Commander Lawless V.C.

-which is really not such a paradox as it sounds. Because of this and of the water-tight compartments into which the administrative body is divided, a number of destroyer

to keep a sharp look-out for gun-runners, who, if ru

was becoming extremely irksome to all. One afternoon Lawless left Sub-Lieutenant Trent in charge of the bridge, and, going below, solaced himself with music and

eutenant flung his banjo on the se

" said Trent, indicating a cargo steamer some distance off on the port bo

glasses and examined t

ll board her myself and have a pee

o. Then a boat was lowered from the Knat, and, with La

ed out the Lieutenant, as

nger, with wheat," answere

ipper of the Krajero obligingly lowered an accommodation

othing to chance, ordered the hatch-covers to be removed. The captain complied, and the Lieut

eed, Captain,

r, and, as soon as the Lieutenant had

, when he returned to the Kna

a gun-runner or a disguised German commerce destroyer, or anything, in fact

," he growled. "Then someone'll wake up suddenly and discover that there's an

boarded the Norwegian steamer, a wireless message was received from the Captain of

ng her papers and cargo, I allowed her t

ansmitted, and a few mi

ro, and, on examination, found that beneath her cargo of grain was

aculated Lawless when

is trip," commen

rage, tore the paper into shreds and

over it, curse them. It shan't happen again, though! I'll search every boat I meet, from a dinghy to a liner. Lor

forth attempt to deceive him in any manner whatsoever. Trent had much ado to keep from laughing,

advantage of this to send ironic messages of congratulation to the luckless commander of the Kn

done,

hat you've be

n a bushel of wheat and a cont

onger and, almost foaming at the mo

own any more of those infernal messages

nswered the o

e if any of the men had the suspicion of a grin on his face. But the men's countenances were

bos'n?" he growled. "They look

wered the bos'n apologetically. "I thi

n and found Trent on the sett

he matter with y

enant, handing him a piece of paper

ok the pap

most to be feared? Answer: w

ut the junior officer had bolted on

from the officer commanding the flotilla censuring Lawless for allowing the

e unhappy Lieutenant as he turned-in

tood by, helpless, but vowing to deluge the Admiralty with complaints. In his zeal Lawless as good as accused quite innocent passengers of being disguised Germans, much to the indignation of the parties concerned, who promised t

rs. Lawless, being on the bridge scanning the horizon with his glasses, caught sight of a large motor fishing smack in the distance and, close alongside her, something which looked remarkably li

h," said Lawless, handing

hat fishing boat; trying to

the lee of the smack, and a shot at that dis

you get a bit nearer, Tren

issued from the vicinity of the submarine

gunner, who stood by the quick-firer just below the bridge. If

rely disappeared. The inference was that she had submerged without suffering injury,

he Lieutenant bitterly, and the gunner below th

man on the smack's deck-obvi

e us a tow?

he knew better than to stop and parley while an enemy subma

been held up by the submarine while trying to repair a defect in his engines. The U boat commander, after seizing his small stock of petrol, was questioning him concerning the whereabouts of a British cruiser known to be in these waters, when the Knat appeared

lonakilty and Castle-townsend, just as it was getting dark. There the tow rope was cast off and the sk

ller version of his encounter with the submarine. The German commander, he said, had given him and his crew three minutes in w

ave some dinner with us," said Lawless,

at same, ye'r honour," answered the fisher

te of mirth with his quaint anecdotes and stories. Not only that, but he was amazingly frank and cheerfully confessed t

" queried

shook his he

," he answered. "The risk is too great and, be the

ing about it," sugge

ipper

your friends, but just give me a hint-you understand?-and i

'd be, sorr?" asked the skip

esting you shoul

me if the bhoys got win

should. You may be sure I

pper looked cautiously round the cabin

l av Mike Mahoney, sorr

be the cleverest gun-runne

pounds since St. Patrick's Day two years gone, and it's meself that's niver loikely to

ere he's to

tle fishing village be the name av B

I'll soon

adquarters. Many's the noight that he's crept up past Sherkin Islan

egular port of c

up for himself, so it is. More'n wance he's said to me, 'Pat Rossan,' he's said, 'ye're an old hand at the game. Phwy don't ye jine in wi

," said Lawless. "I'll see th

sorr, for phwat wid submarines and restrictions there's moi

bout to leave, Trent

ou," he whispered. "Ten to one he'll try to cre

the Lieutenant, and

hen you get aboard your hooker, Mr. Rossa

r, and then, after shaking hands with both officers, slip

the smack's riding-light throughout the night. If it was extinguished or was seen

the following morning when the Lieutenant

the row?" he

ck has skedaddled

d the Lieutenant,

s a

bunk and began hurriedly

to be watched all night," he said.

deck and see for your

spot where the smack had been anchored floated a barrel with a tall spar stuck

" he mu

chers aboard the destroyer and then extinguished the real one. This done, he must have got a row-boat with muffled oars to tow him out of the harbour

catch up with the rascal and collar his pal Mahoney bef

seen against the horizon and this gradually resolved itself into a destroyer steaming at full speed towards them. As she approached the Knat a signal hoist broke at h

ghted a fishing smack, k

leet of them,"

t and when last seen was using a brown mains

in a whisper to Lawless, "it's the hoo

utenant

asked, addressing the

learnt that she took on a cargo of guns and ammunition from a German submarin

asked Lawless in well-

he most slippery cu

for her," answered Law

ieutenant rang down "full-speed" and was off before

stance. "If it came out that I'd actually towed that Mahoney blackguard and his carg

ou entertained Mr. Mahoney alias Rossan

ur duties," snapped Lawl