"Never mind me," called Mrs. Launce. "I have heard, and I, also, pray to see this pirate craft destroyed before it can accomplish any more wickedness and destruction. My own death does not matter!" "Silence, woman!" cried the ober-lieutenant, glaring at Mrs. Launce. "Mrs. Launce has spoken, and has no more to say," broke in the unruffled voice of Caleb Launce. "Is that the way you address women when they are helpless?" Dave demanded, tauntingly. "When they take part in conversations without being asked," the German answered, curtly. "I have heard it was a way with the naval men of your country," Dave drove back, tauntingly. Von Schellen reported: "We are now sixty feet below the surface, and headed west by southwest. Any further orders?" "None," replied the commander. "Keep to the course until I direct it to be changed." With a stiff salute von Schellen turned and vanished. "Your Yankee friend shall not catch us this time," jeered the ober-lieutenant. "Listen! Can you hear his propellers? We are going directly away from him." "He will catch you, in the end," Darrin retorted, "or some other comrade will. I know how many of your craft our Navy has put out of commission, and I know how many our Allies have destroyed." "But you do not know how many submarines we have left, nor how fast we are building them," mocked the German commander. "Do not be too sure of that," Dave retorted. "It may be that our information is more exact than you suspect." "Have you anything definite to say on that subject?" demanded the ober-lieutenant, regarding his prisoner attentively. "Naturally not." "Then, as I shall be busy, will you be good enough to return to the bounds set for you?" Dave bowed, turned and re-entered the passage-way. The German naval officer's manner toward him had not been insulting. There was an evident effort to treat Darrin with the outward show of respect that should be accorded to a prisoner of his rank. Yet Dave knew that his enemy hated him. Mr. and Mrs. Launce were in the passage-way, and Captain Kennor could be heard stirring in his cabin. "Mr. Darrin, we are now at good depth under water?" inquired Mr. Launce. "Yes, sir; I believe so. We are not to be caught and destroyed just yet." "That I am sorry to hear," replied the lawyer, gravely. "And, I, too, am sorry," spoke up Mrs. Launce. "Life has been sweet to me, but I would much rather be dead than a captive in Germany. I condole with you, Mr. Darrin, that it was not possible for you to bring about the destruction of this wretched craft." "It will, before long, go the way of the other German submarines," Dave assured her, hoping that there were enemy eavesdroppers who would overhear and understand.