With Beatty off Jutland: A Romance of the Great Sea Fight

," reported the Calder's look-out before the dive

as a paddle-wheel steamer towing two unwiel

ling glass and clear visibility of distant objects betokened the approach of bad weather, urgent steps

had left Wilhelmshaven on her maiden trip forty-eight hours previously. She had either lost her bearings or had

e hatchways, with the exception of that of the conning-tower, had been hermetically closed, and the watertig

fteen inches of the conning-tower hatchway. Quickly hoses, connected to Downton pumps, were led from the lighters to the

won, and soon the Calder's officers and crew had the satisfac

r bow; but, supported by the two lighters, she was prevented from sinking. Then, taken

off at full speed to the position where the Dimpled Lassie and the

s or destroyers. Carried away by their frantic desire to make a display of frightfulness upon an unpr

ll them to buoy and slip the cable. We've done very well, I think. You might make an observation; I'll take anoth

a sufficient guarantee against detrimental examination by curious fishermen. Before sunset the Calder and her two charges were snug in Lowestoft ha

. Had not the Calder been detailed for escort duties to the cable-grappling trawlers the chances were that she would be plugging against heavy green seas, while those of her crew not

required particular skill and discretion, since the German operato

ource of the leakage of information. The temporary cable had been brought ashore nearly four miles from

ded to let the cable turn the tables upon the Huns, and, until the time was ripe, the spy could telegraph

, replenish stores and oil-fuel, and rejoin her flotilla. The news was hailed with delight,

he Huns before Verdun. Exaggerated reports concerning the prowess of the German High Seas Fleet, coupled with news of spasmodic raids upon the British coast, helped to foster the ill-founded belief of the Huns in the invincibility of their n

arry out target practice. The instructions were issued through the usual channels, with the almost certain knowledge that the information would leak out. The Comman

hole of the Grand Fleet put to sea from its various bases, ostensibly for the n

in the act of communicating with Borkum, and hurried him away under close arrest. He had played his part as far as the Br

asked Sefton, as the Calder, in station with the re

captains of ships were supposed to know, which wasn't

e at present. You might see how repair

ing of the stern-chaser quick-firer had appeared almost as soon as the destroyer lef

xposed to a stiff beam wind, the sub watched the operation. He had no need to ask any questions; there was little about the mechanism of a 4-inc

overb

craft. It was indeed fortunate that the man was still alive, not only had he escaped having his back broken on striking the water, but he ha

ith tremendous force. Well it was that he had taken this precaution instead of making a dive in the ordinary sense of the word, for, carried onward at the ra

FTON MADE A FLYING LEA

ed he could distinctly hear the whirr of the triple propellers. Rising to the surface he refilled his lungs with t

estroyer next astern was almost on top of him. As she swept by, a li

aved him from the great discomfort of being flung about in her wake like a pea in a saucepan of boi

the danger was still further increased by the fact that the First Cruiser Squadron was pelting along somewhere three or four miles astern, and these vessels,

reaching a lifebuoy thrown by the nearmost destroyer. Short as had been the time between the man's tumble overboard and Sefton's deliberat

t Sefton, as he clung to the buo

e of replenishing his kit until the Calder returned to port--that is, if he had the good fortune to survive his adventure "in the ditch". The operation of discardi

ampionship, but now he realized the vast difference between swimming that length in r

s unable to raise his voice above a whisper, much less "assure the drowning man in a loud, firm voice that he is safe", accord

man had come off lightly in his fall, and he had had no occasion to tire himself with a long swim to

e of those men who are ever "up against discipline". To him the gold band and curl on

short-tempered recruiting-officer, had marred his career from the very start; for, on joining t

young Brown, giving the name with

say?" enquired

t repeated

say?" snappe

own without a moment's hesitat

e difference. It was a bad start, and the newly-entered boy suffered for it. That was some years ago

sight into human nature, and although he knew nothing of the first slip that had marred the A.B.'s career he was certain

the ditch after me, sir," said t

ircumstances he was glad of company. He would have welcomed his "raggie", or chum, in preference

d Sefton, although in his mind he

jerk of his closely-cropped head. "The cruisers might. But take hold of this, sir," he added, p

th. At intervals, as the buoy rose on the billows, Sefton "hiked" his head and shou

ming up," he soliloquized. "Seven m

s message from the Calder within ninety seconds of Sefton's leap overb

, and this accounted for the seemingly endless time that elapsed before the vessels

ed throughout the morning, could be discerned

leading the starboard and the Warrior the port line. With faultless precision they came on, three c

ed from the cruiser's mainmast yard-arm told the two men that the Warrior's helm was being ported. Simultaneously the "steam

ear the dull thud of the lower blocks as the releasing-gear came into action and the falls surged against the ship'

a-boat got away from the ship and her arrival at the scene of the

y two pairs of horny powerful hands and lifted over the dipping gunwale into

ar was engaged, and with a hundred-and-twenty men tailing on the falls the boa

.S. Warrior, in blissful ignorance of the gallant part the armoured c