"Where are we making for, I wonder?" asked Cardyke.
"If we go on at this rate and in the same direction a week will find us in West Indian waters, unless I'm very much mistaken," replied Fielding. "It's a mystery to me why this ship hasn't been headed off and captured long ago."
"Long ago!" echoed the mid. "Why, it's only a matter of a few days!"
"Yes, yes, I know; but one would naturally think that with modern scientific instruments at one's command it would be an utter impossibility to play hide and seek in the North Atlantic."
"Were you navy officer man in 1907?" asked General Oki, who, although his English was somewhat quaint, could follow ordinary conversation with comparative ease.
"In that year I was completing my last term at Dartmouth," replied Fielding.
"Then you have no heard of manoeuvres that year—how one English fleet sailed in North Sea for over sixty hour, looking for another English fleet, and no can find?"
"By Jove! I believe I heard something of the kind," replied the sub. "But you seem to know a lot about our naval matters, sir?"
"My business," replied Oki, calmly.
The British and the Japanese officers were entering into an animated discussion on the possibilities of wireless in war when they were interrupted by the crash of a quick-firer, followed by the slowing down of the cruiser's engines.