"Never!" declared Captain Restronguet vehemently, and bringing his fist down heavily upon the table. "Never! They had their chance, but foolishly threw it away. Now, gentlemen, it is nearly one o’clock. I, for one, will be glad to have a few hours’ rest," and with an inclination of his head Captain Restronguet retired to his sleeping quarters. CHAPTER XI. CONCERNING CAPTAIN RESTRONGUET’S RIVAL. It was broad daylight when Arnold Hythe awoke. He was surprised to find the "Aphrodite" lifting to the heave of the open sea, and the sunlight pouring in through a small circular scuttle above his bunk. Hastily springing out of bed he looked out. As far as his limited vision extended he could see nothing but blue water--a sure sign that the submarine was far from land. Judging by the apparent motion of the waves the "Aphrodite" was running at a bare ten knots--possibly less. And a few hours previously she had been lying motionless on the bed of the River Tamar. Slung to the beams overhead was a metal bath, of a similar pattern to those supplied for officers’ use in the Royal Navy, while in the bulkhead were two taps marked "hot" and "cold." On a chair by his bunk were his clothes, brushed and folded, while quite a large stock of new under-garments were lying on a folding table. Hythe always prided himself upon being a sound sleeper, yet able to arouse at the slightest sound, but for once at least his faith in his capabilities received a rude shock. Some one had certainly entered whilst he slept, and also the "Aphrodite" had made a lengthy trip without his being aware of it. The astonished young officer quickly tubbed and dressed. Then it occurred to him that he had not shaved. Lying on the dressing-table was a safety razor, also brand-new. Evidently his host had left nothing undone to contribute to the comfort of his guest. His toilet completed Hythe stepped out into the alley-way. At the fore-end, and hitherto unnoticed by him, was a hatchway. It was now open and a ladder had been shipped under it. An appetizing odour came from the captain’s cabin. It made the sub feel hungry; but curiosity conquered, and he made his way on deck, or on Platform Number One as Captain Restronguet preferred to call it. Hythe found himself on a flat deck nearly two hundred feet in length, and unbroken save for the low coamings of three hatchways and the fore and aft conning-towers. Metal stanchions and rails had been placed in position round the sides to prevent anyone from slipping overboard. As the sub looked down on the deck he noticed that, like the sides, it reflected his own image and those of other persons and objects on deck, but there was no dazzling glare from the sun that was now high in the heavens.