Ned gasped1 out the words as he heard the last expiring cough of the motor. It was hopelessly short-circuited. The battery box was drenched2, the spark-plugs dripping.
Kenworth turned a white face on him.
"You mean——"
"That your wicked schemes have ended in this, Kenworth—a miserable3 death for us all. This tinder box cannot live more than five minutes longer, if that. You had best prepare to meet your Maker4."
Kenworth, moaning like the arrant5 coward he was, threw himself groveling on the floor of the boat.
"Oh—oh—oh! Can nothing save us?" he[Pg 159] moaned. "Listen, Strong, I have been wicked, I know. But I was poor, and gambling6 took away whatever money I could scrape together. I was threatened with exposure to my relatives if I did not pay my debts.
"That would have meant ruin, for, influential8 as they were, they had become disgusted with the poor showing I had made in the navy. It was at this crisis that I met Saki. He tempted9 me to betray naval10 secrets with promises of money. He helped me pay my debts and gave me money lavishly11. In return, I furnished him with every scrap7 of information I could pick up. He has secret code books, fire-control plans, night signals, and details of our ammunition12 resources."
Ned looked at the wretch13 that groveled at his feet as if he could have struck him.
"How long has this been going on?" he demanded.
[Pg 160]
"For a long time. Saki had me in his power. I was helpless."
"Don't be a weakling in addition to your other faults," said Ned imperiously. "Have you that book of drawings you have been making?"
"Y-y-y-yes."
"Give it to me."
"B-b-b-but it is meant for——"
"Give it to me. If I should be saved, I will see that the proper authorities get it. If not, there will no harm come of it. Come, hand it over."
Quivering from head to foot, white-faced and limp-fingered, Kenworth fumbled14 in his pockets. He drew out a book and handed it over to Ned. The Dreadnought Boy took it and thrust it into his pocket.
Hardly had he done so before a giant wave swept down on the motor boat. Caught in the trough of the seas, the craft wallowed helplessly.
Then, half full of water, she sidled down the[Pg 161] other side. Ned saw that the end was at hand. With a white, set face he ripped out some life preservers from under the seats.
"Here, put these on," he commanded Kenworth and the Jap.
As he spoke15, he flung one to each. They seized them, their teeth chattering16 and their throats uttering sounds that were hardly human. Ned took one himself and buckled17 it on.
"At least the stolen secrets of the United States Navy are in safe hands now," he muttered; "if I go to the bottom, there is no better keeper of confidences than old Davy Jones. If I should save my life, no power on earth will separate me from them till I have placed them in the hands of the naval authorities."
The half-filled boat kept afloat with wonderful seaworthiness, considering her narrow build. Wave after wave, that it appeared must engulf18 her half water-logged hull19, she rode right gallantly20.
[Pg 162]
Ned actually began to entertain a ray of hope that, after all, she might weather the tempest. But it was still blowing with malignant21 fury, and there did not appear to be any sign of abatement22 in the huge seas and constant display of angry lightning.
"D-d-d-do you think she can live?" stammered23 Kenworth.
Ned shook his head. He turned a glance of contempt upon the conscience-stricken coward.
"Do you mean to tell me that you care for life after what you have confessed to me?" he demanded. "Why, Kenworth, if I had done one half of what you admit, I should not wish ever to meet one of my fellow men again.
"Why, man, you had a glorious chance in the finest sea service in the world! What did you do with it? Chucked it away and became a pawn24, a creature of your country's enemies."
Kenworth whimpered like a whipped cur.
"I—I needed the money," he stuttered; "I was[Pg 163] helpless in the hands of the Jap. I tried to do better, but somehow I couldn't break away. I—I always liked you, Strong. I did indeed. Can you save us?"
"Yes, you liked me so much that on every occasion you could you took advantage of the fact that you were an officer to insult and abuse me! Kenworth, now that you are frightened at the face of death, you are willing to cringe and cow to me.
"If we were all to be saved, and our positions could ever be the same again, you would be just the same. It is the nature of such men as you. But we never shall be the same again, Kenworth. Your career is ended. Driven from the navy, branded as a traitor25, you will find no peace."
"B-b-b-but life is sweet, Strong. Can't you save us? Saki will give you money. Plenty of money."
"Yes, yes, honorable sir," cried the Jap eagerly. "My emperor will reward you. I, too, am rich.[Pg 164] I will give you much money. Only save us. There is nothing——"
A scream of terror from Kenworth's white lips split the air. It sounded above the rumble26 of the thunder chariots.
"Look! Look!" he shrieked27, high above the noises of the storm.
Towering over them, looming28 up through the flying wrack29 like the tremendous figure of fate itself, was a gigantic black form. It was right upon them.
"It's a schooner30!" shouted Ned. "She's——"
There was a horrible crunching31 sound and the motor boat was no more. Severed32 clean in two, she sank, the storm-racked sea carrying with her those who a moment before had been of her company.
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1
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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2
drenched
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| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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3
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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4
maker
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| n.制造者，制造商 | |
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5
arrant
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| adj.极端的；最大的 | |
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6
gambling
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| n.赌博；投机 | |
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7
scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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8
influential
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| adj.有影响的，有权势的 | |
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9
tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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10
naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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11
lavishly
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| adv.慷慨地，大方地 | |
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12
ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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13
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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14
fumbled
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| （笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下 | |
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15
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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16
chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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17
buckled
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| a. 有带扣的 | |
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18
engulf
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| vt.吞没，吞食 | |
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19
hull
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| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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20
gallantly
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| adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地 | |
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21
malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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22
abatement
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| n.减(免)税，打折扣，冲销 | |
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23
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
pawn
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| n.典当，抵押，小人物，走卒；v.典当，抵押 | |
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25
traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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26
rumble
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| n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说 | |
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27
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
looming
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| n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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29
wrack
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| v.折磨；n.海草 | |
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30
schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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31
crunching
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| v.嘎吱嘎吱地咬嚼( crunch的现在分词 )；嘎吱作响；（快速大量地）处理信息；数字捣弄 | |
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32
severed
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| v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂 | |
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