Davis now had donned his coat and stood near as the two passed out.  There was a sneering smile on his puffed face, and he spoke.

“Perhaps you fellows will pay a little more attention to me when I say something after this,” he muttered.

Jack whirled on him sharply.

“See here,” he said quietly, “if you make any trouble in the future I’ll take you in hand myself.  You’ll find that the result will be somewhat different.”

“So?” sneered Davis, feeling not a little proud of himself.  “You are at liberty to try at any time.  Right now, eh?”

He made as if to discard his coat.  Flushed with victory, he manifested no doubt that he could handle Jack as well as Frank.

In spite of himself, Jack was forced to smile.

“We won’t fight now,” he said quietly.  “You’re not in condition in the first place.  But when you have been fixed up, I just want to tell you not to trifle with me.”

“Threats, eh?”

“Call them what you please.  I don’t want to have to spank you, but I may have to.  Don’t bother me, that’s all.”

He helped Frank from the room without another word.  Lord Hastings, about to leave the room, stopped for a word with Davis.

“Just a word of advice,” he said.  “As you know, we are on a perilous duty.  Any more trouble and I’ll have you ironed if necessary.  You’re in no position to make a nuisance of yourself.”

Davis made no reply.  He recognized Lord Hastings’ authority to do as he said and he was smart enough to say nothing.  Lord Hastings left Davis with the sailors.

An hour after leaving the spot where the U-16 had so recently sent a German submarine to the bottom, Lord Hastings again gave the command to come to the surface; and the vessel proceeded then upon the top of the water.

Frank and Jack, tired out, had retired for a brief rest before their services would again be required; but had they been in Davis’ cabin they would have overheard a strange conversation.

Davis and three of the German sailors were engaged in a deep and apparently serious discussion.  They talked in subdued tones and cast occasional furtive glances at the door.  Occasionally the three nodded their heads affirmatively as Davis talked, each occasionally volunteering a few words himself.

“Then you are with me?” asked Davis at length.

The men nodded.

“Good.  But we shall have to bide our time.  A false step and it would be the end of all of us.  This Commander Bernstorff, I should say, is a bad man to fool with.  But once we can get him in our power and silence the others, we can make something of ourselves.”

“Yah!” muttered one of the sailors.  “What is this war to us anyhow?  You are English and we are German; but what of it?  Why should we take orders from such men as Herr Commander Bernstorff and others of his kind?”

“Why, indeed?” echoed another.