could
still make out the distant shape of the _Bismarck_. She rode quietly in
the water, and there was nothing about her appearance to tell the three
in the motor boat of the terrible struggle that was raging even at that
moment.

"Poor Harris," said Jack. "I hope that in some manner he is able to
escape."

"Certainly I hope so, too," declared Frank.

"He's a brave man," said von Ludwig.

Jack drew the fateful deck of cards from his pocket.

"These," he said, "I shall keep."

He ran through the deck several times, playing with them. Unconsciously
he counted them.

There was something wrong. Jack counted the cards again. The result was
the same.

"Sir!" he called to von Ludwig.

"Well?" "How did you chance to have this pack of cards?"

"I play solitaire considerably," was the reply.

"You couldn't have played solitaire with this deck," said Jack.

"Why not?"
"All the cards are not here. There are but fifty-one."

"There were fifty-two when I put them in my pocket," said von Ludwig,
"because I counted them."

Again Jack ran through the deck There were but fifty-one cards.
Suddenly the lad gave a start. He spread the cards out in the bottom
of the boat, making four piles all suits together. He counted the hearts.
They were all there, thirteen of them. He counted the clubs. They were
all there, too. Next he counted the spades. All were there. Last he
counted the diamonds. There were but twelve. Jack arranged them in order.
There was one card shy. Jack found what it was a moment later. There was
no six of diamonds in the deck. For some moments Jack sat silent,
staring at the cards before him. He had been struck with a great light.

"So!" he said to himself at last, "Harris cheated."

"What's that?" said Frank, who had heard Jack's muttered words, but had
not caught their import.

"I said," replied Jack, slowly, "that Harris cheated."

Frank was surprised. A moment later he said: "Well, even if he did, he
lost anyhow."

"That's it," said Jack, quietly. "He didn't lose."

"You mean----" exclaimed Frank, excitedly.

"Yes; I mean that I lost. I should have been the one to stay."

"Impossible," said Frank.

"It's true," declared Jack. "Von Ludwig here says the deck was a full
deck. It's shy a card now. The six of diamonds is missing. That is the
card Harris cut first. You remember he turned aside?"

"Yes, but----"

"That's when he slipped the six of diamonds out of sight and exposed
the deuce of