“Bottled and corked1!” he chuckled2 as he sped on toward the room in which he had been made captive by Schmidt’s gang.
He stepped into the place and found to his delight that the naval3 men he wanted were still there. A few of the loungers were likewise seated about. At Ned’s sudden appearance the men-o’-war’s-men leaped up as if they had been shot. Among them was young Childs. He could not meet Ned’s eye but hung his head as the gunner’s-mate made his unexpected entrance.
Ned’s eyes burned as they swept the room.
“Schmidt and his friends are prisoners on the[79] roof of that outer room,” he announced. “Within half an hour they will be in the hands of the police. Outside this place I have a patrol. Are you men willing to surrender, or shall I have to call in the picket4 to take you back shackled5 to the ship?”
There was an instant’s hesitation6 while the men stared at the calm-spoken Dreadnought Boy as if they could hardly believe their eyes. Then old Harness Cask spoke7 up:
“We’ll go with you, sir. Will you make it easy for us when we get on board?”
“I’m not committing myself,” spoke Ned grimly. “Forward march!”
Like lambs the stragglers formed in twos, looking foolish and crestfallen8. Out they marched with Ned behind them, while the loafers in the place cowered9 in corners, meditating10 instant escape as soon as Ned and his prisoners vanished.
Before they reached the street, Ned blew his whistle and sounded the shrill11 summons to his[80] patrol which he had notified them would be the signal for them to join him. As they appeared at the top of the steps, re?nforced now by the two men who had taken Sharp and Manners to the steamer, Herc shouted out:
“It’s all right, Ned. We’re coming to your rescue. Hold fast, old fellow!”
“All right, boys,” hailed Ned; “it’s all over but the shouting. Just take these fellows in charge and march them down to the steamer and wait there for me. I’ve a little more work to do yet.”
To say that Ned’s patrol was astonished as they saw the sheepish captives file out of the Fair Wind to the street, would be to put it mildly. As Herc might have said, they were completely flabbergasted.
When Ned briefly12 rehearsed the circumstances of the capture, modestly keeping himself in the background, their enthusiasm knew no bounds. The rueful, woebegone captives were marched off to the steamer, while Ned hastened to a telephone.[81] He got Police Headquarters and told the official in charge about the prisoners on the roof of the “Fair Wind.”
“Better send a big bunch of men, too. They’re a bad lot,” said Ned.
“I know all about them. We’ve been trying for a long time to land Schmidt. Now, thanks to you, we’ve got him with the goods on.”
“I reckon you have,” rejoined Ned with a grin.
“By the way, what’s your name and address?” came the voice at the other end of the wire.
“Ned Strong is my name, and my address is the Dreadnought Manhattan, at anchor off Goat Island in the harbor.”
A marked note of surprise was in the official’s voice as he exclaimed:
“Strong, did you say?”
“Yes, sir!”
“Well, we’re looking for you!”
[82]
“Looking for me?”
“That’s right. We’re very anxious to get hands on you.”
“Gracious! What for?”
“Never mind. Can we get you on board the ship?”
“Of course. But what does this mean? Why do the authorities want to see me?”
“That I am not at liberty to tell you. Will you summon the man on post and tell him to guard the ‘Fair Wind’ till re?nforcements arrive?”
Ned, sorely puzzled, promised to do so, and soon discovered the patrolman in question. He explained the case to him and then hurried down to the steamer. As he went, he turned the situation over and over in his mind. What could he have done that the police wanted to see him? And then they were coming out to the ship, too! Even if it was some trumped14 up accusation15, Ned knew that he would have an awkward time of it. Had he had the leisure he would have gone to[83] Headquarters himself and demanded some explanation. But his duty was to hasten back to the Manhattan with the stragglers at once.
The knowledge that the police wanted to see him even though he was conscious of having committed no offence, worried Ned considerably16. The very vagueness of the information that had been vouchsafed17 to him made it worse. However, when he reached the steamer, Ned found plenty to occupy him in the disposal of his prisoners.
