"Or England!" "Near enough, yet we may never see either country," returned Captain Holmes, suppressing a yawn, for the sea air, even after a night's rest, made him drowsy.
"Croaker!" laughed Dick.
"I'm not," Greg denied, "and I don't want to croak, either, but who can tell?
We are now in the waters where the sea wolves have been busy enough in finding prey." "So far they haven't proved that they could do much to troopships," Dick declared warmly.
"There always has to be a first time," Holmes retorted.
"All right, then," smiled Prescott.

"We're going to be torpedoed.
Now, I hope that satisfies you." "You know it doesn't," Holmes rejoined.

"This sea air makes me so sleepy, all the time, that I don't feel as though I could stand any real excitement." "Being torpedoed would be something to look back upon in later years," Dick observed thoughtfully.
"Yes, if we had any later years on earth in which to look back," Captain Holmes responded.
"Who's this strange-looking creature coming ?" Dick suddenly demanded, as he stared aft.
"Captain Craig, the adjutant, of course," Greg answered.

"He has his life belt on, and he's stopping to talk to others." "After he speaks they hurry away," Dick went on.

"I understand.
All hands are ordered to put on life belts." And that, indeed, proved to be the message that Captain Craig brought forward with him.