“If they are,” he said, “they’ll get more than they bargained for this time.”
For what his eyes had made out, through his glass, was the outline of five large battle cruisers, convoyed by a flotilla of torpedo boats.
“British?” asked Jack eagerly.
“Look like it,” replied Frank, “but I can’t tell for sure.”
It was plain to both lads that neither fleet had made out the presence of the other, and both—the one from the West and the one from the East—were steaming directly toward the little submarine, which lay squarely between them, though out of sight, because she sat so low in the water.
“Call Lord Hastings,” said Jack, and Frank hastened to obey.
A moment later the commander of the D-16 appeared on the bridge. He took in the situation at a glance.
“The fleet to the east is German,” he said, after a careful scrutiny through his glass, “and the other must be the British fleet commanded by Admiral Beatty.”
“Then there will be a fight,” said Frank.
“There will be unless the Germans perceive our ships soon enough to give them a chance to escape,” returned Lord Hastings. “Another hour undiscovered, however, and we’ll get them sure, for if I am not mistaken, the leading British ships are the Lion and the Tiger—the fastest cruisers afloat today. Also their guns are greatly superior to those of the enemy.”