“Oh, I see!  You mean to lead the German advance.”

“Exactly, and for two reasons.  First, because I wish to reach a place of safety at the earliest possible moment, and second, because if the Germans see one craft advance, apparently unafraid, the others will not hesitate to follow.”

“But perhaps it will be impossible for you to lead the way.”

“You just leave that to me, Fischer.  I shall be in the first submarine.  The only question that remains is whether you have time to lay your plans.”

“Plenty,” was the reply.  “I’ll begin now.”

He pressed a button on his desk and an orderly entered.  At a command he left the room again, only to summon other officers.  Admiral Fischer scribbled rapidly, passing paper after paper to different officers.  At the end of another half hour, he turned to Lord Hastings.

“All ready,” he said quietly.

“You have lost no time,” replied Lord Hastings with a smile.  He glanced at his watch.  “Almost ten,” he said.  “Come, Frank, we shall have to hurry.”

“Look here, Hastings,” said Admiral Fischer, “don’t you think you are taking unnecessary risks?  What’s the use of going back?  Why not stay here?”

“Impossible, Fischer,” returned Lord Hastings.  “In the first place, some of my men are there and I must return to them.  Then again, I want to be in the fun.”

The admiral shrugged his shoulders.

“I know you too well to insist,” he said.  “So be it.  But one thing; remember that you must be in the first submarine.”

“I’ll be there,” said Lord Hastings.

Admiral Fischer summoned the officer who had conducted the two to him and instructed him to return them to where he had picked them up.  The officer looked surprised, but he said nothing.  Lord Hastings shook hands with Admiral Fischer and he and Frank followed the officer from the room.

Quickly they made their way back to the motorboat, were hurried out over to the dark water, and finally were given their own small boat again, in which they headed for the U-16.

“Think you can find her, sir?” asked Frank.

“No trouble at all,” was the reply.

And there was no trouble.

By eleven o’clock they were safely back aboard and Jack received them anxiously.

“What luck, sir?” he asked.

“Excellent,” replied Lord Hastings.  “How did everything go in my absence?”

“All quiet, sir.”

“No trouble with Davis?”

“No, sir.  I haven’t even seen him.”

“Very well.  Now you may give the order to submerge and we’ll make for the rendezvous.”

Jack obeyed.

It was just exactly three minutes to twelve when Lord Hastings, having taken his bearings and found he was in the designated spot, gave the command to come to the surface.

Slowly the U-16 arose from the deep, and immediately she rested upon the surface, Jack and Frank followed Lord Hastings to the bridge.