SHORT STORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18298, 15 January 1923, Page 10

SHORT STORY.

SNARING A SUBMARINE. BY K. .WANnJWrONV- iIAiTGONVI • -'*: . * r - . (Copyright .B«serv«s&) _ . Old Em* Pengelly, clambering cautiously among "the boulder* of -the hoad- • land,'- bounding the.; little • cove, ,on the shore'of which nestled the cottage where- "'''■'.•; , in- dwelt, he - and .old, Jabez Tregilgna, slithered- clumsily down a slope of wot rock, pulling himself op igaiiist. two bout. . ! rfcre. between which «o«ld be seen a v- . shaped section of .tho cove.' Dawn was ' just ' reddening the /water, /although/..the / ■.-■■= shadows 1 ' yet lay -heavy- agder the chfts. "■'■■ His keen "sailor's:: glance -met something . > that, f -caased'-him to freeze in his traces .■ ■ likesetter that . has marked its ' bird. "- "Be noticed '"a strange furrow being; drawn, ■■V.': .. on'-the placid-surface of the; water, and heading.the furrow what appeared .vhta ".;. a slender finger, with'a fairy thimbJrf at the end; -It headed .Straight for the cliffs, ■ : its pace .growing slower and slower; ii topped moving there was a slight flurry ■ in the water fine- finger and' the thimble • " disappeared. The bar? was empty. Ezra '" wrinkled his 'shaggy sea- brows, .and-shook his grey head thoughtfully.' • -'""It coined right; in," said; he'to:him-, •' self, "'an' settled .right-down on tllikky /".-■'-"" bit V sand at the side the hay. What: :: : can .'an ho? It cannot be a huiuccrn or some of they strange "beastcswot usreads - about." ■ '.'' ■■- ■..' _. .<;■:■■ :■'■'■■'■■■'■■''"--. -, ..-v.v.j Suddenly the -truth ■ flashed ■ on" him. *0:)0 of them '/darned German submarines, coming in to cove to sleep, so as'xiri iiay go out "ail. slaughter• more inner-, - cents'," and .Ezra in his wrath and ex- ; ■ citement usedwords that he"learned when ■■.:'■'■■ he : . served the Widdy afloat,: and wore navy blue; ever used, ,and then only to repent, since ■ he joined /Little Bethel, and ..found grace. '. ; Ho knew now that he could not he eeon. .'"■■'', 'He stepped boldlyfon.to' the narrowing: ••■' selvedge of stony beach, vsnd shook a ; hairy v fist;: at ' sjiot ; where / the- finger ■ ''"'. .had "disappeared. '' Vou'm be- bloody an" deceitful men, an' shall not live out;half ■ /'";.-'■'■ ■ 'yours days, so. says the Lord, ■an. , so sags. '-. * I. -An* I'm gobg to-domy best to see a.-- you doesn't. : Ezra; years heavy upon thy old hulk t Imt gird: up thy loins, an', fight the .battle; of/the. So ■: «' saying he. hurried, along . actively, no longer bowed and bent oby Jus load of years, but niadeLyoang again by a great • idea and a burning purpose. The zeal; of the spirit had overcome the .burden of ■ the flesh. ;■'-■,;.:•.- . .V ; a-'-Darkness, and quiet, save for the evert...lasting munnnring '.and flapping of; the waves,* lay on: land wand•sea; -But in 'the little cottage, -built- of. tiiiiberg Irora^a wreck, : was deep '.consultation; Jabe and Ez sat cheek by jowl, i their: aged. eyes. 116 longer 'dim, j; but V;"burning with high .':■. hope:" and. planned /a ; fitrafige -piix- ' ttire of dialect and-sailottongaej how to ' capture br.;'-destfoy«tho-' hidden.-foe thai lay .-".so close*;to ■ them.i- ; resting ■ secarely.oil VtiQ small 'strip- of sandy .-.bottom; .>■ four clear fathoms above his dec¥. .-' ■ •'To go id the nearest, coastguard station ?nd give the ; alarm would fake time. '- ■• ■-■ Their star}* might be laughed at, and ever. ff'accepted. considerable uiost elapse " ■before- a destroyer could;come in/ if ; could ■ bo. called up. : In',:■ the. meantime # the , accursed tsubmarihe;might., sneak; : away to I resume its deadly work. -';" Xo, Jabe,*': said Ezra, * as. myst .