THE LIEUTENANT-COMMANDER'S DEVIATION

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXVII, Issue 7917, 14 June 1902, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE LIEUTENANT-COMMAN-DER'S DEVIATION

(By Waiter Wood.) . "the LieofeeEant-Commander to oniers - He wu.- to go a Ettle bore, desolate isAbetter the enemy what force, was to conceal p****' " J, he cfluld, iod to return It was cakuUted that wish 7? ,i,F\hf S -v things before darkness t w orf«S* *<> *** u-tad. His instructions were, he perfectly dear and simple, Thev came from the Captain of a fffTtr, whom be owed much. Now *VS« Wm». " ra P l ™ yon \ W ?L d °* Sliw warninz- D" ll ' 6 tJ ? ** to ° gj£t. We can't all be Xebow, yoa m"r" agreed the Laeatenant-C-om-JTi atlita knowing what the 5 meant; bat he did stop aod con®g ta ® n(£ was cratent to forget the words "Sl'tdriving the Bantling, torpedoTwrer, at twenty knots an hour. Jwwto*fint independent proud of her- He treaU jX. subii t nteß«Dt. Moorson, the engi. iTo*&Ti*> awl tb * S nlraer - BeW o ®! - affable condescension. not unmixed 'is,lain, which nettled tbem greatlv, mattered protests from, the suhffJLnt who remembered thetr Bntan"Fancy!" he said to an4 l it onlv looks like yesterday a bead A. swelL ?"**. > (Mono trow down yet! hour thi -Bantling drove throngs looov S''a— il se!l on wfnch n0 ?I ? a \ ®7Sa» Visible. War wus keeping pasl£rand merchant ships hard locked in SxL.itt.st nw not even the swiftest of .tared to nose *Zr a period at the opening of the old V.H twin- ptayed afresh, and fxnttrituire supremacy. jLjn S this time the Lieutenmt-Com-"TT feelinx the importance of himself, aloof from and did not sp«i. Then 2lSin«« » E tlls ** h 'f "fj wtaatbd to Mooraoo that he.thought TirTL focc ahead, and thait he meant into'it without slowing down. 2rW» plenty of open water, he ex"K "Li nothing about, so we shall fe right- I s!lal1 continue to shove her *%rtsinlv." agreed Moorson, all the more -uHv because the responsibility was not She's a fine ship, and you've got at hut ten knots in reserve, going as you're mjßt now. Yoa can soon run out of the "She's a- beatufcv," answered Saunders, «tft the pride of ownership; "and the thin? Ew the sort of work I am to? -toj&y ''...IT ■»•> »Kt of sfap-ciiah. free hand, I suppose? nit ifooreou; Imt his chief was not to be town into any statement of_ his obfact "I'll e-tp!' lin " later, when Ive more act" he said, and the sub-lieutenant went nil jmn«d the ettifimeer, who bad just pnt leb bjEswt as high as the deck for an shall s>!':n be near the Casqnets," nid Moorson. "If I were b«=sing the ihow in a l»ir tike thie. I shouldn't carry on in this iray.'' . . . "Wonliin't vi>n? queried Uatbrie in tones which 'M rflt encourage the junior to pmcßeil with his conumemts^ "Xo, for n",cir.*v rwiaoins. which I could put into tal:f-i'liloze.a sentences, if you Lk«£ to h.«K them." "Thanks." said the ensfineer; "I ve somet'nimr else t<> <i'> jift cow than listen to ttMon." ''l say," continued Moor>"on, nßabasoed, "wbsiJ winlil be liiie if struck the tocks now, fair ;uid siftuire. eh?" "Uffh!"' jrnmt-tfd 'he- enixineer, wiit'h a shruit of lilie shouMen. "a thumping, b;g, emmpfed m*ar-cii.n.'' "With the co'.d ntrat inaiie of it all trim unit safe. A?" remarked Moorson. His picture was not considered a pleasant ope. a<i he » r.ot. emcouraced to proceed with his humorous ci>mm«nti. Tb« engineer milled somewhat contemptuously. "Hallo!" cratnraed the snb-lieutenant. "here's a man witfc a verbal order to you to slow down. Bitmonlinanr r Why c«>nldn't Stuoders rinif the t»l«jr»ph? What!" he added, ttirninit to tile stiunkin. ''l'm wanted too? Gntiire b''!<>w to his machinery, whicli he slowed down in obedience to his order; and Mcoraoa hui*ried fruncleringly ml joined hi* cliirf. Saunders was inteDself exdteii fie w:i 4 gazinc earnestty imo tie fotr and talking with the gunner, who iras officer of the watch. "Tim're cert'nin y»u *aw hpr?" ayke<l the limtsnaat-O/niiimi m i'iT.

