done at sea and
the ships in need of a more thorough overhauling steamed for England,
where they would go into dry-dock. The bulk of the British fleet,
however, still in perfect fighting trim, again took up the task of
patrolling the North Sea, that no German vessels might make their
escape from the fortress of Heligoland, for which point the enemy
headed immediately after the battle.

In spite of the severe losses of the Germans, the return of the high
sea fleet to Heligoland was marked by a grand ovation by the civil
population. Various reports were circulated on the island, and all
through Germany for that matter. One report had it that the entire
British fleet had been sent to the bottom; and Berlin, and all Germany,
rejoiced.

But as time passed and the German fleet still remained secure behind
its fortifications, the German people began to realize that the victory
had not been so great as they had been led to believe. They knew they
had been fooled; and they vented their anger in many ways.

Street riots occurred in Berlin and in others of the large cities. The
people demanded to be told the facts. Later they were told, in a
measure, but even then they were denied the whole truth. So conditions
in the central empires grew from bad to worse.

Jack and Frank, struggling in the water where they had been hurled by
the collision of the _Queen Mary_ and the _Indefatigable_, were glad of
the company of Harris, who had bobbed up so suddenly alongside of them
in the darkness.

Harris greeted Jack's exclamation of surprise with a grin.

"Yes; it's me," he replied, discarding his grammar absolutely; "and I'm
glad to see you fellows again. Question is, what are we going to do
now?"

"Well, you know as much about it as I do," declared Jack. "I haven't
any idea how far we are from shore, but I am afraid it is farther than
we can swim."

All three cast their eyes over the water. There was not a spar nor
other piece of wreckage in sight. But Jack made out a few moments
later, some distance to the east, what appeared to be a ship of some
sort. He called the attention of the others to it.

"Suppose we might as well head in that direction, then," declared
Harris.

"Right," agreed Frank.

He struck out vigorously and the others did the same.

It was a long ways to that little speck on the water and the lads knew
that if the vessel were moving away from them they probably would be
lost. But at that distance the vessel