The fault in the conning-tower was quickly discovered. A small hole had been drilled in the steel column conveying the wires from the batteries to the indicator-board, and a metal rod had been inserted, thus causing a short circuiting of the current.
The mystery was as deep as ever, for how did the miscreant find time and opportunity to make his way unobserved into the conning-tower and proceed to drill the thick metal standard?
"There's hours of hard work in front of us," declared Captain. Brookes. "The disarrangement of this intricate mechanism is far more serious than one can imagine. Whether the ZZ-rays are similarly affected I cannot tell. We must find a clear field to undertake that experiment. However, we can do nothing more at present, as far as the conning-tower is concerned, so now for Slade's report."
"All the reciprocators are missing, sir, except the Plougastel one," announced Lieutenant Slade. "That happened to be in the instrument."
"Is the receiver damaged?"
"No, sir; at least, I was able to communicate with Plougastel."
"That's something to be thankful for," ejaculated the captain, fervently. "Though the loss of these reciprocators is irreparable. It means that we are cut off from all intelligence except by means of our Brittany agent. And now to interview Mr. Palmer."
"Mr. Palmer is now in a sufficiently normal state to be interrogated, sir," said the surgeon. "He is still suffering from the effects of a narcotic—opium by the symptoms."
"Very good, Mr. White," answered the captain. "I'll see him in his cabin."
Lieutenant Palmer, looking utterly miserable, staggered to his feet and saluted as his captain entered.