Beyond that ceaseless roar no sound disturbed the quietude. As far as the crew of the submarine were concerned they might have been floating peacefully in the midst of the wide Atlantic instead of almost within hailing distance of the Iberian shore.
The centre scuttle of the "Aphrodite's" for'ard conning-tower was opened so that the quartermaster could take verbal directions from his superior officer. Captain Restronguet stood just in front of the conning-tower, while two men, detailed for special duty as look-outs, were stationed in the bows, clad in oil-skins to protect them from the spray that was bound to come inboard as soon as the vessel gathered way. Abaft the after conning-tower Mr. Devoran had taken his stand, while right aft were more men whose duty it was to report the presence of any vessel that, of swifter speed than the submarine, might overtake her.
These precautions were additional to the use of the submarine detector that indicated the approach of any craft at a distance; for when travelling at high speed the swish of the waves against her lean bows was apt to be misconstrued by the men stationed at that electrically recording device.
Giving a glance at the standard compass to assure himself that he had made due allowance for the abnormal deviation Captain Restronguet gave the order for half speed ahead. Like a greyhound the "Aphrodite" leapt forward at a reduced speed of eighteen knots.
Within ten minutes the belt of haze had been left astern, and the sun shone brilliantly upon the clear blue water.
Hythe remained on deck some hours till the rounded point of Cape Ortegal hove in sight. Here the sea in calm weather is always agitated by a long heavy swell, while in gales the waves are dangerously steep. As a precautionary measure Captain Restronguet ordered the look-out men to make themselves fast with life-lines and the open hatches to be battened down. Although he suggested to the sub the advisability of going below, the captain, for some reason that he did not think fit to communicate, remained on deck. Scorning to make use of oilskins he stood grasping the handrail surrounding the conning-tower, and gazed fixedly at the horizon on the starboard bow. Whatever he expected to see his hopes in that direction were unfulfilled, and at five o'clock, after the tumultuous water had been left astern, he rejoined his guest in the cabin.
"We are so far fortunate in being able to keep on the surface," he remarked. "We are now off Cape Finisterre and right in the regular mail and ordinary trading routes. But up to the time I left the deck we had not sighted a single sail."
Twice during the day the "Aphrodite" had to dive to avoid being sighted by passing vessels, for although Captain Restronguet made no secret of his whereabouts he did not think fit to allow the submarine to be seen.
Just before midnight the captain called to Hythe as the latter was about to turn in.
"We are going to dive to eight fathoms," he announced. "It is advisable since we are approaching the Straits of Gibraltar. Perhaps you would care to have a look on deck before going to bed?"