“But isn’t all this a bit irregular, sir?” Jack asked.

“Very much so,” was Lord Hastings’ reply.  “At the same time, many precedents are being broken every day, and I can see no reason why two British officers cannot lend their services to an ally if they are asked to do so.”

“It is a little different with me, sir,” said Frank.  I’m an American.”

“All the same,” said Lord Hastings, “you’re a British naval officer, no matter what your nativity.”

“That’s true, too, sir,” Frank agreed.  “I haven’t thought of it in just that way.”

“Well,” said Lord Hastings, “I shall report then that Captain Templeton and First Lieutenant Chadwick will go aboard the Plymouth this evening.”

“Very well, sir,” said Jack.

This is the reason then that Jack and Frank found themselves aboard an American destroyer in the Irish sea.

Frank Chadwick, as we have seen, was an American.  He had been in Italy with his father when the great war began.  He had been shanghaied in Naples soon after Germany’s declaration of war on France.  When he came to his senses he found that his captors were a band of mutinous sailors.  Aboard the vessel he found a second prisoner, who turned out to be a member of the British secret service.

Frank met Jack Templeton, a British youth, aboard the schooner.  Jack came aboard in a peculiar way.

The schooner, in control of the mutineers, had put into a north African port for provisions.  Now it chanced that the store where the mutineers sought to buy provisions was conducted by Jack.  The lad was absent when the supplies were purchased and returned a few moments later to find that the mutineers had departed without making payment.

Jack’s anger bubbled over.  He put off for the schooner in a small boat.  Aboard, the chief of the mutineers refused the demand for payment.  A fight ensued.  Jack, facing heavy odds, sought refuge in the hold of the vessel, where he was made a prisoner.

During the night Jack was able to force his way from the hold into the cabin where Frank and the British secret service agent were held captives.  He released them, and joining forces, the three were able to overcome the mutineers and make themselves masters of the ship.

Now Jack Templeton was an experienced seaman and knew more than the rudiments of navigation.  Under his direction the schooner returned to the little African port that he called home.  There the three erstwhile prisoners left the ship to the mutineers.

Later, through the good offices of the British secret service, Frank and Jack made the acquaintance of Lord Hastings, also in the diplomatic service.  They were able to render some service to the latter and later accompanied him to his home in London.  There, at their request, Lord Hastings, who in the meantime had been given command of a ship of war, had them attached to his ship with the rank of midshipmen.