Tombstone epitaph., 1915-03-21
,Vopyrght The Frank A. Munsey Col


 ningtower of B-23, Lieutenant Barton and his ensign, Rolf. marshaled the utmost ot their nautical skill against the onslaught Of the elements. while they siroye al the wheel with united orawn 10 keep the rolling, pitching boat head-on to the seas.
 All that day. from the great heart of the desert, the siFocco had pulsed feverishly across the Mediterranean.
 No word had passed between the stockyi swart-visaged commander and hls litEe-bodied. nd-haired aid since the periscope-staff had snapped by the board in the first crunch oi the raven. ing wind Then Roli had roared above the pounding of the combers against the thick-glassed ports.
 She'll never stand the kick of this sea Wed better sink her now or we'll have to swim
 Orders Barton had snapped in re. ply To the Dardanelles. Report to the captain of the Victory by the 18th Noon That's tomorrow; and we're gong through if the Gnomes don't crack"
 So they had struggled on grimly- muscles writhing under the strain and knuckles outstanding from knotted lists hard as the spokes which they gripped
 At the same time. behind them, Frank Marsh. an aged boatswain swung the lever that played the searchlight, unceasingly to and fro and while he toiled. he sweated-and prayed. Down below, behind a stepped, steel door, the engineer, Jack Corrigan. strengthened up from the stinkins cylinders. and as he mopped his fat. red face-he swore
 These four men made up the roster of this latest acquisition 10 the British Mediterranean fleet B-23 was a new type of submarine, built for special purpose
 Should the need arise, her duty was to fathom out the location of planted explosives in the deep murk of harbor- bottoms and then to render their con- trolling wires useless through the ac- tAOA VI tIt " ulSu SIt earned and which could be discharged hot from the huge platinum syringe built into her bow
 Seemingly opportunity had come with the departure of the Balkan agents fron the futile London con ference Fo1 il was at the very mo ment when the allied armies began 10 tear down the web of diplomacy spun across the Turks musty corner of Eu- rope tLat B-23 had been detached from the rest of the fiotiiia at Gibraltar and hurried away on her secret mission
 No one aboard yet knew the pur- pose of the trip
 Barton's instructions-direct from the admIralty-were merely to reach the superdreadnaugh Victory. at the Mediterranean end of the Dardanelles. Tot later than the hour mentioned and to have his arrival wirelessed at once to London. He had further to deliver a packet-then locked in his strong box below-the official red seal of which still remained unbroken.
 Though Barton was bent upon car rying out these instructions. the ele- ments were not
 It was after B-23 had passed Cape Mataplan and blowing desperately against the overwhelming forces, had worked well into the tanglements of the archipelago. that her fiood-gate suddenly. gave way.
 With a series of laundering glubs, like the filling Of some giant bottle. the water surged into the jacket Simultaneously a head-seam opened, swamping the forward Iimming-tank. and before either helmsman could reach the blaming lever of the hori- zontal rudder or throw the control of the balance-weight, the submarine dug her snout into the waves and went pIunsing beneath the surface like a frightened narwhal
 srantically. Rolf jerked at the dangling beil-cord. while Barton leaped toward the ladder from the hatch to the room below. The drive of the en- zines ceased when the boats propel- lers sliced into the air. but her own momentum thrust her onward. And when gravity clutched at the logging head she dove in short, swift arc, coming. an instant later to a grinding scraping stop which shook Barton from the rungs of the ladder and sent Rolf reeling against the iookout-port-
 Barton Ieaped to his feet and be- fore rushing 10 inspect the damaged rank wrenched open the docr Of the engine-room
 For God sske," he shouted to Cor rizan- quick. Get that gate shut and the pumps going, And the weight as far aft a. it will go. Flood that rear trimming tank. too. Tit her up some howl
 Loosened by the hammering seas. inc automatic belts had allowed the gate to slip.
 corrisan switched on the engines and closed it again in a moment where he held it by wedgins the gears. r,,t a single glance told Barton that .hs rent forward could not be repaired .nasr water. As he hurried back, he
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