"Positive," ri-pt eil liie jnnuter. Thennnrt.MTO-wteir »£ the waitch. who was .it this' Mm. and a teadina reaaaan. who lunl shouted " iiti thi .-hams!" from force i>f habit on seeing the fog. and had himself bmni in the chains to try and Hetwmaliiiii*. .i!so said that they had ?een W. TW wtre spi-nking in tow, eager ("Dei, ;i» Moorson approached the made a sign fot hhn to maißas little noise as possibte. Moorwn seiitswir.od his r.wition. for'hie stepped iotranfe his superior officer on tip-toe; Stwuiifets ifmv him froim the group. "What's tlu> matter?" whispered Moor"Wtslias;-, run. pint the enemy's ffairship of tha Cmum4 pqtudron," said Saunders, spwkinir with deep wurnestoess. "I didn't 'fs her lavwM. I'd gu<ae below fur a npimte; but Beldnn and everybody eCae did. Cittse my lack!" "Tmtcan'r. !'<•• all over the place at once." «iil Moorson, sympathetically. ""Whert was she?'' Was! t-»—slip'* there!" -whispered the teateßant-Ci'mnuander. point ins into th<; clammy :iir. "On the starboard bow —and I bchevs site's alont—picking ap her coasorts, most hkeiv." 'Alone? My Go,ir exclaimed Moorson ia a Iw\T vnicr. "Sh," said Srandere. "Listen !" The tiwo cruied their necks and listened iiarit.

I can h<Mr s:m< i Moorsoo. ;uuf t;he teli'sraph—they've stopped bar. Bosh h> Guthrie and tdi hiim to ease to «nw—to it-dp her just sroinsf —and not to male# a sound more th.i.n hj» eaji help. Then cram* txick. Yen. rsptn'il tte snb-lifuteoini; boairseMil diwppeared in silence. While he *jw absent. tile Lieutmant-Comsiaandier "£wr«i silence in the •ies'trover. "Ma the junior rejoined him the Bantling sjwmhij very alowty. What doy.>n m«ui to do?" asked Moorson. lai (Jun'iinir," n-plied th*. Liwatenanttanmuunier. Flis voice trembled. and JloonoQ noticed 1# tanned bad 6 (x>Tsr>ll bnnself ba3 a pass--1 of something .ilcin to terror; Iswt be «wr it., and waited for orders front its Upenor oE«r. S»J stopped now," whi'pered Moor. 3on. r .. Oiniirv to ativp too," saia *«e UTOt«naaLCr.nimiLnder and the Bantling T on tiii* water, rolling scesatly. The ? *as now «?<> dense that it wan• scarcely | to s«« the length of the destroyer. I -h u • 1:3 • we "re don* for," said ' . ' ; enren.mt. "H.ive Ton filed on plan ?" I m ifoJnvf to clear for action." Saunders. Mwreo the " S™ * scheme—frtcii Beldo<n," iaP'njpwd Saunders. hot-' I '' l ?". En '' r ' :mi -- He listened to the 1 n,™V" ll ? of the Lietttenaat-Coou l.stsne.l with tightening jaws. He tt veteran, having "been t t r ® on ibiirdinent of Alexandria, with , wt * "7 the Xile. and fcbo Naval BriIP * ui South Africa; and was by far the nh T' 111111 " n It waa an immense Cum f<> £ ,' w ?'" ,ur -g and excited Lientemintntnunder t<> have with E""" such a Man. 14 stunner just now was a ve-rv tomn of •l«nathand comfort. ••jo i:, b, done!'* demanded Satm4er». ..f." w '>rtii trying," said the gunner. , " you cnnld just jfeu one in," remarkiae Lm ntecant-Comniander. almost On* «•&: mcehr home, will do the\»*iss • hut f shall give her tvro," saM the a t®etcew that appealfed t 3«« isn't & aßcond to lose," said the ** i *Wt«l»niL.fVimnna»A T '*TT<miwn give

