b wildly. If only the other submarine failed to
appear; if only the English fishermen would realize their danger and
flee in time, disaster might be averted.

The hope had scarcely formed itself in my mind when Orloff, who had
come to repose confidence in me, respectfully touched my arm and
pointed ahead.

Not two hundred yards from me, stealing along about a mile in advance
of the Russian fleet, I perceived a small dark object, showing hardly
a foot above the surface of the waves.

It was the rival submarine!

Instead of proceeding direct to the Dogger Bank, as I had done, the
other boat must have joined Admiral Rojestvensky's squadron, and come
on before it like a jackal pointing out the lion's prey.

"Go forward," I commanded the German mate. "Let no one disturb me
till this business is over."

Orloff gave me a wondering look, but obeyed without an instant's
hesitation.

As soon as his back was turned, I swung the wheel around, put on the
full power of the engines, and went after the craft I had been
searching for during the last forty-eight hours.

Had the commander of the other submarine noticed mine, and did he
suspect my intention to frustrate his design? It almost seemed so.
His boat, scarcely visible in the gloom, fled in front of me to where
the foremost fishing boats were riding lazily over the shoals,
dragging their nets along the bottom.

It was a weird chase. Neither of us showed a glint of light, or made
the smallest sound. Like two great shadowing fish we darted through
the depths of the sea, hunter and hunted.

In between the sagging nets with their load of cod and flounders,
shot the phantom boat I was pursuing, and I followed, obliged to
slacken speed as we twisted in and out under the keels of the
unconscious fishermen.

And all this time the huge warships in two lines astern were plunging
through the seas, heading straight for the unfortunate smacks.

The chase seemed to be aware that it was a case of now or never. I
was catching up with it fast; I was able to mark its course by the
broken water churned up by its propeller; when, all at once, I saw it
rise with the swift motion of a bird.

I had no alternative but to do the same.

As I emerged upon the surface I found my boat in the very center of
the full glare of a search-light which lit up the whole scene with
dazzling radiance.

Fresh from the depths below, where all had been dark, my eyes fairly
blinked in the sudden splend