"Hold on, Frank!" he cried. In response to this command, Frank slowed down. "What's the matter now?" he demanded. "Why, one of our erstwhile German friends has come to life. He was just about to lay hold of us when you came up in the air. Great Scott! What do you think of that?" "What do I think of what?" "Why, the Germans in the boat have just shot him." "Shot whom? The German?" "Yes; they saw him coming after us and evidently thought he was a friend of ours. Poor fellow! To be shot down by one of his own countrymen. And so goes the last chance the Germans had of learning that we have discovered their plans." "Then it is a good thing for us they shot him." "For us, yes. But think of the irony of it!" "Well," said Frank, "I wouldn't like to have shot him, defenseless as he was; and I didn't want you to. That's why I didn't suggest having a look for him before we came up." "I couldn't have done it," returned Jack. "No; nor I; and yet duty would have demanded it. For with him alive, there always remained a chance that he would give the warning." "It just goes to show," said Jack, slowly, "that even fate sometimes works on the side of the right." "True." Unconsciously, Frank had allowed the speed of the hydroplane to diminish during this conversation, and the crew of the German boat again had found themselves within range. They had started to abandon the chase when the plane soared aloft, but when it had slowed down, they had resumed the pursuit, hoping that something had gone wrong with the craft. Several bullets flew about the machine. "Great Scott! They're at it again!" cried Jack. "Let's get away from here right now." "All right, here she goes," said Frank. "Full speed ahead!" CHAPTER XII THE BOYS GIVE THE WARNING One other adventure, it transpired, was to befall Frank and Jack before they found themselves once more aboard the British battleship, _Queen Mary_; and while it did not result seriously, both lads once more approached the very door of death. The morning sun was well above the horizon when Jack, shading his eyes, made out in the distance a smudge of smoke. "Smoke ahead, Frank," he called. "Hope it's the _Queen Mary_" replied the lad. "It should be if I have calculated correctly." A few moments later the outline of a large ship of war loomed up ahead. "Can you make her out yet?" asked Jack. "No; but she's built like the _Queen Mary_" The hydroplane sped on. "By Jove! She is the _Queen Mary_" cried Frank, a few moments later. "We're in luck." Frank was right. As the hydroplane drew nearer it was plain to make out that the vessel was the giant battleship the lads had quitted the day before. "Wonder what Captain Raleigh will think of our information?" said Frank, with a chuckle. "Don't know. We've been pretty fortunate, though. I hope we are in time."