“I see ’em!” shouted Rawlins. “At least, I see their shadow. Yep—they’re circling. All ready! Stand by! Did you squirt that oil, Quartermaster?”
“Aye, aye, Sir,” replied the sailor. “Ready to emerge, Sir?”
“Gosh!” exclaimed Tom, to whom a new thought had just occurred. “Perhaps they’ll drop a depth bomb!”
“Thunderation!” cried Rawlins, “I hadn’t thought of that! Don’t believe they’ve got one though and it would be too risky to themselves. We’re going up now. All ready for the surprise party!”
Then followed quick, sharp orders, men scurried about, levers were pulled and control wheels whirled while Rawlins stood with his eyes at the periscope and the quartermaster gazed fixedly at the dial of the depth indicator.
“Two fathoms, Sir!” he announced calmly.
“Periscope’s up!” cried Rawlins. “I see her—off to starboard! All ready? Come on!”
At his last word he had bounded to the ladder with his men at his heels, the hatch slid open and onto the deck they poured with the two boys, Mr. Pauling and Mr. Henderson bringing up the rear.
A few hundred yards away a large submarine was floating, her upper works high above the smooth sea with a number of men gazing intently at the water from her decks.
The next instant they caught sight of the craft they had thought sunk and were as surprised, dumbfounded and amazed as if they had seen a ghost. Loud shouts and cries came clearly across the water from them, they ran hither and thither, confused, getting in one another’s way and utterly at a loss to know what to do.