CHAPTER VIII
LOST
Long before they had recovered from their fright, from the strain andthe reaction, Rawlins appeared, his face pale, but with its habitualcheerful grin and half-carrying Sam.
"I'll say that was a close call!" he exclaimed, as he placed the negroon a seat. "Say, get some brandy or whisky quick! Sam's all in."
As the others crowded about, laughing, congratulating, expressingtheir relief and joy at his escape and forcing liquor between Sam'sblue lips, Rawlins was busily chafing and rubbing the man's cold bodyand limbs, slapping his chest and back and giving orders.
"Get some hot coffee," he commanded, "and blankets. He'll be all rightsoon. Went to pieces in the air-lock--couldn't help me off with thesuit and had a devil of a time with it. Bully boy, Sam! There, oldsport, how do you feel?"
A sickly smile spread over Sam's haggard features.
"Ah's all right, Chief," he whispered. "Did Ah finish tha' sea-cat,Chief?"
"I'll say you did!" cried Rawlins. "Cut him clean in two! Blamed luckyfor me too. Here, take this coffee!"
Sam gulped down the steaming coffee and was wrapped in the blanketsand slowly the color came back to his lips and he took deep, longbreaths.
"You're all right now," declared Rawlins. "Be fit as ever and readyfor another scrap with an octopus before dinner. Say, Sam, Ican't----" Rawlins swayed, his face went white as a sheet and hegrasped wildly at a stanchion. Willing hands seized him and carriedhim to a couch where, for five minutes, they worked feverishly overhim before he opened his eyes and regained consciousness.
"By Jove, but you've got grit!" exclaimed Mr. Henderson. "Nerviestthing I ever saw! Imagine going through that horror and then bringingSam in and tending to him before you gave in! Rawlins, old man, you'rea marvel!"
Rawlins grinned and rose to a sitting posture.
"Guess I was a bit knocked out and shaken," he admitted. "I'll sayit's no sport fighting a darned octopus!" and then, with a whimsicalsmile, "Say, I'll be able to make a corking film of an octopus nexttime. I thought that last one of mine was a peach, but it didn't haveenough pep to it. Never thought when I invented that rubber beast I'dever get in a scrap with a real one."
"Oh, it was terrible!" cried Tom. "How can you joke about it?"
"Easy to laugh as to cry," replied Rawlins. "All's well that endswell, you know. I guess you're glad you didn't go down now."
"You bet we are!" declared Frank. "Gee! I don't believe I'll ever godown again. I'd imagine there were devil fish waiting for meeverywhere. Ugh!"
"Never had to tackle one before," said Rawlins, "and I've been divingfor years. Well, I guess I'm O.K. I'll get busy on that wreck again."
"Not for one minute!" said Mr. Pauling decisively. "You'll just forgetthat wreck--at least as long as you are with me. If you feel all rightwe'll get out of here as quick as we can and get some fresh air--I'mstifling and my heart's still beating like a trip hammer."
"Well, I suppose you're the boss," grinned Rawlins, "but it's a shameto clear out with that old galleon and a lot of loot so handy."
"Bother the galleon and her loot!" burst out Mr. Henderson. "No morenonsense on this trip. We've had enough of under-sea work to last alifetime."
Ten minutes later, the submarine was floating on the surface andstanding in the bright warm sunshine on deck, with the placid blue seaabout and the rich green island beyond, the boys could scarcelybelieve that they had really undergone such a frightful experience. Itseemed like some unreal, horrible nightmare, but the round raw spotson Rawlins' hands where the creature's suckers had gripped him wereproof of the reality of the battle, and every time the boys thought ofit they shuddered and cold chills ran up and down their spines.
Rawlins made little of it, joking and laughing as if such matters wereof everyday occurrence, while Sam, fully recovered from the effects ofhis daring rescue, refused to be considered a hero and was ill at easeand embarrassed whenever a word of praise or commendation wasexpressed.
Very soon Santo Domingo was so close that Rawlins advised runningsubmerged and, pointing out a low valley-like expanse extending farinto the hills, declared it to be the entrance to Cana Honda Bay. Withthe periscope just visible above the sea, and hugging the shores asclosely as they dared, the submarine was run slowly into the narrowopening while the boys, stationed at their instruments, listened forthe faintest hint of a whirring screw in their vicinity. But no soundbroke the silence under the sea and no sign of another craft was seen.
