“That’s right,” said Fraser, and, turning to the executive officer, “Plot it.”
Next in quick succession came the reports from the wing ships: “A hundred and sixteen, true,” from port; “twenty-five, true,” from starboard.
“Plot ’em lively,” said the skipper.
The “exec.” lost no time, and as the third line he ruled crossed the other two almost at their point of intersection, Fraser gave a shout.
“A fix for fair!” he cried, and, seizing the radio phone, called simultaneously to both wing ships, “Do you still hear submarine?”
Only silence was reported from all three ships; the sub was clearly lying still to escape detection, or stealing along with her motors barely turning over.
Receiving this report, he called back, “Submarine moving very slowly or not at all; fixed at a point bearing sixty-three degrees, true from flagship; distant twenty-five hundred yards; close in at thirty-five knots to two hundred yards for attack,” This was followed by instructions as to courses needed to execute this delicate maneuver, bringing each ship on his flank at the right moment to cover with a destructive pattern of depth charges the area where the submarine must be. Again the three ships leapt to high speed, the wing ships converging sharply toward the flagship, while she forged slightly ahead of them.
“He knows we’ve got his trail,” said Evans. “He’ll probably strike out to one side at full speed. If he does, he can get clear of the destructive area of our pattern before we can get there to make it.”
Fraser, who, getting so clear a fix on a submarine so close at hand, had felt ready to attack without further reconnoitering, especially as the sub had apparently been motionless when he started his dash for the attack, now did some quick thinking, making mental calculations half aloud:
“Twenty-five hundred yards, two minutes and a half; subtract fifteen seconds for hearing us start and giving orders, fifteen more for getting up his speed; two minutes—nine knots—six hundred yards. That’s right; he’ll just about clear us if he uses full speed.”