of a rocky, dangerous coast that stood out intensely black like an
India-ink drawing on gray paper. Presently the second in command spoke
to his chief. He thought he saw something on the water, to seaward.
Small wreckage, perhaps.

"'But there shouldn't be any wreckage here, sir,' he remarked.

"'No,' said the commanding officer. 'The last reported submarined ships
were sunk a long way to the westward. But one never knows. There may
have been others since then not reported nor seen. Gone with all hands.'

"That was how it began. The ship's course was altered to pass the object
close; for it was necessary to have a good look at what one could see.
Close, but without touching; for it was not advisable to come in contact
with objects of any form whatever floating casually about. Close, but
without stopping or even diminishing speed; for in those times it was
not prudent to linger on any particular spot, even for a moment. I may
tell you at once that the object was not dangerous in itself. No use
in describing it. It may have been nothing more remarkable than, say, a
barrel of a certain shape and colour. But it was significant.

"The smooth bow-wave hove it up as if for a closer inspection, and
then the ship, brought again to her course, turned her back on it with
indifference, while twenty pairs of eyes on her deck stared in all
directions trying to see--what they could see.

"The commanding officer and his second in command discussed the object
with understanding. It appeared to them to be not so much a proof of the
sagacity as of the activity of certain neutrals. This activity had
in many cases taken the form of replenishing the stores of certain