Chapter XI: Dick Makes a Discovery

The ability of the king of the motor boys to "keep his head" in trying situations had more than once turned the tide for himself and his chums. Matt could become as excited as anybody, but excitement never interfered with the steadiness of his nerves or with his ability to think quickly and resourcefully in time of danger.

Far beyond Dick Matt could see a black, triangular fin slitting the water, tacking this way and that, but coming closer and closer to the young sailor.

Dick was swimming rapidly, but the shark, of course, was cutting through the water at a much faster gait. Had the shark laid a straight course for its intended victim, the latter would long since have been overtaken.

With a keen eye Motor Matt made a quick estimate of the distance separating Dick and the shark from the boat. He concluded that Dick could not by any possibility reach the _Grampus_ before the shark would be upon him, but the sea scavenger would be close enough for a good shot.

Carl, in a veritable tremor of excitement, rolled over the top of the conning tower with the rifle in one hand and a coil of rope in the other.

"Don'd led dot shark ged avay mit Tick," he pleaded, handing the rifle to Matt. "Pud a pullet righdt indo dot shark, Matt, mitoudt vaiting any longer as bossiple."

"I've got to wait until I can get a good shot, Carl," answered Matt, "and that time will come when the shark goes over on its back."

"Ven id does dot," quavered Carl, "id iss retty to bite. Oof you make a miss, Matt, id iss all ofer mit Tick."

"I'll not make a miss. Get a clamp on your nerves and be ready to throw the rope as soon as Dick comes near enough."

"My teet' chatter a leedle," whimpered Carl, "aber my nerfs iss all righdt. Don'd you be afraidt pecause I am, Tick," he cried. "Schvim like der Olt Poy vas afder you!"

Dick had need of all his breath and could not waste any in useless words. He was coming through the water at a fierce clip, his arms working like piston rods in a fine, steady, overhand stroke. He could see Matt on the deck with the rifle ready, and he knew that whatever the king of the motor boys could do would be done.

"Ach, shood, shood!" implored Carl, watching the black fin zigzagging nearer and nearer. "Don'd vait, Matt!"

But Matt paid no attention to Carl. He knew what kind of a target he wanted, and that the shark would give it to him if he waited.

When Dick was about a dozen feet from the boat, the right moment came. With a flip of its tail the shark leaped partly out of the water and turned on its back, its great jaws opening.

Matt had braced himself firmly and lifted the Marlin repeater to his shoulder.

"Fire avay, kevick!" clamored Carl, and just then Matt pulled the trigger.

It was a bull's-eye hit. Straight to its mark leaped the murderous bit of lead, and the shark, stunned by the impact of the bullet, snapped its jaws harmlessly together and sank downward in the reddening water.

"You're all right, Dick!" cried Matt. "Toss the rope, Carl."

Carl threw the line and Dick laid hold of it. The report of the rifle brought Gaines from the periscope room, Glennie and Clackett from the tank room, and Speake from the torpedo room in short order. All of them were on the deck just as Matt and Carl assisted Dick out of the water.

"What's the rumpus?" inquired Gaines.

Matt pointed to the shark, which was floating, belly up, on the water.

"Your rifle did it, Glennie," said Matt. "If it hadn't been for that, nothing could have saved Dick. I didn't think there was a shark within miles of us when Dick went into the water."

Dick was nearly fagged. The tremendous exertion he had put forth had tried him severely.

"It was foolish of me to go around that point," said Dick, leaning back against the conning tower, "but I'm glad I did."

"Dot's funny," returned Carl. "Glad you vent aroundt der point und shdirred oop dot shark! How you make dot oudt?"

"Well, I made a discovery," went on Dick. "If I hadn't made that discovery, like enough I'd have kept on swimming and have got so far away the shark would surely have nipped me before I could have got back close enough for Matt to shoot."

"What was the discovery?" asked Glennie.

"There's another cove around the point, a good deal like this one. The _Pom_ is there, close inshore, and----"

"Der Chaps!" breathed Carl, thunderstruck.

