Читать книгу Two American Boys with the Dardanelles Battle Fleet онлайн

59 страница из 60

The man in uniform leaned forward and took another searching look at Jack and Amos.

“Do you mean to tell me, boy,” he demanded, as though unable to believe his ears, “that you two alone and unaided captured Captain Zenos, who is known to be a dare-devil if ever one lived, and his entire crew of seven men?”

“We are not boasting, sir, but that is the truth. We knew the hold was filled with explosives, for I examined it after taking passage aboard this boat. So we fixed it that smoke issued forth, and this so frightened some of the crew they jumped overboard. But the captain was made of better stuff, and with three of his men he went below to put out the fire or die in the attempt. That was when we clapped on the hatch, and held them prisoners. It was all easy enough, and things worked without a single hitch. And now we want to hand this prize of the gun-runner over to the Allies.”

The officer who had come from the torpedo-boat destroyer held out his hand impulsively; for he was British and could appreciate valor wherever he found it.