s what I wishes 'em, and let the best man
win."

The words died away along the water, as I drew off and let my craft
sink under once again.

That night I slept soundly, making up for the vigil of the night
before. The submarine rested on the sea floor, in a hollow of the
undulating Bank, and one of the crew kept watch in case a "trawl"
should come too close.

But there was no sign of the mysterious companion which had come out
of Kiel Harbor in front of me, and was even now prowling somewhere in
the dark depths around.

CHAPTER XXXIII

TRAFALGAR DAY

In the morning I was conscious of a certain stir and display on board
some of the fishing boats among which I continued to lurk.

At first I supposed that the Baltic Fleet must have been sighted. But
in the course of the day I gathered from various cries and shouts
which were borne across the water, that the fishermen were keeping
the anniversary of the most glorious day in the history of England,
the day on which the immortal Nelson annihilated the united fleets of
France and Spain, and shattered the dream of the great Napoleon that
he could tame the haughty Island Power.

As long as daylight lasted I scoured the sea for a distance of five
miles all around the devoted fishing fleet, without coming on the
slightest trace of the other submarine.

A delusive hope assailed me that some accident might have overtaken
it. But I did not relax my vigilance, and when night fell I took up a
station about a mile in front of the English smacks, in the
direction from which I had reason to expect the approach of
Rojestvensky.

A few hours elapsed, then my watchfulness was rewarded.

Away down on the horizon toward the northeast, there glittered out a
row of twinkling lights, one behind the other, as though a lamp-lit
thoroughfare had got afloat and drifted out to sea.

The sinuous streak of lights, shifting as they approached like the
coils of some great water-snake, glided toward us at what seemed a
fearful speed, and as they drew near the white lights were
interspread with green and crimson points, like rubies and emeralds
set between rows of diamonds. And ever and anon the swift electric
tongues of the search-lights spat forth and licked the dark face of
the waters like hungry things.

Keeping my upper deck just awash, I lay still and beheld at last the
great black sides of the battleships tower up, pierced with
illuminated windows.

My heart began to thro