The Boy Allies with the Victorious Fleets; Or, The Fall of the German Navy

own the long manila envelope marked "Secret." "Acknowledge by signal," he dire

the first officer, Lie

, Thomas; and left his dinner for a short trip

ptain Templeton, this time addressing the junior watch officer. "T

he junior watch officer

associate with sailing orders to a great destroyer. Blowers began to hum in the fire rooms. The torpedo gunner's mates slipped detonators in the warh

called the captain, who had turned in

rty all on

n for a few hour

. He routed out a sleepy crew to hoist boats and

espectively. Captain Templeton gave a command. The cable was slipped from the mooring buoy. Ports were darkened and the Plymouth slipped out. A bi

men," said Cap

was served on dec

other destroyer joined the Plymouth. Running ligh

thirds speed ahead. Running lights were blanketed on

elt a drop on his fac

he said

in Templet

better, Frank

e channel light and spread out

ad!" came Jack'

ead, as did her sister

ff," sai

ny morning; Frank knew there were four ships in line, but all he could see was his guide, a black smudge in

ights!" sh

d. Directly he got a return flash from the s

rs slowed down and circled around in a slow column. The eyes of every officer watched the clock. They were watching for something. Directly it came-a line of other ships, t

as. The Plymouth and the other destroyers fe

Captain Templeton's si

Frank," said Jack

aye,

adder was a locked door. As it opened, came a pressure on Frank's ear drums like the air-lock of a caisson

les an hour-was the speed of the Plymo

p of war calls to the mind of the landsman, a watertender stood calmly watching the glow of oil jets feeding the furnace fire.

its advantage over coal, it has its disadvantages as well. It was Frank's first experience aboard an oil-burner, and he had not become used to it y

drank petroleum in the water and tasted it in the soup. The butter, he thought, tast

?" Frank asked of

"Everything perfectly trim. I c

k sm

't be necessary, c

me moments, then returned to the bri

ed. It was the desire of Captain Petlow, in charge of the destroyer fleet, to

ge the heave and pitch of the vessel was felt subconsciously, but the eyes and minds of the o

bells

k," said Frank

to the second officer, an

Jack as they sat down. "We

balls, meat and vegetables shot from plates and went sailing about. It was necessary to drink soup from teacups and such soli

returned

oyers were to leave the homeward bound transports to pursue their voyage alone. The transports soon grew indis

age," th

ass Jack rea

your good work.

val officer) came another

lookout for inbound transpor

was almost seven o'clock-after dark-when

ke a

glass, Jack sighted nine rusty, English tramp steamers, of perhaps eig

ietly. With the coming of morning, the flotilla was divided. The Plymouth stood by to protect t

at afternoon. You never see anything. I'd like to get ashore for a change. I've steamed sixty th

time ashore before

have some more. Besides, this

reak the quiet monotony of the trip. Lights of trawle

port bow," cal

iscope," reported

binoculars on a

" he decided after

eral alarm, and reached the bridge on the run in time to see the exchange of recognition signals with a British man-o'-war,

?" Frank called

few depth charge

thing came of it Fran

this, if you ask me

back t