登陆注册
15489100000006

第6章 Chapter 2(2)

We were within fifty feet of them when they awakened to the intentional menace of our maneuver. Their gun crew was off its guard; but they sprang to their piece now and sent a futile shell above our 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-crew went down; the other trained their piece at the water-line of the oncoming tug. The balance of those on deck replied to our small-arms fire, directing their efforts toward the man at our wheel.

I hastily pushed the girl down the companionway leading to the engine-room, and then I raised my pistol and fired my first shot at a boche. What happened in the next few seconds happened so quickly that details are rather blurred in 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, Fate had decreed that this one should fall first to an enemy bullet. I saw the depleted gun-crew on the submarine fire their piece and I felt the shock of impact and heard the loud explosion as the shell struck and exploded in our bows.

I saw and realized these things even as I was leaping into the pilot-house and grasping the wheel, standing astride the dead body of the helmsman. With all my strength I threw the helm 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 boat shuddered and trembled to the sudden reversing of the engines, and our speed quickly lessened. Then I saw what that madman of a skipper planned since his first scheme had gone wrong.

With a loud-yelled command, he leaped to the slippery deck of the submersible, and at his heels came his hardy crew. I sprang from the pilot-house and followed, not to be left out in the cold when it came to strafing the boches. From the engine room companionway came the engineer 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 the pistols cracked amidst the cursing of the men and the loud commands of the commander and his junior; but presently we were too indiscriminately mixed to make it safe to use our firearms, and the battle resolved itself into a hand-to-hand struggle for possession of the deck.

The sole aim of each of us was to hurl one of the opposing force into the sea. I shall never forget the hideous expression upon the face of the great Prussian with whom chance confronted me.

He lowered his head and rushed at me, bellowing like a bull.

With a quick side-step and ducking low beneath his outstretched arms, I eluded him; and as he turned to come back at me, I landed 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 could neither turn toward my antagonist nor free myself from his maniacal grasp. Relentlessly he was rushing me toward the side of the vessel and death. There was none to stay him, for each of my companions was more than occupied by from one to three of the enemy. For an instant I was fearful for myself, and then Isaw that which filled me with a far greater terror for another.

My boche was bearing me toward the side of the submarine against which the tug was still pounding. That I should be ground to death between 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 for the final dive, as I saw death from which I could not save her clutching at the skirts of the woman I now knew all too well that I loved.

I had perhaps the fraction of a second longer to live when Iheard an angry growl behind us mingle with a cry of pain and rage from the giant who carried me. Instantly he went backward to 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 my opponent.

Never again would he menace me or another, for Nob's great jaws had closed upon his throat. Then I sprang toward the edge of the deck closest to the girl upon the sinking tug.

"Jump!" I cried. "Jump!" And I held out my arms to her.

Instantly as though with implicit confidence in my ability to save her, she leaped over the side of the tug 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 plunged out of sight. My hand missed the girl's by a fraction of an inch, and I saw her slip into the sea; but scarce had she touched the water when I was in after her.

The sinking tug drew us far below the surface; but I had seized her the moment I struck the water, and so we went down together, and together we came up--a few yards from the U-boat. The first thing 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, for I saw our survivors holding a handful of the enemy at pistol points while one by one the rest of the crew was coming out of the craft's interior and lining up on deck with the other prisoners.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 天空之歌所吟诵的未来

    天空之歌所吟诵的未来

    “我们的时间停滞不前……”“在那片天空的尽头,必定有着我们从未看见的景色。”承载了所有人希望之物,定能触碰那光明的未来。天空之歌的吟诵,为真谕所指引领道路……
  • 英才是父母炼成的:22位成功父母对我们的家教启迪

    英才是父母炼成的:22位成功父母对我们的家教启迪

    21世纪,是知识经济的世纪,是人才竞争的世纪。随着时代的飞速发展,社会的激烈竞争,人们愈来愈能够体会到人才的价值与英才的珍贵。于是乎,在我们这个富有重视教育的传统的国度,每个家庭的父母,都十分渴望将自己的孩子培养成英才。
  • 少年遇你不悔

    少年遇你不悔

    十五六岁遇到的朋友,将会是一辈子的好朋友。我们是兄弟,也是恋人。蓦然回首,情定三生,一生无憾,一生无悔。——王俊凯;曾在少年,念念不忘,相隔千里,依稀记得你的模样。——易烊千玺读者群:429832316【敲门砖:书中任意人物】【欢迎入坑】
  • 因果游戏录

    因果游戏录

    一座古堡,一场游戏,异能在手,生死在天。十个参与者喝下前世留下的水,自此在这场生死契约上按下手印,一场场杀戮在进行,一个个秘密被揭开,究竟谁才是这场游戏的赢家?在那片不会亮起的永夜里,一万次地诅咒你,恨你,杀你。却还是抵不过那一瞬想要拥抱你。这场游戏,爱恨为因,生死为果。
  • 古封

    古封

    一念执魔,身化仙妖。执剑荡三界,明目尘世间。
  • 悠悠春秋

    悠悠春秋

    世界在变,他何去何从;谁正谁邪,他属何方?或许他坚持的才是邪恶的根源.......——————————————————郑重提醒:本故事不是虚构,如有雷同,请检查你是否已经穿越!
  • 追爱死神

    追爱死神

    如果‘我’是死神,你会爱‘我’吗?如果留在‘我’身边你会死,那么,你还会爱‘我’吗?
  • 青少年应该知道的病毒

    青少年应该知道的病毒

    本书主要介绍了病毒的概念、起源、特征、分类、结构、生殖等方面内容。另外还简介了病毒对人类或其他生物的危害和在环境中所起的作用等内容。
  • 大王叫我来巡山:爆笑小狐仙

    大王叫我来巡山:爆笑小狐仙

    新婚之夜被渣男渣女害死,意外得知自己是活了五百年的女巫。那又忽然穿越到这个该死的狐狸窝什么鬼?那个长的仙气飘飘却喜欢本狐仙的国师什么鬼?什么,你还要本大王做你的国师娘子?什么什么,还要给你生猴子?什么什么什么,你的副业是道士?死道士,狗带吧你!
  • 造化九天

    造化九天

    少年田风,天生废体,受尽屈辱!一日觉醒,得造化,踏九天,炼化诸天万物,走上惊天逆袭之路!法宝是我的,功法是我的,仙子依然是我的!看他如何惊圣教,踩天骄,只手炼天,传奇才刚刚开始、、、、、、