nd officer he inquired about the
captain, and was informed that he had just gone down to see Alfred.
Nearing the companionway he met the captain and Alfred, the latter
looking somewhat pale, and rather weak or unsteady in his walk.

"I am glad to see you looking so well," said Ralph. "Where are you hurt
the most?"

"Look at the back of my head," replied Alfred. "I suppose I must have
struck the railing as the thing heaved up."

The captain suddenly sprang forward and the boys followed in wonderment.
Before they had time to ask any questions they were startled by a shot.

"That was a pretty big gun to make such a racket," remarked Ralph.

"It's one of the four-inch forward guns," said a seaman, standing near.

"But what are they shooting at?" asked Alfred.

"Submarine, I suppose," was the reply.

"But where?" asked Alfred.

"Don't know; haven't seen one; but I suppose the lookouts spotted the
fellow," was the reply.

Every one now crowded forward, and gazed in the direction of the pointed
glasses in the hands of the officers. In the distance nothing was
visible but the conning tower and the two periscope tubes, but that was
enough.

[Illustration: _The Conning Tower, All That Could Be Seen of the
Submarine_]

The boys moved forward, and the captain noticing them, spoke a word to
the commander on the bridge.

"Come up, boys," said the captain.

Once on the bridge the captain said: "I take pleasure in introducing my
companions on our little jaunt; they are brave fellows, and are made of
the right kind of stuff. I think you will hear from them if America gets
into the fight."

"And America is bound to get in, for we have just learned that the first
American ship has been sunk without warning," said the navigating
officer, as he pressed the hands of the boys.

The captain took up the receiver, which communicated with the topmast.
After listening awhile, he turned to the group and said: "The sub has
disappeared."

"That will mean an interesting time for us," said the captain. "I have
had the same experience, but was not fortunate enough to be armed when
they attacked us. Are all the vessels from England now armed?" he asked
the captain commanding the vessel.

"Yes; fore and aft. We have found that but a small percentage of armed
vessels have been sunk, and those which have guns at both ends are
surely doubly armed," answered the commander.

The boom of the guns had brought every passenger on deck. The