"Yes, sir; and found the hull so secure that I did not wake you to tell you, sir. There has been no strain of the plates sufficient to start any of them."
"I'm thankful to hear that," Darrin acknowledged. "Even with the big, elastic cushion of water between us and that awful explosion, it seems almost incredible that we did not wreck ourselves as well as the enemy."
"You've found another submarine?" Dave shouted through the megaphone, as he rang for slow speed and ran parallel with the waiting snub-nosed craft.
"We've found two somethings, sir," came back the reply. "They lie about four hundred feet apart and heading in the same direction. I can find them again, sir, but I didn't go back over them for fear they'd take the alarm and run for it."
"Perhaps they have," Darrin suggested.
"I've dropped small buoys, sir, and can lead you over them."
"Then do so, and travel at full speed. Be prepared to get out of our way if we come fast after dropping."
Even the two cool-headed sailors who stood by the depth bomb apparatus stiffened themselves as they found the "Grigsby" following in the wake of the mine-sweeper. The after lookouts lashed themselves fast against injury by any such surprise as that of the afternoon.
As the signal flashed from the mine-sweeper ahead Dave passed the order for the bomb instantly after ordering full speed.
There was an explosion, but an ordinary one, such as this crew of the destroyer was accustomed to.