The Boy Allies under Two Flags
all boat floated alongside the two German officers who clambered in. Frank an
North Sea?" asked one of the officers in great surprise
nk by one of your blamed torpedo bo
quired the officer
seems to me th
said the German officer. "We'll sink them one
ning to smile to himself, for he saw th
they go?" deman
eplied Jack, with a note of
the officer, sta
ttom," Jac
"One British ship couldn't sink
s only one," said Jack
the German officer heate
or three," sai
e German officer the size
al minutes and then he said: "Why didn'
replied Jack, with
fist into the palm of his lef
arly for every German sh
yly, "but it won't be a Germ
Lieutenant Stein, you forget yourself, sir. And as for
k. "I wouldn't have said anyt
ein was equal
ietly to Jack. "I should
," said Jack. "I was
oke into the
to the low-lying bulk of the submarine,
nant Stein, "where, until we put into
y to the entrance through the combined bridge and conning tower, and all went b
d Lieutenant Stein to the captain, indicating the t
stened to intro
the captain gruffly. "You are my prisoners until I put in
ition of their fate. The capta
he prisoners are wel
in your
as the first time either had been inside a submarine vessel, and both felt a trifle squeami
up luxuriously. There were several bunks in the
me. I guess there is no danger of your attempting to escape. However, you
, and le
confided to Jack. "It's all right as long as we remain on the surface
all have to make the best of a bad situation. Then, too, perha
They found Captain von Cromp not half so gruff as he had been when they first came aboard. They w
the commander granted the lads pe
r; how it rose again by forcing the water from the compartment by means of compressed air; how the air
em to peer through, although there was no ne
the vessel. Peering over the waves, it reflects what it sees into the watching human eye in
s the one weak spot i
an
nd so gain its bearings. But in the midst of battle it would probably mean certain destruction; for when it ro
ruded above the vessel. A large lens at the top turned off as does an elbow in a stove pipe. This portion, when necessar
utenant explained, "thus guarding against the danger of being hit. The officer in
just how it work
ith a pair-thus if one is shot away the other can be put in immediate use. At the upper end of the shaft is a mirror lens. Upon this mirror lens is reflected the su
o the manner in which a submarine fights
a small tube. There is this advantage in favor of the battleship, however: the submarine is a slow craft. It is slower than the slowest battleship when it proceeds under water. When it gets to the surface its speed is doubled, but then it is an easy target for the guns of the threatened battleship a
tly," s
ting," said Frank. "C
e protection of torpedo boats and the weakness of the periscope-there
do nets-?" int
torpedo net. These are meshes of strong steel which are dropped down from the side of
't they?"
Why, most of our submarines are equipped with a formidable device for cutting these nets. This device, in one form, resembles an enormous pair of sheers which cut through the nets like paper
ne breath, and Frank added: "I don't just
dive down into the depths where there is no movement of the waves, and it can remain under water for fourteen hours continuously. This is accomplished by tanks which can be filled with water and, overcoming what
tion," said Frank, when the lieute
t is," ag
action," smiled the lieutenant. "I am
told us regarding the deadliness of submarines, I believe
X-9, for I do not believe Captain Von Cromp will return to port until he has a
t if he tries it!"
ant with good natured tolerance,
, "I still could not wi
t glanced at
. "You are a brave lad. But come
; "and thanks for the trouble you h
reply, and they all made their way to the officer's