“Well, wouldn’t that surprise you?” cried Dick. “Here we are back at our old stamping grounds once more, after racing6 around for an hour and getting nowhere.”
“This is new country to me,” observed Glennie; “but I looked at the chart early this morning, marked the location of South Channel, and could have sworn we started into it when we left this island.”
“Come below, you fellows,” called Bob disgustedly. “You can take the wheel, Dick, and steer4 by the periscope9 while I overhaul10 the charts. There’s no sense wasting time and gasoline like this.”
Bob dropped down the ladder and the rest followed him.
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“We’re mixed up, Gaines,” Bob called through the motor-room tube, “and a pilot who knows the coast would be mighty11 handy about now. Quarter speed while we study the maps. Dick,” Bob added, “run circles off the island while we get our bearings.”
Bob opened the locker12 and dug up the chart. Laying it on one of the stools, he examined it, with Carl and Glennie looking over his shoulder.
“Here’s where we are now,” said Bob, sticking a pin in the chart, “and there’s the entrance to South Channel just below Mixiana Island.”
“The passage we got into by mistake,” remarked Glennie, “was that crooked13 little passage that runs into Mixiana Island, bends around in the shape of a big ‘O,’ and then lets us out again at the same place we went in.”
“Exactly,” agreed Bob.
“It was easy to make the mistake.”
“Easy, yes; but I ought to have been sure. We should have had the chart on deck with us, but I thought I had the thing firmly fixed14 in my mind.”
“A chart is a hard thing to carry in your mind.”
“I’m beginning to think so myself. Head south by east, Dick,” Bob went on to his chum. “You’ll know the passage we took when you see it. Skip that, and head into the one west of it.”
“Sou’ by east it is, mate,” answered Dick.
“If you wanted to,” suggested Glennie, “you could pass to the north of Mixiana Island and get to Cape Magoari by going around it. It looks to me as though that would be our shortest course.”
“Short, yes; but it would take more time.”
“How so?”
“Well, if we went to the north of Mixiana Island we would be in the open bay, and that pesky Jap steamer may be standing15 off and on, hoping to get278 sight of us. In order to avoid that, we should have to run submerged, which would mean no more than half speed, the best we could do. By going through South Channel we won’t need to fear the steamer, and can run on the surface, and put every ounce of our motor’s power into moving ahead.”
“Correct,” said Glennie. “I find that there are a good many things about running a submarine that I have yet to learn.”
Dick gave a grunt16 as he bent17 over the periscope table. His face was hidden by the periscope hood19, so the disgusted expression which he wore could not be seen.
Dick Ferral did not easily forgive a slight. From the first, Glennie had struck him “on the wrong side,” and it would take time before Dick got over his dislike.
Carl, in this respect, was like Dick. Neither of the boys could ever forget the lordly air assumed by the ensign when he hove to alongside the submarine in the launch. The “mister” which Glennie had imposed upon them still rankled20 in their bosoms21.
Up to that moment off Port of Spain there had been no “misters” on the Grampus. The formality demanded by Glennie had been a strain on the friendly relations of the crew—and perhaps on the crew’s temper as well.
Glennie heard Dick’s grunt, even though he could not see the disgusted expression on his face, and he whirled and stared sharply at Dick’s back.
“Discipline iss going to der dogs on dis ship,” mourned Carl, in mock dejection. “If ve don’d haf more discipline dere is going to be drouple, ain’d it? First t’ing you know, I vill haf to be calling my olt pard Misder Bob, und my odder olt pard Misder Dick,279 und den18 if somepody ton’t call me misder, I bet you I preak his head.”
“That will do, Carl,” said Bob, noting the flush that crossed Glennie’s face.
“That’s all right, Mr. Steele,” spoke22 up the ensign. “I started that, and they’re within their rights, I suppose, when they rub it in. All I can say is that I didn’t understand your method of running this boat. Now, in the navy, we have to have discipline; we have to have our gun crews, our watches, and all that; and we have to insist on a certain amount of respect from subordinates. The admirals require it from the captains, the captains from the commanders, the commanders from the lieutenants23, and so on down through the various ranks of commissioned officers. Even a passed midshipman,” and he smiled a bit grimly, “has the pattern always before him, and he is taught to exact his due from all the noncoms. But, as I say, I didn’t understand how matters were when I boarded the Grampus. I—I am sorry I took the stand I did.”
Just how much it cost Glennie to make that apology probably none of the boys, not even Bob, could realize. But he made it right manfully, and Bob stepped toward him and put out his hand.
