mes there would have been a
different story to tell. As I approached Falmouth I destroyed a three-
thousand-ton boat from Cork, laden with butter and cheese. It was my
only success for three days.

That night (Friday, April 16th) I called up Stephan, but received no
reply. As I was within a few miles of our rendezvous, and as he would
not be cruising after dark, I was puzzled to account for his silence. I
could only imagine that his wireless was deranged. But, alas!

I was soon to find the true reason from a copy of the _Western Morning
News_, which I obtained from a Brixham trawler. The _Kappa_, with her
gallant commander and crew, were at the bottom of the English Channel.

It appeared from this account that after I had parted from him he had met
and sunk no fewer than five vessels. I gathered these to be his work,
since all of them were by gun-fire, and all were on the south coast of
Dorset or Devon. How he met his fate was stated in a short telegram
which was headed "Sinking of a Hostile Submarine." It was marked
"Falmouth," and ran thus:--

The P. and O. mail steamer _Macedonia_ came into this port last night
with five shell holes between wind and water. She reports having been
attacked by a hostile submarine ten miles to the south-east of the
Lizard. Instead of using her torpedoes, the submarine for some reason
approached from the surface and fired five shots from a semi-automatic
twelve-pounder gun. She was evidently under the impression that the
_Macedonia_ was unarmed. As a matter of fact, being warned of the
presence of submarines in the Channel, the _Macedonia_ had mounted her
armament as an auxiliary cruiser. She opened fire with two
quick-firers and blew away the conning-tower of the submarine. It is
probable that the shells went right through her, as she sank at once
with her hatches open. The _Macedonia_ was only kept afloat by her
pumps.

Such was the end of the _Kappa_, and my gallant friend, Commander
Stephan. His best epitaph was in a corner of the same paper, and was
headed "Mark Lane." It ran:--

"Wheat (average) 66, maize 48, barley 50."

Well, if Stephan was gone there was the more need for me to show energy.
My plans were quickly taken, but they were comprehensive. All that day
(Saturday) I passed down the Cornish coast and round Land's End, getting
two steamers on the way. I had learned from Stephan's fate that it was
better t