k took his place at the periscope. The lad
uttered an exclamation of surprise.

"By Jove! he has, sir," he ejaculated. "I can see him swimming toward
the submarine; and there is a man on the bridge waiting for him. Can't
we launch a torpedo at her, sir?"

"I guess we can," replied Lord Hastings. "What do you make the range?"

"Hundred yards, sir," replied Jack. "Number three torpedo, sir!"

Lord Hastings touched a button and the signal board glowed. But even as
Jack would have given the command to fire, a new object suddenly rose to
the surface of the water and he stayed his hand.

It was a third submarine, and Jack, instead of giving the command to
fire, for which the men were eagerly waiting, cried:

"Another submarine, sir! Looks like a German. She's moving toward the
pirate, sir!"

Lord Hastings stepped to the periscope, pushing Jack firmly aside.

"We'll move off and let them fight it out," he said. "Full speed ahead,
Mr. Templeton!"

CHAPTER XXVIII.

THE BATTLE AND THE ATTACK ON THE U-6.

Another few hundred yards from the two other submarines, Lord Hastings
ordered the U-6 brought to a stop.

"We'll stop here a bit and watch the battle," he said.

The U-6 rose to the surface and the three officers ascended to the
bridge. The pirate craft, _The Vulture_, was still upon the surface and
they were able to see that Davis at that moment had climbed over the
side. Together with the man who was already on the bridge he hurried
below.

"Now they will submerge," said Lord Hastings.

He was right, for a moment later _The Vulture_ began to sink lower in
the water. At this moment the German craft fired her first torpedo. It
struck a hundred yards to the right of _The Vulture_.

"Poor shooting," declared Jack.

The others nodded.

"She'll do better next time," said Frank.

The lad proved a good prophet for the second torpedo skimmed over the
water missing _The Vulture_ by inches. At the same time _The Vulture_
launched a torpedo and the three aboard the U-6 gasped as it seemed that
the missile would surely strike home.

But the German submersible swerved just a trifle and the torpedo missed
by a narrow margin. At the same moment the German submarine began to
submerge. She escaped the fire of the pirate until her periscope also
was all that was visible.

Then the pirate rose; a moment later the German craft came from below
and both vessels launched torpedoes simultaneously.

Lord Hastings ut