long, and presenting the appearance, from a distance, of
a little speck upon the surface of the sea, the U-6 continued toward the
east. Frank had taken the bridge half an hour before and now was
studying a faint smudge on the eastern horizon. A moment later and a
second smudge appeared and then a third, to be followed almost
immediately by a fourth.

"Strange!" he muttered. "Seems to be coming from the direction of
Heligoland. Battleships all right, but the question is, British or
German? Must be the latter, though how they figure to run the British
blockade is more than I know. However, I haven't heard that any of our
vessels are this close to Heligoland. It's too dangerous on account of
the German mines."

He summoned Jack, who also gazed curiously at the smoke for some
moments; but even while Jack gazed, the dim outline of a large
battleship came into sight. Soon a second appeared and then a third.

"Must be German," said Jack. "Call Lord Hastings."

Frank did so and soon the commander of the U-6 appeared on deck.

Lord Hastings wasted no time in fixing the identity of the approaching
vessels.

"Germans," he said briefly.

"Yes; but where are they going?" Jack wanted to know.

"Probably intend another raid on the British coast," returned Lord
Hastings. "By the time they are in waters patrolled by our ships it will
be dark, and they hope to pass them in the night. You haven't forgotten
the raid on Scarborough and Hartlepool, have you?"

"No, I haven't," said Jack. "But I don't figure they would have the
temerity to try another."

"They seem to have temerity enough to try anything," declared Frank.
"However, I guess it's up to us to stop this raid."

"Right you are, Frank," said Lord Hastings quietly. "It's up to us."

"And how do you figure we are going to get all four of them?" demanded
Jack.

"Well, with luck we might do it," replied his commander. "However, it
would hardly be necessary for that. If we can sink two the others will
turn and run."

"And shall we remain on the surface, sir?" asked Jack.

"No. We'll submerge until we are close to them. Then we can come up
safely enough, for they'll believe us friends. We can sink one and get
down again in time. Then, taking our calculations as to where they will
be, we can come up again and have a try at another. We may as well
submerge now."

Jack gave the order, and a few minutes later the U-6 was beneath the
water, not even her periscope being al