ay!" I exclaimed. "Then I may have to stay here for another
night!"

"I'm sorry," said he, "but I'm afraid it can't be helped."

"But can we ever be sure that the fleet will keep to a programme? I
have just been thinking it over, and the question struck me--why are
they making this arrangement so far ahead?"

"That struck me too," said Tiel, "and also Ashington. But he has found
out now. There is some big scheme on. Some think it is Heligoland,
and some think the Baltic. Anyhow, there is a definite programme, and
they will certainly keep to it. The only uncertain thing is the actual
day of sailing."

"It is a plan which will be nicely upset if we get our torpedoes into
three or four of their super-dreadnoughts!" I exclaimed.

He nodded grimly.

"And for that, we want to have the timing exact" he said. "Be patient,
my friend; we shall know by Tuesday morning at the latest."

I tried to be as philosophical as I could, but it was a dreary evening,
with the rain still beating on my window and another day's confinement
to look forward to.

V.

A MYSTERIOUS ADVENTURE.

Monday morning broke wet and windy, but with every sign of clearing up.
Tiel looked in for a very few minutes, but he was in his most
uncommunicative mood, and merely told me that he would have to be out
for the first part of the day, but would be back in the afternoon. I
could not help suspecting that he was still a little sore over my
refusal to remain with him, and was paying me out by this display of
secrecy. Such petty affronts to officers from those unfortunate enough
to be outside that class are not unknown. I was of course above taking
offence, but I admit that it made me feel less anxious to consult his
wishes at every turn.

In this humour I wrote for a time, and at last got up and stared
impatiently out of the window. It had become quite a fine day, and the
prospect of gazing for the greater part of it at a few acres of inland
landscape, with that fascinating spectacle to be seen from the front
windows, irritated me more and more. And then, to add to my annoyance,
I heard "Boom! Boom! Boom!" crashing from the seaward side, and
shaking the very foundations of the house. I began to feel
emphatically that it was my duty to watch the British fleet at gunnery
practice.

Just then two women appeared, walking slowly away from the house. One
had an apron and no hat, and though I had only once caught a fleeting
glimpse