CHAPTER XV--ORDERED SOUTH

At first more than one thought a terrible explosion had taken place, and the general alarm was sounded. But it was not half so bad as it seemed.

Ned, who, with horror-stricken eyes, had seen his brother fall, was relieved to see him slowly get up and help lift Hank to a more comfortable position. From the interior of the gun turret, however, a mass of yellow smoke poured. But it quickly blew away, and an inspection on the part of the officers showed that no great damage had been done. It was a mass of imperfect powder that had exploded, and the force was not great. Then, too, it had not been closely confined, and the force was distributed over a large area, not being strong at any one point.

"But young Arden didn't know that when he stopped to pick up Dell," said the officer in charge. "Young man, I want to congratulate you on as brave an act as I've seen in a long time!"

"Oh, it wasn't anything," protested Frank, blushing. His blushes could be seen now, for this was some time later, and he and the others had washed. Hank, who had received a bad cut on his head by the fall, was sent to the hospital, though he had regained consciousness, and was not badly hurt.

"It was a plucky act," went on the officer. "But it only goes to show of what stuff Uncle Sam's jackies are made of."

The effects of the explosion were soon cleared away, and an investigation started to ascertain how it had happened. But it was one of those unaccountable things that frequently occur on even the most perfectly-manned battleships. Fortunately, no serious damage had been done, and no one hurt except Hank, and his injury was due to a slip and fall that might have occurred even when he was swabbing down the deck.

The affair had one good and lasting effect, however. Of course Hank did not fail to learn who had picked him up and carried him from the turret when the explosion was about to occur. And, harmless as the explosion turned out, there is no doubt that had any one been in the turret at the time, instead of at the entrance, he would have been killed, or at least badly injured. So Hank learned that, in effect, Frank had saved his life at the risk of his own.

And when the bully had recovered and reported back for duty he went up to Frank before the whole mess at hammock-slinging time one evening, and held out his hand.

"Will you shake, Arden?" was asked.

"Why certainly, Dell," was the quick answer.

Their palms met in a warm clasp.

"I want to apologize," went on Hank. "I've acted pretty mean toward you and your brother, and I'm sorry. But I'm done now. If ever you want a friend on this ship, count on me!"

"Thank you," said Frank, "I don't hold any grudge."

"I'm glad of it," responded Hank. "I know I've been rotten, but I'm through. It was fine of you to take me out. I shan't forget it!"

"Three cheers for Frank Arden!" called some one.

They were given with a will that brought an officer on the run to see what was happening. But when he saw what it was he smiled and turned away.

"And three cheers for Hank Dell!" proposed Ned.

It would have puzzled any one to tell which cheers were the heartiest. And from then on, though occasionally he was up to some trick, the bully was a changed youth. He gave no more trouble, and Frank and Ned had no firmer friend. From being rather careless and neglectful of his progress, he became studious, and in this he was encouraged, for the officers are eager to have their men promoted.

"So that explosion was a good thing after all," remarked Ned, some time later.

"Yes, though it looked mighty ticklish at the start," responded Frank, with a smile.

There were other rifle practices as the weeks passed, sometimes with big guns, and more often with the small arms and quick firers. Ned and Frank went in for gunnery work, for which they seemed to have a peculiar aptitude, and in this they were encouraged by their superiors.

Quite often they wrote to their uncle, and also heard from him. Friends had reopened his case, but it was dragging slowly along, and there was no immediate prospect of his release.

"I wish we could help him," said Frank, with a sigh.

"So do I," chimed in Ned. "But how can we?"

There did not seem to be any way in which the boys could assist.

Drill and instruction went on unceasingly aboard the _Georgetown_. There are nine principal drills aboard a battleship. These are great gun drill; infantry and light artillery; boats, under oars or sails; signals; collisions and abandon ship; fire-quarters; general quarters; clear ship for action; and coaling ship.

Some days only one or two drills may be ordered, and on others none. Nor are they followed in the order given, for above everything else the government does not want life aboard ship to become monotonous. Often the drills were broken into by short, instructive talks by the officers.

In the succeeding chapters will be briefly told of what each drill consists.

It was one day following boat drill, when the small craft had come racing back in response to the recall signal, that Frank and Ned, whose boat had won an impromptu race, observed signs of unusual activity aboard.

"What's up?" Frank asked a petty officer.

"Just got wireless orders," was the answer. "We're ordered South!"

"Ordered South?" echoed Ned. "Where?"

"Down to a small South American republic. Uridio it's called. I never heard of it, but there's some sort of a revolution there, and we're ordered down to protect American interests. I didn't know Uridio was on the map."

"Well, we did," said Frank in a low voice to his brother. "Oh, Ned! That's where Uncle Phil's property is. Maybe now we'll get a chance to help him!"