"I did that," Warrisden said humbly.
At once all the faces were turned on him in great curiosity.
"Now why?" asked the captain. "Don't you like it nice and snug?"
"Yes; oh yes," Warrisden said hurriedly.
"Well, then!" said the captain; and the steward went on deck and screwed the skylight down.
"After all, it's only for thirty-six hours," thought Warrisden, as he subsequently bathed in a pail on deck. But he was wrong; for the Blue Fleet had gone a hundred miles north to the Fisher Bank, and thither the City of Bristol followed it.
The City of Bristol sailed on to the Fisher Bank, and found an empty sea. It hunted the Blue Fleet for half-a-dozen hours, and, as night fell, it came upon a single trawler with a great flare light suspended from its yard.
"They're getting in their trawl," said the captain; and he edged up within earshot.
"Where's the Blue Fleet?" he cried.
"Gone back to the Dogger," came the answer.