Well up the bay and behind a densely wooded point the sub-sea craftwas run into a smaller bay and then, emerging, Rawlins piloted herthrough a crooked river-like channel until safely screened back of alow sandy beach covered with a grove of coconut trees.
"We're pretty safe here, I think," he announced. "I came here oncewith a party of scientists and we camped here when we were on thattrip looking for the wreck yonder. If the 'reds' are hanging out nearhere they'll be over the other side of the bay, I think. Those hillsover there are full of caves and it's a wild country. Just the placefor such a gang. We can keep an eye on the entrance and the channelfrom here and go snooping around after dark and maybe pick up a radiomessage or see a fire or smoke."
"You've selected an ideal spot," agreed Mr. Pauling. "Safe harbor,fresh coconuts, a nice beach for bathing and safely hidden. I don'tknow how we could get on without you, Rawlins."
"Well, if I hadn't got the crazy idea of coming down here you wouldn'thave been here," the diver reminded him. "So you couldn't have beenwithout me. But I'm mighty glad I've helped a little."
"How about fresh water?" asked Mr. Henderson. "Ours is getting prettylow, you know."
"There's a stream back on the mainland--just over by that point,"replied Rawlins, "and there's a sort of inner harbor here too--fineplace for fishing and hunting, though of course we can't hunt--andbeyond that a big mangrove swamp that runs clean around to theopposite side of the bay. By going through that we could sneak overaround the caves without being seen. Devil of a place to get through,though--regular labyrinth. A man would get lost there in a jiffywithout a compass."
It was now nearly sundown and preparations were at once made for thenight.
It was agreed that no time was to be lost. That as soon as darknesscame Rawlins and Mr. Pauling with one of the boys should go out in aboat carrying a receiving instrument and the resonance coil while theothers remained in the submarine and listened for any sounds ormessages which might come to them.
"The trouble is we cannot communicate safely," remarked Mr. Pauling."That's the one great shortcoming of this radio. Any one within rangecan hear. I don't know much about the technical end as you know, but Ican see that the man who invents a method of communicating by wirelesssecretly, or so others can't hear him, will make his fortune andrevolutionize the science."
"You're quite right," agreed Mr. Henderson. "That's why it will nevertake the place of wire telegraphy or telephone--that is, until such adiscovery as you suggest is made. However, the very fact that it's notpossible to keep messages secret at present is to our advantage now.It's an ill wind that blows nobody good, you know."
"We'll hope we don't need to communicate," said Rawlins. "I don't seewhy we should. If we hear anything and locate the gang we can comeback here, slip away and call Disbrow. We're in no shape to make anattack by ourselves."
"I'd like to know why not?" demanded Tom. "We could turn the gun on'em and we've got rifles and pistols and everything."
"Sure," laughed Rawlins. "I suppose we'd pick up that two-inch gun andlug it over in the small boat and dump it down in their front yardwhile they looked on. No, Son, if they got wise to us being herethey'd either clean out by their sub or scatter in the bush or go forus tooth and nail. A crowd that don't hesitate to try to torpedo usisn't going to stop at a scrap and the Lord alone knows how many of'em there are."
"Rawlins is right," declared Mr. Pauling. "If we locate them we mustplan to make a concerted raid, surrounding them on all sides and witha large e
nough force to make resistance useless. The man we want mayor may not be there, but we must be absolutely sure to get him if heis. If he gives us the slip our troubles will have just commenced."
"Yes, I suppose that's so," admitted Tom. "Gosh, I hope we do findthem."
Everything was now in readiness, the night was inky black, not aglimmer of light showed upon the submarine and silently embarking inthe small boat, Rawlins, Mr. Pauling, Tom and two of the crew pushedoff and were instantly swallowed up in the darkness.
Sitting at his instruments and listening for any chance sound ormessage was dull work for Frank and his mind was constantly on whatTom and the others might be doing. Once, very faint and far away, hethought he heard the whirring sound of a screw, but Bancroft, wholistened in at Frank's request, declared he did not believe it was.