After that no time was lost in getting under way. Ned sat in the stern, busied with his own reflections. He had had a lively time but he had acquitted18 himself to his own satisfaction and carried out his orders promptly19 and faithfully. Had it not been for that mysterious police message, there would not have been a cloud in his sky.
The little steamer made quick time between the landing-stage and the grim, gray dreadnought.[84] Behind her, reaching as far as the Golden Gate, spread a long line of Uncle Sam’s slate-colored sea-fighters swinging at anchor. What a fine picture the array of battleships presented! Strings20 of bright-colored bunting depending from their signal halliards relieved the sinister21 monotone of battle color, and from bridge to bridge the bright scarlet22 of the “wig-wag” flags could be seen cutting circles and arcs as from ship to ship flashed news and orders. It was an old picture to Ned, but it thrilled him and inspired him just as much there in San Francisco Bay as it had on that day that seemed so long ago when he and Herc stood in Riverside Park in New York, raw recruits, and gazed their first upon the huge fighting machine of which they were to become parts.
The steamer ran around to the port gangway and made fast. The delinquents23, a crestfallen unhappy-looking parade, were marched on deck with the patrol guarding them in on each side.[85] Ned couldn’t help feeling a quick flush of pride as he noticed the astonished glance of the officer of the deck when he saw Ned’s flock of black sheep that had been so speedily rounded up.
“All present, sir!” said Ned, bringing his heels together with a smart click, and saluting24 the functionary25, who was distinguished26 by carrying a telescope slung27 over his shoulder.
“What, you got them all?”
“Aye, aye, sir!”
“Take them before the master-at-arms. You will appear at the mast at a time appointed by the commander and give your evidence against them.”
“Aye, aye, sir!”
“Carry on!”
The deck officer turned away and Ned and his patrol marched their unhappy band of prisoners before the master-at-arms, who promptly assigned them to the dreaded28 brig till such time as their trials at the mast should be ordered.
[86]
“Well, I could look a square meal in the face without feeling embarrassed,” confessed Ned with a laugh.
“Well, if ever a lad deserved it, you’re the one,” declared old Simpkins admiringly. “I guess we’ll have to call you ‘Ned the Giant Killer,’ after this.”
“Not as bad as that, I hope,” laughed Ned good-naturedly.
“Humph,” snorted Herc, “I reckon ‘Jack the Giant Killer’ wouldn’t be one, two, three beside Ned Strong. Eight at one fell swoop30, not to mention the party marooned31 on the roof, is a pretty good day’s work. By the way, what was the name of that place?”
“‘The Fair Wind.’ Why?”
“They ought to change its name to ‘Look Out for Squalls.’”
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1
corked
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| adj.带木塞气味的，塞着瓶塞的v.用瓶塞塞住( cork的过去式 ) | |
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2
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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3
naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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4
picket
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| n.纠察队；警戒哨；v.设置纠察线；布置警卫 | |
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5
shackled
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| 给（某人）带上手铐或脚镣( shackle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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7
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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8
crestfallen
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| adj. 挫败的，失望的，沮丧的 | |
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9
cowered
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| v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的过去式 ) | |
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10
meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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11
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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12
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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13
wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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14
trumped
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| v.（牌戏）出王牌赢（一牌或一墩）( trump的过去分词 )；吹号公告，吹号庆祝；吹喇叭；捏造 | |
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15
accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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16
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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17
vouchsafed
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| v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的过去式和过去分词 )；允诺 | |
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18
acquitted
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| 宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现 | |
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19
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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20
strings
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| n.弦 | |
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21
sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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22
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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23
delinquents
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| n.（尤指青少年）有过失的人，违法的人( delinquent的名词复数 ) | |
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24
saluting
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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25
functionary
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| n.官员；公职人员 | |
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26
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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27
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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28
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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29
famished
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| adj.饥饿的 | |
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30
swoop
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| n.俯冲，攫取；v.抓取，突然袭击 | |
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31
marooned
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| adj.被围困的；孤立无援的；无法脱身的 | |
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