remarked Captain Staggles. "That wireless will most certainly be picked up by the Portuguese destroyer flotilla patrolling the Tagus. They'll be on the spot before us, I fancy."

Lieutenant Osborne did not reply. He had good cause to think otherwise, but he kept his thoughts to himself. Nevertheless he was glad when the skipper expressed his intention of "carrying on" in the direction of the pursued tramp.

With daybreak came the sound of distant intermittent gun-fire. For five minutes the cannonade was maintained, and then an ominous silence. In addition the hitherto constant wireless appeals for aid ceased abruptly.

"They've got her, I'm afraid," remarked Webb to his chum and brother officer as the twain searched the horizon with their binoculars.

"Not a sign of her," began Osborne.

"Sail ahead, sir," reported the masthead man, who from his point of vantage could command a far greater distance than the officers on the bridge.

"Where does she bear?" shouted Osborne.

"Two points on the port bow, sir," was the prompt reply.

In anxious suspense officers and crew waited for the Portuguese vessel to come within range of vision. Quickly the daylight grew brighter. A slight mist that hung around in low, ill-defined patches began to lift. The sea, still high, rendered it difficult to locate a vessel at any considerable distance from the British auxiliary cruiser.

Presently Osborne went to the voice-tube communicating with the engine-room. His observant eye had noticed that the Portchester Castle's funnels were throwing out considerable volumes of smoke. Since it was imperative that she should conceal her approach until the last possible moment, he requested the Engineer-lieutenant to exercise a little more care in the stokeholds. A minute or two later the black volumes of smoke gave place to a thin haze of bluish vapour.

"There she is!" exclaimed Webb. "By Jove, they've bagged her! She's hove-to."

The tramp, a vessel of about 2000 tons, was lying motionless and showing almost broadside on to the oncoming Portchester Castle. As yet there was no sign of the pursuing submarine.

By the aid of the binoculars the 

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