It was in this place that Lord Hastings and the members of the Sylph's crew learned of the disaster that had overtaken several British cruisers in those parts. Here, for the first time, they heard of the defeat of a small British squadron by the Germans, and of the death of Admiral Sir Christopher Craddock, who had gone down fighting to the last. "Never fear," said Lord Hastings, "Sir Christopher's loss shall be avenged, and that shortly, or I am badly mistaken." The following day the Sylph put to sea again, and headed down the Argentine coast. It was late the next afternoon, when the wireless operator aboard the Sylph picked up a message. "German squadron some place near, sir," he said laconically, as he handed a message to Lord Hastings. The commander of the Sylph glanced at the message. In regular maritime code, it read: "Close in." "I haven't been able to pick up the position of the ship that sent that, sir," the operator volunteered. "If you can do so," said Lord Hastings, "let me know immediately." "Do you know what German ships are supposed to be in these waters?" Jack asked of Lord Hastings. "Why, yes," was the latter's reply. "The armored cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, the former the flagship of Admiral Count von Spee, and the protected cruisers Leipzig, Dresden and Nurnberg. Why?" "Well," Jack explained, "judging by the message just picked up, they must be separated. Couldn't we, by representing ourselves as one of these vessels, possibly pick up a little useful information?" "By Jove!" said Lord Hastings. "We could." "But how are we to know which ship sent that message?" asked Frank. "We wouldn't want to make a mistake, and we might try to pass ourselves off as the very cruiser that flashed that message." "The message was undoubtedly sent from the flagship," said Lord Hastings, "so we are safe enough there. Come with me." He led the way to the wireless room, where the operator was making unsuccessful efforts to pick up more messages from the air. Now, at Lord Hastings' direction, he tapped his key. "Scharnhorst! Scharnhorst!" the instrument called through the air. There was no reply, and the call was repeated. "Scharnhorst! Scharnhorst!" A moment later and there was a faint clicking of the Sylph's apparatus. The call was being answered. The operator wrote it off. "What ship is that? Admiral von Spee orders all to close in," and the exact position of the German flagship was given. "'Dresden!" flashed back Lord Hastings. "Signed, Koehler." "I happen to know Captain Koehler commands the Dresden," Lord Hastings confided to the boys. He sent another message to the German admiral: "Where are you headed?" "Falkland Islands," came back the answer. "To attack the British?" was the message Lord Hastings sent through the air. "Will sink one British ship in harbor and destroy Wireless plant," was the answer to this query.