The Boy Allies Under the Sea

The Boy Allies Under the Sea, by
Robert L.

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Robert L. Drake
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Title: The Boy Allies Under the Sea
Author: Robert L. Drake
Release Date: January 17, 2005 [eBook #14711]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)
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ALLIES UNDER THE SEA***
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THE BOY ALLIES UNDER THE SEA

Or, The Vanishing Submarines
by
ENSIGN ROBERT L. DRAKE
Author of The Boy Allies in the Baltic, The Boy Allies on the North Sea
Patrol, The Boy Allies Under Two Flags, The Boy Allies with the
Flying Squadron, The Boy Allies with the Terror of the Seas
A.L. Burt Company New York
1916

[Illustration]
CHAPTER I.
A MYSTERY.
"What I would like to know," said Frank Chadwick, "is just how long
England intends to put up with the activities of the German submarines
in the waters surrounding the British Isles."
"How long?" echoed Jack Templeton. "Surely you know that England
is already conducting a vigorous campaign against them."
"I don't seem to have heard anything of such a campaign," returned
Frank dryly; "but another big liner was torpedoed and sunk off the
coast of Ireland yesterday. What are we going to do about it? That's
what I want to know."
"I'll tell you a little something you don't seem to know," said Jack. "In
the last thirty days, in the neighborhood of a hundred German
submarines have disappeared--sunk or captured--no one seems to know
which. Nevertheless, it is a fact. Through diplomatic channels word has
been received in London that a large number have failed to return to

their bases. The German government is much disturbed."
"Where have they gone?" asked Frank, with some surprise.
"I don't know. Nobody knows--unless, perhaps, a few high government
officials. They have just naturally disappeared--vanished."
"How do you know all this?"
"I happened to hear Lord Hastings discussing it with Mr. Churchill
while you were out the other day."
"But, of course, Mr. Churchill knows what has happened to the
submarines."
"Of course; but he's not telling everything he knows."
"But doesn't Lord Hastings know?"
"I suppose so; but he is keeping his information to himself."
"Well, I didn't know any of them had disappeared."
"They have, though, and I heard Mr. Churchill say that the government
hoped within another month to have rid British waters entirely of the
German submersibles."
"I hope his hope comes true," said Frank with a smile.
"And I; but I would like to know something more of the mystery of
these vanishing submarines."
Both lads were to learn something more, even sooner than they could
possibly have hoped.
The door opened and a man strode into the room. Attired in the full
uniform of a British naval commander, he made a striking appearance
in his gold and lace. He greeted the two lads with a smile.

"Well, boys?" he said.
The newcomer was Lord Hastings, erstwhile distinguished secret
service agent and new commander in his British majesty's royal navy.
Also, though the fact was known to few, he was a distant cousin of the
king himself and one of the most highly trusted officers of the empire.
"Well, boys?" he repeated.
"Well, sir," said Frank, "we were just discussing the mystery of the
vanishing submarines."
Lord Hastings gazed at the lad in surprise.
"Vanishing submarines!" he repeated. "And tell me, how did you know
there were such things as vanishing submarines?"
"Why, Jack told me, sir," replied Frank.
"And how did you know it?" demanded Lord Hastings of Jack.
"I heard you and Mr. Churchill discussing it, sir," replied Jack.
Lord Hastings drew a long breath, evidently of relief.
"I didn't know we had been so indiscreet," he said, half to himself.
"However, there is no harm done, for I know you boys are to be trusted
not to repeat what you overhear. I'll tell you this, you two are among
the very few who know that any of the German submarines have been
accounted for."
"Then it is true?" asked Frank.
"Oh, it's true enough," replied Lord Hastings. "Perhaps a hundred of
them have disappeared."
"And where are they, sir?" asked Frank. "At the bottom?"
"That," said Lord Hastings with a slow smile, "is the mystery the

German government would like to solve."
"But surely you know, sir."
"If I did, I would not repeat it within these four walls," declared Lord
Hastings.