inding
himself released, began to expostulate with alarming vehemence.

"Stop that!" exclaimed Hawke authoritatively. "We are police officers.
If you don't behave we'll take you in charge for sleeping out without
visible means."

The fellow, cowed into silence, slunk away.

"Confound it!" ejaculated Ferret. "We've let Ramblethorne slip away
under our very noses. He'll be clear by this time."

"I'm afraid so," agreed Hawke ruefully; then turning to the chauffeur
he told him to drive into the nearest village, which happened to be
Much Wenlock.

Here Ross and Vernon were able to secure a room at an inn, while the
Scotland Yard men were busy at the little police station, getting a
description of the spy issued through the countryside.

Next morning the lads set out on their return journey to Killigwent
Hall.

CHAPTER XV

The Admiral Works the Oracle

"Look here, old man; what do you say about having a shot for the Naval
Reserve?" asked Ross. "In ordinary circs I would be prepared to go
through Sandhurst, but this isn't ordinary circs. Before we pass out,
the war will be over perhaps."

"I'd rather like to see something of the fun," agreed Vernon.

"As if we hadn't already," added his chum. "But I know what you mean.
Instead of being cooped up in an unterseeboot and hunted by our
fellows, we want to have a hand in rounding up the German submarines.
I vote we write to our respective governors about it."

This conversation occurred two days after the lads' return to
Killigwent Hall. They had been given up as lost, and their unexpected
return had caused unbounded rejoicings. Pressmen thronged the Hall to
gather "exclusive" information of the manner of their seemingly
miraculous rescue, but both Ross and Vernon were determined not to
satisfy outside curiosity. They even kept the story of how the white
flag fluttered down from the signalling mast of U75 from their
immediate friends.

"It will take a long time for us to get a reply," objected Vernon. "By
the time the letters hang about at the G.P.O., before they are sent to
the fleet, a week will elapse, and before we get a reply bang goes a
whole fortnight. Let's get hold of a Navy List and see what the
qualifications are."

A careful perusal of the regulations resulted in a setback. Midshipmen
in the R.N.R., they found, had to be between 16 and 18 years of age,
and must either have passed through a course of instruction for two
years on boar