ng no more for me to do in Berlin, I took the first train to
Kiel, the Portsmouth of Germany. Kiel itself, it will be remembered,
stands at the Baltic end of the famous canal which the present Kaiser
has had constructed for his warships to pass out to the North Sea
without going around Denmark.

It was late when I arrived, but I determined to lose no time in
seeing how far the secret orders of the Kaiser extended.

Accordingly, as soon as I had dined, I went out and took my way
toward the government dockyard.

The entrance to the dockyard was guarded by a sentry with fixed
bayonet. Behind him I saw a large iron gate which appeared to be
heavily barred, with a small postern at one side, which was also
closed.

I advanced toward the sentry, expecting every moment to hear a
challenge ring out. To my genuine astonishment, nothing of the kind
occurred. The sentry did not pay the slightest attention to me, but
went on pacing to and fro as though I had been wearing a cap of
invisibility.

I went up to the postern door, and tried the handle. It opened at a
touch, and I found myself alone in the deserted dockyard.

For some time I groped my way forward by the light of the few
scattered electric lights, till I reached the edge of a large basin
which appeared to communicate with the outer harbor of Kiel.

Turning the opposite way, I went along the edge of the wharf, picking
my way among timber balks, stacks of iron sheeting, chains, ropes,
and all the other things that are found scattered about a naval
dockyard.

At the head of the great basin I found a lock giving access to a
small inner dock, in which a number of vessels were moored.

I made my way around, searching everywhere for the vessels I had been
told I should find.

At last, in the farthest and most secluded corner, I perceived a row
of small craft, shaped much like a shark, with a long narrow tube or
funnel rising up from the center of each.

They lay low in the water, without being submerged. Alone among the
shipping they carried no riding-lights. They appeared dark, silent,
and deserted.

Almost unconsciously I ran my eye along them, counting them as they
lay. Suddenly I was aroused to keen attention.

One--two--three--four--five. The Kaiser had assured me that I should
find six submarines to choose from!

I counted once more with straining eyes.

_One_--_two_--_three_--_four_--_five_.

One of the mysterious craft had been taken away!

CH