"Well, the sooner we can get busy the better it will suit me," declared Frank.
"I agree with you there," said Jack.
It was a long voyage for the little motorboat, and though Lord Hastings wished to join the others of the fleet at the earliest possible moment, he did not push the little craft, which bore the name of The Hawk.
Therefore, it was late the next day when they came to where the motorboat fleet had its base—Bantry Bay, on the extreme southern coast of Ireland.
As the little motorboat nosed its way into the harbor, several others dashed forward, with guns bared and alert figures standing ready for action. It was not until Lord Hastings had been satisfactorily identified that the warlike atmosphere disappeared.
The two lads looked about curiously. The bay was black with the little craft.
"Great Scott! There are more than two hundred here, if you ask me," declared Frank.
"Looks that way to me, too," agreed Jack.
They mentioned the matter to Lord Hastings.
"Captain Smithers just told me," replied Lord Hastings, "that at this moment there are in the neighborhood of a thousand of these little craft here. However, the bulk of them probably will be sent to other stations before long."