of the American sailors.
In like fashion six other Teutons were hauled out of the water, among
them the captain of the doomed ship.

"We thought you were friends and not enemies," said the German executive
as he looked first from McClure to Jack and then ran his eye along the
deck of the _Monitor_, with surprise written in every feature.

"Sorry, but we had to sink you," was Commander McClure's rejoinder.

The prisoners were hurried below deck and made comfortable. They were
a sorry looking lot after their narrow escape from death. McClure
debated with Jack for a time just what to do with the prisoners, but
decided finally to keep them until he could deliver them to a larger
unit of the U.S. fleet. In the meantime they were herded into the
spacious men's quarters just forward of the control chamber and a
strong guard posted over them in charge of Bill Witt.

"If they start any funny business in here, they'll find themselves
worse off than if they had gone down with 'mother' to the bottom of
the deep blue sea," volunteered Bill as he assumed charge of his wards.

Anxious now to inform the Allies' fleet of the intended U-boat raid
planned for the following evening McClure decided upon a flying trip
down the Belgian coast during the night and then a dash across the
North Sea to intercept speedy American destroyers and convey to them
the valuable information that it might be relayed to the flagship and
the warning given in due time.

"We'll stick to the coast for the next six hours," said the _Monitor's_
captain to his executive officer, "and may be able to lay out another
U-boat hurrying to the tryst with Mother _Bergerhof_."

Cruising on the surface the _Monitor_ settled down for the night's run
with Jack in command while his superior officer went below for a few
hours' rest. It was a calm moonlight night with a smooth running sea
and a breeze out of the south. Jack threw open the conning tower and
climbed into the deck steering station. From his vantage point he
had a commanding view of the sea for many miles in every direction and
the young ensign reveled in the glories of the night.

Suddenly, at a distance of not more than two miles off the starboard
beam, Jack spied a vessel driving leisurely toward the east with a
trail of smoke floating along in her train. Taking up his glasses
he was able to make her out plainly in the moonlight---a destroyer!

Without calling his captain Jack decided to follow he