as lade! Near, Jet's put the fim*hmg touches to onr work." These were not much, for already the Bantling had torpedoes in her pair of tubes, and it was only needlnl for the training and the firing to be done.

While the preparations were being made the Bantling's company heard excited voices in tie fog. Gradually the voices became calmer, and at last there was reassurance. But no order was heard, and no ring of the telegraph sounded. It became evident that the battleship's company were satisfying themselves that there was no enemy's ship in tbs neighborhood, and that the alarm of one having been seen was false. "They weren't certain, then," said Saunders. 'TQiey only, fancied they saw something." "Looks like it," answered Bel ton, who was standing, terribly resolute, by the fearful weapons. "The idea is this," said Saunders; "as

soon as she gets under way again, and we can locate her by the sound, I'll go straight for her, full speed, give her the two torpedoes, and double on my track before she knows what has happened. You, Moorson, hang on to me, and when I nudge you, rush to Guthrie and signal him to go full speed ahead—every ounce of staam he can put on. It's -a case of all or nothing with us."

"It must be a. short, ewift bnsiness," said the gunner. "All the broadside and qnick-firing guns will be blazing at us—a very hail. One good-sized pill will "do the business for us, especially if it hits one of these on the nose.' and be pointed to the torpedo-tubes as he spoke, and smiled grimly. "Yes, yes," said Saunders, "we know that. Sow, is everything absolutely ready?" "So far as I'm concerned, yes,' rephed the gunner. Moorsoa nodded, feeling tha£ if he spoke a tremor would be observed in his voice—the tremor of excrtemeait, which be was afraid might be mistaken for fear"Watch hard and listen hard," said the Lieutenant-Commander. "As soon as we catch a glimpse of her or a sign, you run off, Moorson; I'H take the wheel myself—and the rot will depend on you. Indeed, you've got the bulk of the work," added Saunders, with a look of admiration at the gunner. "Bight, oh!" answered Beldon. "I'll pot her i? I can, no fear." Minute followed minute, and the company of the Bantling, breathless almost and in perfect siienoe, strained their sight and hearing. "What if we've drifted away or «nes gone from us?" whispered Moorson. "It would be shameful lock, wouldn't it?" " 'Sh!" was the only answer of the Lieu-tenant-Commander, aid Moorson clenched his teeth.

