He turned his eyes upon the floating wreckage. Not a survivor was in sight. "Poor fellows!" he said, half aloud, "may they rest in peace!" At this moment the chief engineer came rushing on deck. Blood streamed down his face and one arm hung limp at his side. "The engines are out of commission, sir," he reported, "and there is three feet of water in the engine-room. The ship is sinking!" Jack drew himself up to his full height and shouted out his orders: "Man the boats!" he cried. He called the second and third officers. "Look after the wounded," he commanded. "See that they are all placed in the boats. Release the prisoners, but they must shift for themselves." "And the dead, sir?" questioned the second office. Jack lifted his cap from his head. "The dead," he said softly, "must be left to the mercy of the sea. We can do them no good." The second officer saluted and hurried away. Frank and Jack superintended the lowering of the boats. Each small craft already contained a quantity of provisions and water, and, at Jack's command, such small arms as could be hurriedly secured were thrown overboard. The wounded were lifted gently into the boats--the dead left where they had fallen. The last act was to release the prisoners. That was all that could be done for them. At last all the boats were manned, and, at a word from Jack, they put away from the ship. Each boat was crowded, for some had been damaged in the battle with the German cruiser and made unfit for use. Slowly the boats pulled away from the Lena. "Which way?" asked Frank. "Due east," replied Jack. "We must be some place off the coast of France, and, unless a storm arises, we stand a good chance of reaching land safely." He cast his eyes toward the Lena. "And hurry!" he commanded. "The Lena is likely to go down any moment, and, if we do not put some distance between us, she is likely to carry us under also." The men in the boats bent to their work with a will, and soon they were out of danger. "There she goes!" exclaimed Frank suddenly, and, standing up in the boat, he pointed a finger toward the Lena. Slowly the ship had been settling by the head. Now she sank lower and lower in the water. A terrible hissing arose and went forth across the sea. The water had reached her boilers. Then the bow of the ship climbed clear out of the water, for a moment pointed almost straight toward the sky--it seemed that she would turn completely over--then suddenly lurched heavily forward, and dived. The water foamed angrily white, parted quietly for the Lena, as she took her death plunge, rose high in the air; then, its fury over, closed calmly over her. The Lena was gone. "And so," said Jack sadly, "goes my first command!" Frank laid his hand on his friend's arm. "It's pretty tough," he said, "but there is no use crying over spilt milk. What can't be cured must be endured, you know."