More than a dozen times they signalled 'Faster,' to which I replied at first, 'Don't understand.' Afterwards I answered curtly, 'Impossible.' 'Why?' demanded the _Bluebell_. 'Engines broken down.' Then a long pause--they were most probably debating how they might compel us to increase our speed. After some time we were informed, 'If you don't get up full speed at once I will make you.' This did not sound very friendly, but I did not worry much, for I said to myself that, after all the anxiety which the enemy had shown to get us to the nearest port, they were not likely to fire at us. The most they would do would be to send a prize crew on board, which was exactly what I wanted. Then, even if the ships remained by us, their watchfulness would be certain to relax. So instead of answering the threat I replied, 'Come and see for yourself.' This was a piece of impudence, but it was just possible it might prove our salvation. To my chagrin, however, the English showed no desire to accept my invitation. They resigned themselves to their fate, and we had very few more signals from them. Our pace now became a crawl. With the patience of sheep, they steamed along, zigzagging now to the left, now to the right, evidently afraid we might discharge a torpedo at them any moment. The various orders for altering course had all to be repeated about ten times before we pretended to understand, and the _Bluebell_ took it all without further protest. FOOTNOTES: [15] A few days later I learned through an English naval officer that the wireless boat, when off Kerry Head, _i.e._ just after we weighed anchor, had sent an urgent wireless message to Fastnet. The admiral in command there at once sent out a whole swarm of auxiliary cruisers and destroyers against us, about thirty vessels altogether. These boats, by virtue of their great speed, were in a very short time able to form a cordon from Fastnet to beyond the northern outlet from Tralee Bay. So that we should have been caught in any case, no matter what course we had taken. [16] The English papers stated later, on the authority of authentic(!) reports, that 'the captain of the _Bluebell_, on account of the heavy seas, was unfortunately unable to launch a boat and send a prize crew on board the _Aud_.' I wish to state emphatically, in contradiction, that there was neither wind nor sea at the time. CHAPTER XXI WE PREPARE TO SINK OUR SHIP