A warm bed and a restorative soon set Hilda right, and Pep only needed rest. But he had gained his place among the crew and the passengers as a hero. If he had not been a sensible dog, they would have spoiled him with petting during the remainder of the trip.
Four days later the ship came close to the Irish coast and precautions were redoubled. This was the submarine zone and no one knew at what moment those devils of the deep might appear.
It was nearly midnight. The ship was creeping along through the darkness with all lights out, closely guarded by two torpedo boats. The doctor was sleeping soundly in his bunk and Pep was dreaming of home in the cook’s cabin, when there came a mighty explosion which shook the great ship from bow to stern. There had been no warning. It had come like a sudden clap of thunder, but every one knew instinctively that they had been struck by a torpedo.
Immediately all was confusion. Passengers came hurriedly on deck, dressing as they came. For a few seconds two powerful searchlights played upon the water about the ship to discover the submarine if possible, and the guns at the bow and the stern were made ready for instant action, but the murderous devilfish had departed as suddenly as it had appeared.
The ship was listing badly and the hole was fast filling, so the boats were made ready. The doctor did not know whether he would be allowed to take Pep with him or not, but he went to the cook’s cabin for the dog.
The crew worked silently and like soldiers. So rapidly they performed their tasks that when the doctor reappeared with Pep the first boat load was pulling away from the ship. Soon the doctor’s unit was called and he went around to the other side of the ship where a boat was already nearly loaded.
“Can I take the dog with me?” asked the doctor doubtfully as he reached the rail. A ship’s officer stood at the rail with drawn revolver.
“Not by a damnsight,” he growled. “Look at that boat.”
The doctor looked. The lifeboat was crowded to the gunwale.
“Hurry,” commanded the officer. “The boat is waiting.”