g heavily.

Two small boats were being pulled away from the vicinity by the crew of
the doomed vessel. The small craft were handled in a seamanlike manner.
They made good progress in spite of the still heavy sea.

"By golly!" ejaculated Von Kluck, drawing a long breath. "Maybe vhe get
id next, vhat? Dere ain'd no vay of tellin'!"

"Why do you think that, Captain?" questioned Ned.

"Dot verdom 'U-13'!" grunted Von Kluck. "Vhe'll pe lucky,"--here his
excitement grew so intense that he delivered himself of several great
sailor's oaths--"if vhe make a port in England alretty!"

"Keep a sharp lookout, boys," said Ned. "Maybe we can get a sight of the
'U-13' if it's still in this neighborhood."

Scarcely had the boy uttered the words before the lookout hailed the
deck. His voice vibrated with excitement and fear.

"Vot is, aloft, dere?" roared Von Kluck.

Excitedly jabbering in his intense emotion the lookout frantically
pointed in the direction of the sinking ship. Without waiting for orders
he came sliding down the halliards. As he landed on deck he turned an
ashen face toward the captain. Again he pointed seaward.

"The 'U-13'!" he gasped in an agony of terror.

A glance in the direction indicated showed the boys an object like a spar
buoy apparently standing upright in the water. The next moment a swell
rolled over something beneath the upright object.

The next wave disclosed a long, rounded steel hull. In the center the
conning tower showed plainly. A moment later the outlines of the dreaded
submarine were distinguishable as the craft was propelled to the surface.
Each wave broke clear over the arched back of this terror of the seas
leaving the black hull gleaming in the faint light. Only the upper
portion of the conning tower escaped a ducking.

Presently the hatch was opened. A man in uniform stepped out onto the
narrow confines of the small deck. His attention was directed toward the
schooner. After what seemed to the boys to be an almost endless
examination of their vessel the man turned to address a remark to some
one evidently close to the hatch but out of their vision.

"What is he saying?" Ned asked von Kluck.

"He iss telling dot odder feller dot vhe iss das Lena Knobloch!"

"What next, I wonder?" speculated Jimmie aloud.

"Next?" almost screamed von Kluck. "Next, vhe iss ordered to get by our
boats into und row far enough avhay so dey couldt blow up us!"

In his intense agitation the captain