"They wouldn't have lowered a mine, if that's what you're thinking about, because they know we should alter our course as soon as we saw a disabled steamer ahead." "No, it was nothing of that sort. It looked more like a sort of cage as far as I could make out." "Perhaps they're fishing for crabs," suggested Trent with a laugh. For the life of him he could not understand what Lawless was worrying about, since even the best-regulated steamers are apt to break down. "Look here," said Lawless suddenly, "I'm not going to run the risk of being made a fool of by signalling to the _Mars_. I'm going to investigate this matter for myself." And, turning to a seaman, he told him to get one of the Berthon boats lowered alongside. "But if you intend to pull out to her, we shall leave you behind," said Trent. "Besides, what can you do on your own?" "I shall see," replied Lawless. "As to the rest, if you can't pick me up, I can pull back to the _Kite_, which by that time will be nearly abreast of me. I know her skipper, and he won't give me away." Trent merely shrugged his shoulders. If his commander had a bee in his bonnet it was not his place, as a junior officer, to argue; so he held his peace and thought the more. The Berthon having been launched, Lawless dropped in and started to pull towards the apparently disabled steamer with powerful, noiseless strokes, having taken the precaution of muffling the oars. The distance between the _Knat_ and the steamer having been considerably lessened by this time, it was not long before the Lieutenant reached her. He had rowed in a direct line with her stern, that he might not be observed by any possible look-out aboard, and at length he rested on his oars and turned round to make observations. "Phew!" he whistled softly. Floating on the water alongside the steamer, and screened by her hull from the observation of those on the war vessels, was a large waterplane. As far as he could make out, it had accommodation for two men, but what attracted his attention most was a machine, in appearance not unlike a very small inverted howitzer, and evidently designed for aiming bombs. There was no one in the waterplane, and for a moment Lawless thought of rowing with all speed to the _Mars_ and warning her captain; but a moment's reflection told him that it was more than likely that she would have passed him before he could get near, and, in any case, the warning might by that time be too late. "I'll have to trust to luck, that's all," he muttered.