{-ake .*ini; ua-must have that 1 Vre.submaJrineas' the captive of our bow and speiir. ' That &* the only 'way/ " 'Tvruddsh^'do'""foT "us, to a- v ■• go a.wa!y Jin''-find"gone:;when 'us' corned ,-;.'_ -uaCK. - Let' us . sr.are. on. ! ' ~-; ; >£?-■' ■-' ■;•;« 'Ovr?" 'asked Jab.;. " 'Us ca'i''i» catch: ; tin.bn*a fashing Hnejiiudr.-yet in no lobster r pot; 'an'/ if ,-'uh. ; ; start off '"them ..' torpedoes ;W*ere'!l as be then?". - " Us'H , bo. in the , Lord's 'and.-;" said ; Ezra -,pmiosly.:;;^'.'E'U.•: see' as. *ow Israel 'doesn't But tii,'ll have to get : ; . busy, for p'raps won't long. ■.; , Lucky there's such a hAap o 1 chains an' ... • cables, an' things;: from ..wreck. ,1 knows • just where :*an is, and us could; anchor -in, so's'nn: chdfieiigei' away "until* we: :.";:;■". brought nip: oho o'. them t6i*pedo-boats as is Tiishin up an* lown the coast like -° -' •-ragin' hens seekin' ■ 'oom they . -may - de- ■-'--■ :■ rour." ,'■ ; •:. ■;•; ■■■• - ■:■''■■':.- : -^ : ' s , ■r- Then ':ihey ' got- desperately, , . freisziedly'' to .work; : Age died ; in;that '-•; -._.....-wild" and';sacred fiu-jr, and youth, "reborn > -..: '- jriqfed ' through ■. their ancient limbs. ' Zeal : , ( (supplied vigour' iihd strength;. 'long.'.'ex., ' irwience ready, skill. They were -.'-■• ;;!Bot long in rigging apa ; ;..'short but, power;fu'i cable attached .to a fairly' heavy : an- : . •• chor -- Tliey planned to; drop ■% .bight '.of. " the cable oyer the caning tower- of the Bubmarine- . which, .altaclled'. to r& short ....-• . Jengtih.of cable to an anchors-would either, • .pre^»f';'vtiie'"'--'Ves^- ; risihg • oi,v-from :-: -:.: ' dragging (,>ff, if it did rise, ';„■':_•/n "--: ■-~. ; '.-, \ -'■: I^At-;:;las.t; fhsiir cranky old smack was. so - loaded up; with iable -that" he? gunwales were almost, awash, filowly and. cautiously they sculled-: their: precious cargo-"'to -••:'. the spot ..where; lay the leviathan of, : the - " depths, whose -foul stroke fent. innocent ;.-;:;-' people to a watery grave. ■<Luckily:, • sea was ! calm,. and ithey: could see : isdme - distance ,'down , into ; the pellucid vdepthii.' ;'. 'At ( last reached, the spot. - ' : '^? V J^ : ....:;- ■-,". Here 'nii-is,--',., whispered Jabe,.point- .... .mg to -a dim shadowy .-"shapes tinder the -water., Still mora- citutiouslvcthey' moved. . -.' the boas ..about. At length Jaße, who was ; . gssing into the; water,'raised his ■'-finger : . - arid signalled: "Stop her!''-"-' -■ V: ; Eira camo forward,; and,':'"at, the risk of .capsizing the boat-; they, both i gazed below.- . They vvere.right' over the sleeoihg ■ submariner, in' fact the top ;Of : -'|feris* ; -cope was alnudst'Hrithih -reacb.;i It had : , peen sunk-a little more than enough to ;. hide it. '~'.,:;;;;' - ;..;:--.,--,-■'.; .-;;:-''■..-'■. ~':■",:>; '■'■■■' ,•*» hen i- {:^he the tug-of-war. Little by : ■--~-. littla-the- cable was paid out so that it's -..'."'■. Sht fall round .the conning tower. ~ ■ The I hearts : "-' the tw<>. : ancient mariners Stood still as the, first: links touched-the ' hull below. . "Wilt: it:':wake::'ans?'^ ; whispered Jabe. If ;it does, :us ; ' must break their spy-glass,.if it sticks oun up.: : If us cannot cannot, caf«h'4hev; us must blind •■..