Dave turned this time; the telltale line was there. His orders rapped out and the “Logan” started by the shortest cut to reach that line and to locate its source.
Even as they raced to find that submarine, a gunner on the “Logan” fired at the briefly visible periscope of another enemy craft.
Suddenly, not more than two hundred yards away, a periscope reared itself in their path, though not more than two feet of its length appeared above the water.
Intensely alert, Lieutenant Beatty himself sighted and gave the order to fire. Nor was this an easy task, for the destroyer, to avoid ramming and ripping out part of its own hull, veered aside from the direct line.
“Fire!” yelled Beatty.
The shell gave a good report of itself. It was plain that it had made a hit of some sort, though below the surface.
The destroyer swung again to face its prey. Higher came the periscope, then the conning tower emerged. It was then observed that the conning tower had been struck and a hole put through it on one side. Small though the hole was, if the craft had submerged further instead of rising, she would have been submerged for all time.
Lieutenant Beatty calmly sighted for the next shot. Just as the deck of the undersea boat came awash the manhole sprang open and the heads of two German sailors appeared.
“They’re going to try to man a gun and fight us,” Darrin concluded, swiftly.
“Fire!” ordered Beatty, calmly.