Whereupon Cappy Ricks flew into a rage and immediately dictated a long
letter to his congressman and his senator, urging them to battle to
the last trench in the campaign for a two-power navy.

Time passed. Then suddenly the world rocked with the news of the
annihilation of the German Pacific fleet off the Falkland Islands.
Cappy Ricks and Matt Peasley read the horrid tale in the morning
papers as they sat at breakfast, and immediately both lost all
interest in food. Like two mourners about to set out for the morgue to
identify the corpse of a loved one recently killed by a taxicab, they
drove down to the Blue Star offices, where immediately upon arrival
something terrible in Mr. Skinner's face brought on palpitation of
Cappy Ricks' heart.

"Skinner, my dear boy," he chattered, "Have you any news?"

"Not yet, sir," murmured Mr. Skinner brokenly, "but soon! The British
consul wants you to ring him up. He says he's had a wireless from
H.M.S. _Panther,_ off the Falkland Islands, and he thinks it will be
of interest to you."

"Is my _Narcissus_ confiscated?" Cappy and Matt cried in chorus.

"I--I don't know," Skinner faltered. "I just didn't have the courage
to pursue the matter further. The British consul said she was captured
but as for con--"

"Idiot! Bonehead!" rasped Cappy. "My _Narcissus_ is gone--gone! Oh,
Lord! Matt, you ring up the British consul--I'm an old man--Skinner,
my dear chap, forgive my harsh language. Have you a little drop of