"Yes, sir; this very craft was the boat, sir. The destroyer 'eld 'er fire and come hup close, sir, to 'ave fun teasing us. Only one shot we fired, sir, from our after gun, at the houtset, sir, but that one shot carried away the destroyer's rudder just below the water line. It was hall a piece of luck, sir."
"And then?" pressed Ormsby, for at last Hedgeby seemed to be imparting real information.
"Well, of course, sir, the 'Uns started hin at once to rig a jury rudder with timbers and canvas."
"Yes?"
"Naturally, sir, we didn't give 'em any time or chance we could 'elp, sir. We sailed round and round 'er, taking position so that we could play both guns on 'er at the same time. She couldn't steer, sir, to back 'er aim, that 'ere 'Un, so we banged away at 'er stacks and her water line until she was worse than 'elpless."
"Did you sink her?"
"No, sir. She was captured."
"By whom?"
"By two of 'is majesty's destroyers, sir, that came up. And maybe you think Hi'm joking, sir, w'en Hi tell you that the destroyers were credited with the capture because they made the 'Un strike 'is colors and take a prize crew."
Subsequently Dave and Ormsby learned from Mr. Hartley that this account was a true one.