Suddenly Lord Hastings saw something emerging from the water. No. 2 torpedo was aimed directly at this point.
Lord Hastings wasted no time.
“No. 2!” he called.
“Click!”
There was no waiting for the command to fire. There was no time for it.
It had been Lord Hastings’ intention to submerge immediately the torpedo had been launched, but so great was his confidence that this torpedo had gone home, that he allowed the submarine to remain on the surface.
“Did we hit her, sir?” cried Jack.
“She’s gone,” was the reply, “but I can’t tell yet. If she comes up again we’ll give her another.”
Three minutes later and Lord Hastings gave vent to an exclamation of satisfaction.
“We got her,” he cried.