For there could no longer be any doubt in the minds of the Germans as to the cause of the three terrific explosions that now shattered the stillness of the night. "Boom! Boom! Boom!" they came, and showers of steel, iron, wood and débris rose high in the air, to be scattered far across the surface of the sea. Now the searchlights of the uninjured German ships left their sinking sister ships and flashed swiftly across the water. Suddenly the D-16 was lighted up by a circle of light as bright as day. "We are discovered!" cried Frank, and at the same moment Lord Hastings gave a command: "Down, quick!" He led the way through the conning tower with rapid strides, and the lads hurried after him. "Submerge!" A moment more and the D-16 was again beneath the sea, safe from chance German shells, and steaming toward the east. CHAPTER IX. A DESPERATE VENTURE. "Which way now, sir?" asked Jack. Lord Hastings hesitated. "They will probably be laying for us toward the west with their submarines," he said, "and while we may be able to get by, it will be desperate work." "Then why not go due east, sir?" asked Frank. "The Kiel canal is due east," replied Lord Hastings. "What of that, sir?" "What of it? Surely, you would not suggest forcing a passage of the Kiel canal?" "I don't see why not, sir." Lord Hastings looked at the lad with surprise written all over his face. "By Jove!" he said at last. "When it comes to finding ways of getting into trouble, you are the limit, as the Americans say." "But don't you think it could be done, sir?" asked Frank. "Well, I don't know," replied his commander. "It might be done, yes. And then again it might not. But what would be our object in getting into the Baltic?" "Well, I understand that the Russians are having considerable trouble there," replied Frank, "and we might be able to lend them a hand." "That's true, too," replied Lord Hastings. "I hadn't thought of that." "Then what do you say, sir?" asked Frank. Jack now added his voice to that of his chum, but for some moments Lord Hastings remained undecided. Frank, however, clinched the matter when he said: "Well, there probably is no more danger that way than there is in trying to get out of here to the west, where every German submarine available is on the lookout for us." "Besides," urged Jack, "they will watch the entrance to the Kiel canal less closely, because they would not dream of an attempt to force its passage." "There is some truth in that, too," said Lord Hastings. "Well, the Kiel canal be it then." Both lads were jubilant, and they could not contain themselves, but expressed their delight with loud "hurrahs" and by tossing their caps in the air.