“Evidently it is the intention to blockade all English ports and shut off the food supply of the nation,” ventured Ned. “You see the article relates that all the ships were loaded with food and destined to English ports. It must be a blockade movement!”
“Here’s an account,” announced Harry, “that says a steamer was hailed by a submarine a few miles off the Lizard Head. It escaped by its superior speed, but only by a narrow margin, for the submarine launched a torpedo that barely missed striking the after portion of the ship!”
“Maybe it was the same little old ‘U-13,’” suggested Jimmie.
“Oh, you ‘U-13’!” laughed Jack. “You’re some boat, all right!”
“Say!” shouted Jimmie, jumping quickly to his feet. The boy glanced about the group with startled looks. “What about that ‘U-13’ package? Do you suppose it was intended for the submarine?”
The boys exchanged puzzled looks. Perplexity was expressed in every face. A look of worry began to appear on Ned’s countenance.
“I wonder who Mackinder is and what he has to do with that package,” the lad said presently. “Boys, we’re surely stumbling into a mess of something. We’ll have to be careful!”
“Captain,” demanded Jimmie, turning to von Kluck, “what do you know about this ‘U-13’ business? What is the ‘U-13’?”
Leaning back in his chair the captain drew a long breath. He filled a great pipe from a capacious pouch. Gravely he packed the tobacco into the immense bowl, accompanying the procedure with sundry shakes of his head. Not until the pipe was drawing freely did he reply.
“Ach, id vas vot der Deutsch say it ‘Unterseeboot’! You English say it submarine! Und dot liddle schip goes ‘Boom’! und down goes der big schips under der vasser! Und dey stay, too!” he concluded.