Suddenly, from the thick, grey, clammy arr there was the sound of a voice, then the ring of a bell. "She's there —bang on our starboard broadside,'* whispered Moorson. "I can fee her!"' "That's the order tfi_ trie engineers to stand by," answered Samplers. "Now — for your life!" Moorson darted from his side, and Sounders leapt to the wheel. Almost instantly, it seemed, the Bantling ms tearing through the water; and as if by magic the huge hull of the battleship, bsc.-me visible. She wes e tern towards the destroyer, _ and as the BanUing tore up Saunders noticed her color drooping from the ensign staff. He saw, too", a figure in the sternwalk, and even in that fearful moment noticed that the figure was that of the Admiral, and that upon tars face was the look of a man who is for the instant struck dumb by some appalling apparition. A great pang of pitv moved the Lieutenant-Commander. "My "Godt" he greened; but he never swerved from his course. "Xeck or nothing!" he cried —concealment was u'eks3 cow. "Let 'em go!' "Aye, ayeroared the gunner. Saunders swung the Bantling round, and on the instant that site turned to race from the overwhelming danger of the flag-ship's guns Beldon let a torpedo go; then another. Both, by marvellous good luck, struck home. There was an almost simultaneous explosion —a thunderous report which become swallowed up and Icet in the aeocii?ed Tries of the battre-ship s doomed company. "Done it'." cried tie gunner. "And we're- out of it untouched !" The whole of the vast tragedy had taken place within o minute of the order to Guthrie to go fall speed ahead- The Bantling, painted grey throughout, had been invisible in the fog until she leaped into the sight of the stunned Admiral; and before his men could rush to their guns. Tbey had taken her unawores, and the pitiless torpedoes had done their work. Not until the Bantling was enveloped in the gloom of the; fog again was the crash of guus heard, mingled with the rat tie oi rifles and quick-firing weapons. They came from all round the battle-ship, but wildly, and only for a few seconds. - -They'll have a. poor platform to fire from." commented the gunner. The Lieutenant-Commander, hogging the wheel, did not answer. Ho still saw the horror-stricken face of the Admiral, and heard the terrified cries, of the flag-ship's people. For an instant, too. he was almost ashamed, for be imagined the Bantling to be seme foul creature that had slunk oat of the gloom for a. moment to strike a deadly blow, and bad siunk back immediately *nfter delivering it. Shot and bullets rained about the destroyer, but nothing damaged her. A few bullets rattled on her hall, and a couple of men were jtruck, bat not wounded seriously. Moorson had sprung to one of the 6pottniJer quick-firing guns, and was preparing to fire it, when be was stopped by fjannders. ~ , "There's no need to hit back, said the lieuteoont-C«anmsnder. "They're done

for.' , "Yes," said the gunner. i -Now the sooner we're* ont of this tiie better. We shall bear detaS3 of what we've dona in a day or two, when the home and foreign newspapers tell us." "Yo-u did marvellously well," said Sounders. , . "I'm glad van think so, replied the gunner: "but tiere was a lot of luck in it. Are van going to make a bee-line for home, may I .ask!" founders was about to aswer xes, when another fearful cry was heard —a cry and

the roar of an eipKeion. r "That was steam and air. Shes soon •gone," said the gunner, with a ring of pity in his voice. "She must have been terribly badly ripped. I can imagine the rents in her* bottom. Just think of it—crunch, squish, like the rip of paper; sol" He j made a rasping hissing sound between his teeth.

"Don't," snapped Saunders. '"Sony." answered the gunner serenely. | He was too much hie performance to be hart by the tones of the Lieu-tenant-Commander. Besides, he remembered that Saunders was verv young, and that this was his first experience of war. "By George, what a baptism of fire!" he murmured. Again the cry. rang, on the clammy nir. To the gunner's amazement tbe LieutenantCommander ordered his company to stand by the boats. • Whatever for!" asked Moorson in astonishment. _ , '•To lower 'em. I »uppcee, granted tbe i gunner to himself. Saunders did not answer. He twirled the wheel, and the Bantling rushed bock to the spot where the battle-ship had been. The fog was rapidly disappearing, and tbe sun was showing himself again. - _ I The gunner gave a questioning Ioo&. "Yes." said Saunders, almost defiantly, "I'm going to order the boats out, and pick some of them up. can't leave them hero to drown." _ „ The gunner thought of faring ."It's war, and adding something about everything being fair in the game; bnt he answered heartily, "Of ccurse not. Why, far that mat ter, we can pick some of than, oat of the water with our hands—this way." He leaned over the side as he spoke, and nobbed at a sailor who was stretching his hands above his head for the lost time. He lagged him on to the deck it he might have ragged an jnanmiftfri object, and then jumped into one of the bogts which were now in iSte water. "Wbrk Hke the deuce;,

