wald was hauled on board.
He fought desperately. For a moment it seemed as if he would more than
hold his own against the four seamen, until one of them, seizing a
stretcher, dealt the spy a crack on the head that laid him senseless
across the thwarts.

"Couldn't help it, sir," exclaimed the man apologetically.

"You did perfectly right, Dickenson," said the midshipman. "He's
properly mad. Come on, you men, are you going to bathe for the rest of
the day?"

The victim of von Hauptwald's attack had to be assisted into the boat,
which, on making the ship, was quickly hoisted and secured.

Meanwhile the _Tehuantepec Girl_ was on the point of sinking. From
stem to stern she was a roaring furnace. Mingled with the roar of the
flames could be heard the hiss of water coming in contact with the
red-hot plates, while ever and anon came the crash of metal as the deck
beams gave way and fell into the hold.

Suddenly she parted amidships. The flames died out, overpowered by the
inrush of water. A thick column of smoke and steam arose as the bow
and stem [Transcriber's note: stern?] portions floated apart. Then
with the roar of escaping air the remains of the Yankee cargo-boat
disappeared, to find a resting-place 7000 fathoms deep on the bed of
the Atlantic.

CHAPTER XXIII

Mined

"So that accounts for the fellow's behaviour," remarked the Captain of
the _Oxford_, after Ross and Vernon had communicated their discovery to
the Commander, who in turn reported the news to the skipper. "The
doctor says he is out of danger, eh? From a medical point of view, no
doubt. Put him in the cells, Master-at-arms. We'll take good care not
to land him at Halifax."

Upon arriving at the Nova Scotian port, whither the _Oxford's_ consorts
had preceded her, the officers and crew of the _Tehuantepec Girl_ were
landed. Forty-eight hours elapsed before the transports were ready to
leave, and thus Ross and Vernon, with most of the officers of the
cruisers, had an opportunity of a "spell ashore".

On the homeward run nothing untoward occurred, except that, instead of
proceeding to Liverpool, the cruisers and their convoy were suddenly
ordered by wireless to make for the Clyde.

Off the Pladda Light the transports were met by a flotilla of
destroyers, while the cruisers were ordered to proceed via Cape Wrath
to rejoin the fleet at Rosyth. Without slackening speed the three
cruisers flung about, and steered a course immediatel