"No matter," rejoined the unter-leutnant. "You old enough to fight. Suppose----"
A hail came from the U boat. Herr Kapitan had mounted the platform in the wake of the conning-tower and was calling attention to the mist that was bearing down in detached patches. Already the rest of the fishing-boats were lost to sight.
"You go on board there," continued the German unter-leutnant, indicating the submarine. Then, turning to Old Garge, he added:
"We let you go. Too much trouble to sink your little fischer-boat, and you have no skiff. Stop here one hour. If you move or make signal, then we return and blow you to pieces. You onderstan'?"
Without condescending to notice Tim, who was watching the course of events with wide-open eyes, the unter-leutnant signalled to the two Seftons to board the submarine. Then, followed by his men, the Hun regained his own craft.
A minute later, with Jack and Leslie prisoners of war, the U boat slid quietly beneath the surface.
Old Garge obeyed instructions until the tips of the periscopes vanished. Then he began to gather in the mainsheet.
"Trim your heads'ls, Tim," he ordered. "Us'll be off as hard as we can."
"How about the nets, grandfer?" asked Tim.
"Can bide," declared the old man as the Fidelity, gathering way, sped to give the alarm that another U boat had been active in the Channel.