“Missed her again,” said Lord Hastings grimly.
“Why didn’t you launch another when she bobbed up?”
“Because I was afraid she might do so first.”
“Well,” said Jack, “I have an idea that I believe will end this hide and seek business.”
“Let’s have it.”
“Then let’s go up. As soon as the enemy sight us, he will go down, expecting us to do likewise. But we’ll fool him. We’ll just shift our position a trifle—enough to be out of the way of a possible shot. Then we’ll wait for him to come up again. In the meantime we’ll train all our tubes along the water where he is likely to reappear. The moment he does so, you call the number within range and we’ll get him.”
“We’ll try it,” said Lord Hastings briefly.
Once more the signal was given to rise, and as the D-16 came to the surface, Lord Hastings, through the periscope, saw the periscope of the enemy go down.
Quickly the course of the D-16 was changed just enough to avoid a torpedo should one be fired by the enemy. Then Lord Hastings directed the training of the different torpedo tubes aboard the D-16.
All in readiness, they waited.