! my lade," he cried encouragingly, "for, I by George! if onr friends-' friends oorne down, as they're sure to do, they'll let yon know -what their jails, or worse, are like." Thß Bantling's boats were quickly filled, working as hard as the boats which the battleship had managed, to get towered. They were few in number, but enough for the few survivors who were struggling on the water. The prisoners were tumbled on board the destroyer and driven below. "Just one more load," said the gunner, "and then he must be off. It's fearfully risky keeping hare—my heart jumps into my mouth every time I give a look round. I expect to see a cruiser or some destroyers on our track." "Yes,"' said Saunders anxiously, "■we shall have to be off." "Another load for the Bantling, and then we're full," said Moorson, who was hauling at bobbing heads- and bodies with tremendous energy. ''Ah, it's no good. I must have him! Shove her along, my lads." He urged the light boat on, and himself helped on board the Admiral of the lost ship. The officer was too much exhausted to resist or protest, and sank, a limp heap, in the stern-sheets.

With an exulting smile -Moorson helped the Admiral on board; but the officer did not see his face. Saunders, coming to the side of his craft, received the Admiral with abrupt politeness and ceremony, and begged nim to go below into his cabin, on his word of honor. The Admiral, with a sad bow went down.

"Heave some water and biscuits into the boats, and leave 'em," 6houted Saunders. "We haven't time to hoist them up—and the poor devils will want something to eat and drink before they make the land." Bags and casks were pub into the boats, and then with a sigh of intense relief the gunner heard the telegraph ring full speed ahead.

"Not a second too soon," he observed with a grim smile. "Look !" Saunders gazed in the direction at which the gunner was pointing. His heart leaped, for standing well up on the horizon were a couple of the enemy's cruisers. 'Let her"go—let her go—yon go and buck Guthrie up !" he shouted; and the gunner went below and encouraged the engineer and stokers with many and fearful words. Bnt the sweating lord of the machinery made no answer, except just once, when he burned and asked who was likely to- know most of the power of steam —a gunner or an engineer. "So you can go and pot the cruisers—that is, if you can hit 'em!" said Guthrie scathingly. Without replying, Beldon went on deck and watched the cruisers. He saw a. fierce flash of flams and a cloud of smoke, and heard, eome- seconds later, the report of a gun. He saw, too, far astern, a white pillar, where the shot had fallen into the sea.

He grinned placidly. "Good running practice for you and that's all," he said. "Don't- waste powder and shot on us; we'ra not worth it." He turned and started. Standing -at hi-s elbow, motionless, was the captured Admiral. He had heard the sjot and had come up from the cabin. The gunner saluted. "Sorry, Sir, but you must go below, '

he said. rho prisoner turned with ft s 'gh {-hatsmote Beldon harder .ti: 'R w»r ; could bars done.

