mpletely
through the boat, one forward and the other aft, as was the
case in the _Nordenfeldt_, _Waddington_, and other early
submarines.

"Forward there is an air-lock and diving-chamber, as in the
'Lake' boats, so that divers can get in and out of the vessel
whilst under water. It would also afford a means of escape for
the crew in the case of accident. This is further provided for
by a detachable boat or caisson at the after end of the
superstructure capable of holding ten men, I should say, or
possibly a dozen. There are also appliances which I suppose are
telephone buoys for communicating with the surface. There are
six torpedo tubes fitted, one forward, one aft, and the others
two on either broadside. And there seems to be provision for
six other torpedoes of the 18-inch type.

"There is a long rudder for ordinary steering, and four
horizontal ones or planes which are placed abreast the
horizontal screws and which, I imagine, act automatically in
conjunction with them, as they seem to gear up with the shafts
for these propellers. There is a big safety detachable weight
which fits loosely into a recess amidships, and four broad
wheels with ball bearings which do not fold up as in the 'Lake'
boats, but always protrude nearly half their diameter. After
all they would not obstruct her way when water-borne more than
a keel--or very little more. They are quite independent and
unconnected with the interior of the vessel, which while
resting on them would receive forward impetus from her
propellers. In the 'awash' position she would offer a very
small and almost invulnerable target."

"Well," I said, marvelling at what we had translated. "What induced you
to believe that the cryptogram had any reference to the new submarine."

"Those figures '6.11' puzzled me greatly," he replied; "but at last I
deciphered them as 'F. 2'--F being the sixth letter of the alphabet--the
number of our newest and most formidable submarine, which was being kept
such a strict secret by the Admiralty. 'Royal Pier' is the name of the
hotel in which Steinheim stayed at Southsea, and 18 the number of his
room. From facts I elucidated, it was made plain that Max Steinheim was
about to embark upon the investigation, being in secret communication
with Hartmann, and was to meet Karff at Charing Cross Station. T