This enabled the submersible to get within gunfire range. Suddenly she revealed her guns fore and aft and threw several shells at the Argentine vessel. The latter was then so close that she was obliged to capitulate immediately.
The German then ran down nearer and ordered her victims to abandon ship within half an hour. She sent a boat for the captain of the merchant vessel.
When the boats and rafts were afloat, a boatload of Germans on their way to put bombs aboard the Que Vida stopped and pillaged each boatload of victims, taking their money, jewelry, any other valuables they fancied, and especially pilfering the woolen garments of both men and women.
The Que Vida carried some coin and her captain was evidently made to tell of this. The Germans searched the ship before putting the time bombs in her hold.
“Then, Señores,” said the chief officer, in concluding his story, “when the poor Que Vida was sunken, the great submarine steamed away with Señor Capitan di Cos. Perhaps they have killed him.
“But we—Well, you see us. That gr-reat submarine is the most wonderful ship. I would not myself have believed she could submerge did I not see her go down with my own eyes not a mile away from our flotilla.
“And three hundred feet long she is, I assure you! As long as this destroyer, Señores. A so wonderful boat!”
“Once we drop a depth bomb over her, we’ll knock her into a cocked hat, big as she is,” growled one of the Colodia’s petty officers in Whistler’s hearing.
“And the captain of the Spanish ship—what of him?” murmured the Seacove lad.
The taking aboard of the wrecked ship’s company caused considerable excitement on the destroyer. These torpedo boat destroyers do not have many comforts to offer passengers, women, especially.