Chapter XIX: Struck by Lightning

"It's a jolly fortunate thing that we fell in with the 'Persia,'" remarked Kenwyn, within two hours of parting company with the liner. "Otherwise it would have been a serious matter with those Dutchmen in the boats."

"You are right," assented Devoran. "It is going to be dirty weather. The glass is falling rapidly."

"It will soon be over," observed Hythe. "'Long foretold, long last; short notice, soon past.' That's how the rhyme goes, doesn't it?"

"And a brute of a business while it lasts," added the second officer.

The three officers were standing on the after deck of the "Aphrodite." The submarine had again risen to the surface and was plugging away in a southerly direction on her vague quest for the unbeatable "Vorwartz." Captain Restronguet remained below, absorbed in some abstruse problem.

The sea was smooth, but dark clouds, edged with bright, copper-tinted hues, were rapidly banking up against the westerly breeze, while the rumble of distant thunder was heard at frequent intervals. Even though it was close on midday the sun's light was greatly obscured; while, on the other hand, the far away Sudan coast stood up clearly under the effect of atmospheric refraction.

There was every indication of a sharp yet severe storm.

"Are you going to submerge her, Devoran?" asked the sub.

"Not on my own responsibility," replied the chief officer. "Until the captain gives the order--ah, here he is."

"I cannot understand how the detector is acting," said Captain Restronguet, as he gained the group of officers. "I have most carefully tested the currents and examined the platinum contact breakers. The instrument seems in order, yet it records nothing of the presence of the 'Vorwartz.' It is inexplicable."

"The 'Vorwartz' is doubtless beyond the field of electrical action, sir," remarked Kenwyn.

"So I have been told before," replied Captain Restronguet with asperity. "All the same that theory will not hold good. We ought to have had an intimation of that craft's presence when she torpedoed the 'Noord Brabant.' How can you explain that?"

"Don't you think, sir, we ought to submerge the ship?" asked Devoran, anxious to change the subject. "The glass is falling----"

"There is plenty of time," declared the captain, who was evidently not in his usual easy-going humour. "It certainly looks threatening, but at this moment the sea is as calm as glass. Look at those sharks, Devoran. Vicious looking brutes, aren't they? Suppose we give the men an opportunity at rifle practice."

The captain strolled off to watch the antics of the tigers of the deep, for four ferocious-looking sharks had been persistently following the "Aphrodite" as if anticipating a catastrophe.

The chief officer, although he would much rather have preferred to make all snug and dive to a depth of seven or eight fathoms, was not a man to quibble. He made his way to the hatch-way, to call up the small-arms party. Kenwyn stood a few paces from his superior, while Hythe, unwilling to say anything that might lead to his being snubbed, remained by the after conning-tower.

Suddenly the semi-gloom was rent by a vivid flash of lightning, that played upon the metal deck and upon the placid surface of the ominous sea. A deafening peal of thunder succeeded the flash. For a moment the sub was dazzled by the glare. When he looked aft, Kenwyn was lying on the deck, a portion of the stanchions and rails were shattered, and Captain Restronguet nowhere to be seen.

Raising a shout of "Man Overboard!" Hythe took a running dive and plunged into the sea. He struck the water heavily, for the "Aphrodite" was moving at a good speed. He might very well have broken his back but for the velocity with which he executed his dive. Not till he rose to the surface did he give one thought to the dreaded sharks: it was then too late to count the risk.

Fortunately the monsters, frightened by the flash of lightning, had for the time being disappeared. Hythe struck out to the spot where the bubbles indicated the captain's position, for, winded by the shock, the unfortunate man was sinking never to rise again.

Guided by the bubbles the sub dived. Eight powerful strokes he made ere he perceived Captain Restronguet's form slowly settling towards the bottom of the sea. Four more and his left hand grasped the unconscious man by his collar.

