Armitage walked over to Anne and Sara, who, in their coats and caps, looked not unlike officers themselves.
"How do you like it?"
"Oh, it is terribly interesting!" said Anne. "What are you going to do now?"
"Wait for the battleships, I imagine," said Armitage. "We don't really torpedo them," he added. "The object is to get as close as possible without being observed. They try to locate us with searchlights. As soon as they see us they put the light on us and fire a red star. After that star is fired the discovered boat must steam full speed for the quarry for one minute and then fire a green star and turn on her lights. The distance from the battleship to the boat is measured and if we are within torpedo range, two thousand yards, the torpedo boat wins. If the distance is greater, we are technically out of action—the battleship wins."
"How interesting!" Anne gazed at Armitage admiringly. "And that is what you would do in real warfare then—rush into the very face of the battleship's firing in the effort to blow her up?"
"About that," smiled Armitage.
"But what a risk! You must steam through a perfect hail of bullets, with chances of striking with your torpedo largely against you. And even if you do strike you are liable to pay the price with your lives. Am I not right?"
"These pirates of the flotilla," laughed Jack, "do not think of the price. They 're in the Navy to think of other things."
"And is that the spirit of the American Navy?"
"Of course," Armitage looked at her curiously. "Why not?"