Chapter I: Front Matter

FOR THE FREEDOM
OF THE SEAS

By Ralph Henry Barbour

PURPLE PENNANT SERIES

The Lucky Seventh
The Secret Play
The Purple Pennant

YARDLEY HALL SERIES

Forward Pass
Double Play
Winning His Y
For Yardley
Around the End
Change Signals

HILTON SERIES

The Half-back
For the Honor of the School
Captain of the Crew

ERSKINE SERIES

Behind the Line
Weatherby’s Inning
On Your Mark

THE “BIG FOUR” SERIES

Four in Camp
Four Afoot
Four Afloat

THE GRAFTON SERIES

Rivals for the Team
Winning His Game
Hitting the Line

BOOKS NOT IN SERIES

For the Freedom of the Seas
Keeping His Course
The Brother of a Hero
Finkler’s Field
Danforth Plays the Game
Benton’s Venture
The Junior Trophy
The New Boy at Hilltop
The Spirit of the School
The Arrival of Jimpson

D. APPLETON & CO., Publishers, New York

FOR THE FREEDOM
OF THE SEAS

BY
RALPH HENRY BARBOUR

AUTHOR OF
“KEEPING HIS COURSE,” “HITTING THE LINE,”
“WINNING HIS GAME,” ETC.

ILLUSTRATED BY
CHARLES L. WRENN

D. APPLETON AND COMPANY
NEW YORK LONDON
1918

Copyright, 1918, by
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY

Printed in the United States of America

To

THOMAS LATIMER

of Groton, Connecticut
with the Author’s
greetings

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE WAY OF THE HUN 1
II. WITH THE COAST PATROL 14
III. THE LONELY REEF 26
IV. A BATTLE UNDERGROUND 38
V. A CHANCE ENCOUNTER 50
VI. ON THE THAMES 65
VII. THE U. S. S. “GYANDOTTE” 78
VIII. THE RAIDER 87
IX. OFF FOR THE OTHER SIDE 95
X. OVERBOARD! 106
XI. TWENTY FATHOMS DOWN 117
XII. IN THE SUBMARINE “Q-4” 133
XIII. “SURFACE!” 148
XIV. IN AN IRISH MIST 161
XV. THE MYSTERIOUS SIGNALS 177
XVI. THROUGH THE NIGHT 193
XVII. BOYS IN KHAKI 203
XVIII. TIP, OF THE “SANS SOUCI” 217
XIX. OFF HELIGOLAND 235
XX. THE BATTLE IN THE NORTH SEA 247
XXI. CASTAWAYS 258
XXII. MART TURNS UP 272
XXIII. THE CAPTAIN COMES ABOARD 284

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

FACING
PAGE

“Hands up!” _Frontispiece_

Oars dashed at the water and the boat headed away 12

There was a crash as the shell sped from the gun 92

The big funnel crashed down upon the boy 112

FOR THE
FREEDOM OF THE SEAS