Meanwhile, from what Jack and Frank learned from the British ambassador, no steps had been taken to prepare for a possible German attack on shipping in American waters.  True, the coast defenses had been strengthened, but that was merely a matter of routine for a country at war.

Off the coast, warships were on patrol.  But there were comparatively few of these, for the bulk of the American fleet had been sent abroad to reinforce the British grand fleet patroling the North Sea.

Jack and Frank discussed these matters frequently.

“It would be a great time for the Germans to strike,” said Jack one evening, as the lads sat in their rooms at the hotel.  “The American people don’t seem to realize the possibilities of the submarine.”

“That’s true,” said Frank, “but at the same time such an attack might prove a boomerang to the Germans.”

“What do you mean?”

“Why,” said Frank, “you haven’t forgotten, have you, that it took a number of air raids on England to fully arouse the British people to the fact that the Germans must be licked?”

“That’s true enough,” agreed Jack.  “The Germans, of course, figured that they would frighten England and scare her out of the war.”

“Exactly, and the result was altogether different from what they had anticipated.  That’s why I say submarine activities off the American coast will prove a boomerang to the foe.”

“I see,” commented Jack.  “You mean it would arouse the American people to the necessity of prompt action.”

“Exactly.”

“Well,” said Jack, “it begins to look as though Lord Hastings were wrong.  We’ve been here three weeks now and nothing has transpired to indicate that the Germans are meditating a submarine raid in American waters.”

“You don’t expect them to tip the Washington government off in advance, do you?” asked Frank with a laugh.

“Hardly; but it would seem that if such a campaign had been planned it would have been started before this.”

“It wouldn’t surprise me,” said Frank, “to get a flash any day that a ship had been submarined off the American coast.”

Came a rap at the door.

“Come in,” Frank called.

A bell boy entered.  He held a tray in his hand and on the tray was a cablegram.

“From Lord Hastings, I suppose,” said Frank, taking the message and passing it to Jack.

Jack broke the seal, spread out the paper.  The message, in code, was this: 

    “Authentic information flotilla submarines headed for America. 
    Warn Navy Department at once.”

Jack sprang to the telephone and got the British embassy on the wire.

“The ambassador, quick!” he said to the voice that answered his call.

There was a short pause, and then Jack recognized the ambassador’s voice.

“I’ve just had a wireless from Lord Hastings relative to the matter which we discussed with Secretary Daniels several weeks ago,” he explained.  “Can you arrange another interview immediately?”