Striking out with his right, and his unimpeded legs, Hythe rose towards the surface. He had been almost winded by his plunge overboard, and had had no opportunity to recover his breath. His lungs felt as if they were on the point of bursting; his temples throbbed. It seemed ages before his head appeared above the surface, and he was able to take a deep draught of the sultry air. Turning on his back he kept himself afloat, at the same time supporting the unconscious captain.

The "Aphrodite" had already lost way and was going astern; in a few minutes a dark, triangular object cleaving the leaden-coloured water attracted the sub's attention. His whole senses momentarily deserted him. He realized that a shark was approaching.

His first instinct was to abandon the unconscious man and strike out madly towards the submarine; but in a moment the temptation passed. Lashing out with his legs Hythe churned up a column of water. The shark stopped, wheeled and retreated a few yards.

Another of these dreaded fish came up, and the pair, regaining confidence, began to approach, swarming towards the two men in ever-narrowing circles.

Hythe could hear the monsters snapping their triple lines of teeth in anticipation of a meal. He kicked the more, shouting at the top of his voice in the hope that the sharks would delay close investigation until it was too late for them to consummate their intentions.

The sub had heard tales of how native divers in the Pacific, knife in hand, boldly attacked the tigers of the deep. The recollection gave him but cold comfort. True he had a knife, but he lacked the marvellous aquatic agility of the Japanese and South Sea Islanders. Moreover, directly he released his hold his unfortunate captain would sink. He vaguely argued that it was but another instance of where theory does not always go hand in hand with practice.

With a sudden rush one of the sharks dashed straight towards the horrified man. The brute turned on its back in order to deliver a terrific bite. Then, apparently seized with a sudden panic, it brought its huge jaws together with a sickening snap and darted off. It was a narrow shave; so narrow that on turning the shark had rasped Hythe's hand with his rough skin.

Finding that nothing happened to hurt it, the shark returned to the charge; as it turned on its back the sub could see right into his capacious mouth. He gazed horror-stricken, too terrified even to kick out or utter a sound. Even as he looked the brute's head was literally shattered, dyeing the water with blood, while the sharp report of a rifle rang in Hythe's ears.

The coils of a rope hurtling through the air fell within his reach. He grasped the means of safety, yet was too exhausted to do more. Another shot, and yet another, rang out; then O'Shaunessey, leaping overboard with a bowline, passed the loop over his officer's shoulders.

"All right, sorr," exclaimed the Irishman cheerily. "Do you let go. I'll see to the cap'n, sure I will."

Pale and breathless Hythe was hauled upon the deck of the "Aphrodite." Captain Restronguet was also drawn into safety, and O'Shaunessey, without any attempt at haste, swarmed up the rope hand over hand.

Devoran and Kenwyn, handing their still smoking rifles to a seaman, hastened to where Captain Restronguet was lying.

"Is he dead?" asked the second officer.

"I am afraid so," replied Devoran gravely, then as the first blast of the approaching storm thrashed the hitherto placid water into sheets of foam he added:--

"Take them below. Secure the hatches. All ready, Mr. Kenwyn."

Gliding serenely deep beneath the surface the "Aphrodite" pursued her way, regardless of the storm that was now raging fiercely overhead. Flash after flash of vivid lightning played upon the angry water, the glare being plainly visible through the glass scuttles of the conning-towers, while the deep roar of the thunder literally shook the heavy metal structure of the submarine.

Gathered around the still unconscious form of the captain were Hythe, Devoran, Polglaze, and Mylor the second quartermaster, while without the cabin, anxiously awaiting the latest news of their leader, were all the crew who were not actually on duty.

Kenwyn was at his post in the after conning-tower, Lancarrow in the fore conning-tower was entrusted with keeping the "Aphrodite" on her course, while Carclew was stationed at the electric detector in order to catch the first intimation of the return of the "Vorwartz" to within the range of that instrument's action.

As soon as Captain Restronguet had been undressed the effect of the lightning stroke was apparent. From the nape of his neck to the lower rib was tattooed the image of part of the chain rails and the head of the stanchion. Whether the damage was merely superficial or whether the spine had been affected was still a matter of conjecture. His face was pale and pinched, his wide-open eyes dull, his pulse almost imperceptible. Only by holding a glass close to his mouth was Devoran able to pronounce that his chief was still alive, for there was absolutely no signs of respiration and circulation.

