I might leave the boat,
sir, and tackle this fellow, whoever he is. It's on the cards I might sink
him and come back again and pick you up.'

'That might be worth trying,' answered Captain Carrington. And he spoke as
calmly as if the upshot was of absolutely no consequence to him whatever.

Ken, who had been staring hard at the approaching craft, turned quickly to
the commander.

'Couldn't you capture her, sir?' he said eagerly.

Strang stared as if he thought that Ken had suddenly taken leave of his
senses.

'Capture her?' he repeated.

'Yes, sir. Then you could put all the prisoners aboard her, and they could
find their own way to the hiding place. And Horan and myself, too,
perhaps.'

Strang gave a low whistle.

''Pon my soul, it's an idea. Especially as, being an enemy ship, she
wouldn't be so likely to be searched.'

'It would be very nice for us if it could be managed,' said Captain
Carrington with a smile. 'But I suppose it is quite out of the question,
Mr Strang?'

'It all depends on what she is, sir,' replied Strang, as he put up his
binoculars and focused them on the indistinct patch on the misty horizon.

Presently he put them down.

'She's nothing but a launch,' he said quickly. 'Armed, of course, but
probably only a 6-pounder. I'm hanged if I don't try it.'

'Very good,' said Captain Carrington, speaking as calmly as ever. 'I will
go back into the boat, and tell my friends. By the bye, how would it do to
use us as bait for the trap? If you were merely to submerge, and lie close
by with only your periscopes showing, it seems to me that you might manage
to take them unawares.'

'I've got a better plan than that, sir,' broke in Ken quickly. 'Put Horan
and myself in the boat. Give us some pistols. We'll sham shipwrecked. Most
of us can hide in the bottom of the boat. The launch won't have much of a
crew. With a rush we might overpower them.'

The boldness of Ken's suggestion made both men gasp. Strang was the first
to speak.

'It's a big risk, but it might work. Are you willing, Captain Carrington?'

A grim smile parted the lips of Ken's father.

'Willing! It would make me young again.'

Strang's decision was taken like a flash.

'It goes, then. And I'll lend you a couple of my men as well. Williams and
Johnston. Hefty chaps in a scrimmage, and both equal to engines of any
kind. But we must be smart. This must be done before the Turks get any
notion of what is up.'

He dashed back to