"Certainly," resumed his host. "With all due respect to the Geneva Convention its work is performed in a very slipshod manner. You are not allowed by international restrictions to poison wells, or use explosive bullets; yet you are permitted to employ enormous shells, mines, torpedoes, submarines, bombs from aircraft and a host of the most devilish ingenuities that civilized men can devise for the destruction of their fellow-beings. Which would you prefer, Mr. Hythe, to be quickly and painlessly poisoned when slaking your thirst on the field of battle, or to be horribly mutilated by fragments of a shell, and remain, perhaps for years, a misery to yourself and your fellows?"
The sub shook his head.
"By eliminating certain means of offence you reduce the limits of the horrors of war."
"Of the means only, the horrors of war will never be mitigated until the ban upon explosive shells, submarine, and aerial offence and defence is imposed. Thus I maintain that the Geneva Conference has only taken a middle course. Better by far to place no limitations and make war so horrible that no nation will dare draw the sword; or else restrict the weapons of offence to solid armour-piercing shells for naval warfare, small calibre rifle bullets and cold steel. To my mind submarine warfare, including torpedo work, is a despicable form of destruction."
"Yet you yourself are bent upon an errand of destruction by means of your submarine."
"Precisely. And it is the same in international warfare, because A builds a submarine, B must do likewise, in order to fight upon equal terms. But wait until to-morrow. When you have explored 'La Flamme' perhaps you may see eye to eye with me."
"What caused the disaster, sir?" asked Hythe.
"For the present I prefer not to answer that question," was the reply. "To-morrow I think I can explain more clearly."
After breakfast on the following morning a strong working-party, under the direction of the chief officer, prepared to tackle the task of freeing the propeller. Clad in their diving suits the men entered the air-lock and thence slipped out into the sea. Soon the hull resounded to the rasping of the hack-saws as the men attacked the hempen rope that was coiled tightly round the shafting.
"Are you ready, Mr. Hythe?" asked the captain.