■''. tney, whisnered Ezra. ." . ,- '..; ,-Link by link ; the cable.was lowered then came the. lowering- 0 f ; the: anchor; liiey dared nor toss it overheard; and let it spiash its I: way down; but they low- , . «ed it inch by ; inch- by ,:a? line. Then they fastened -a float. to : the- end of the : line so as to mark the place. ■ • As they wera cautiously rowing awav , Jabe .whispered: ■." "Anchor ain't : -t 'eavv' enough to bold:^un^:but. surely 'twill pud TO off an heven keel an' all Us should ~- do ■is to foul un'-s 1 propfcillor. I '. I'"jvra grinned; joyously. ".Jabe,. 'ee -: 'as ' a .'ead : hiie, the: hadriiirai: 'imseif. ■ Us/11 ' do ' it < .-•-.; mi- we might:-as.iw'qll 'oodwink linibv droppin*-a lobster pot wi' weights on tin ..-. upside down over tin's eye.-" ; . ;-'..'.'. It: was Jabe's turn to grin». " - Again a wild fury : of work fell on the .two old salts. They tojledSfor" the : sake ; of seafaring innocents'/' for' the sake of old: : ". 'Hingiand," and; for the: glory of making . ■ a German submarine a. captive-of their own bow and spear. ~ ." , ■■-,■'. ~.,: * TJier raked amongst the rubbish of the- ■;-,:■' wreck for, chains, scraps of iron, -for ahvthing to the purpose in hand: They im- ,-.., provised, they invented. "'' --"" ■■■'■■'' .'".'."•.;:' 'Hie old smack: went forth and brick ': •-.. time: after, time. They let down a fishing -;.-,;: hne-with a: leaden weight on it, until they : : •.found the outline; of : the ; sleeping •'hiiif. ";.;, Having: found the propeller end" they *let .;■■:■. ..own short lengths of chain' which , they toilsomely swung backwards and, ::;-. fww wds..- until. , .th'ev "'.had -eome as--j; surance that - thev;'' h&fk . fouled, -o'r-t nearly fouled -tJjeprope.Uei-; - Thev rohld | ' ;'■' ■'■• r '-' ■'-.. .- - : : '- •'•' ■; .; --"- '- r - - -. l

\ not : /make-'-sure, , but they- did the i best iutj foiri'd. t drew-up parts '. of the anchor .cable, and attached;.wier TV eights to it so that as much resistance : 'a« .possible might,, be given/to W_: move'■V niont on' the" pirt of the^ubmarme^;. •"ITrrvun! 'Uurrv-up hissed : is the two of theni sweated and groanc 1 ; at ; their ■; tasks "Tliem : Germans 11 : vrako up, so" give « the. slip." ■ , -.. :v> < -.-'•"■ No Un *.Mr saidEz; " they only . conies in': to sleep once in three or.. four days/ an!; 'as 'a to%" -Snooze when they ,t "»» -' 'At last they''were finished. They had -done'all they "could. Two; discrepit old il English Jack Tars had snared one of, the !■ 'Great War Lord's "most, potent and most - !:danmable.:: instruments - ; of '"destruction. I .They hardly (bred to hope; that they had k ibeen successful; but-^the ; propellor was " ■ properly fouled. . ■ . , - i During their fury of ; labour they had i- felt nothing; time, /,ag», hunger, .thirst, , - onsscd them by as if they were gods. Now they were again humanj; . Ahey ate :' and drank, witn fury, and, as they l af<i, ; ' ; lheyVdi9euei3ed" their; next steps. \v J f Jabe was'for going to ; the, coastguard : : Station' '■■ < ' ' ■ -"V;' ~' , , ; /".No," said Ezra. -Let us up sail an, i into the' offin'; torpedo "boats' do be passin . 1 tip an' down 'bout this time, an' us can 1 speak one an*' fetch un: in. Us dent want , no , landdubbers to - get what .-„we ye ,; scotched." - ,;-;. ' „ ••: , f So it was^ settled.; . . . Just upon 1 p.m. , the look-out on.torf pedo'- boat Kl7 observed a fishing smack ' under full sail, crowding -down; upon-. ■ boat's course, as though to cut it, even :'■ 'at the risk of being down. > - . ; ' He-direectod his glasses to the boat; in war time especially : i m ; .submarine' war 7 time,: one has to keep'', a; careful : watch. ■Eveiy little thing counts. Even a fislung -" smack. ; His first: careless .glance stiffened ■ 7 into an : eager iintensity ■: of gaze. In the ,' bdw;of:the'shiack; stood-'an;:- old .man, his white hair: - streaming ; the breeze; and - he was semaphoring like mad, "Us wants ■to"»peak.