Commander Lawless V.C.

t being the first enemy airship ever brought down north of the Tweed. Lawless was, of course, the hero of the moment, and the illustrated papers overflowe

bent public, which refused to read, discuss or hear about anything but Flight-Lieutenant Lawles

ly sickening," remarked

d Sub-Lieutenant Trent had seized the opportun

and cameras; I was surrounded and outnumbered. It's true I flung a pot of beef tea at one interviewer's head and made good practice with s

ded sympa

hotographs either," he remarked

cious glance at his

before I'd shaved. I'm going to drop a bomb

as broken to him by his uncle, a retired major, with whom he spent the last few days of his convalescence. Animated by a delicacy which his nephew fully understood and appreciated, th

which had hitherto escaped his memory, "I wanted t

the Lieutenant

o cost me a th

ated Lawless

g of your exploit. I kept out of it as long as I could, naturally, but when Sir John Carver started in to declare that it was nothing more than an accident, a mere stroke of luck, I got angry. Sir John, though

e armholes of his waistcoat in that detestable manner of his and said, 'I'll bet you a thousand pounds that your nephew doesn't bring d

nd there was a long

wless presently, "you

he major, "to arguing with a

t a thousand pounds, especially in wartime, is-well, a thousand pounds, and the

a while, "it's up to me to see tha

r-manage to bring down a Zeppelin within the

ous responsibility which had

to you against an over-indulg

remember," he added, brightening up, "the thousand pounds is yours if

wn a 'Zep'-which isn't at all likely, I'm afraid-I'

be sent to the Front. In this, however, he was again doomed to disappointment; for, much to

sand pounds becoming more visionary than ever. Certainly there was not much chance of enco

ied the whole morning, and at noon the Lieutenant decided on a "stand-easy" so that Cassidy might partake of the lunch he had brought with him. Th

of ever bringing down another Zeppelin. Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by the flickering of the needle attached to the wirel

ead. Then followed the latitude and longitude of the

ejaculated t

ed Cassidy, with his mout

've got a long flight in fr

nditions, the Lieutenant hoped to reach her in a little over half an hour. A glance at the petrol gauges showed that the supply was running low and that there was only enough left to carry the machine seventy or eighty miles, which would mean abou

twenty-five minutes, Lawless made out what looked like a cloud of black smoke rising vertically above the mist. A few moments afterwards he could see the hull of a large steamer with a heavy list to starboard and so low down at the bows that her propellers were raised above the water. The Lieutenant

of the ship, Lawless determined to board her and make a hasty search in case some sick or helpless person had been overlooked at the last moment-such things had occurred

, "stand by till I return. This packet

board that floatin' coffin, beggin

e sure that nobod

s meself that's coming wid ye, sorr," said the Iri

ed Lawless, thinking the man migh

they slid, rather than walked, towards the main staircase. Descending this, they reached a vestibule, giving access to a magnificent saloon and also to a couple of long, narrow alleyways upon which the cabins op

the port side and I'll take those on

ers had only had sufficient time to collect a few necessary articles before taking to the boats. All the starboard cabins proved to be empty, and, having reached the end of the alleyway, the Lieutenant cro

sorr, come q

way, followed by one of the huge iron girders that supported the deck above. He was thus cut off by a wall of blazing débris unless the starboard alleyway, through which he had just passed, wa

e it was held up by the fallen girder, one end of which rested on the framework of the deck above. If he could only crawl through that and right underneath the smouldering furnace he might succeed in reaching the other side. So, dropping on all fou

st emerged safely on the other side. For a moment or two he was blinded by the sm

the saints be praised!" cried the

have you fo

ed down in his bunk yonder, and, though I've

ere's no time to lose, for this pack

g mass. Between them they managed to remove enough of the wreckage to admit of his being dragged out of the berth. As they carried him from the cabin there came a thunderous crash, and Lawless saw the end of the

av us, sorr,"

d while the mechanic set up a lugubrious wail Lawless start

are!" he

deck, and Cassidy, looking down after Lawless had removed this

ibly we may reach the for'a'd deck. At any rate, it's our only chance. I'

red himself through it, and then let go

t, sorr?" called

ame the reply from the ap

felt the weight removed from his arms. Then he squeezed through the aperture, and,

il!" he

said Lawless, and Cassidy, catching hold of the l

y the downward slope, for he could not see an inch in front of him. As they advanced the water beca

o was close behind. "I bumped against an iron ladder. There must be a hat

pen a small hatch. Climbing through, he found himself on the for'a'd well-deck and drew a deep breat

er a rope for you to fasten round that chap

eck, and, selecting a piece, he made a running noos

nt later. "If ye'll just hold on for a m

red above the hatch, and, stepping on to t

e, while I try and bring this chap

een made fast. Meanwhile Lawless did his best to revive the unconscious man by splashing sea-water over him

" asked the Lieu

im with lack-lustre e

ins," said Lawless encouragingl

is time Cassidy had brought up the seaplane, and together they succeeded in transferring their charge to it and placing him in the rear s

re came a roar from behind, and the Nimrod, parting amidships, d

est squeak I've eve

ore. And, sure enough, in a few minutes the engines began to slow down, and there was nothing for it but to volplane to the surface. Their sole chance of

wless. "The sooner we're picked up the

ou'-westerly wind, and the sea, so smooth and oily a short

given place to evening, and a hazy moon, frequently obscured by black, threatening clouds, hung in the sky. Be

een water on every side threatened to crush it to atoms. Yet its very flimsiness helped to keep it afloat, for, having no hull or other substantial surface, it offered little or no resistance to the force of the wav

own to be swamped, choked and half-stunned by the falling mountains of water. As for the rescued man, who had also been lashed to the machine, it was

thing foam rushing upon one another in serried ranks like the battalions of a devouring army. And amidst that roaring, pitiless flood there floated the battered wreck of the seaplane. Bot

nt out to search for the survivors of the Nimrod. All three were still unconscious when,

efore he realised what must have happened. He was struggling to recall the terrible events preceding his laps

ed the latter, seeing that L

ed the Lieutenant. "I'm st

has told me. He's a tough customer and no mistake; ca

I been unconscious?"

at's nearly four hours ago. We shall r

t as Lawless was about to board the steam pinnace that

I have had, sir, of thanking yo

" interrupted the Lieutenan

. All my money and papers went down in the Nimrod, and I haven't a cent to bless myself with. I hate t

g card on which was inscrib

your address I'll wire you the money. The American Ambassador is a f

use he was almost penniless himself at the moment. Still, he could not help feeling sorry for the m

" he reflected, as, telling Smythe to wait a m

ve pounds, and, as Lawless was

pers and nothing whatever to prove his identity. I have orders to proceed at once to

him ashore myself," a

, that's

less returned to Smythe, who was

ive one pound notes into the man's

to catch the first train to London. At Millbay Station they shook hands and sai

dmiralty. He reached London in the afternoon, and duly presented himself at the particular room mentioned in his instruct

ntures after flying to the assistance of the Nimrod,

nise this per

. "It's the man named Smythe, whom

s, and the one who had produced the photo

the Panther that the man went ash

. Here's his card," and Lawless produced the visit

m since?" asked the officer

ocently. "It's quite possible he hasn'

as Smythe is really Reichster, the notorious German-America

ess pulled himself together and real

like to transfer back to the Sea Service," he sa