utland, tonight!"

For one moment Captain Raleigh looked at both lads closely. Then he
cried sharply, including all in the cabin with his words:

"Follow me!"

He sprang for the bridge!

CHAPTER XIII

PREPARING FOR BATTLE

"Eleven o'clock!"

Jack returned his watch to his pocket.

"Not much time to gather the fleet together," he said quietly to Frank.

"No," was his chum's reply, "but you can rest assured that all can be
done will be done."

Captain Raleigh, upon the bridge, had issued orders swiftly. The _Queen
Mary_, which had been heading southward after Frank and Jack returned
aboard, was quickly brought about. After several sharp commands to his
officers, Captain Raleigh motioned to Frank and Jack.

"Come with me," he said. "You shall tell me what you have learned as we
go along."

The two lads followed him.

Straight to the wireless room went the commander of the _Queen Mary_.

"Get the _Lion_ quickly," he ordered the wireless operator.

"_Lion! Lion_!" the call went across the water.

There was no reply.

"Try the _Indefatigable_," was the next command.

"_Indefatigable! Indefatigable_!" flashed the wireless.

The receiving apparatus aboard the _Queen Mary_ clicked sharply.

"_Indefatigable_ answering, sir," reported the operator.

"Send this," ordered Captain Raleigh, and passed a slip of paper on
which he had scribbled rapidly to the wireless operator.

The message read as follows:

"German high sea fleet to attack off Jutland tonight. Inform Admiral
Beatty. Relay message. Am steaming for Danish coast to engage enemy.
Information authentic. Follow me!

(Signed) "RALEIGH."

A short pause and again the receiving apparatus on the _Queen Mary_
clicked sharply.

"O.K., sir," said the operator.

"All right," this from Captain Raleigh. "Call the _Invincible._"

Again the wireless began to click. Two minutes later the operator
reported:

"_Invincible_ answering, sir."

"Send the same message," instructed Captain Raleigh.

It might be well to state here that all these messages were sent in
code, for it was probable that a German vessel of some sort might be
within the wireless zone and, if able to read the messages as they
flashed across the sea, would have communicated with the main German
fleet.

One after another now the wireless of the _Queen Mary_ picked up the
battle cruisers _Defense, Black Prince, Warrior_ and the
super-dreadnaught _War-spite,_ all of which chanc