estroyers and two cruisers, one
of them was that big chap the _Dupleix_, before we came on the scene.
During the action she wiped out I don't know how many destroyers and
torpedo boats, sank the _Jeanne d'Arc_ and saved my ship from being
rammed by crippling the _Verite_ just in the nick of time. If we only
had a squadron of those boats and made Erskine Commodore, we'd wipe the
fleets of Europe out in a month. Now that's my news. What's yours?"

"Bad enough," replied General French. "A powerful combined fleet of
Germans and French, helped by some of these infernal things that seem as
much at home in the air as they are in the water, are making a combined
attack on Dover, and we seem to be getting decidedly the worst of it.
Dover Castle is in flames, and nearly all the forts are in a bad way; so
are the harbour fortifications. The Russians and Dutch are approaching
London with a string of transports behind them, and four airships above
them. Their objectives are supposed to be Tilbury and Woolwich on one
hand, and Chatham on the other. By the way, weren't there any transports
behind this French Fleet that you've settled up with?"

He had scarcely uttered the last word when a helio began to twinkle from
the hill above Foreland.

"That's bad news," said the Admiral, "but wait now, there's something
else. It's a good job the sun's come out, though it doesn't look very
healthy."

The message that the helio twinkled out was as follows:

"Thirty large vessels, apparently transports, approaching from
direction of Cherbourg and Brest about ten miles south-east by
south."

"Very good," said the Admiral, rubbing his hands. "Of course they think
we're beaten. I've got five French cruisers that they'll recognise. I'll
get crews aboard them at once and convoy those transports in, and the
Commanders will be about the most disgusted men in Europe when they get
here."

Acting on the principle that all is fair in love and war, Admiral
Beresford and the two Generals laid as pretty a trap for the French
transports as the wit of man ever devised. Ten minutes' conversation
among them sufficed to arrange matters. Then the Admiral, taking a list
of the serviceable docks with him, went back on board the _Ithuriel_ and
ran out to the Fleet. He handed over the work of taking care of the lame
ducks to Commodore Courtney of the _Britain_; then from the damaged
British ships he made up the crews of the French cruisers, the