The Boy Allies at Jutland; Or, The Greatest Naval Battle of HistoryHayes, Clair W. (Clair Wallace)
General
The Boy Allies at Jutland; Or, The Greatest Naval Battle of History
Hayes, Clair W. (Clair Wallace)
Jutland, Battle of, 1916 -- Juvenile fiction; World War, 1914-1918 -- Naval operations -- Juvenile fiction
"Send this," ordered Captain Raleigh, and passed a slip of paper on
which he had scribbled rapidly to the wireless operator.
The message read as follows:
"German high sea fleet to attack off Jutland tonight. Inform Admiral
Beatty. Relay message. Am steaming for Danish coast to engage enemy.
Information authentic. Follow me!
(Signed) "RALEIGH."
A short pause and again the receiving apparatus on the _Queen Mary_
clicked sharply.
"O.K., sir," said the operator.
"All right," this from Captain Raleigh. "Call the _Invincible._"
Again the wireless began to click. Two minutes later the operator
reported:
"_Invincible_ answering, sir."
"Send the same message," instructed Captain Raleigh.
It might be well to state here that all these messages were sent in
code, for it was probable that a German vessel of some sort might be
within the wireless zone and, if able to read the messages as they
flashed across the sea, would have communicated with the main German
fleet.
One after another now the wireless of the _Queen Mary_ picked up the
battle cruisers _Defense, Black Prince, Warrior_ and the
super-dreadnaught _War-spite,_ all of which chanced to be within range
of the _Queen Mary's_ wireless. The destroyers _Tipperary, Turbulent_
and _Nestore_ also answered the call and were instructed to proceed to
the Skagerak at full speed.
And to each vessel, as it answered, the single word "relay" was
flashed. This meant that Captain Raleigh wanted the word sent to other
vessels of the British fleet not within her own wireless radius. And
the answer to this was invariably the same:
"O.K.!"
Still in the wireless room, Captain Raleigh turned to Frank and Jack
and said:
"Now, I shall be glad to know how you boys learned this information."
Jack explained as briefly as possible. Captain Raleigh interrupted
occasionally as Jack proceeded with his story and when the lad had
concluded, he said quietly:
"You have done well, young sirs. England has much to thank you for."
"But will the others arrive in time, sir?" asked Frank, anxiously.
"That," said Captain Raleigh, "I cannot say. You may be sure that they
will come to our assistance at all possible speed, however."
"But you will not await them there, sir?"
"No; I shall engage the enemy single handed if necessary."
With this Captain Raleigh turned on his heel and would have left the
wireless room. At that moment, however, the wireless began to click
again, and the commander of the _Queen Mary_ paused.
"For us?" he asked.
The operator nodded.
"Admiral Beatty, aboard the _Lion_, calling, sir."
"Take his message!"
There was silence for a moment, and then the operator called off the
clicks of his apparatus.
"Admiral Beatty wants to know your source of information," he reported.
Captain Raleigh dictated a reply.
Again silence for a few moments; and then the operator said:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account