"The chances of that fellow seem to be pretty slim. I would like to see the finish of the game; but I suppose we ought to get into port as soon as possible," answered the captain.
"Then I will give the order to proceed," replied the lieutenant.
The captain nodded, and the boys started for the door.
"One moment!" said the captain. "We may still be able to see an interesting sight."
The boys rushed out of the door. Glancing up at the deck of the chaser they could see the marines aboard rushing to the side of the vessel. As they looked at the buoys it was noticed that they were silent. L'Orient was slowly backing away from the obvious location of the submerged vessel.
"They are about to throw a shell," observed the captain.
The remark had hardly left his mouth when an explosion was heard and the shell could be observed moving upward at a very high angle, and descending into the water with a vicious plunge.
No sooner had it struck the sea than it seemed to raise the surface of the water like the foaming mass in a boiling pot. The explosion was dull, vibrant, ominous.
"They are shooting another one," shouted Alfred, although he tried to suppress his voice.
"Boom!" came the sound, as he uttered the words.