honored by your presence, as well as that of Mackinder, for a little
time. Just now we should hate to see you go!"

"Then we are going to be prisoners?" asked Jimmie.

"Oh, no! Nothing so harsh as that!" reassured the other. "We will call it
simply guests for the time being. That sounds better!"

"Would you mind telling us what Mackinder had to say about us?" inquired
Ned. "We would like very much to know that!"

"Consider," temporized the officer, "how little time there has been since
we first sighted you for conversation of any sort!"

"Yes," agreed the lad, "but he has told you something!"

"Nothing of importance!" declared the other, rising to indicate that the
interview was at an end. "You will be given quarters forward, where you
will receive every consideration until we reach our destination."

"Where are you bound, Captain?" asked Jimmie.

"Our destination just now is a lonely island in the North Sea," answered
the other. "It is heavily guarded, so you will be in no danger."

"Does Mackinder go ashore, too?" Jimmie continued.

"That has not been decided yet," replied the commander. He touched a
button, summoning an orderly. "Take these young gentlemen forward and see
that they want no comfort. They are our guests!" he ordered.

In a few minutes the boys were seated at a table in the forecastle, where
they were provided with a great profusion of well-cooked food from the
sailors' mess. With sharpened appetites they fell to eagerly.

Since none of the members of the crew with whom they came in contact
seemed able to speak English the boys were forced to content themselves
with speculating on their destination.

They knew that the torpedo boat destroyer had been headed nearly
northeast when it overhauled, and picked them up. They also knew that in
this direction lay the entrance to the river Elbe and the Kiel ship
canal, but whether the boat was making for some port in that vicinity
they were unable to learn.

Keenly as the lads regretted their lack of definite information they were
not inclined to become despondent. They found it possible by using signs
to carry on a sort of desultory conversation with the members of the
crew, who had gathered out of curiosity in their vicinity.

At length Frank jumped from his seat with an exclamation.

"I'll bet I know where we're going!" he announced, gleefully.

"So do I!" stated Jimmie in a nonchalant manner.

"Where?" asked Frank, somewhat crestfallen. "