“At least,” replied the “Prince’s” commander, “he must have realized that I had some game out here on the water that I didn’t want spoiled.”
“Periscope astern, sir!” called a lookout two hours later.
Dan’s watch officer turned just in time to detect, with his glass, a tube even then being withdrawn back into the water.
“Twelve hundred yards astern, at least,” he reported to Dalzell. “I couldn’t have picked it up without a glass, nor could the lookout.”
“Watch for a torpedo,” Dan directed, “although I don’t believe he’ll try at such a distance in his position.”
This guess proved correct, for the “Prince” continued on her way for fully five minutes after that without further sign from the submarine.
That very fact made Dalzell impatient.
“Confound the Hun!” he growled. “If he won’t try for me, then I’ll coax him!”
Accordingly the “Prince’s” engines were stopped. As soon as headway ceased, the seeming tramp appeared to drift helplessly on the waves. Dan’s next move was to order men to run over the decks and the superstructure as though making repairs.
“Just what do you figure the Hun will think has happened to you?” Darrin asked.