-fo-Vo«-.---"U-rgent-V--.-'-^,'..v;; v ;; The lookout sent for the lieutenant commander; a-id';?He: took';:up /the glass and looked also.. He read the message,; and sent for his signalled,, ■-.-,. , ,-, < ''"Ask them what they want us. for: The man- did so, and back came the amaiiing reply : "Us ! has:snaxed; -A^German : ; bubriarine." , .- . . ■, . :;t > : -.'<"■■ The lieutenant commander jumped,, and ; swore by all his;sea gods., Good .Lord, can it ■be true? ' ':We must :Speak".'-;thenv ''Tehiniimtesaitc^ Ezra and Jabe : -were dutifully -salatihg the quarter-deck, as-all 'good; sailors! do. " Then ;they: told ! their Avondrmis-tale, simply, naturally, and convincingly, to. : the/ lieutenant comman-1 : der; and he : wirelessed the gist of it to J headquarters.': Btiik; through the ether came the crisp command: "Goat once. ; - Just about this "time Herr Submarine- ] Lieutenant; Schwartz and his merry men; J woke up from the; amount of Asleep; allot- j ted .them by their hard-hearted rarula-I tions, ate. their //.regulation- breakfast heartily,' and then prepared to go but into the 'Channel' to- their /regulation work of J sinking ships at drowning all such human scum as dared to sail : the sea without a- special permit:from their War ] Lord, "the Admiral of the Atlantic." , Thev followed the usual routine. • Gently and slowly the periscope was hoisted; they gazed ahxtousij' upon the little table -where the■•-' round picture of the upper world<• -was"■;wont to 'glow. Up: went the periscope. '2vow they would see the ' up!per,.world. 'But' they: did not; the' little table* remained a * mere blotch. No light. came down the optic tube.''The herr sub-marine-lieutenaht swote. /"Some.; sea-, weed must have fouled the lens,!' said he. j " This ie a very ; .quiet : .-bay,-> No one ever I ; haunts it; [at least; they didn't when I | spent a year on "coast, pretending to j he an artist. Wo will rise, and have A | look round." ■'V ■• '■•-;'.'".; . -:}\ "'". Donner uhd blitzen! -What is -wrong? ] Wo do not rise, but- only roll .over," .1 groane'd the. lieutenant, his face -turning a j nasty . greeny , yellow. -..".-' ; " ; Start -the propeller; let's, get ■-~out. of this."' v . .;•-.' r -,.■>/ '• ""'■" ' • They switched tlie power on to the propeller ; - 'when/ gr-r-r/ the whole'- boat shook; . the propeller; shaft shivered; a fearful bumping was* felt through the hullj- a* fiercer blow-, than ever, and the • engine raced madly.- . " ,- .;'■ '-.- ;*! Gott in Himmel'.'' groaned the, herr submarine-lieutenant, turning ,"a ghastlier ■ .hue'/tThah 'ever; "the propeller is stripped, • arid -here' we diej like rats in' a hole. - Oh, to'-'die,• sword/in' hand in &'■ charge! Why djd-, I: 'ever volunteer % for the submarine -sewicet tt is, aEsassiha,ti6n;. riot war, at the best." -.'.'' v .' :l / Despair ; fell- on /them.. If they could - rise , they - could ~, drift. about,' and : might find/safety., But the craft; would not rise. Wren they' emptied her tanks she just canted oyer to, port,,'and -threatened to turn; turtle. They could n^; understand it. ■/-, ;;'■■;: :^-y-;''/y":\ "';/■'.;■•'■,;■.; Said the - herr submarine-lieutenant; " "Put the periscope up• ; perhaps : one : of our other boats may see.it, and conic to our rescue.' -- . ', ■-'■■.. ■'" What 'of ■; those. English /.pigs' come?" said one of his crew. - - " Orders are, blow ,tip the submarine rather/ than -surrender. '•;. Fritz, connect the batteries to the; explosive, r; so that I can press the "button when I'm ready.