aken to the steerage flat, an
electrically lighted space out of which opened the cabin of the junior
officers. At the after end of the flat, a marine sentry paced day and
night, his post extending from the stern torpedo-tube to the gun-room
door on the port side, and to the armoured door on the starboard side.
Amongst his varied and multitudinous duties, particularly strict orders
were given him not to allow anyone to put their hands on the
paintwork--one of the standing orders dating from the prehistoric days
before the war, when "spit and polish" were regarded as being
absolutely essential to the efficiency of H.M. ships.

At three bells in the second dog-watch, the _Oxford_ having arrived at
the rendezvous, the sealed orders were opened. It was then found that,
in company with the _Guildford_ and the _Launceston_, the cruiser had
to proceed to Halifax, Nova Scotia, to escort a contingent of Canadian
troops to Liverpool.

This was but one of the manifold odd jobs performed by the British Navy
in connection with the war--necessary, but without any prospect of
excitement. The trip was regarded as a picnic, after weeks of
monotonous patrol duty, for when 800 miles west of Ireland there was
little likelihood of falling in with any hostile submarine, while other
German craft had been swept off the board months previously.

On the third day out the football match came off. Ross and Vernon were
included in the gun-room team, and never before had they participated
in a rugger match in such strange circumstances. The _Oxford_ was
pitching slightly in the long Atlantic swell. The "ground" was the
port side of the quarter-deck, nets being rigged up to prevent the ball
getting very much in touch with the sea. The fun was fast and furious,
the referee being inclined to tolerance; and before half-time half the
players were off the field owing to minor injuries, ranging from the
smashing of the Assistant Paymaster's eyeglasses to the laying out of
the portly Engineer-Commander.

Suddenly the _Oxford_ turned 8 degrees to starboard. The alteration of
course resulted in a break in the game. Something out of the usual had
occurred for the cruiser, which was the leading vessel in line ahead,
to break out of station.

A bugle sharply sounded the "G"--officers' call. For'ard the bosn's
mates' pipes were turning up the hands. The Captain, Commander, and
officer of the watch were on the fore-bridge looking steadily at a dark