"Seems to me you should be rather glad of that," he returned. "After your defeat off Jutland you should be willing to cry for peace."
"Defeat!" exclaimed Frank. "Why, the Germans got the worst of it. You know that."
"Oh, no we didn't," said the young officer. "The greater part of the
British fleet was sent to the bottom. Our losses were insignificant."
"Were you there?" asked Frank.
"Why, no," said the German, "but——"
"Well, we were there," said Frank. "Therefore, we know something about it. I give you my word that I saw one German dreadnaught, two battle cruisers and four cruisers sunk with my own eyes. Also I saw half a dozen destroyers sent to the bottom and two Zeppelins shot down."
"Impossible!" exclaimed the young German officer. "The official report of the battle gives our losses as two destroyers and a single cruiser, while the greater part of the British fleet was sunk."
"Where is the German fleet now?" asked Frank.
"Back in Heligoland. Some of the vessels are in need of slight repairs."
"Why didn't they keep going after that great victory?" Frank wanted to know.