--' -'- '-. ';" For/the -sake of ■ the/ ' lieher Gott," begged;"^ritz.' i ■'/''.Remember,; lieutenant, ; a have/a • wife .and four little ones in fair Lubrkk;''.%w.Ti/-/and,.-,Hiins;.and -' Peter' and. Karl have'lstfhFones too. It is hard for us to leave our dc-M ones to starve and w*eeft—" .■• ;■;"':'-"■-"•: V'"/ : - ; '.;:-:"--'-■■ "." .: "Silence, pig,'dog!''• said the lieutenant, hoarsely. '.4' I too, too, hate a sweet wife, and a dear, blue-eyed..,baby. Oh 1 my God!" -and / his head drooped ■ upon /.his hands. //■ ■' .';' .. «. "Those English do not,shoot, their pri foncri.," said Karl, "They are decent fellows. ,T haVe -sailed /on their ehips.'.' . Suddenly there -came a tap,.tap,' tapping; that rang through, the long, lean; belly/of the ship. , :/ ,'•; .'...-•, ..■:■': A All started to; life, and-hope again rose in their breasts. J. Tap!, .tap! tap!" The sound came from. the periscope tube. .Someone in the upper wciid was spealcing to; them, in the world, language? of . the>Moi'se -code,' and .iti the Words of the English, torigue< The message tapped v out'reads-; .- - . -/. v "His Britannic' Majesty's destroyer KI? .demands* your,, unconditional surrender. :We'have our guns trained on< you;, 'and a boat ready to drag a,; mine into you. ■■ You have ;. two - minutes to make -.up your minds." ■ - : The lierr submarine-lieutenant daid his hand gently on the switchboard, and his finger hovered over the fatal-knob. "My children My wife!" broke from -most of his crow.' , ■•--'' ,'■-■■/.,'"-.-; The lieutenant's. finger sank softly on switch. '-. ' . Hismen prayed hastily ; and before the eye. of: the herr submarine-lieutenant cose a picture of a handsome fair-haired young - mother, and .a: coping blue-eyed babe. The finger: rose ever ,so little. 'i , Again same the tap, tap, tap; and it spelled out,' " Your answer "■■>>■, ..-■■ The crew goaed at the lieutenaint. Tlieywanted life. They were too proud, and too brave to ask for it. p. / " t The herr submarine-lieutenant 1 - stepped hastily to the end of,the i periscope -tube.He, tod, tap^rtap^ tapped;: and the taps spelt out, ; "We surrender." A:soft sigh Of relief ran r through "the.: funnel "of the El 10. -.'-" :-.- - /■■': ;,; Thus it was/ that super-submarine ; VI was; captured,/ -and Ezra Pengelly and Jabez Tregilgas,/.the heroes of the: day, had their ; homely/faces ■in all the illus- : trated papers] .to say : nothing :of a - tidyish, lump of prize nfoney from the Admiralty. -' ;,.■.-, ■■: ;,'■■; * - - - . ,;•' Secin' as 'ow us was old: navy men," explained old Ezra to his/pals. ." BASH ALL OVER BABY'S BODY:/ ■"'■■'; When baby . was about three Weeks old a fash • broke out all. oyer- his body ;in blisters, --'which .would break and' form eruptions., His clothing; irritated the eruptions much ; and, the skth-.Was inflamed.. /; The poor little; chap could not' sleep,:- and --for. a day or two I was afraid to move him. "I; then sent for a free.; sample of :Cnti ; ' cura- Soap and Ointment, which' at once improved the rash./ so I /bought more : and very soon he was healed." (Signed) Mrs. .E. I?icharde,Tara, Via Balhy,-Queensland, Eor"--sample Soap and .-Ointment address'-." \" R> Towns and .'Co/,- v Sydney, N.S.W.". :' ! Cuticiira. Soap/ shaves.''""without : '-'mug.'-': : .'''--. : -!'.';'