“Get the Ventura for me,” Jack instructed the operator.

It was perhaps five minutes later that the Ventura answered the call.  Jack took the key.

“Captain Griswold?” he asked.

“Yes.  Who are you?”

“Captain Templeton, destroyer Essex.”

“Well, what do you want this time?”

“Slow down.  I’m coming aboard again.”

“What for?”

“I’ll explain when I get there.”

“All right, but I’ll tell you I don’t like this business.”

The instrument became silent.

“Now tell me what you’re going to do, Jack,” said Frank, as he followed his chum and commander on deck.

“It’s very simple,” said Jack.  “As you have said, I believe that the submarine commander will intercept the Ventura again farther along toward the shore.  Now, I’m going to turn the Essex over to you temporarily and go aboard the Ventura.  You know the Germans as well as I do.  This man will no more think of sinking the Ventura without doing a bit of bragging to the captain, who fooled him once, than he will of flying.”

“That’s true enough,” Frank admitted.

“All right.  Now I’ll be aboard when he gets there.  If he comes aboard, I’ll grab him there.  If he doesn’t I’ll jump to the deck of the submarine after him and tumble him overboard.  I’ll trust to you to keep the submarine occupied and to get a boat to me.”

“It’s a desperate venture, Jack,” Frank protested.

“So it is,” was Jack’s reply, “but I’ve a longing to capture this fellow.  If we just sink the submarine, I can’t do it of course.  Another thing, it may be that I am not doing just right in leaving my ship, but it will only be for a couple of hours and I know you can handle it as well as I can.”

“Oh, I won’t sink her,” grinned Frank.  “But why not let me be the one to go?”

“Because I’m not sure you can handle the German commander.”

“But you’re sure you can, eh?”

“He’ll have to be something new in the line of a German if I can’t.”

“All right,” said Frank.  “Have it your own way.  You’re boss here, you know.”

Meantime the Essex and the Ventura had been drawing closer together.  Directly a boat put off from the destroyer and ran alongside of the steamer.  Jack clambered over the side and the launch returned to the destroyer.

Captain Griswold was waiting for Jack.

“Now what’s up?” he wanted to know.

“Come to your cabin and I’ll explain,” said Jack.

In the seclusion of the cabin he outlined the situation.  When he had concluded a sketch of his plans, Captain Griswold demurred.

“But I don’t like to risk my passengers,” he said.

“You won’t be risking them any more with me aboard than you will without me,” Jack explained.  “Besides, you will have the additional protection of the destroyer.  In fact, it may be that the presence of the Essex will scare the submarine off, but I doubt it.  The German commander, as all of his ilk, is angry at having been balked of his prey.  He’ll probably have one more try, destroyer or no destroyer.”