your life. I don't mean by
that that we will kill you. The channel out to sea is probably
mined and netted. If we explode a mine or run into a net and get
stranded you die with the rest of us. Which will it be?"

The German signified his willingness to assist. He knew the channel
very well, he continued, and would do his part. And then the most
surprising thing happened. Of his own free will the captive told how
he and his two companions aboard the U-boat had been pressed into the
submarine service against their will. They had not desired to embark
with one of the undersea fleet, but had been compelled to enlist in
the service.

Many of the Germans were in open revolt against U-boat service, said
the Teuton, because of the great number of submersibles being sunk
by the allied navies. Only the previous week a revolt had occurred
in the fleet at Cuxhaven, an admiral and a naval commander had been
thrown overboard and a number of U-boats were lying inactive at their
bases because of the inability to ship crews.

When the American lad had driven them inside the U-boat at the approach
of the victorious landing party, continued the loquacious prisoner,
they had decided at first to cripple the U-boat. But after talking
it over they had decided that it would be better to fall into the
hands of the Americans than to lose their lives by sinking the U-boat.

And now they were willing to assist their captors in getting safely
out to sea.

Lieutenant Bridwell smilingly accepted the offer, but with a knowing
wink to Jack which meant that the latter was to keep close watch over
the talkative and seemingly docile German.

Now the evacuation of the U-boat base was under way. Having razed the
place completely, Lieutenant-commander Davis was directing the retreat
of his men over the sand dunes to their waiting boats on the beach
front a mile or so off. German airplanes were making valiant efforts
to wipe out the American landing party, but were so hard pressed by
the heavy fire from the American battleships at sea that their aim
was inaccurate.

The U-boat got under way with Lieutenant Bridwell, Jack, and the
German pilot in the conning tower. Ted was dividing his time between
the engine room and the control chamber, where the other two Germans
were stationed under strong guard.

Moving very slowly, the U-boat was headed down the canal and very
soon emerged into the bay that Jack had found in his exploration of
th