For two days they sailed about in the sunny Mediterranean,
sighting neither friend nor foe, and then suddenly had
encountered the two German cruisers, the Breslau and the Goeben,
and the skirmish with these two ships, described at the opening
of this story, ensued.

But now, as the enemy had succeeded in making off in the
darkness, and as Lord Hastings had ordered that the original
course of the Sylph be resumed, the little vessel was again -- as
Jack said when they had started on their journey -- "sailing
under sealed orders."

The two lads were about bright and early the morning following
the encounter with the German cruisers; and as they stood looking
out over the sea, Lord Hastings approached them.

"More news of the Emden," he said, as he came up.

"Another British merchant vessel sunk?" asked Jack.

"Worse," replied Lord Hastings. "A cruiser this time!"

"A cruiser!" exclaimed Jack in surprise. "I always thought that
any cruiser of ours was more than a match for a German."

"Well, you are wrong," was Lord Hastings' reply. "From what I
have heard by wireless, our vessel attacked, but was sent to the
bottom by the Emden before she could do much damage to the
German."