Leaning over the side of the fuselage, Barcroft awaited the crucial moment. Then he raised his hand in a peremptory and unmistakable manner.
Instantly Anderson thrust down the firing lever. With a hiss of compressed air being released the powerful missile sped on its way, its course being clearly visible to the watchers from above.
A slight splash marked the torpedo's impact with the surface of the sea. Then, after a seemingly interminable wait, a dome-shaped mass of water was lifted bodily upwards, breaking and falling back in a smother of foam.
"Bon voyage, Fritz!" exclaimed Kirkwood.
CHAPTER XI
THE STRAFING OF U 254
"BOTH bow tubes—fire!"
Von Loringhoven's voice, pitched in a low guttural key, rose through the space of two words to an excitable crescendo. At last was the hour of his triumph; In spite of his ferocious zest at torpedoing helpless merchantmen, he realised in his inmost mind that it was but a sorry business; but now he had dared to torpedo a British cruiser—and had achieved his object.
Almost before U 254 recovered from the displacement of trim as the weapons left their tubes a muffled sound greeted the straining ears of the Huns.