one," Dalzell replied, positively.

"Either we must spare some, or we must have some sweeper craft added to
our fleet," Dave went on. "There are three of these shoals, and hereafter
I want two mine-sweepers to spend their time dragging their wires over
each shoal. That will take six craft, and these will not have time to do
any sweeping in the open sea. We cannot clean up the mines themselves
with three craft, can we?"

"Plainly not," Dan agreed, "since, with all nine, we have not been able
to find and take up all the mines we should have located."

"Then we shall have to have more craft," Dave nodded. "Yet if we cannot
have more craft assigned to this work, we must go ahead with what we have
and do more work. But I believe that the hunt over the shoals should be
kept up day and night, without rest, for I am satisfied that the enemy
mine-layers rest on these shoals more frequently than we have supposed."

After some further conversation Dave had his launch cleared away and went
over to a British battleship for a conference with the British admiral in
command in those waters. The best the admiral could do was to supply him
with three of the hundred-and-ten-foot patrol boats. These, however, were
provided with sweepers and possessed good speed.

"I hope you're right, Mr. Darrin," said the admiral, at the close of the
interview. "To be frank with you, your predecessor in the work of
cleaning up enemy mines in this area was a British naval officer,
considerably older than yourself. He is a very capable man in many ways,
but we felt that he had been so long on coast work that he was growing
much too stale. So, when I decided to transfer him to other duties I
thought of trying one of your American officers, a young man, full of
spirit, and fresh for this work. So I asked your admiral for some one,
and he sent Dalzell and yourself."

"So far," said Dave, "I have not done any better than my English
predecessor, sir?"

"Frankly you have not, yet we must remember to deduct your very necessary
week in hospital. However, you have done some other excellent things. The
capture of the mine-laying neutral, the 'Olga,' for instance, was a
splendid bit of work. The fight that you and Mr. Dalzell had with the
three enemy destroyers was a fine job. But the mines in these waters
continue to be as much of a menace as before."

"They won't be, by this time next week, sir. I promise that," said Dave,
rising. "How soon can the commander