“Fire!”
“Click!”
The first torpedo sped on its way, and at the same moment Lord Hastings shouted in Jack’s ear:
“Due north, Mr. Templeton. Fifteen knots!”
The D-16 leaped ahead, and at the distance of half a mile, rose slowly to the surface.
Lord Hastings and his two officers ascended to the bridge, where they took in the scene about them with their night glasses.
In the very center of the German fleet, a huge battleship was sinking. The glare of the searchlights of the others showed her plainly to the eyes of the British. Terrified cries carried over the water. The confusion aboard the sinking vessel was terrible to behold.
Men ran hither and thither about the decks, yelling and fighting, so great was their fear. From other vessels of the fleet small boats put into the sea, to pick up those who had jumped from the wounded warship.
Suddenly there was a terrific explosion, and the German warship sprang into flames, lighting up the sky for miles around. But the D-16, in the very edge of the fiery glare, so far had been unnoticed.
“They evidently think it was an internal explosion,” said Lord Hastings quietly to the two lads.