"At any rate," he said, "if 't is, it's a long way off. Maybe someship outside the bay."
Then followed absolute silence. Bancroft, at the regular instruments,picked up some dot and dash messages flying back and forth betweenpassing ships and the big station at Santo Domingo City, but there wasnothing suspicious, nothing that hinted of the proximity of the menthey sought. Slowly the time dragged on, hour after hour passed by.Frank yawned and almost dozed while sitting at the instruments. Wouldthe boat never return? Had they heard or seen anything? How, Frankwondered, could Rawlins find his way in such dense blackness? Wouldthey get lost in the swamp he had mentioned? Suppose they neverreturned? Perhaps they might be captured or killed by the outlaws. Thethought startled him. It had not occurred to him before that there wasany danger. But once that current of thought was started it ran riotin his brain. He grew nervous, excited, worried, and Bancroft couldnot cheer him or disabuse him of the premonition that somethingserious had happened.
"Oh, you'd hear 'em, if anything happened," declared the operator."They'd call you or something. If they were discovered there'd be noneed of keeping quiet. Trouble is, your nerves aren't over theexcitement of this afternoon yet. Cheer up. They're all right. No newsis good news, you know."
"Yes, I suppose you're right," admitted Frank, "but just the same I'mworried."
Then to his ears came a faint sound; before he could grasp its meaninghe heard footsteps overhead and a moment later Rawlins and Tomdescended the ladder with Mr. Pauling close behind them and Mr.Henderson, who had been keeping watch on deck, bringing up the rear.
"Gee, I'm glad you're back!" cried Frank. "I thought sure somethinghad happened to you! Did you find them?"
"Not a sign!" replied Rawlins. "Don't believe they've got over hereyet."
"Gosh, but it was black!" exclaimed Tom, "and weird. What did youthink could happen to us?"
Frank, rather ashamed of his unwarranted fears, tried to explain, butRawlins laughed.
"Don't you worry over anything of that sort," he told him. "We cantake care of ourselves."
"And, as Bancroft said, if anything went wrong we'd let you know,"said Mr. Pauling. "Remember, all of you, if you have trouble or areattacked or anything goes wrong don't hesitate to call for help orgive information. Safety first is the rule and it's better to lose thegame by having the rascals hear us than to come to grief ourselves. Ishould never forgive myself if anything serious happened to any of usthrough lack of communicating with the means at hand, regardless ofthe results as far as catching the criminals is concerned."
"Didn't you hear anything on the detector?" asked Tom.
"Nothing but the splash of your oars when you came and went and, yes,I heard something once I thought was a screw, but is was too faint tobe sure and Mr. Bancroft didn't think it was."
"Funny," commented Mr. Pauling. "Of course we didn't go very far--itwas slow work getting about in the dark--and we had to turn back asthe moon began to rise. They are either not here or else were nottalking through their instruments. To-morrow night we'll have an hourlonger and can go farther."
"I think the very fact that they were not conversing by radio provesone of two things," declared Mr. Henderson. "Either the submarine hasnot 'come within speaking distance or else all are ashore togetherwhen there would be no need of talking by wireless. I imagine that, asthey know the destroyer is looking for them, and are aware that we orthose on the destroyer have some form of under-sea radio, they wouldbe very cautious about using it and would do so only when absolutelynecessary."
"Yes, and they'll lay low for a while too," said Rawlins. "They knowabout the raid in New York and about Smernoff's escape and they wonttry any of their tricks for a time you can bet. They'll just listenand say nothing and wait until the excitement blows over. It'll belike stalking a deer to find 'em."
"Yes, or like looking for a needle in a haystack," agreed Mr. Pauling,"although I should not be surprised if they are occupying one of thosecaves you mention. Our best plan will be to make a thorough search andtrust to luck."
