Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-10-11

| aid as they remained together for 3
/ minute or two, Il have a theory abou,
those beasts"
What sir?S inquired the mildly.
We'll. I remember that yesterday
| they seemed to attack us more saw.
agely when the sun went down, or st
least when the fog made the air OBJ
| scure. And last night there was a
| moon. II occurs to me that possibly
| they can't bear light. Of course that
would be natural, end they left US
| about the time the moon rose So II
| they are nocturnal in their habits that
| would account for our immunity now.
| IffI am right, we are learning their
| limitations fast"
You're right, sir." replied the MILDLY
with conviction. "Only-"
'We'H have some information to
| carry back then, Davies, besides a
| scare. And 1t looks as If humanity
| won't have to fight so very hard 10
| save itself. I beg your pardon-you
were going to say something's"
Il was thinking. sir, that they
seemed to 60 when the whistle blew
"What whistle, Dayies?"
"That one note that sounded LIKE
can't remember what it was like, but 1
know I've heard sound like that
before, only much softer"
$50 have l." answered Donald mus
| ing. 'Well, get to your post, Davies.
Raise her a trifle, then lock the rud-
der and come into the coming tower
to take care Of Miss Kennedy" He
| returned to the girl. Miss Kennedy,
1 don't think you have met Lieutenant
Davies" ne. said formally. "Now, Da-
vies, I'll go and help Clouts with the
engines. Don't be alarmed to be alone
for minute or two, Ida"
The MILDLY saluted, and went to his
post at the diving station. Already
the F55 was throbbing with the vibra-
ton Of the engines, and the sound was
the most grateful that their ears could
have imagined.
Don't open the DOORS" said DON
aid, kissing Ida hastily.
| He was off, and the girl remained
alone within the tower Of steel. She
glanced about her In dismay. It felt
like a steel prison. She felt the floor
quivering, and then it began to dip.
The sea splashed the observation port
| Quickly the green translucency that
followed gave place to darkness. Ida
slipped on the tipping floor. Donald
ran in; she heard him calling to her
$hro ho dox~ nd folf
grope for her.
Its all right, dear" he said has
tfly. Davies has probably got tam
gled up with the diving rudders. It's a
bit stiff for him to handle alone. 1t
doesn't mean anything particular"
But Ida could read the fear In his
voice, and she knew that it meant ev-
erything. The diving apparatus had,
| III fact, jammed when the F55 ground
ed upon the beach, and the rudder had
become twisted. Under Davies hands
1t had been released, and had worked
In the wrong direction.
With her bow pointing downward
| at an angle Of 80 degrees. The F55
sank until her nose dug into the ooze
800 feet beneath the surface, into the
| cup-shaped crater of the submarine
peak.
Then, slowly settling under the
| weight of the water, the stern fol-
lowed, and the little craft remained
submerged on the seabed.- Darkness
| covered her. The inmates felt their
eardrums throb under the pressure.
At the first indication Of danger
Clouts had contrived to shut off the
petrol engines. That alone prevented
an explosion when the sea rushed
| through the aft escape hatch.
Fortunately, the after part of the
| ship remained above the surface for
few moments after the bow went
under, and only a couple Of sweeping
seas came In. Short as the period of
respite was, it enabled Donald and
Clouts to grasp the hatch and replace
it. They fought in deluge Of water
that swept them from their feet and
dashed them, half stunned, against the
walls of the engine room. But they
got the hatch into place.
ClOuts came in. and presently Da-
vies joined them. He began to STAN
mer brokenly, but Donald laid his hand
In kindly fashion on thesaads shoulder.
| "YoC are not to blame, Davies" he
said. at was my own fault for try
ing to run the old boat instead of
putting you all ashore. No doubt the
vertfcal-rudder blades are bent and
fouled the rocks. Now we've got to
think, and harder than We have ever
thought before"
"We amt a-going to drown like rats
In traps, sir" said Sam C1euts hear
| tly.
| Not if know it, Clouts," Donald
returned. "Now, first, 1t isn't possible
to adjust the rudder, and We can't
rise without 1t. That's self-evident.
think. We are comparatively safe for
some time to come, because we have
just taken on a supply Of natural air,
and we haven't opened the air-fasks
yet. But, of course, it means only
two days respite"
IF might say so, sir" said Clouts,
sit means that we must put on the
diving suits"
You're right" answered Donald.
I'VE aren't in a hopeless position by
any means II we manage to keep our
heads. Miss Kennedy, Well get you