“So do I, sir,” said Jack.

“Well, all three of us can’t go,” Lord Hastings decided.  “We’ll draw straws to see who are the fortunate—­or unfortunate—­two.  I’ll draw with you.  The one who gets the short one loses.”

He drew three toothpicks from his pocket, and putting them behind his back, broke one.  Then he held them out to Frank.

“Pick one,” he said.

Frank did so, and glanced at it eagerly.  It had not been broken.

“I go,” he declared.

“It’s between us now,” said Lord Hastings to Jack.  “Pick one, Jack.”

He held up the remaining two toothpicks Jack gazed at them earnestly.

“I’ll take this one,” the lad said at length, and picked the one on the right.

“You win,” said Lord Hastings quietly.  “I’m the fellow that must remain behind.”

Jack was equally as pleased as Frank, but he did not manifest the same enthusiasm.

“And what is it you expect us to learn, sir?” asked Jack.  “I’m sure I haven’t any idea.”

“Nor I, sir,” declared Frank.

Lord Hastings smiled.

“You see,” he said, “it might have been better to let me go.”  Then he added after a brief pause:  “I don’t know that I had any particular plan in view.  I was just going ashore and stroll about a bit.  It is barely possible that one of you may overhear something.  I wouldn’t stay more than two hours at the most.”  He glanced at his watch.  “Two o’clock now,” he said.  “I shall expect you back here at 4.30 at the latest.”

The lads nodded.

“Will it be best for us to row ashore ourselves, sir?” asked Frank.  “Or shall we have one of the men take us?”

“You would better go alone,” replied Lord Hastings, after a moment’s hesitation.  “You can tie your boat up some place.  I hardly think any one will bother it.  A sailor might betray all of us unconsciously.  In a game like this, the fewer the better is my motto.”

“Come on, Jack; let’s be moving,” said Frank impatiently.  “There is no use staying here all day.  Hurry up.”

“Now you just hold your horses,” replied his chum.  “We’ll get there soon enough—­maybe a little too soon, so far as we know.”

Nevertheless the lads wasted no further time in talk and five minutes later the two were rowing shoreward in a little boat.

As they rowed along, they saw several other under-the-sea craft at anchor and upon the bridges of one or two stood officers.  These saluted as the boys passed, but none so much as hailed them.

“These German uniforms seem to be pretty good things,” Frank remarked in a low voice.  “Guess they carry the entree any place in the town.”

“We’ll see,” returned Jack briefly.

Fifteen minutes later they reached a landing and climbed ashore.  Then they tied the little boat up, against their return, and started down the first street.

“Pretty likely looking town, this,” declared Jack, as his gaze roved about.