Simultaneously the watertight doors in the two principal transverse bulkheads were hermetically sealed, save a small emergency exit from Number Three Platform to the fore compartment. Through these those of the crew who were in the holed division made their hasty escape. They were not a moment too soon, for, although the "Vorwartz" made no attempt to back out, the fracture was ragged enough for the water under great pressure to pour in cascades into the midships compartment of the ill-starred submarine.
As soon as the men were safely in the fore part of the vessel Devoran gave orders for the remaining watertight doors to be closed. He knew that, although the danger was great, there still remained a chance of saving at least two-thirds of the "Aphrodite."
"If only I had been in the fore conning-tower," he thought, "I would have given that 'Vorwartz' something to remember us by. I'll try it, though."
And calling up Carnon, who was the senior hand in the now isolated fore part, he ordered him to stand by with electrical destructors, whereby a potential charge of electric fluid could be directed upon the "Vorwartz" as soon as she had backed a certain distance from the vessel she had rammed.
In answer Carnon replied: "I've tried the gadget, sir, and there's no current on."
"For goodness' sake try the supplementary current!" exclaimed the chief officer anxiously, but the result was the same. The apparatus by which the powerful means of offence was controlled was out of order. Either the lightning or the shock of the impact of the "Vorwartz's" stem had thrown the delicate mechanism out of gear. Nor could the torpedoes be used, for the tubes, having an arc of only four degrees on either side of the bows, could not be brought to bear upon the rival submarine.
This time Karl von Harburg had scored heavily, and stood every chance of getting clear without the "Aphrodite" being able to revenge herself upon the submarine that had caught her napping.
Meanwhile the crew of the "Aphrodite," after the first shock, had taken up their stations with consummate coolness. Every man knew that the damage was great, and that the "Vorwartz" was the cause of it. One chance yet remained for them to revenge themselves upon Karl von Harburg. Directly the "Vorwartz" backed out of the rent in her rival's side, the "Aphrodite" might be able to turn sufficiently to discharge a torpedo. At the same time steps must be taken to prevent the stricken craft from sinking into depth where the pressure of the water would literally crush their as yet undamaged sections of the submarine like an egg-shell under a hundred-ton hammer.
As soon as the water in the midship section rose to the level of the centre platform Devoran gave orders for the detachable keel of that compartment to be dropped. Kenwyn touched the emergency switch, and the massive dead weight fell. Relieved of this mass of iron the "Aphrodite" lurched in an effort to rise to the surface.
The sudden strain wrenched her free of the bows of the "Vorwartz." Instantly the water, pouring through the greatly enlarged aperture, filled the whole of the centre compartment, and before the submarine had a chance to turn and let fly a torpedo at her antagonist, the "Aphrodite" sank slowly and surely.