By careful treatment, and by giving the patient small doses of stimulants, the anxious men succeeded in bringing back the colour to Captain Restronguet's wan cheeks. The pupils of his eyes began to dilate, but although he looked at those who stood around him he gave no signs of recognition.

"You did not rescue a dead man, Hythe," remarked Devoran in a low tone. "But I'm afraid his brain is affected."

"It is too early to form a definite opinion," replied the sub, anxious to put a bold face upon the matter, although in his mind he had his doubts. "I remember on the old 'Velox,' we had a signal-man struck by lightning. He was unconscious for nearly three days; yet he recovered, and was passed for duty after a week in the sick bay."

"Yes, that's all very well," rejoined the chief officer, "but----"

A violent ringing of the bell of the "steering sentry" interrupted Devoran's remark. Both men crossed the cabin and consulted the tell-tale compass. The "Aphrodite" was fifteen degrees off her course, and the "steering sentry," an automatic instrument that gives a warning in the captain's cabin when the vessel deviates from the course set, was ringing incessantly, showing that the error in direction was a grave one.

"What are you up to, Lancarrow?" asked Devoran through the telephone communicating with the fore conning-tower. "Anything in the way?"

There was no reply.

The chief officer hailed again. Still an ominous silence.

"What's up now, I wonder," he muttered as he hastened towards the conning-tower. To his surprise he found Lancarrow huddled up on the floor, with his hands tightly clenched. Left to herself the "Aphrodite" was gradually describing a wide circle to starboard, and only the action of the automatic alarm had called attention to the fact.

Steadying the submarine on her course, Devoran shouted for a couple of hands to carry the unfortunate helmsman below. This done he told Carnon to take charge of the helm, while he made a tour of the vessel to make sure that all was in order. Devoran realized that he was now in command and that the responsibility was great. The mysterious striking down of the former steersman, whether by violence or by natural causes, could not be at present explained; but since a similar thing might happen to others who were on duty he felt it necessary that he should visit all the men at their stations and make sure that everything was in order.

Carclew was still at the detector. He had nothing to report. The instrument was as silent as the Sphinx. Kenwyn in charge of the horizontal rudders and the trimming tanks was attending strictly to his duty. He had been unaware of the affair in the other conning-tower, and since it was not his business to consult the compass and not knowing what course had been given to the helmsman, he had not remarked the erratic steering of the vessel.

"Do you think the lightning struck Lancarrow down?" asked Kenwyn.

"Bless my soul, I hope not!" ejaculated the first officer. "One affair of this sort is quite enough. Why did you ask?"

"The flashes have been terrific. They seemed to play upon the deck, even though we are nine fathoms down."

"Had Lancarrow been touched by the electric fluid it is reasonable to suppose that the electrical steering gear would be affected. As a matter of fact it isn't."

"Give it up, then," rejoined the second officer. "But how is Captain Restronguet?"

"Coming round, thank Heaven. But it's the after effects I am anxious about. By Jove! That's a flash."

It was indeed a vivid fork of dazzling blue light that seemed to corkscrew along the deck of the vessel and dart up over the for'ard conning-tower, till the submerged craft looked as if she were surrounded by a supernatural light. The phenomenon lasted only an instant, but that instant was enough for the chief officer to realize the "Aphrodite's" peril.

Beating down, and ready to ram the "Aphrodite" amidships, was another submarine! But its similarity to the former Devoran had no doubt as to what it was. It was the "Vorwartz."

"Hard a-port!" he shouted through the telephone to the helmsman. At the same moment Kenwyn elevated the horizontal rudders in a vain endeavour to make the "Aphrodite" dive under the on-coming attacker. It was too late. With a rending crash the knife-like bows of the "Vorwartz" crashed into the 'midships compartment of her hitherto unsuspecting rival.