"The _Pom_!" exclaimed Glennie.

"Here's a piece of luck!" ground out Gaines. "Who'd have thought we'd moor ship alongside the same island picked out by the Japs! There seems to be a fatality about our dealings with these Sons of the Rising Sun. Even after we dodge them we have the knack of dropping right into their hands again."

"Mebby," suggested Speake, "they saw us and followed us to the island."

"Hardly that, mate," spoke up Dick. "They've beached that torpedo, and all four of the Japs are ashore, tinkering with it."

Matt was puzzled to know what to do. If the Japs had not heard the rifle shot, it would be possible for the _Grampus_ to haul in her anchor and slip away, unnoticed, providing the tank valves were repaired and she could leave the bay under water. But this manoeuvre would leave a threatening danger behind, and Matt and his friend would never feel safe from an unexpected attack.

In that critical moment, Motor Matt would have given a deal if he could have known all about the _Pom_ and her capabilities. For a few moments he stood on the deck, turning the situation over and over in his mind, his eyes on the point around which lay the hostile submarine.

"How far is the _Pom_ anchored off the shore, Dick?" he asked.

"Not more than half a cable's length."

"Do you think the Japs saw you?"

"I'm sure they didn't--they were too busy with that torpedo. But they may have heard me yell, or the report of that gun may have reached them. They have good ears, those fellows."

"Get into your clothes, Dick," said Matt, having at last made up his mind as to what he should do. "After that, take the rifle and sit here on the deck. Watch that point of land. If the Japs fix that torpedo so they are able to use it, they will have to come around the point in order to launch it at us. Finish getting the breakfast, Speake. Gaines will pass it around as soon as you have it ready. Clackett and I will go below and see what we can do with those valves. Don't bother us with any breakfast until we have them once more in working order."

"What are Carl and I to do, Matt?" inquired Glennie.

"Stay up here with Dick, and keep your eyes peeled."

Matt, Clackett, and Speake went below. Matt and Clackett were an hour at the valves before they were finally made dependable. All the while they were at work a deep silence reigned throughout the boat. Every one realized the necessity of keeping quiet so as not to arouse the Japs.

Matt, after swallowing a cup of coffee, came out on deck and began taking off his clothes.

"What's the game, matey?" asked Dick. "You're not going into the water and give the sharks a chance at you, are you?"

"I'm going ashore," said Matt.

"I wouldn't do that, Matt," counseled Glennie. "Why is it necessary? If the valves are in shape, we can pull out of here and make our way north under water. The Japs will never be the wiser."

"I'm tired of bothering with these Sons of the Rising Sun," Matt answered. "We never know what they're going to do, or when they're going to do it. I thought we had dropped them for good, down below English Reach, but they were clever enough to get away from Sandoval and play that trick in Lota. If possible, let's put them out of the running, now, for keeps."

"How will you do it?" questioned Gaines.

"I'm not just sure of that, and won't be until I do a little reconnoitring ashore. I've a scheme in mind, but I want to be positive it will work before we try it. Go down to the engine room, Gaines, and, Clackett, you take your usual place in the tank room. Heave up the anchor, Speake. Glennie, you get into the conning tower. If the current sets inshore and causes the _Grampus_ to drift that way when the anchor is up, have the motor run just enough to hold the boat where she is. Dick, you hang on to the rifle. When you go down, Gaines, pass up the strongest cable we have, so that Carl can bend it on to the mooring ring at the stern. Understand?"

"I guess we all understand what we're to do," replied Glennie, "but I'll be hanged if I know why we're to do it."

"You'll know--perhaps sooner than you imagine."

Matt, stripped to his trousers, stepped to the landward side of the boat.

"Sharks always go in pairs, mate," cautioned Dick.

"If you see one take after me, Dick," returned Matt, "treat it the same as I did the one that took after you."

With hardly a splash Matt dropped into the water and swam toward the beach.