the sound of something whistling overhead.

Looking up they beheld the cause of this trouble. The last
German destroyer had come almost upon them, and the British
gunners, evidently not seeing the little boat, were continuing
their fire at the enemy.

The lads were in imminent danger of being struck by a British
shell. The German launched a torpedo, and it went skimming right
by the little boat in which the boys sat.

"Quick!" cried Jack. "We must get out of here or one of those
things will hit us."

The men bent to their oars; but they were not quick enough.
Struck by some missile, the boat suddenly sank beneath them, and
the boys found themselves in the water, swimming.

And still they were between the two fighting ships.

Looking over his shoulder, Jack could make out the Sylph, and
calling to Frank to follow him, he struck out in that direction.

They swain rapidly, but seemed to make little progress. Lord
Hastings, standing on the bridge of the Sylph, discovered the two
forms in the water. A second boat was hastily launched, and put
off toward them.

When it was within a few yards of them a fragment of a shell
struck it and it also disappeared. It went to the bottom with