“Then listen to me,” went on the American commander.  “Either you assist us to get out to sea or forfeit your life.  I don’t mean by that that we will kill you.  The channel out to sea is probably mined and netted.  If we explode a mine or run into a net and get stranded you die with the rest of us.  Which will it be?”

The German signified his willingness to assist.  He knew the channel very well, he continued, and would do his part.  And then the most surprising thing happened.  Of his own free will the captive told how he and his two companions aboard the U-boat had been pressed into the submarine service against their will.  They had not desired to embark with one of the undersea fleet, but had been compelled to enlist in the service.

Many of the Germans were in open revolt against U-boat service, said the Teuton, because of the great number of submersibles being sunk by the allied navies.  Only the previous week a revolt had occurred in the fleet at Cuxhaven, an admiral and a naval commander had been thrown overboard and a number of U-boats were lying inactive at their bases because of the inability to ship crews.

When the American lad had driven them inside the U-boat at the approach of the victorious landing party, continued the loquacious prisoner, they had decided at first to cripple the U-boat.  But after talking it over they had decided that it would be better to fall into the hands of the Americans than to lose their lives by sinking the U-boat.

And now they were willing to assist their captors in getting safely out to sea.

Lieutenant Bridwell smilingly accepted the offer, but with a knowing wink to Jack which meant that the latter was to keep close watch over the talkative and seemingly docile German.

Now the evacuation of the U-boat base was under way.  Having razed the place completely, Lieutenant-commander Davis was directing the retreat of his men over the sand dunes to their waiting boats on the beach front a mile or so off.  German airplanes were making valiant efforts to wipe out the American landing party, but were so hard pressed by the heavy fire from the American battleships at sea that their aim was inaccurate.

The U-boat got under way with Lieutenant Bridwell, Jack, and the German pilot in the conning tower.  Ted was dividing his time between the engine room and the control chamber, where the other two Germans were stationed under strong guard.

Moving very slowly, the U-boat was headed down the canal and very soon emerged into the bay that Jack had found in his exploration of the coast.  In full view now was the American fleet from which the landing party had been set ashore—–­the battleship Tallahassee, the cruisers Detroit and Raleigh, the destroyer Farragut and the submarine Dewey.  The Tallahassee was lying broadside of the coast with all her monster fourteen-inch guns ready for action.