The night passed uneventfully and the boys awoke the next morningfeeling as if the adventures of the previous days were all a dream.Nothing could be done during the day and so, after breakfast, theypaddled to the beach, had a splendid swim, gathered coconuts to theirhearts' content and came back to lunch with hearty appetites. In theafternoon they went with the two boats to the stream for fresh waterand the boys thoroughly enjoyed themselves wandering about in thejungle while the men filled the casks. They had never been in atropical forest before and they were filled with wonder at every turn.The enormous trees, with their wide-spreading buttress-like roots andthe drapery of lianas; the great, broad-leaved air plants and gayorchids; the innumerable palms and brilliant flowers were fascinating.They exclaimed with delight at the gaudy butterflies, the tiny hummingbirds and bright-plumaged tanagers and were tremendously interested inthe hosts of big busy ants carrying bits of leaves in their jaws andmoving across the forest floor in an endless procession. Rawlins toldthem these were "drougher ants" and stated that the scientists withwhom he had visited the spot before said they used the bits of leavesfor propagating a species of fungus in their nests--"sort of ants'mushrooms" as he put it--on which they fed.
Once the boys were puzzled by a shrill, rather pretty song whichseemed to issue from the sky and in vain they searched for the singeruntil Frank's sharp eyes spied a tiny atom perched on the topmost leafof a tall palm--a very midget of a bird--a diminutive humming bird nolarger than a bumblebee, whose fluttering wings and trembling throatproved him to be the singer. Again, they were startled by harsh,discordant cries and were just in time to see a flock of green and redparrots winging swiftly away from a tree where they had been feeding.It was all very novel and strange and to the boys, who for so long hadbeen confined to the submarine. It was a most delightful change, andeven after the casks had been filled and the boats were ready todepart they insisted on remaining, telling the men to come back justbefore sundown.
With nightfall, the small boat again started forth on its search,Frank this time going with the party while Tom remained on board, butonce again they returned unsuccessful.
The following day Rawlins suggested going for a fishing trip and withthe two boys rowed up through the narrow, winding channel to the innerharbor and for several hours caught fish as fast as they could baittheir hooks and drop them into the dark water.
Then, with enough fish and to spare, Rawlins rowed them into thedismal mangrove swamp among the maze of trunks, aerial roots andwinding channels. This was another new and wonderful experience to theboys. It was low tide and between the densely growing mangroves themud was exposed and with countless brilliant scarlet and yellow crabsscuttling about everywhere, across the mud, up and down the treetrunks, over the roots, even on the overhanging branches. Many of thetrees with their sprawling roots were overgrown with oysters and theboys gathered half a boatload of the bivalves. Rawlins too showed themhow the mangroves spread and grew by means of the roots descendingfrom the branches, how the slender but tough cable like rootssupported the trees and bound all together into a compact mass and howthe trees, ever growing out into the water and accumulating
mud anddrift about them, formed land.
"Some day," he declared, "this whole swamp will be dry land. After themangroves come black-jacks and sea-grapes, then palms and other trees,and at last it will be all forest. I've seen lots of places likethat."
There was bird life in plenty in the swamp too. Green and blue herons,white egrets and scarlet-faced white ibis that flapped up at theboat's approach and stared curiously at the intruders, utteringhalf-frightened, hoarse croaks like giant frogs.
"Say, it would be fine hunting here," declared Frank when, a littlelater, a flock of tree ducks whirred up and perched upon the treeswithin easy gunshot. "It's too bad we can't shoot. Roast duck would gofine for a change."
"I'll say it would," agreed Rawlins, "but a fellow could hear agunshot miles off here and it would give us away in a minute."
Night after night the boat left the submarine, ever going farther andfarther in its search, but without results, and each day the boysamused themselves by exploring the adjoining woods and swamps,sometimes with Rawlins, and sometimes by themselves.
At first Mr. Pauling had objected to the two youngsters going offalone, but after they had promised always to carry a compass and to bevery careful he consented, on the condition that they did not go farand always took along their radio set.
"Not only that you may use it in case of real need," he explained,"but also as it is always possible that you may hear messages.Remember and don't use the set unless absolutely compelled to, butdon't hesitate if in danger or lost."
On their first two excursions they enjoyed themselves hugely. They hadcaught plenty of fish, explored a small island in the swamp and founda colony of egrets and herons and had even seen a few of thewonderful, pink, roseate spoonbills. Also, they had been terriblystartled when a big broad snout broke through the water a few yardsfrom the boat and with a terrific bellow plunged out of sight.
Rawlins laughed heartily when they told of this. "Just a manatee orseacow," he said. "Perfectly harmless creatures and usually very shy.I'll bet he was more frightened than you two boys."
