of
conveying them into the island, all her mighty expenditure upon her army
and her fleet was a mere waste of money so long as her antagonists had a
few submarines and men who could use them. England has often been
stupid, but has got off scot-free. This time she was stupid and had to
pay the price. You can't expect Luck to be your saviour always.

It would be a mere repetition of what I have already described if I were
to recount all our proceedings during that first ten days after I resumed
my station. During my absence the ships had taken heart and had begun to
come up again. In the first day I got four. After that I had to go
farther afield, and again I picked up several in French waters. Once I
had a narrow escape through one of my kingston valves getting some grit
into it and refusing to act when I was below the surface. Our margin of
buoyancy just carried us through. By the end of that week the Channel
was clear again, and both _Beta_ and my own boat were down West once
more. There we had encouraging messages from our Bristol consort, who in
turn had heard from _Delta_ at Liverpool. Our task was completely done.
We could not prevent all food from passing into the British Islands, but
at least we had raised what did get in to a price which put it far beyond
the means of the penniless, workless multitudes. In vain Government
commandeered it all and doled it out as a general feeds the garrison of a
fortress. The task was too great--the responsibility too horrible. Even
the proud and stubborn English could not face it any longer.

I remember well how the news came to me. I was lying at the time off
Selsey Bill when I saw a small war-vessel coming down Channel. It had
never been my policy to attack any vessel coming _down_. My torpedoes
and even my shells were too precious for that. I could not help being
attracted, however, by the movements of this ship, which came slowly
zigzagging in my direction.

"Looking for me," thought I. "What on earth does the foolish thing hope
to do if she could find me?"

I was lying awash at the time and got ready to go below in case she
should come for me. But at that moment--she was about half a mile
away--she turned her quarter, and there to my amazement was the red flag
with the blue circle, our own beloved flag, flying from her peak. For a
moment I thought that this was some clever dodge of the enemy to tempt me
within range. I snatched up my glasses and ca