With the periscope barely reaching above the surface, the work of forcing water from the tanks was stopped. Lord Hastings stood quietly viewing the scene about him, and to his eyes was exposed an awesome sight.
Right in the midst of the giant German battle fleet he peered, and as he did so he could but wonder to himself that so powerful and so magnificent a fighting machine apparently had been afraid to venture forth and give battle to the fleet of England, powerful as the latter was.
The D-16, before ascending, had penetrated to the very middle of the harbor, and now that she was close to the surface, the powerful binoculars at the bottom of the periscope made clear the many vessels of the German fleet in all their majesty.
Clouds of smoke floated from their smokestacks, and this suggested something to Lord Hastings.
“Ready to set forth at any time,” he muttered to himself. “Just afraid, that’s all.”
He stepped away from the periscope, and Jack took a turn.
“Great Scott!” he exclaimed, turning away at last. “To think that a fleet the size of that should be afraid to give battle.”
“It does seem strange,” said Lord Hastings.
Frank now peered into the periscope, and as he looked one of the German dreadnoughts began to move from her moorings.
“One of ’em’s coming out,” cried Frank. “She’s headed for the open sea.”