Part 4 (2/2)
”Only one sunk?” inquired the officer in excellent English.
”Just one; it seems to me that is enough.”
”Well, I agree that it is better than none,” said the German officer. ”We'll sink them one at a time. How many of our s.h.i.+ps engaged you?”
”Four,” replied Jack briefly, now beginning to smile to himself, for he saw the German did not know what had happened.
”Which way did they go?” demanded the German.
”Straight to the bottom,” replied Jack, with a note of thankfulness in his voice.
”What!” exclaimed the officer, starting to his feet.
”To the bottom,” Jack repeated.
”Impossible!” cried the officer. ”One British s.h.i.+p couldn't sink four German torpedo destroyers.”
”I didn't say there was only one,” said Jack. ”We some a.s.sistance.”
”You must have had,” said the German officer heatedly. ”How many? A dozen?”
”There were two or three,” said Jack briefly,
He had no mind to tell the German officer the size of the British squadron.
The German officer was silent for several minutes and then he said: ”Why didn't you tell me this in the first place?”
”You didn't ask me,” replied Jack, with a tantalizing laugh.
The German brought his right fist into the palm of his left hand with a resounding smack.
”You English will pay dearly for every German s.h.i.+p stink,” he exclaimed.
”Maybe so,” replied Jack, dryly, ”but it won't be a German fleet that makes us pay.”
”Enough of this!” broke in the second German officer.
”Lieutenant Stein, you forget yourself, sir. And as for you, sir,” turning to Jack, ”you show no better taste.”
”I beg your Pardon,” said Jack. ”I wouldn't have said anything if he hadn't egged me on.”
Lieutenant Stein was equally repentant.
”I apologize,” he said quietly to Jack. ”I should not have spoken as I did.”
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