“Poor shooting,” declared Jack.

The others nodded.

“She’ll do better next time,” said Frank.

The lad proved a good prophet for the second torpedo skimmed over the water missing The Vulture by inches.  At the same time The Vulture launched a torpedo and the three aboard the U-6 gasped as it seemed that the missile would surely strike home.

But the German submersible swerved just a trifle and the torpedo missed by a narrow margin.  At the same moment the German submarine began to submerge.  She escaped the fire of the pirate until her periscope also was all that was visible.

Then the pirate rose; a moment later the German craft came from below and both vessels launched torpedoes simultaneously.

Lord Hastings uttered an exclamation of astonishment.

“Of all the remarkable things I ever saw!” he ejaculated.

Frank and Jack were equally astonished; and the reason was this:  both torpedoes had gone true and the periscope of each vessel fell away.

“There’ll be no more diving,” said Lord Hastings quietly.

Now the fighting submarines, both upon the surface, launched torpedo after torpedo at each other.  A shot from the pirate struck her adversary a glancing blow on the bow and the head of the little craft ducked a trifle.  But she bobbed up serenely again a moment later and returned the fire.

This time her aim had been true and the torpedo grazed the top of the conning tower. The Vulture also ducked, but came up again.

“It all depends upon who gets in the first square shot,” said Lord Hastings, and at that moment the square shot struck.

The Vulture, swerving suddenly, barely escaped a torpedo from her foe, while the pirate’s next torpedo struck the enemy squarely upon the bridge.  There was an explosion and the German craft seemed to leap from the water.  A moment later she came down in pieces, blown to atoms.

“It’s all over,” said Lord Hastings quietly.  “Now it is time for us to put an end to that troublesome craft.”

He led the way below and gave the order to submerge.

But it appeared that Davis, instead of fleeing as Lord Hastings and the two lads had expected him to do, had determined to square accounts with his British enemies. The Vulture headed toward the U-6.

Before Lord Hastings could give the command to launch the first torpedo, a missile from the enemy carried away the periscope of the U-6.

Lord Hastings gave an exclamation of dismay.

“We’ll have to fight it out on the surface,” he said quietly.

Now the U-6 launched her first torpedo and missed.  A missile from The Vulture struck close to port.  Again the U-6 missed and swerved just in time to escape another torpedo from the enemy.

Then suddenly Lord Hastings gave the command to submerge.

The command was obeyed quickly and he explained to the lads.