On the third day, hoping to again catch sight of a manatee, and intenton exploring another small island they had seen, the boys set forth inhigh spirits, taking along a lunch and planning to be away untilafternoon. Rawlins had planned to go with them, promising to show theman alligator's nest, but at the last minute changed his mind anddecided to tramp inland and ascend a high hill with the hopes ofsighting smoke which might divulge the presence of the men theysought.
For a time all went well with the boys. They paddled to the portion ofthe swamp they had already visited, took compass bearings andcontinued on their way. They found the island they had sighted andspent several hours exploring it and, finding a pleasant sandy beachon the farther side, decided to eat lunch there. Returning to theirboat they rowed around to the beach and, seated in the shade of thetrees, ate their midday meal while laughing and joking over the clumsypelicans diving and fishing in an open area of water a short distanceaway. Suddenly, from beyond a thick grove of mangroves, came thestartling bull-like bellow of a manatee.
"Come on!" cried Tom. "Let's go and find him. He's just back of thatpoint. If we sneak up on him carefully we'll see him!"
Hurrying to the boat they tumbled in and rowed as silently as possibleto the point and peered beyond. There was no sign of a manatee, butever-widening ripples on the calm water showed where some creature hadbeen a few moments before and presently, from up a narrow lane ofwater, they heard a snort and a short bellow again.
"He's gone up that channel," declared Frank in a whisper. "Come along!He's bound to come up. Gee! I _would_ like to see one. Mr.Rawlins says they're eight or ten feet long and with skin like anelephant."
Paying little heed to where they were going the two interested andexcited boys, keen on their chase of the elusive manatee, paddled upthe winding channel among the mangroves while ever just beyond, theycould hear the snorts or the rumbling bellow of the creature they werefollowing.
Presently they swung around a bunch of the trees and found themselvesupon a small lake-like lagoon several hundred acres in extent andsurrounded by the mangrove swamp.
"I'll bet he's in here," declared Tom. "Let's sit still and watch."
Taking in their oars the boys sat motionless, gazing about thetranquil surface of the lagoon and watching for the expectedappearance of the sea-cow.
Suddenly Frank gripped Tom's arm. "Look!" he whispered. "There he is.See, crawling up on that mud bank!"
"Gosh! that's so," agreed Tom and fascinated, the two boys watched asa big, bulky, black creature emerged from the dark still water andslowly and with great effort drew himself onto the wet mud flat amongthe trees.
"Jimmy, isn't he a queer beast!" exclaimed Frank in an undertone."Looks like a seal; and what a funny head!"
"I wish we were closer," whispered Tom. "Don't you suppose we couldsneak nearer?"
"Well, we can try," agreed Frank. "We've seen all we can from here andif we do scare him we can see the way he dives. Come on."
Very cautiously, the boys slipped their oars into the water andsilently edged the boat closer and closer to the unsuspectingcreature.
They had reached a point within a few rods of the manatee when theclumsy beast suddenly lifted his head, peered at them with his tinyeyes in a way which Tom afterwards said reminded him of Smernoff, andso quickly the boys could hardly follow his movements plunged into thewater.
"Gosh!" exclaimed Tom, "I didn't suppose he could move so quickly. Oh,say, here he comes! Look!"
The water where the manatee had drawn himself ashore was shallow andas he strove to reach deep water, frightened out of his few wits bythe unexpected sight of the human beings, his broad back broke throughthe surface like the bottom of a capsized boat and to the boys'excited minds he seemed headed directly for them.
Although Rawlins had assured them that manatees were gentle harmlesscreatures, yet here, alone in the big, silent, mysterious swamp, thehuge beast seemed fraught with danger to the excited boys and theywere fully convinced that he was attacking them. Grabbing the oarsthey strove frantically to get out of his way, but the boat was heavyand clumsy, the boys were frightened and in their mad efforts to avoidthe oncoming sea-cow Frank's oar slipped from the rowlocks, he lurchedbackwards and before he could recover himself or cry out he plungedoverboard. Had Tom not been so terribly frightened he would haveroared with laughter at the sight, for as Frank fell he pushed theboat aside and was now floundering about in water up to his waist,struggling madly to regain the boat while the manatee, absolutelycrazy with fright at the splash and the appearance of the boy, triedto turn and escape in another direction and in his blind rush bumpedinto Frank's legs and knocked him yelling and screaming head overheels.
