“And shall we take their uniforms, sir?”

“Yes.  It may spare some explaining.”

And thus it was arranged.

Two hours later, following a thorough exploration of the submarine, Lord Hastings announced that he could navigate it without trouble.

“Fortunately,” he said, “I find that it will be possible for two men to handle the engine room.  We three and Edwards will take our turns at the wheel and doing whatever else is to be done, relieving in the engine room when it is necessary.  Of course we are short-handed, but I believe we can pull through.  Perhaps, if we are fortunate enough to fall in with one of the enemy, we can borrow a few men.  We can concoct some story that will pass muster and thus account for the loss of the others of our crew.”

Jack smiled.

“I guess it can be done, sir,” he replied.

The dead Germans had been buried by this time and the three British officers had donned their uniforms, which, fortunately, were not bad fits.

“To tell the truth, I don’t care much about these uniforms,” declared Frank, “but if they are going to help out any I suppose I can stand mine for a while.”

“You don’t necessarily have to be in love with them,” responded Jack.

“And now, sir,” said Frank, “would it not be well to be moving?  There may be some of these men prowling about the sea some place and they may return.”

“Yes; there is no use lingering here,” replied Lord Hastings.  “Are the men at their posts?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good!  Then you may give the signal to submerge, Mr. Templeton.”

“I can give it all right,” grinned Jack.  “But I don’t see what good it will do unless I obey myself.”

“True,” laughed Lord Hastings.  “I had forgotten about the tanks.  We shall have to take turns looking after them also.”

“I’ll attend to them this time,” said Jack, and took himself off.

Directly the submarine began to sink slowly and at a depth of ten fathoms Lord Hastings called a halt.  Then he signalled the engine room for twelve knots.

“Just where are we bound, sir?” asked Frank.

“Well,” said Lord Hastings, “the Germans are understood to have established a naval base at Ostend and I have shaped my course for that port.”

“And what are we to do when we get there?”

“Events will have to shape themselves,” declared Lord Hastings.  “It is impossible to foretell anything.”

Jack re-entered the room at this moment, and the three held a consultation, Edwards meantime steering the course that Lord Hastings had given him.

And so the submarine continued on its course beneath the sea for the rest of the night, running slowly.

At eight o’clock in the morning, Lord Hastings decided to go to the surface for a look around.  He stopped for a moment, however, just below the surface, with the periscope protruding slightly above the water and took in his surroundings.