Chapter I: Front Matter

The Sea-girt Fortress

BY PERCY F. WESTERMAN

"No boy alive will be able to peruse Mr. Westerman's pages without a
quickening of his pulses."--Outlook.

The Sea-girt Fortress: A Story of Heligoland. 3_s_. 6_d_.
"Mr. Westerman has provided a story of breathless excitement, and
boys of all ages will read it with avidity."--Athenaeum.

When East meets West: A Story of the Yellow Peril. 3_s_. 6_d_.
"The book is an experience no boy should miss."--Outlook.
"A remarkable, ingenious story."--Academy.

Captured at Tripoli: A Tale of Adventure. 2_s_. 6_d_.
"We cannot imagine a better gift-book than this to put into the
hands of the youthful book-lover, either as a prize or present."
--Schoolmaster.

The Quest of the "Golden Hope": A Seventeenth-century Story of
Adventure. 2_s_. 6_d_.
"The boy who is not satisfied with this crowded story must be
peculiarly hard to please."--Liverpool Courier.

A Lad of Grit: A Story of Restoration Times. 2_s_. 6_d_.
"The tale is well written, and has a good deal of variety in the
scenes and persons."--Globe.

LONDON: BLACKIE & SON, LTD., 50 OLD BAILEY, E.C.

The Sea-girt Fortress

A Story of Heligoland

BY PERCY F. WESTERMAN

Author of "When East Meets West" "Captured at Tripoli" "The Quest of the _Golden Hope_" "A Lad of Grit" &c.

_Illustrated by W. E. Wigfull_

BLACKIE AND SON LIMITED LONDON GLASGOW AND BOMBAY

Contents
CHAP.

I. MAN OVERBOARD
II. THROUGH THE FOG
III. A LOSS AND A FIND
IV. ARRESTED
V. A DISCOVERY
VI. VON WITTELSBACH'S PLAN
VII. OFFICIAL HINDRANCES
VIII. SENTENCED
IX. ON THE SCENT
X. IN THE PRISON CELL
XI. A NIGHT OF TOIL
XII. INVESTIGATIONS
XIII. AN EXPERIMENT WITH A ZEPPELIN
XIV. THE SECOND NIGHT OF LIBERTY
XV. RECAPTURED
XVI. THE NEWS LEAKS OUT
XVII. THE SANDINSEL TUNNEL
XVIII. THE ERRANT AIRSHIP
XIX. AT THE MERCY OF THE WINDS
XX. HOMEWARD BOUND
XXI. GOOD OLD HAMERTON!
XXII. A MOMENTOUS DECISION
XXIII. FIRST BLOOD
XXIV. THE BATTLE OF THE GALLOPER SANDS
XXV. THE FALL OF THE ISLAND FORTRESS

Illustrations

"HAND OVER HAND HE CLIMBED TILL HE REACHED A METALLIC BEAM"
_Frontispiece_

"WAITING TILL A WAVE BROUGHT THE MAN WITHIN ARM'S LENGTH, THE SUB
CLUTCHED HOLD OF HIM"

"'SPIES ARE NOT ENTITLED TO ANY CONSIDERATION OF THAT DESCRIPTION'"

"'IT'S THE ROUNDS, BY JOVE!' WHISPERED THE SUB"

"'GREAT SCOTT!' HE EXCLAIMED; 'IT'S HAMERTON'"

"A SEAPLANE CONTRIVED TO DROP A BOMB ON THE _ROYAL SOVEREIGN'S_
DECK"

THE SEA-GIRT FORTRESS