"Is he——," began Edwards.
"Dead," replied Jack quietly.
For a moment there was silence; then Edwards spoke brokenly.
"The best shipmate a man ever had, sir."
He knelt beside his dead companion and tears streamed down his face. Jack and Frank did not speak as he mourned silently for some minutes. At last Edwards got to his feet.
"War is war, sir," he said quietly.
He moved aft.
"Well," said Frank, "I guess we may as well be getting back to The Hawk. Lord Hastings will be worried."
"Right," said Jack. "You take the wheel. I'll try and coax the engine along."
They took their respective places.