"What?" cried both boys in one voice.
"Exactly," said Lord Hastings grimly, "and it is for the purpose of attempting to discover some of these under-the-sea fighters, or other German warships, that we have come back. The whole North Sea is being patrolled, and we are bound to come upon some of the Germans eventually."
"Well, I hope we don't have to wait long," said Frank.
"And so do I," agreed Jack. "I hope that every German ship afloat will be swept from the seas."
The Sylph did not go within sight of the English coast, but for two days cruised back and forth, east, west, north and south, without the sight of the enemy.
This inaction soon began to pall upon the two lads, to whom a fight was as the breath of life itself.
"I wish we had continued on our way, wherever we were going, and not have come back here," said Jack to Frank one afternoon.
"This is about the limit," agreed Frank. "I believe we would have done better to have joined the army. At least we would have seen some fighting."
But the boys desire for action was to be soon fulfilled. The very next day some smoke and dots appeared on the horizon. Quickly they grew until they could be identified as enemy ships. The captain of the Sylph set out a wireless message requesting help from any units in the area:
"Have sighted enemy; four vessels: approaching rapidly," and the exact position of the Sylph.