The midland journal., 1917-12-28
Copyright
CHAPTER xv-continued.

--16--
She ran unchallenged through the
destroyer flotilla and came alongside
the rear-admirars flagship, monster
cruiser armed with powerful battery,
On which he had hoisted his pennant.
IA few minutes later Davies and Ida
clambered aboard, leaving Clouts in
charge of the submarine-and of the
queen of the swarm.
Half an hour later Clouts received
the command to take the F55 to Lon
don as best he could. Davies inter-
view with the rear-admiral had decided
the latter to open hostilities immedi-
ately. The squadron spread out and
approached the Dogger fanwise, to en-
circle the monsters.
MacBeard, who had just awakened
aboard the motorboat, saw in terror
the great shells dropping all about
him. He thought this was the end of
all his plans. It seemed impossible to
escape.
But the monsters, terrified by the vi
bfation, dashed wildly in all directions,
ahd, finding themselves ringed in,
churned up the water madly. The man
III the chains on the flagship looked at
his lead incredulously. 1t marked
II fathoms, where it should have
1sarked 25. It marked ten, seven,
fbur-and suddenly the sea seemed to
bpen. Half the vessels in the attack
ing squadron grounded. They lay on
their sides in the North sea sand, one
set of guns pointing heavenward, the
other toward the bowels of the earth.
Then huge, agitated wave, radiat-
ing outward from the still vortex in
which the motorboat reeled dizzily,
lashed them and buffeted them afloat
Beyond control, the dismantled, fleeing
squadron drove under the pounding
waves in all directions.
Out of the vapor chugged a motor
boat. Slowly, as the haze subsided,
she drew alongside. In her stood Mac
Beard, triumphant in this display of
his power.
Five minutes later he stood in the
presence of the rear admiral, Davies
and Ida, as well as of the Junior of
ficers.
"You see, we are unconquerable," he
said grimly. 'But have come to offer
you terms"
AS public enemy, many afterward
said that he should have been hanged
then and there, in spite of his envoy
ship. But the rear admiral refused to
violate the traditions of the sea-or
perhaps he realized that, MacBeard
dead, he could hope for no means of
subduing his unclaimed devils.
"What are they?" he inquired cour-
teously.
'sFirst." said MacBeard, personal
indemnity"
SIN return for what?"
'In return for the destruction of this
menace. I pledge my word that it
shall disappear forever"
'sBut how?'
MacBeard hesitated. Eager as he
now was to destroy the herd, he was
not overanxious to reveal his plans.
However, he yielded the point.
NAs you have observed" he said,
"they are completely under my control.
I will take them into Skiold ford, on
the Norwegian coast. AS you know, it
is a huge body of water, surrounded
by cliffs of high basalt, and having an
entrance barely large enough to admit
a small steamship. Once they are
there, the entrance can be blockaded
until they are dead of famine. In re-
turn demand possession Of" and he
looked toward Ida.
He did not know her name, but 1t
did not strike him as peculiar.
A glance at Ida's horror-strickken
face was sufficient to enable the ad-
miral to decide.
'We refuse" he said.
But Ida stepped forward and laid
her hand on the admiral's arm.
Il cannot let you refuse" she said.
"I am nothing"
"Nol" cried Davies. "You shall not
accept his terms!"
"Yes," answered the girl, facing him
quietly. "It is only myself, and there
is the whole world at stake Wouldn't
Donald do as much for meY
And Davies was silent. For Donald
had said very much the same thing
when he thought Ida dead on Fair
island.
Ida turned to MacBeard. "You wish
me to be your wife?" she asked.
"Yes-if you like to call it so," he
stammered in answer.
Il viii so with you." she said.
\ The admiral interposed.
"If you wish to go, Miss Kennedy,
I must accept the sacrifice" he said.
"But it can only come from YOU" He
addressed MacBeard. 81 am willing so
far" he said. 'The government cam
not refuse to ratlfy those terms. What
is your next?"
my third and last demand is-fifty
gallons of gasoline"
CHAPTER XVI.