on a perilous
duty. Any more trouble and I'll have you ironed if necessary. You're in
no position to make a nuisance of yourself."

Davis made no reply. He recognized Lord Hastings' authority to do as he
said and he was smart enough to say nothing. Lord Hastings left Davis
with the sailors.

An hour after leaving the spot where the U-16 had so recently sent a
German submarine to the bottom, Lord Hastings again gave the command to
come to the surface; and the vessel proceeded then upon the top of the
water.

Frank and Jack, tired out, had retired for a brief rest before their
services would again be required; but had they been in Davis' cabin they
would have overheard a strange conversation.

Davis and three of the German sailors were engaged in a deep and
apparently serious discussion. They talked in subdued tones and cast
occasional furtive glances at the door. Occasionally the three nodded
their heads affirmatively as Davis talked, each occasionally
volunteering a few words himself.

"Then you are with me?" asked Davis at length.

The men nodded.

"Good. But we shall have to bide our time. A false step and it would be
the end of all of us. This Commander Bernstorff, I should say, is a bad
man to fool with. But once we can get him in our power and silence the
others, we can make something of ourselves."

"Yah!" muttered one of the sailors. "What is this war to us anyhow? You
are English and we are German; but what of it? Why should we take orders
from such men as Herr Commander Bernstorff and others of his kind?"

"Why, indeed?" echoed another.

"You are right," said Davis. "Now, when we take possession of this
vessel we will be our own masters. No one to tell us what to do. We
won't have to risk our lives for some one else's gain. And what booty we
can get shall be evenly divided among us. There is rich prey upon the
sea."

"But first," said one of the sailors, "to come into possession of this
vessel, we shall have to dispose of Commander Bernstorff, his
lieutenants, and others of the crew."

"How," exclaimed one of the others suddenly, "how if some of the others
would join us? I have no doubt they would if approached in the right
way."

"We don't want too many," protested the third. "The fewer of us, the
fewer to share in the spoils."

"True enough," said Davis, "but we must have men enough for a crew. I,
of course, shall command. You three will be my officers. We must have a
crew."

"How about