But, for weeks, now, there had been a dearth of active operations in the Adriatic. This, then, was the situation there when the D-16 moved in to spend a quiet day among the French men-of-war.
It soon proved that the day was not to be a quiet one. In fact, the D-16 had hardly time to let go her anchor, close under the lee of the French flagship, before she was engaged.
Lord Hastings, once the D-16 had anchored, went aboard the French flagship to pay his respects to the French admiral. The latter greeted him warmly, for the two, before the war, had been close friends.
“Pretty quiet, eh, admiral?” was Lord Hastings’ greeting.
“Well, it has been, Hastings,” was the reply, “but my nose tells me there is something in the wind. It is too all-fired quiet to suit me. This stillness spells trouble, or I miss my guess.”
“Where do you get that idea?” asked Lord Hastings. “It seems to me that you have these fellows bottled up so tight that they won’t make another break.”
“Well, it would look that way. I suppose I base my prediction on the fact that in the Austrian admiral’s place, I should take some sort of action. I know I couldn’t remain bottled up like that without chafing a bit.”
“Nor I,” Lord Hastings admitted, “but you must remember that the Austrians are of a different breed.”
“Still they have been known to fight,” mused the admiral.
“Oh, yes, they have been known to fight; but, to my knowledge, they have never been known to beat anyone and I don’t think they ever will.”