"He is going to take out the David."
"Yes?"
"And blow up the Wabash."
Her hand went to her heart. Her face turned whiter than the frock she wore.
"My God!" she whispered, "Admiral Vernon's ship!"
"She loves him! She loves him!" flashed into Lacy's mind, and for the moment he suffered agonies of jealous pain.
"But," continued the girl, "why should they—"
"In the first place," went on Lacy, "if the venture succeeds, we sink a noble ship and put out of the way a most determined enemy, and we hope to let the blockaded cotton ships get to sea."
"But the David!" said the girl, who knew the sinister story of the crazy submarine torpedo boat as did every one in Charleston. "It is sure death!"
"It is dangerous," said Lacy, softly, "but General Beauregard has ordered Sempland to keep her on the surface. That ought to give them a chance. Glassell escaped, you remember, when he tried the New Ironsides."