three officers to gain the deck, all other topics of

e Dimpled Lassie was pitching sluggishly. Way had been taken off her, while over her squat counter the wire hawser att

gs. The Dimpled Lassie replied. The man had just finished delivering the message to

. "They've just reported that the thing is two fathoms off the

arry away, sir,"

tent grapnel grips, it ho

ing risen 7 feet. The tidal current was setting so

ur," said the skipper. "The less s

ir

sie to report the st

t already the strain on the

in is four, sir," Seft

ht," reiterated Crost

grapnel sullenly bobbed above the surface, holding in its tig

the right one," muttere

spondency!" exc

lity, Pills," rejoined Boxspanner. "I

d at work in connection with the retrieved cable. What they were doing in connection must remain a matter of conje

r awaited a further signal announcing the result of the

ervently. "Signal M'Kie and tell him to take due precau

ing-village of Bacton with the German island of Borkum. Two more ran from Borkum

sh coast and in the vicinity of the German island fortress. To all intents and purposes it seemed as if the cables we

leakage of news, the disconcerting fact remained that, thanks to an efficient and extensive espion

s, and drastic, though none the less highly necessary, regulations were

played its part in the spies' work, but its efficacy was doubtful. It could be "tapped"; its source

epaired. And this was precisely what had been done. The Huns had promptly repaired their end of one of the Bacton-Borkum lines,

as paid out from the trawler with considerable rapidity, the end being buoyed and dropped overboard some miles from the spot where the original cable used to land. In the inky blackness of a dark winter's night a boat manned by German

lled from all the naval bases by trustworthy German agents was surreptitiously communicated

he work were sent from a far-off Scottish port with orders to make no communication with the shore; while to protect them

own to be in close proximity. Contrast this performance with that of the cruiser Huascar in the Chilean-Peruvian War. That vessel tried for two days in shallow water to sever

the mild excitement of grappling for the cable was over, the Calder was in the position of those who "serve who only stand and wait". It was a necessary task to "stand by", but with vague rumours in the air of

ad somewhat abated, Sub-lieutenant Sefton w

es when Doctor Stirling gave hi

rgeon. "Didn't you hear 'Action Stations'? We