vening.

As a matter of form Darrin glanced down through the list, then signed it.

"The last four men on the list report that they would like shore leave,
but are out of funds, sir," hesitated Lieutenant Fernald.

Drawing his purse, Dave extracted four five-dollar bills.

"Lend this to them until pay-day," he directed, thrusting the money into
the executive officer's hand. "They are dependable men, and will come to
no harm. Up to eleven o'clock I shall be found at the Blank Hotel if
wanted. At eleven I shall leave to come aboard, so you may send in a
launch for me, Mr. Fernald."

As soon as he had received and signed the typed report in duplicate, and
had taken steps to forward them, Darrin and Belle went ashore.

At ten o'clock that evening Dan Dalzell joined them.

"How was the hunting, Danny Grin?" Dave inquired, jovially.

"May I speak of such awful subjects before Mrs. Darrin?" Dan asked.

"I am sure you may, and do not delay gratifying my curiosity," Belle put
in.

"Well, then," murmured Dalzell, delightedly, "all I can say is that the
hunting proved wonderfully good. With the indispensable aid of the
dirigible I located four submarines headed for this coast, and sank them
all. I believe that each of the submarines was carrying a cargo of mines
to enemy submarine mine-layers off this coast. Do you call that a day of
good sport?"

"For every one but the Germans," Dave nodded, beamingly.

But Dan glanced at Belle to see how she took such joyous comments on the
sudden deaths of enemies.

"I could feel sorry for the people of some nations, if we were at war
with them," Belle Darrin stated, calmly. "But when I hear of the deaths
of German submarine officers and sailors I feel a sense of relief at the
thought that more of the loathsome beasts have been removed from a decent
world."

Dan, too, and the other officers and the crew of the "Reed" were granted
several days in port. In fact, there was no need of their services in the
same line for some time to come, for a temporary but effective stop had
been put to German mine-laying in the North Sea and the Channel.

The masters, mates and crews of the "Olga" and the "Louisa" were tried
and sentenced to death, and later were executed. Ober-Lieutenant Dreiner,
for his cowardly attempt to murder Dave and his three new friends, was
also sentenced to death.

Before his leave in port was ended Dave and Belle met "Mr. and Mrs.
Launce" and learned that they were