Chapter I: Front Matter

Dave Darrin After The Mine Layers

OR

Hitting the Enemy a Hard Naval Blow

By

H. IRVING HANCOCK

Author of "Dave Darrin at Vera Cruz," "Dave Darrin on
Mediterranean Service," "Dave Darrin's South American
Cruise," "Dave Darrin on the Asiatic
Station," "Dave Darrin and the
German Submarines,"
etc., etc.

Illustrated

P H I L A D E L P H I A HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY

COPYRIGHT, 1919, BY HOWARD E. ALTEMUS

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I--WEIGHING ANCHOR FOR THE GREAT CRUISE 11
Dan is a business man. Sea orders in a jiffy. Anchors a-weigh. The
mine-sweepers at work. In the torpedo's path. The Hun that slipped
away. An indignant neutral skipper. "You vill do vat ve you
tell--yes!"

CHAPTER II--"THE ACCURSED POWER OF GOLD!" 30
Dave dares Fate. A new "boss." Secret of the after-hold. Dave is
disgusted. "Vat? Can't proof it you?" Sweeping for more evidence.
The prize crew. The vanishing periscope.

CHAPTER III--A FIGHT OF THE GOOD OLD KIND 41
A fair hit. Distant firing. A real sea fight. The "Grigsby" turns
tail. "Circle!" At deadly close quarters. Dan Dalzell scores. A
stern chase. With the wounded.

CHAPTER IV--WHAT A FLOATING MINE DID 55
The liner in trouble. The flash of a mine. True to his trust.
Seaman Streeter is busy. A deaf jacky. Not present or accounted
for. Rescue work. Dan protests. Dave sets the pace. Out for
sterner work.

CHAPTER V--EYES THAT LOOKED DOWN FROM THE AIR 63
Why the flash was seen. The "blimp" sighted. A question out of the
air. New help. The sea hornet. A narrow squeak. "Laid an egg in
your path." Blimp and limp. Seaman Hedgeby enjoys himself.
"British hot air," and Dave gets a pal's share indeed. The story
of a capture. In deadly peril.

CHAPTER VI--IN THE TEETH OF THE CHANNEL GALE 78
Dave turns real helper. "I thought we were goners!" Making the
grapple again. The day's work of a mine-sweeper. In a boiling sea.
Life lines up. "Commanding officer overboard!"

CHAPTER VII--IN THE HOUR OF DESPAIR 84
The vanishing destroyer. Hope, then despair. The meeting of
searchlights. Fighting pluck. The rope from somewhere. Looped!
"Ugh!" The big sleep. The "Rigsdak." A cowboy Dane.

CHAPTER VIII--DAVE MEETS THE FATE OF THE SEA 95
From the pages of the Arabian Nights. Mr. and Mrs. Launce. The
shattering jar. To the boats! No enemy in sight. The gray tower.
The hail and a bad time of it. Dave stands revealed. A German
prisoner at last!

CHAPTER IX--THREATS TO A PRISONER 103
What the Danes "got." The chorus of terror. The ober-lieutenant
talks. The inquisition. Talk of courtesy. Dave turns stiff. "Where
have I heard that name before?" "Things will go badly with you
when you arrive in Germany!"

CHAPTER X--LIKE THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH 109
Captain Kennor is polite. A look-in at the periscope. "Yankee
meat." Dave is tricky. Shots and a threatened ramming. "You
idiot!" Dave plays for his own finish.

CHAPTER XI--A VICTIM OF COURTESY 115
What of the woman? Mrs. Launce speaks for herself. The game of
cross-bluff. An invitation bluntly refused. The turn of the
prisoners. On the surface. "You are eager for death." The mystery
of the Launces. "You are the Countess of Denby!" "Save your
denials for use before a German court." Dave invited on deck. "You
are a good boaster." Something to interest him.

CHAPTER XII--GERMAN BRUTALITY AT ITS WORST 126
Radio direct to Germany. Could any woman love this fellow? Dave
expresses thanks to the enemy. "My card." The same as confession.
"A pleasant evening for four!" The wild brutes of the sea.

CHAPTER XIII--FACING THE PLANNED DEATH 135
The dropping platform. Adrift! Captain Kennor, sea scout. A
splendid inspiration. A bully for safety. The tantalizing craft. A
glow-worm of the waves. And then--! Like a dream. A bad report.

CHAPTER XIV--DAVE PLEDGES HIS WORD FOR RESULTS 146
Just hospital. A treat for Dave's eyes. Days of bliss. "You little
patriot!" Back to duty. "The Germans are beating us." The council
of war. Dave's campaign map. Planning the Big Hunt. Something
new--results.

CHAPTER XV--DARRIN SUSPECTS THE GERMAN PLAN 155
Sweeping as a fine art. Nosing out the unseen. The "Grigsby"
nearly blown out of the water. A wild Yankee cheer. Touching off a
nest of "sea eggs." The job of the divers. The double find.
Guessing the mine-layers' trick. The "Reed" starts something.

CHAPTER XVI--HITTING CLOSE TO THE SALT TRAIL 164
The non-fighting Huns. A tame capture. Not so tame! What the
search showed. "Spot the stupid ones." Questioning Herr Dull-wit.
The trap that worked. German bad language.

CHAPTER XVII--TRYING OUT THE BIG, NEW PLAN 173
The admiral approves. Off for the real thing. Stirring up a tidal
wave. Knowing how to get the thrills out of life. Trying to run up
the score. The traveller in the haze. A ship of mystery and shots.

CHAPTER XVIII--STRIKING A REAL SURPRISE 183
"Leave the steamship to me." The shot across the bow. A shooting
game for two. "You're dealing with the United States Navy!" Darrin
proves himself. Irons for three. The summons that worked. A tough
lot to handle. Juno of the Cabin. A deadly one, too.

CHAPTER XIX--THE GOOD WORK GOES ON 192
Dave takes a chance. So does Juno. The all-right cargo. Who can
the woman be? Dalzell has a fine report. Story of the sub-hold.
Mother and daughter no longer mysteries. "The best in a
six-month!"

CHAPTER XX--DARRIN TURNS THE TABLES 204
Weather the ship master dreads. "Look at that!" Getting the drop
on Fritz. Old acquaintances. Dave is angry. The German whine. Not
man enough to play the game. "Why do you hate us Germans so?" Ever
at Fate's orders.

CHAPTER XXI--ON A MISSION OF GREAT TRUST 215
The sport of kings. "Don't shoot!" begs Danny Grin. The dull wait
and the sharp dash. Out to meet the hospital ship. "One of the
passengers is Mrs. Darrin." "A special interest."

CHAPTER XXII--THE RED CROSS TRAGEDY 222
The Navy and family matters. Under treble lookout. Sighted. Big
pay for a periscope. A wail of anguish. The race of rescue. S. O.
S. The sight of Belle. Crowded decks. Two compartments smashed in.
"No use, sir."

CHAPTER XXIII--A NOBLE FIGHT WITHOUT WEAPONS 230
Marine patchwork. Not enough rescue to go around. "Those Red Cross
women ought to be saved." But they decline. Dave approves. An
answer to S. O. S. The fight to survive. The nurses admit defeat.
The lurking peril.

CHAPTER XXIV--CONCLUSION 244

DAVE DARRIN

AFTER THE MINE LAYERS