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Page 51
Porky seemed wholly unconscious of having accomplished anything
out of the usual routine. He leaned back. "So that's all there
is of that," he said.
"When did those fellows wake up?" asked Beany, "or did it kill
them?"
Captain Greene laughed. "I am sorry you didn't keep the bottle,"
he said. "Your friends are only just now waking up. It is a
prolonged process, and rather distressing, I should judge."
"I did save the bottle," said Porky. "Here it is, if you want
it. I had to put it in my pocket, because I wanted to get it out
of sight as soon as ever I could.
"Sensible of you," said the Captain. "I will have that bottle
analyzed if there is anything left in it. There may be a new
combination there that will be of value sometimes."
"What else happened!" asked the Colonel.
"Not a thing, sir," said Porky; "don't see why we are so done up,
either. We didn't do much."
"It was a slight nervous strain, I think," said the Captain,
"cooped up there, expecting to be killed."
"Did he threaten you many times?" asked the Colonel.
"Yes, sir, a lot; but we got so we didn't mind much except the
time he did for Heinrich. Then we sort of felt as though it was
getting personal, as you might say. Oh, I'm glad to be out of
it!"
The ship's doctor stepped up to Porky and felt his pulse.
"Just a trifle under par yet," he said, arranging Beany's
bandages. "I would suggest another nap or two."
"All right," said the officers and they moved toward the door.
"We aren't sleepy," said Porky. "How could we be sleepy at this
time of day?" He yawned widely. Everybody laughed.
"Just try it and see what you can do in the way of snoring," said
the doctor. "One more good snooze, and you will be ready to
bring in another submarine and some more prisoners."
He left the room, and in two minutes the boys were both asleep.
They were exhausted, with the trying mental exhaustion that
people feel who have undergone great anxiety and danger.
The two Captains and the Colonel went into Captain Greene's cabin
and for a long time talked the matter over. They could hear the
crew and the soldiers making merry. It had been a great
experience; an experience which fortunately had had a good ending.
Already a lot of the boys were writing highly-colored, lengthy
accounts home--accounts which were doomed never to pass the censor!
Colonel Bright was happy as a boy. He chuckled and laughed and
patted his friends on the back. He was so glad to have his two
boys restored to him that he didn't know what to do. He kept
tiptoeing back to look at the boys as they slept. And sleep they
did hour after hour, until their young bodies were renewed and
refreshed. When they finally awoke, it was with the feeling that
they never could sleep again. They went up on deck to take their
usual morning look around. It was not yet time to report to
Colonel Bright. To their great surprise, they were lying outside
a harbor. In the distance they could see through the morning
haze the lines of shipping and the bright tiled roofs of the
houses. There was a feeling of expectation on board the ship.
Porky hailed a sailor and asked where they were.
"In Europe," said the Jacky, smiling, and hurried away.
"In Europe!" repeated Porky. "I bet Colonel Bright will tell
us." They hurried below. But to their eager questions the
Colonel merely repeated the sailor's reply. The boys hurried on
deck again. They stood by the rail, staring at the purple shore,
when they were startled by a shot below, the sound of a scuffle,
and as they turned a man raced past, leaped the rail and was
swallowed by the sea. Scarcely had his head appeared again when
with a rush Captain Greene gained the rail. For a moment he took
aim; a steady, relentless aim. A puff of smoke marked the shot,
and the black head, bobbing on the waves, disappeared. A hand
was raised, and seemed to wave a good-by.
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