"Redisham, sir—Mark Redisham. I am the brother of Midshipman Redisham."
"Indeed! Oh, then, just see if you can find him, and tell him from me to look after you until I want you again. Tell him he may show you over the ship!"
For a couple of hours or so Mark was in his glory going about the cruiser, examining the engines, the guns, the torpedo-tubes, inquiring into the mechanism of the water-tight doors, visiting the seamen's quarters, the conning-tower, and even watching the stokers at their grim work.
As they returned to the deck, a petty officer touched Mark's elbow.
"Captain Damant wishes you to go up to him on the bridge," he said.
Mark found his way, and climbed up to the commander's side.
"Take my binoculars and have a look at the steamer yonder," the commander told him, "and see if you identify her."
"I can identify her without the binoculars, sir," returned Mark. "It's the Minna von Barnhelm."
"Good," nodded Captain Damant. "I wanted to be sure. You can go now. Go and make yourself as small as you can in that corner of the conning-tower, and watch our destroyers. Don't be alarmed at the noise."
The destroyers were now stretched far in advance of the cruiser, bearing down upon the German in line ahead. Hardly had Mark settled himself in his corner, when the foremost of them fired a shot across the bows of the mine-layer.