Overhead the "blimp" moved slowly about. While her commander was sure he could reach England safely he preferred to remain in company that could rescue his crew and himself if it became necessary.
"Who can the women be?" Lieutenant Fernald wondered, when he had heard Dave's account of the visit to the steamship.
"I don't know. But their conduct, like the skipper's, is the main cause of their predicament. Had they behaved naturally I would have guessed them to be passengers from a neutral port to England. All I can say is that, though they speak English well, I am sure that they are not Englishwomen."
"The younger woman is a beauty, you say?"
"Yes, and her mother, if the older woman be such, is not at all unprepossessing."
The two ships and their aerial companion were now headed toward Darrin's base port, traveling at a good rate of speed.
It was well along in the evening when they passed the "Reed." In code Dalzell exultantly reported that an unusually large number of mines had been swept and removed from the water, and that two submarines had been located on the middle shoal and destroyed.
"Good work!" Dave wirelessed back.
Late that night, the "blimp" still leading the way, the destroyer and her prize entered the base port.
As soon as they had come to anchor Darrin communicated with the British flag-ship. Officials promptly went aboard the steamer to attend to the removal to a prison on shore of the officers and crew of the steamship, and of the women passengers as well.