine boat shot down like a fiash to the spot where the drowning man lay. Then Frank quickly pulled from its case a diving helmet and chem- ical reservoir. He donned it and Barney donned another. In a9 moment more both were in the vestibule. It was flooded and then they rushed out on deck. All this was done with great dispatch. But inacase of drowning infinitesimal fractions of a second are most vital. In a few moments the two divers reached the side of the drowning man. They picked him up and rashed for the vestibule. Into it they leaped and shut the door. The water was instantly expelled and Frank held the limp form of the victim of the sea over his arm. ‘‘ Begorra, it’s too slate, Misther Frank,” cried Barney. the poor sowl is dead.” ‘¢On my word, I fear that is true,” eaid Frank, will not give up yet.” Nor did they. . Every effort was made to’resuscitate the unfortunate man. Several pinies it seemed as if he would rally. But euch time he suffered a re> apse, Time was precious. But in vain. Even now he. ‘¢ Shure ** However, we Vigorously the rescuers worked. NOOLKS (CO) AMC (CO)