“Say no more, old fellow,” he cried heartily25. “We all of us get out of our course a little, now and then. Before we get through with this cruise we all are going to understand each other a whole lot better. Carl and——”
Bob turned with the intention of making his Dutch chum take the hand he released, but Carl had faded mysteriously out of the periscope room. Whether he expected what was coming, or not, and dodged26 away to avoid meeting the issue, Bob could only guess.
“Dick,” and Bob turned to his sailor chum, “I want you——”
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“Here we are,” cried Dick, “just taking the entrance to South Channel. And it’s the right channel, too, because we slammed right past that other one where we go in and come out the same place.”
Glennie could not fail to note how both Carl and Dick had avoided Bob’s attempt to put him on more friendly footing with them. There was a noticeable constraint27 in his manner, but he did not allow it to interfere28 with his stating the desire he had in his head.
“When I came aboard,” he went on, “I believed I was merely the representative of the United States government, that I was to look on, keep hands off, and write up my own log. But I can see very plainly where I can be of service to you, Bob; and I can also see where, by helping29 you, I can get a much better insight into the capabilities30 of the Grampus. I should like to have you let me do my part in running the boat. If you want me for quartermaster, I can spell you, or Mr. Ferral; with a little instruction, I could also run the motor, or do the work in the tank room. If it would be any help, I might even learn to cook the meals. All I want is to be useful—and to learn the Grampus from top to bottom, inside and out, as well as you know her.”
Dick gave another grunt; but this time it was more subdued31. The idea of any one learning the Grampus as well as Bob knew her! In order to do that, a fellow would have to be born with a working knowledge of explosive engines in his head—just as Bob had been.
“Thank you for that, Glennie!” said Bob. “You can get busy right now, if you want to.”
“Just tell me what I’m to do,” Glennie answered.
“Go up on deck and keep a sharp lookout32 while we’re passing through the channel. We must be vigilant33, even when we can see no reason for it. Wily281 enemies are after us, and eternal watchfulness34 is the price of success, fully24 as much as it is of liberty.”
“Aye, aye, sir!” said Glennie, and started forthwith up the ladder.
“He’s a good fellow at heart, Dick,” averred36 Bob. “We’re all going to like him a whole lot when we know him better.”
“If he takes hold on this boat he’ll make a mess of everything. I don’t like the cut of his jib, nor the way he talks, now that he sees his first bluff38 didn’t go. If——”
“There he goes—in hot water already.”
Dick ducked back into the periscope hood. But the periscope did not show the deck of the Grampus, nor the waters immediately adjacent, being constructed for reflecting objects at longer range.
Bob hurried up into the tower. The moment he was able to look over the hatch he was thrilled by what he saw.
A dugout canoe was alongside the steel hull—and it had evidently brought three natives from the neighboring shore. They were exactly the same kind of savages40 Bob had encountered on the island—perhaps, even, they had formed part of the same crowd.
One of the savages had gained the deck forward. Glennie had caught his spear, and the two were struggling for possession of the weapon. A second native was climbing up the rounded deck with the apparent intention of attacking Glennie in the rear. The282 third of the trio kept to the canoe, paddling, and keeping it alongside.
So intent were all three of the Indians on the struggle which Glennie was carrying on that they did not notice Bob. Swiftly the young motorist got out of the conning41 tower.
“Look out behind you, Glennie!” shouted Bob Steele as he hurried forward.
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1
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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binoculars
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| n.双筒望远镜 | |
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steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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tortuous
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| adj.弯弯曲曲的，蜿蜒的 | |
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racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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cove
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| n.小海湾，小峡谷 | |
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chagrined
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| adj.懊恼的，苦恼的v.使懊恼，使懊丧，使悔恨( chagrin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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periscope
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| n. 潜望镜 | |
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overhaul
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| v./n.大修，仔细检查 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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locker
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| n.更衣箱，储物柜，冷藏室，上锁的人 | |
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crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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17
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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rankled
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| v.（使）痛苦不已，（使）怨恨不已( rankle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bosoms
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| 胸部( bosom的名词复数 )； 胸怀； 女衣胸部（或胸襟）； 和爱护自己的人在一起的情形 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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lieutenants
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| n.陆军中尉( lieutenant的名词复数 )；副职官员；空军；仅低于…官阶的官员 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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dodged
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| v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避 | |
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constraint
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| n.(on)约束，限制；限制(或约束)性的事物 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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capabilities
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| n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力 | |
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subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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32
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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vigilant
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| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
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watchfulness
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| 警惕，留心； 警觉（性） | |
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35
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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averred
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| v.断言( aver的过去式和过去分词 )；证实；证明…属实；作为事实提出 | |
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37
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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38
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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39
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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40
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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41
conning
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| v.诈骗，哄骗( con的现在分词 )；指挥操舵( conn的现在分词 ) | |
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