'Is there any chance of our being blown up?'
'No-o,' said Wooten slowly; 'I don't really think there is, though of course this bad weather we've been having lately will have broken many of 'em adrift.'
'And what'll happen if we hit one?' his companion wanted to know.
'Happen!' said the naval officer. 'The bloomin' thing'll probably go off, and we shall take single tickets to heaven in a puff of smoke. We're chock-full of lyddite and gun-cotton, and'——
The civilian seemed rather perturbed. 'Of course, I'm not really nervous,' he hastened to explain, looking rather white about the gills as he fidgeted with an inflatable rubber life-belt round his middle; 'but I do hope you'll keep a careful eye on the pilot.'
'Of course I will. I'm not going to let him bump one of the bally things unless I can't help it. She's still your ship, though,' added Wooten, 'and I'm not really responsible.'
'No, I quite understand that,' said the other; 'but, you see, I'm not used to—er—risks of this kind. I'm not paid for it, and I've a wife and five children.'
'You're insured, I suppose?' asked Wooten, smiling to himself.
'Yes; but my policy doesn't cover war risks.'
'H'm! that's bad; but I shouldn't worry about it if I were you. If we do go sky-high'—— Wooten paused.