r to come to us.
It will all be points in the game we are fighting for."

As Benson spoke he swung his glass around to cover the deck of the
"Thor," that craft being, now, her full two miles away off the port beam.

"Rhinds has his whole crowd on deck, too," growled young Benson, using
his powerful marine glass with interest. "Yes; everyone on deck, except
two men for the engine room."

At this moment Lieutenant Danvers stepped on deck, looking as though he
had slept well. The naval officer carried a glass very much like the
submarine skipper's.

"It's almost mean of me to bring a glass on deck with me," laughed
Danvers. "Under the rules I'm forbidden to give you any information
I may find for myself."

Jack nodded pleasantly, then turned to sweep the sea ahead. At a
distance of a few miles it would be easy enough to miss the
half-submerged derelict.

For some three hours the flotilla swept on, with active officers on
every deck. The naval board had ordered this new formation ere reaching
the probable location of the derelict.

"We haven't passed the thing, anyway," Jack muttered to Eph. "The sea
isn't rough enough for that to be possible."

Part of the time young Benson had surrendered his glass to his first
officer, while the captain himself stood by the wheel.

But now, Jack was again pacing the deck, while Eph, his eyes mostly on
the compass, steered steadily by course.

Suddenly, Jack Benson started. Quickly he wiped the outer lenses of his
glass, then looked again.

"See anything?" demanded Eph.

"Yes, sirree! And the 'Thor' is almost a mile nearer than we are! It's
the derelict--not a doubt of it!"

Like a flash Jack sprang to the wheel, ringing the bell for full speed.

"Eph, hustle below! Tell Hal we've sighted the derelict. Tell him to
hump the engines. Tell him I don't care how much we overheat the
machinery so that we don't blow the craft up. Jump!"

Eph collided with Jacob Farnum, who had started up from below, but he
brushed the shipbuilder aside, rushing below as though death pursued him.

CHAPTER XVI

JACK GIVES THE ORDER, "FIRE!"

The naval officer, too, had made out a bobbing something on the sea,
ahead, over at port, which he took to be the long sought derelict.

The lieutenant could not say anything, but, with glass still at his eyes,
he leaned back against the conning tower, drawing in his breath sharply.

"Want me to take the wheel?" called out Eph, as