All the remainder of that day and the two days that followed Jack kept his ship moving up and down the coast, but he caught no sight of an enemy vessel, nor were any of the sinkings reported in that time close enough to be considered within his territory.

On the fourth day came a message from Admiral Sellings.

“German submarine reported twenty miles north of Cape Charles,” read the message.  “Investigate.”

Jack acknowledged receipt of the order and addressed Frank, who stood beside him on the bridge.

“Something definite to act on at last,” he said, and read the admiral’s message aloud, adding:  “Shape your course accordingly, Mr. Chadwick.”

Frank gave the necessary directions.  The big ship came about and headed south again.

It was well along in the afternoon when the Essex reached the approximate point designated by Admiral Sellings.  Jack ran the destroyer as close in-shore as he dared, and for several hours cruised about in the neighborhood.  But he saw nothing to indicate the presence of a submarine.

“If there’s a U-Boat here, it’s keeping pretty well under cover,” said Frank.

“So it is,” replied Jack.  “I don’t know where the admiral got his information, but I’ve got my doubts of its authenticity.”

Frank’s eyes were caught at that moment by the sight of a small row boat putting off from the shore.  He watched it idly for a moment, and then noted that it was headed directly for the Essex.

“Hello,” he said, “here comes some one to visit us.”

Directly the little boat scraped alongside the now stationary destroyer and the figure in the boat indicated that he wanted to come aboard.

“Don’t know what he wants,” muttered Jack, “but it’ll be just as well to have him up and find out.”

A few moments later the occupant stood before Jack and his officers on the bridge.

“My name,” he said, “is Charles Cutlip, and I live back there.”  He waved a hand shoreward.  “I suppose you are hunting for submarines, Captain?”

Jack nodded.

“That’s what we’re here for,” he affirmed.

“I thought so,” said young Cutlip—­he was a little more than a boy.  “Well, Captain, maybe I can help you.”

Jack gave an exclamation of astonishment.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“I don’t know exactly,” replied the boy.  “Yesterday afternoon, while I was in the house alone, three strange men appeared at the door.  They wore the costume of an ordinary seafaring man, but when they asked me for food they had a strange manner of speech.  They weren’t Americans, I’m sure of that.”

“And you think they were from a submarine, eh?” asked Jack.

“I’m sure of it, Captain.  There were no other ships near, and they could not have come overland, for it is a long ways to the nearest village and they had neither horses nor automobile.”

“And what did you say to them?” asked Frank.