The Lieutenant-Commander came up a.p. joined the gunner. He had handed tli wheel over to the quartermaster of th watch, and no>w Tviped his grimy bitow "Is Guthrie letting her go?" he asked. 'Yes, and himself too," answered thi gunner. "Just look at him." Saunders di< so, and saw that in his sweltering den stripped to the waist, Guthrie was indee< letting the Bantling go. Then the Lieu tenant-Commander went below, and witl honorable deference to Ms distinguished prisoner begged ham to xnake himself tu comfortable as possible, and placed befon him such refreshment as the ship at srol a time afforded. The Admiral shook hii head dejectedly. He was too greatly hurl and distressed at his Hi-fortune, and hac no wish either to eat ot drink. "You command ?" he asked in English. "Yes, sir," sighed the Admiral. "Thet mv ship has been destroyed and I have been taken by -a mere boat—commanded bv a boy." "The Lieutenant-Commander flushed. "But a brave boy—a fine boy," added the Admiral, with a. sad smile. Saunders bowed, ai>d feeling tlfoab it would be the best thing to do, he returned to the deck. . TJntil port was reached Guthrie never left his engines; the Lieutenant-Comman-der did not stir from, the helmsman, and Beldon and Moorsonj with grim faces and hard-set jaws, stood with a dozen seamen, and kept watch over the prisoners, ready to fire upon them if they gave the slightest cign of trying to escape. But they were more dead than alive, and, battened down as tbey were, the prospect of regaining freedom was so hopeless that they inade no effort to escape. It was with fearful anxiety that Saunders and his company Oookcd for signs of the land; and Guthrie had what were almost cold shivers when he felt the heated machinery and knew how sear to a breakdown the engines were. If even a nut or bolt gave way just now, it was as much as the strained, whirring roaring mass of steel and iron was worth. It meant almost certain ruin, for the Bantling would lie inert and helpless. She might, by providential luck, be picked up by a friendlv ship; but it was more than Kkely that she would fall into tie hands of the enemy. And what then? Guthrie refused to think of it, and tended his beloved engines with the care of a mother nnrsing a child at tne crisis of a dangerous illness. _ . At last the friendly cliffs of the Isle of Wieht grew large on the blue water, and a prowiinc British cruiser came up to see what the destroyer was, and generally what her business might be. She was of four funnels, and near 15,000 tons, and Saunders sighed with thankfulness when he was steaming easily under her vast end sheltering bulk. The Admiral was transferred to the cruiser, and as she and the Bantling steamed past the ponderous forts Saunders saw thab.the Admiral was in the stem-walk, gazing at him and the destrorer. The prisoners were still on board, the' Captain of the cruiser having reused to take them; and now that fear of rising was hopeless, some —the weakest and wekliggt were allowed on deck to breathe the

fresh air. . There -mas violent signalhiig betmreen t !he cruiser and the shore to make known the triumph of the destroyer, and ■when the Bantling steamed into harbor each ahora -was dense -with people, who cheered themselves hoarse; the yards and rigging of old-time line-of-battle ships swarmed with seamen, and modern ships of war -were crowded too. There wa«Jjdtorag « steam sirens, and more dioute, and the Camnrander-in-Chief himself met Saunders, and said that he and his crew, exception, were a credit, to the British t he joy of his conquest) had somewhat lessened. Saunders, with a shndder, remembered what his oilers were-4» re- | connoitre a certain island, and tcr find out whether an enemy was present, and injvhat force. Bosharelv. from saw tfoe baittteship loom oat of the fog until this instant, he tod pev«- given the island so much as a fleeting ttoughtuAnd there was not to be any deviation the orders. Htf remembered that, too; and, unwelcome visions of a cMne into his troubled imagination. bronzed face—it was aJso very dirty—paled as the captain of tie cruiser froim whom nis orders had come approached. "Is the log written np ?" adted the Captain abrupthr. "No, sir,' faltered Satmders. remembering- tiat here also was anotiher omission. The log! It had newer entered his mind. , "Not any part of it? questioned the admitted the Lieutenant-Com-mander. "Truth to tell, I had eyes and ears for nothing but the enemy. "Did yon mention your orders to anyone?" asked the Captain. "Not a soul, sir." "Then mo one except ywaself knows \rhab the Bantling went out to do! "On>v you ana I, sr." "OhHe Captain made the exclamation and paused. 'Well," he said, "when tot do .write np the log, just say that your we to go out aaid for . the enemy, and to wtonjrt once to report *if you saw ani m fc ® o6 * Then

it .-won't appear as if there .lad ,beea..anytbrng in" the way of deviation. And do<w added the Captain, "let me congratulate you on the finest performance of the -war. X said we can't &U be Sfilsona. ■We can't. But it seems as if some of us might be."