The midland journal., 1917-10-26
CHAPTER vi.
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The Siege Of the Submarine.

SIN positive it's the water, sir, )"
said Davies. "We've tried running
submerged, and the electric engines
won't drive her any faster than the
petrol ones. It's like running a loco
motive on greasy rails"
ssIt's plankton,' answered Donald.
marine organisms, you know"
He was standing beside Davies in
the coming tower. Ida had been
taken below and placed in Donald's
cabin. She had been hardly conscious
since her rescue; she was too numbed
from exposure to realize what had
occurred, and she had fallen asleep
Immediately.
At Fair island, which was an unin-
terrupted, cavernous rock, Donald ex-
pected to find the oil-ship, from which
his stores were to be replenished.
Then he was to patrol the northern
area of the North sea with the aid of
the airplane. A stock of supplies in
the shape of food was also expected
at the island.
But now Donald was wondering
whether it was not his duty to return
to the mainland to report the destruc-
ton of the enemy cruiser. OF course
the officers of the Flying corps who
would be with the airplane could un-
dertake this duty. But then there was
Ida. And there was the swarm of
devil men that had appeared.
How could he tell the navy depart
ment of this without being relieved of
his command? But how could he fail
to tell them?
Donald looked keenly at Davies.
He was nice little chap, disciplined,
clean, alert, the beau-ideal of a naval
officer in embryo. What he liked best
about the little MILDLY was his resolu-
ton; he knew that Davies would
never hesitate to take responsibility
a prompt decision.
Donald could have no better conf
dant. And he needed one as sorely as
Masterman had done.
''Davies," he said, "Pm going to tell
you something. It's not the engines,
ther. The plankton wouldn't stop us.
And it's too fine to clog the machin-
cry. Something is trying to push us
back, Davies"
81 beg your pardon, sir?"
II was warned about it before
left New York." continued Donald.
"What I'm going to tell you will
sound incredible, but it happens to
be true. You know, Davies, our an
cestors were marine -creatures"
81 thought they were monkeys, sir
At least, long time ago."
''Long before they were monkeys
Davies. At least, they first lived in
the sea. And we became monkeys
afterward, and then men,"
"Yes, sir ! was going to say that
the electric cagines show signs Of de-
veloping-
> zone moment, please, Davies
There's another swarm of deep-sea
men coming to overrun the earth
Masterman told me-you've heard OF
Masterman, the marine explorer? He
: told me he'd seen them-no, felt
them-before he died. 1 felt them to-
day. They attacked and upset u.s."
Excuse me, sir" said Davies, "but
wouldn't you like to lie down? l car
take the F55 to the island, sir, and
we'll call you when we are at anchor
"Please listen to me, Davies. They
are invisible, these monsters, all ex
cept the eyes, which look like cur
rants. When they die the albuminous
parts of the body harden, producing
a milky opacity. They look then some
thing like hairless monsters. AnC
they're trying to stop the submarine
from making Fair island, just as they
tried to draw the boat there. They
He broke off, nonplused by the
middy's polite, respectful stare. Don
aid had not imagined that the story
would svund so grotesQue. He hardly
believed now that he could make Da
vies rs-ilize It's truth.
.'l'm sorry to hear about them, sir,
said Davies. "What do you wish me
to do7"
'sBxHp the matches cyDsed," said Don
mld. we are taxing risk not sub
merging. but We have got to make