The Land That Time Forgot

ly opened my eyes, it was daylight, and the girl's hair was in my face, and she was breathing normally. I thanked God for that. She

es and lay down again, and the girl opened her eyes and looked into mine. Hers w

tion all along my left side seeming to be paralyzed entirely. "You have been very good to me." And that was the only mention she ever made of it; yet I k

ports. I stood up on a thwart and waved my soggy coat above my head. Nobs stood upon another and barked. The girl sat at my feet straining her eyes toward the deck of the oncoming boat. "They see us," she said at last. "There is a man answe

to the boiler-room. They told the girl to take off her wet clothes and throw them outside the door that they might be dried, and then to slip into the captain's bunk and get warm. They didn't have to tell me to strip after I once got into the warmth of the boiler-room. In a jiffy

ly too well aware. What with the warmth and the feeling of safety for the girl, and the knowledge that a little rest and food would quickly overcome the effects of her exper

s off our port bow. She had signaled us to stop, and our skipper had ignored the order; but now she had her gun trained on us, and the second shot grazed the cabin, warning the belligerent tug-captain that it was time to obey. Once again an order went down to the engine-room, and the tug reduced speed. The U-boat ceased firing and ordered the tug to come about and approach. Our momentum had carried us a little b

well. I helped design her and

of surprise and disappointment. "I thought you were

l nations for many years. I wish, though, that we had gone bankrupt, m

men upon her deck. A sailor stepped to my side and slipped something hard and cold into my hand. I di

skipper-he was going to ram five hundreds tons of U-boat in the face of her trained gun. I could scarce repress a cheer. At first the boches didn't seem to grasp his intent

ur heads. Nobs leaped about and barked furiously. "Let 'em have it!" commanded the tug-captain, and instantly revolvers and rifles poured bullets upon the deck of the submersible. Two of the gun-c

my memory. I saw the helmsman lunge forward upon the wheel, pulling the helm around so that the tug sheered off quickly from her course, and I recall realizing that all our efforts were to be in vain, because of all the men aboard, F

m to starboard; but it was too late to effect the purpose of our skipper. The best I did was to scrape alongside the sub. I heard someone shriek an order into the engine-room; the boa

er and stockers, and together we leaped after the balance of the crew and into the hand-to-hand fight that was covering the wet deck with red blood. Beside me came Nobs, silent now, and grim. Germans were emerging from the open hatch to take part in the battle on deck. At first

ded a blow upon his chin which sent him spinning toward the edge of the deck. I saw his wild endeavors to regain his equilibrium; I saw him reel drunkenly for an instant upon the brink of eternity and then, with a loud scream, slip into the sea. At the same instant a pair of giant arms encircled me from behind and lifted me entirely off my feet. Kick and squirm as I would, I

the two was lost upon me as I saw the girl standing alone upon the tug's deck, as I saw the stern high in air and the bow rapidly settling f

o the deck, and as he did so he threw his arms outwards to save himself, freeing me. I fell heavily upon him, but was upon my feet in the instant. As I arose, I cast a single glance at m

onto the sloping, slippery side of the U-boat. I reached far over to seize her hand. At the same instant the tug pointed its stern straight toward the sky and plu

ing I heard was Nobs barking furiously; evidently he had missed me and was searching. A single glance at the vessel's deck assured me that the battle was over and that we had been victorious, fo

side there were hands to help us aboard. I asked the girl if she was hurt, but she assured me that she was none the worse for this second wetting; nor did

rave skipper was missing, as were eight others. There had been nineteen of us in the attacking party and we had accounted in one way a

e had completed his roll. "Only losing the skipper," h

en the tug's engineer-was standing with Bradley and me. "Yis," he agreed, "it's a day

" said Bradley, "and then we'll all go ashore

?" queried Olson. "You ca

you're right," he admitted. "And I do

ore about this particular sub th

ery. There were no Germans below, and everything was intact and in ship-shape working order. I then ordered all hands below except one man who was to act as lookout. Questioning the Germans, I found that all except the commander were willing to resume their posts and aid in bringing the vessel into an

that she or the German officer had seen each other's faces since we had boarded the U-boat. I was assisting the girl down the ladder and still retained a hold upon her arm-

d, and took a

ank back. Then her slender figure stiffened to the erectness of a soldier, a

d the two men who guarded

to mine. "He is the German of whom I spok

not love him yet. Immediately I became insanely jealous. I hated Baron Friedrich von Scho

kout poked his face over the hatchway and bawled down that there was smoke on the hor

"we'll speak her. If she's not

I replied, and it w

ley to go below and assign to each member of the crew his d

d ahead,"

ars would be congratulating us upon our notable capture; and just about then the merchant steamer must have sighted us, for she veered suddenly toward the north, and a moment later dense volumes of smoke issued from her funne

once again we set off toward merry England. That was three months ago, an

essel flew the white ensign of the Royal Navy and carried guns. She didn't veer to the north or anywhere else, but bore down on us rapidly. I was just

ut one more of those, and she'll have our range," he said

at the same time directing Bradley to go below and give the order to submerge. I p

feel the deluge of inrushing water, but none came. Instead we continued to submerge until the manometer registered forty feet and then I knew that we were safe. Safe! I almost smiled. I had relieved Olson, who ha

troy us; neither will believe our colors or give us a chance to explain. We will meet even a wo

has lost the scent," I urged. "There

ys we cruised up and down the Channel trying to tell some one, who would listen, that we were friends; but no one would listen. After our encounter with the first warship I ha

nd that is Kiel. You can't land anywhere else in these waters. If you wis

ent back my reply, "and we will before