“We may as well go up now.”
It was Lord Hastings who spoke. For two hours, starting at nightfall, the D-16 had been creeping along under the waters in the Dardanelles. Submerging before she started, the submarine had not yet come to the surface once. But now, at Lord Hastings’ words, Jack gave the command.
“Seems to me we should not be far from the opposite end,” Lord Hastings continued.
Slowly the D-16 rose toward the surface, Frank, in the lookout room, meanwhile keeping a careful watch for obstacles ahead. There was little fear of encountering a hostile under-the-water craft, and for this reason the huge searchlight of the D-16 was allowed to play about the water, lighting it up for some distance on all sides.
The submarine reached the surface without trouble, and followed by Jack and Frank, Lord Hastings ascended to the bridge.
The water was very rough, and it was perfectly black outside.
“We could not have selected a better night,” said Lord Hastings.
“But without a moon or light of some kind,” asked Jack, “how are we going to make out the lay of the land?”
“We’ll run inshore and do a little scouting,” was the reply.
Accordingly the submarine was headed shoreward.