He made his way for’ard to where the two bow torpedo tubes were placed. This part of the submarine was deserted, save for a shoal of small fish of the sardine tribe. Their mode of entry was now apparent, for besides the rent in the plating, gaps the width of a man’s finger were visible in the seams. The huge metal cylinder, which for dead-weight far exceeded a vessel of the same dimensions, had been hurled by the continued power of the twin propellers, and the irresistible force of the mountainous waves, at a tremendous pace upon the solid rocks--and the shock had not been sufficient to stun the unfortunate victims who formed the crew. The two explorers having performed their duty, hastened to the open hatch. There with a common impulse they both stood stiffly erect and saluted. It was a tribute from men who had faced perils under the sea and who yet survived to those who, similarly situated, had sealed their devotion to duty with their lives. "Well, Mr. Hythe, what did you think of that ghastly spectacle?" asked Captain Restronguet after their return to the "Aphrodite." The sub was deadly pale. Hitherto he had looked only on the bright side of a submarine officer’s life, now he had seen---- "It is simply horrible, sir." "It is. And there are persons--experts they call themselves--who boldly maintain that death under these circumstances comes swiftly and painlessly. Would to heaven those men had been with us, and had seen what we have seen. Submarine work is a dangerous game." "Yet you yourself----" began Hythe. "Exactly. I know what you were about to observe. But my submarine is far in advance of the comparatively crude contrivances in which men seek to destroy their enemies. Possibly, in the interests of humanity, I ought to give my secret to the world. Has not that sight quenched all desire on your part to descend in an ordinary type of submarine again?" Hythe rose from his chair. "Sir," he replied stiffly, yet without any trace of grandiloquence, "it is my place to obey orders, and at times to withhold my opinion. But then I can safely say: so long as duty to King and Country calls, Britons will never be found wanting in the hour of peril, be it on, above, or under the sea." CHAPTER XV. A VISIT TO GIBRALTAR. Breakfast on the following morning was a kind of solemn feast, for although Devoran and Kenwyn were present, hardly a word was spoken. The gloom of the previous day’s exploration seemed to penetrate everything, yet the subject was, by mutual consent, studiously avoided. The meal was nearly over when Lancarrow, the wireless man, knocked and entered the cabin. "Message just received, sir," he announced unconcernedly. Captain Restronguet opened the envelope and scanned its contents. Although his eyes lightened with satisfaction he said not a word till the man had retired.