Commander Lawless V.C.

quently lashed itself into gusts and squalls of short-lived violence. Like a shadow riding the white-capped rollers, the long, low form of the Knat plunged and r

e been white but was now the colour of a coal-sack. In front of him a quartermaster, similarly attired, gripped the little steering

, recovering his balance after a sudden lurch whic

is answering call was driven back in his teeth

smarting eyes upon the tossing, swaying

he grasped the rail and tried to pierce the surrounding blackness for any sign of a vessel, friendly or otherwise, but without success, because it was impossible to see more than a few yards ahead even between

the bridge. Its progress was slow and precarious, and the remarks which emerged from beneath the hood were such as will not be found in a dictionary of nautical terms. Eventually it reached the p

down upon the recumbent bundle of clothes within wh

ion, but without ceasing to emit curses upon the

een born a sailor bold I'll leave you in charge," said Lawl

Why not aeroplanes as well? It'd be as easy

p a bright

oa. With this between his hands the Lieutenant perched himself upon the locker and, in defiance of the rules of conduct towards subordinates as laid down by my Lords of the Admiralty, swapped weather anecdotes with the cook. Then,

ng about like some gigantic feeler, finally came to rest at a point about fifty yards astern. Beneath its glare could be s

e patrol boat, he concluded that the German commander had boarded her in the hope of obtaining some information from the skipper conc

eant over the rail towards the gunner in c

r out!"

, tilted up and down once or twice, and then e

shot, aimed a trifle too low, had struck the water some ten yards in front of the su

d drop on to the platform of the submarine. But thinking, probably, that the loss of three men was better than the loss of the whole crew, the commander had closed the hatch an

owled Lawless as he proceeded to leave the bri

utenant, the gunner and other members of the Knat's c

e wanted to rescue the Germans if possible, partly from humanitarian m

hot, and Lawless leant over the deck-rail trying to catch a glimpse of the men who had vainly endeavoured to regain the submarine before she sank. He was still trying to penetrate the gloom, when a shadowy figure was swept towards him and, leanin

er to do the same were taxing his strength to the utmost. Had he abandoned the German to his fate, the Lieutenant would have stood an infinitely better chance, but such a thought never entered his mind even when he began to realise that his strength was almost spent. The

harsh, gutteral voice hailing him through the darkness. With his last remaining strength he struck out in the direction from which th

on the platform of a large submarine-the same one, he felt sure, which he had recently attempt

agging himself into a sitting posture and observing that h

d the other, this time

wless of the British des

Navy," answered the man, and added, some

man for whom he had risked his life through the conning tower hatch. Then, looking over his shoulder, he saw the distant beam of t

he Commander of the submarine, "

u came from," answered the German officer, je

plied Lawless. "Well, as you seem to be afraid of even

ch! but suppose I take you down

ats that I don't think there are m

presumably an officer also, who emerged from the hatch. The two remained in con

t least, you can do no harm," he sai

eing a very warm night, he hoped that the commander would offer him something hot if nothing else, but the German appeared to have no such intention. He had mounted the platform on the conning tower, where,

merity in venturing so near when, at any moment, the searchlight of a passing warship or patrol boat might suddenly flash out upon him. And now the mournful clang of the bell-buoy grew louder, and a fanciful idea occurred to Lawless that it was tolling

nder from his platfor

ieutenant, not quite g

. "If you're not washed off before morning you'l

ink. Tired out as he was, he strongly doubted his ability t

much better have chucked me

d the other sardonically. "If you get washed away, tha

save the life of a German ag

, I can't stay here all ni

all, oscillating platform and grip the iron stanchion which supported the spherical cage. Then a man on

g ships, and by that time he would probably be dead. As for making signals in the darkness, that was impossible, for he had nothing to make them with-not even a revolver. There was, of course, a f

e would have been washed off the slippery platform in a few moments, while across the wild waste of black waters came

ed, "I could silenc

ol boats in the neighbourhood would be bound to notice its silence and proceed to investigate the cause. The so

on't try it,"

emed the only thing left for him to do unless he were content to remain passi

d not hesitate and, first divesting himself of his heavy "lammys," slid into the water. The current dragged him right under the buoy, but after a struggle he managed to swim clear of it, and then struck out in the direction whence came the sound of the bell. At first he had little difficulty in making headway despite the choppy sea, but presently his stroke grew weaker, the muscles of his shoulders seemed as if they were on the point of cracking, and he f

on the narrow platform of the buoy. Here he remained for some moments lying on his chest, too exhausted to move. After a while, however, he recovered somewhat, though almost deafened by the clangour of the huge bell above his h

y moment, when he became aware of something grinding against his boots. He could not see what it was, but bending down fel

kens is this for?

askew. Besides, the chain grating against his boots was much too light to hold in position a mass weighing several

ith both hands. It came in quite easily at first, and then stopped with an abruptness that nearly jerked the Lieutenant into the sea. He could see nothing, but passing o

imself, was the object of having a floating or submerged tank attached to this buoy? What did it contain

etrol tank for the us

dark night, such as this for instance, an enemy submarine could easily take on a fresh supply of petrol from the tank, while the latter, being submerged several feet below the surface, would not be seen in daylight. Doubtless, also, it was provided with an automatic arrangement whereby, when emptied of petrol, it became fi

ines in the darkness aroused him from his contemplations. Then, realising that a boat of some sort was at hand, he shouted as loud as he could. There cam

oy!" he

he answer. "What the

ich was dazzling him. Then, as the destroyer drew nearer, Trent, in his turn, recognised the s

jump aboard

he buoy so close that her side grated against it, and La

rm, "come with me into the chart-room, but first of all t

he stimulating beverage, he related between gulps his amazing adventu

with cheery optimism, "that everyth

cy of the Lieutenant's deductions, "how d'you know any U boat will tap your tank to-ni

of doing in at least

buoy and plug any U boat th

our keel. And if she didn't, how are we to spot her on a pitch-black night like this? You might turn on the bull's eye

haps you'

d be no spo

n Trent, but the Lie

ions," he said, curtly. "Now

aving provided himself with a loaded revolver, prepared to resum

buoy, "you've got to start operations before the sou

The first thing Lawless did was to remove his muffler from the bell-clapper so that the sound should serve as a guide to any enemy submarines that might

It also occurred to him that if this proved to be the case and he captured nothing but a severe attack of rheumatism, he would become the laughing-stock of the Fleet. He could imagine how the story would be

it was quite unnecessary, he crawled round to the other side of the buoy in order to take advantage of the "cover" afforded by the pillar supporting the bell, for he knew that black object must be the conning tower of a submari

the U boat's platform, made a simultaneous rush for the open hatch, for all the world like startled rabbits diving into their burrows. But before they disappeared inside a yellow flame flashed out from the vicini

less as he and Trent sat at breakfast in the Knat's cabin

his'll mean promotion for you and paragraphs in the papers headed

rt," said the Lieutenant,

it and looked up wit

tion the bell-

that, in a stand-up sc

nt regarded Lawl

e you could. You're nearly double my

he way in which I collared that submarine I'll pound you so tha

from t

with a bent pin! Why, it'd haunt me to my