But at the time there was nothing humorous in the situation to eitherboy. To Frank, startled by the manatee in the first place and shockedand frightened at his unexpected plunge, the poor bewildered creaturewas a terrifying monster bent on destroying him, while to Tom, equallyscared, the manatee's sudden turn and collision with Frank appeared asa deliberate attack. But it was all over in an instant. The manateegained deep water and disappeared and Frank, covered with mud anddripping with the water, wallowed to the boat and pulled himself in.
"Whew!" he exclaimed as he caught his breath. "That _was_ anarrow escape!"
Then for the first time Tom became sensible. "Say, I don't believe hewas after us at all!" he declared. "He was just frightened half todeath. Golly, but you look scared!"
"So would you if you'd been overboard with that big beast in the wateralongside of you knocking you down," responded Frank. "Come on, I'vehad enough of this, let's go back."
"All right," agreed Tom, "Hello, where did we come in?"
As he glanced about he realized for the first time that he was notsure of his bearings. A dozen and more openings showed among themangroves and try as he might he could not tell which was the one bywhich they had entered the lagoon.
For an instan
t Frank looked about. "Over there," he declaredpositively. "I remember that funny-shaped tree."
"All right then," replied Tom, "I thought for a minute we were lost."
Feeling sure they were right the boys pulled into the narrow channel,chatting and laughing over their adventure until suddenly Tom stoppedrowing and glanced about.
"Say, this isn't the place we came in," he declared. "We never passedhere. Look ahead--those stumps are right in the middle of the channeland we'd have seen them sure."
"Golly, I believe you're right!" agreed Frank, "Say, we'll have to goby compass."
Dropping his oars he reached into his pocket and slowly a strangeexpression of wonder, amazement, surprise and fright overspread hisface.
"It's gone!" he said in an awe-struck tone. "It's lost! Gosh, Tom, itmust have dropped out of my pocket when I went overboard!"
"Jiminy, that's too bad!" exclaimed Tom. "But you needn't be sofrightened, we can go back and start over again."
"Yes, but suppose we can't find the right lead?" objected Frank. "Thenwe will be in a pretty fix!"
"Oh, we can find it," declared Tom reassuringly. "If necessary we cantry every one until we get the right one."
Turning their boat the boys pulled rapidly back to the lagoon andafter a careful survey decided on another channel.
"Hurrah, this _is_ right!" cried Frank after they had rowed somedistance, "I remember that clump of reeds. We're all right."
But after they had rowed steadily for an hour the two boys began tohave doubts.
"We ought to be out by that island by now," declared Tom. "I'mbeginning to think we're wrong again."
"I was just getting that same way myself," admitted Frank. "Say, if wedon't look out it'll be dark before we get out of here."
"Well we can use the radio," suggested Tom.
"Not unless we have to," replied Frank. "We still have time to go backand--hello, there's the island now!"
Glancing over his shoulder Tom saw that they had reached a bend in thewaterway and beyond it loomed a wooded island. For a moment he gazedat it.
"That's not the island," he announced. "Look, it's got palms on it."
"Jehoshaphat, so it has!" exclaimed Frank. "Say, Tom, we're lost.We'll have to use the radio."
"Yes, I guess we will," agreed Tom, "if we go back to that lagoon nowwe'll never get out until after dark and Dad'll be worried to death."
As he spoke, he uncovered the radio apparatus while Frank got out thesmall portable aerial and erected it over the boat, dropping theground wire over the side into the water.
Tom picked up the instruments, turned on the rheostat and was about tocall into the microphone when his jaw dropped, his eyes seemed aboutto pop from his head and his hand shook.
"What on earth's the matter?" cried Frank, alarmed at the strangeexpression which had come over Tom's face. "You look as if you'd seena ghost."
"Hssh!" whispered Tom in a shaky voice. "I near them! I heard thoseRussians! Gosh, Frank! they must be close by!"
The Radio Detectives Under the Sea Page 8
