last
shot, and the time the officer came down the tower hatch?" remarked the
captain.

"No, I did not observe," replied Alfred.

"You remember, do you not, that as soon as the last torpedo was
launched, the officer went up into the conning tower, and that within a
minute, or not exceeding two minutes, he again came down the stairway,
and shook his head in such a disconsolate manner?" continued the
captain.

"Well, yes; you may be right in that," responded Alfred.

"Then, I inferred this," said the captain, "that the lieutenant had had
ample opportunity to observe whether or not the shot went home, and, as
it had not landed, he reported to the officer the failure. If the shot
had struck he would have known it before the officer left the conning
tower to come down. Do you get my idea?" asked the captain.

"That seems to answer the question, to my mind, that it wasn't a hit,"
said Ralph.

"Well, it doesn't quite satisfy me," replied Alfred. "The lieutenant
might have told him that the shot hit the ship, and that it was going
down, and that's what made him feel so badly about it."

The captain could not help feeling amused at Alfred's argument, as he
replied: "I must admit that your view is logical, and I am also willing
to assent that the question is one, which, in the absence of actual
knowledge, could be settled in one way only."

"How is that?" asked Ralph.

"By knowing the mental condition and attitude of the officer who came
down the hatchway. If he happened to be a humane person he would regret
the loss of life, and show it, probably, by his actions. On the other
hand, if he should be devoid of the finer feelings, and be a mere slave
to duty, it is more than likely that he would shake his head
discouragingly, to learn that the torpedo failed in its mission," was
the captain's final word on the subject.

"Now that they are out of torpedoes, what do you suppose they will do?"
asked Ralph.

"Go home; I suppose," replied Alfred.

"Unless they have a base somewhere on the coast," replied the captain.

"Where is the most likely place for such a base?" asked Ralph.

"That is the enigma, of course. It has been believed that the Germans
have a base somewhere along the northern coast of Spain," said the
captain.

"What are the reasons for thinking so?" asked Alfred.

"One of them is that some of the Spaniards are said to be more or less
friendly to the Germans, and, furthermore, there are few ports or
ha