"Why Germany, through Chancellor Ebert, already is in negotiations with President Wilson."
"What?"
"Exactly. President Wilson has replied that he will stick to his original principles of peace, announced some time ago. Germany is requested to announce whether she will accept such terms."
"But it seems to me," said Frank, "that if Germany wants peace she should be made to ask it on the field of battle."
And that is exactly what happened, for when the armistice negotiations were finally begun it was at a conference between Marshal Foch, commander-in-chief of all the allied forces, and a commission of German officers.
It was on November 8, that news of the armistice conference was flashed to the Grand Fleet.
"Armistice commission will meet November 10 at Hirson, France," read the message, flashed to every vessel in the fleet.
All that day and the next, every man in the fleet waited anxiously for further word of the approaching armistice conference. None came. Neither had any word been received on the evening of November 10.
"Must have been a hitch some place," said Frank, as they sat in the latter's cabin that night.
"Not necessarily," replied Jack, "You know these things take time. A matter like this can't be fixed up in an hour, or a day."