FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   >>  
tement on the after part of the gunboat. Captain Jack Benson, after heading the "Pollard" about, had run as close as he, or rather, Hal, dared. Hastings was at the wheel, much of the upper hull of the boat being now out of water. Jack was forward, on the upper hull, with a line, one end of which was made fast to the platform deck. At the other end of the line was an iron bolt for weight. Close in under the stern of the gunboat, slightly to starboard, stole the "Pollard." Jack, balancing himself, made a cast of the line. The iron bolt shot up, past the stern flagstaff, then down into the water astern again. With the gunboat lying to, the submarine could move only with the barest headway. The instant he saw that the line had passed around the base of the flagstaff, watchful Hal Hastings set the reverse deck control in order to keep from bumping the "_Massapequa_." Next, the submarine stole quietly over towards port, Jack, with a boathook, gathering in the line that he had thrown around the flagstaff. This end he made fast in a trice. "The marine guard, if there is one, didn't see the line flying," whispered Jack, gliding back over the "Pollard's" hull to the platform deck. "I don't think I'll be caught now until I'm on that other boat's deck." "Good work! Fine!" whispered Commander Ennerling, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Here's the note." Captain Jack slipped the folded paper in his pocket, then hastened back to the line. Hal ran the submarine far enough back to leave the double line all but taut. Seizing the rope with both hands, Jack made his way swiftly up to the gunboat's stern rail. In another twinkling he was over. It was not until his feet touched the deck that the slight noise caught the marine sentry's ear, causing him to wheel about. "Halt!" hailed the marine, throwing his gun to port. "What are you doing there?" "I've a message for your commanding officer," Jack answered, halting with a click of his heels as he brought them together. "Where did you come from?" demanded the marine, wonderingly. "Are you the commanding officer?" questioned Jack. "If not, take me to him." "Corporal of the guard!" bawled the marine. Almost in a jiffy the corporal was there. "Corporal," said Jack, crisply, "I've a message, in writing, and an official message, too, for your commanding officer." "I'll take it to him, then," said the corporal. "Or shall I conduct you to his q
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   >>  



Top keywords:

marine

 

gunboat

 

commanding

 
Pollard
 
officer
 

submarine

 
flagstaff
 

message

 

Corporal

 

corporal


whispered
 

caught

 

Captain

 

Hastings

 

platform

 
slight
 

touched

 

hailed

 

throwing

 
causing

sentry

 
Seizing
 

double

 

twinkling

 

swiftly

 

Almost

 

tement

 
bawled
 

questioned

 

crisply


writing

 

conduct

 

official

 

wonderingly

 

Benson

 

answered

 

halting

 

heading

 

demanded

 

brought


passed

 

watchful

 

barest

 

headway

 

instant

 

reverse

 
Massapequa
 

quietly

 

bumping

 

control