r for a while
and accordingly altered the course of the _Monitor_ to east by southeast
until she was cutting in at right angles toward the speedy warship.
After a chase lasting the better part of half an hour Jack found that
the _Monitor_ was rapidly approaching the mainland off to port, with
the destroyer running into what appeared to be a convenient harbor on
the Belgian coast. He decided to report to McClure before proceeding
further, and forthwith sent Ted to waken the ship's commander. In a
few minutes McClure climbed into the conning tower.

"What's up now?" he asked as he swept the horizon.

"Destroyer right ahead, sir," reported Jack as he indicated the
position of the vessel. McClure picked it up with his glasses, and
by taking the _Monitor's_ position was able very shortly to determine
that the vessel was off the entrance to Ostend.

"We might as well run up a bit closer and take a shot at her anyway,"
he announced shortly.

Crowding on full speed, the American vessel edged in closer and was
then partially submerged. The German vessel had not noticed the
submarine as yet; at least, she gave no indication of being cognizant
of the proximity of the American vessel. At a distance of three
thousand yards McClure decided to loose a torpedo.

"We'll take one shot and then dive," he said. "The coast is studded
with guns everywhere here and we are too close to them to loiter
around long."

In another moment, after sighting carefully on the fleeing destroyer,
McClure gave the signal to fire and Jack sent a torpedo whirling from
the bow of the _Monitor_.

"And now down we go," said McClure as he signaled to take in ballast.

Not waiting to note the effect of their fire, the officers of the
_Monitor_ sent their ship careening into the depths and went down to
a depth of fifty feet with a greatly decreased speed.

"Guess we had better turn now and make for the open sea," said McClure
as he grasped the rudder key to swing the _Monitor_ around.

But at that moment came a sharp rasping sound on the forward hull of
the American vessel and then a mighty ripping sound aft followed by a
grinding in the region of the propeller blades and an almost sudden
stoppage of the _Monitor_. McClure and Jack looked at each other,
dismay written in their faces.

"Trapped!" ejaculated the little captain. "We are caught in a submarine
net!"

CHAPTER XXII

YANKEE INGENUITY

There was no denying the fact that th