“In that event,” said Lord Hastings slowly, “the alliance would be put aside. It is as though a man, who had formed an alliance with another, were asked to work against his own son or daughter. He wouldn’t do it, and America is a child of England, after all.”
“Well,” said Frank, “I have heard many theories advanced. I just wanted to know yours.”
No incident marred the peaceful progress of the D-16 as she made her way through the sunny waters of the Mediterranean. The weather was beautiful and Lord Hastings, Frank and Jack spent many pleasant hours upon the little bridge.
“How long before we shall reach the entrance to the Dardanelles?” asked Frank during one of these siestas.
“At the rate we are going,” was the reply, “we should be there tomorrow morning. Of course, we might even do better than that, but I am in no particular hurry. There will not be much action before daylight.”
“I suppose by this time,” said Frank, “that progress in reducing the Turkish fortifications is swifter than before.”
“It’s hard to say,” was the reply. “The outer forts are, of course, not so strong as the inner fortifications. As you know, having been there, the strait is very narrow, less than a mile in some places, and it is absolutely impossible for warships to force their way through without first destroying all guns on either side.”
“But you remember our prisoner told us the Queen Elizabeth was wreaking great havoc with these. What do you know of her, sir?”
“Not as much as I should. She is the newest of Great Britain’s dreadnoughts; and, without the shadow of a doubt, the most powerful sea-fighter afloat today. She carries the heaviest guns and outranges anything afloat. Shore batteries, powerful as they may be, are no match for her, for she can stand off at a distance of twenty miles and pound them with perfect safety to herself.”
“She must indeed be a terrible engine of destruction,” said Frank.