The U-boat swung round, gradually increasing her way until her bows pointed towards the two boats.
"Steady on your helm," ordered von Loringhoven. "At that.... Full speed ahead!"
At fifteen knots the blunt bows of the modern pirate crashed into the foremost boat, rending the elm planking like matchboard. A few of the men who escaped being crushed by the enormous bulk of the murderous craft were left struggling in the water. Of these only one wore a lifebelt. Von Loringhoven had not noticed it when the boat was alongside. He signed to a petty officer standing aft. The Hun drew a revolver and, as the lifebelted seaman swept past, shot him through the head with as little compunction as a gamekeeper would have at killing a stoat or a weasel.
The rest of the survivors, finding themselves in the U-boat's wake, struck out for the remaining boat. It was an unavailing struggle for life, for, turning again, U 254 charged down upon the second of the "Guiding Star's" boats and the tragedy was re-enacted.
"Enough!" ordered the ober-leutnant, scanning the horizon, over which the shadow of night was rapidly drawing. "With the sea at this low temperature a man cannot last more than ten minutes."
It was about noon on the following day, when U 254 was gently forging ahead at seventy feet beneath the surface, von Loringhoven ordered the skipper of the "Guiding Star" to be brought to his cabin.
"Well, captain," began the ober-leutnant with a burst of assumed affability. "I am sorry that I was compelled to detain you. On the other hand we did all we could to assist your crew on their long voyage."
The skipper made no audible comment. If von Loringhoven imagined that he was ignorant of the cold-blooded tragedy he was grievously mistaken. The master of the tramp had heard the double crash as the U-boat collided with the two boats, and had formed his own conclusions—which happened to be perfectly correct.
"I must explain my reasons for receiving you as a guest," continued von Loringhoven. "We are now bound for Wilhelmshaven by the shortest route, which, as you know, is through the Straits of Dover. As I am under the impression that you were furnished with Admiralty directions concerning the course through the mine-fields you will be most useful to us as a pilot. I am certain that you would not throw away your life by withholding your assistance."
The skipper of the "Guiding Star" looked the Hun straight in the face.