The Germans were at once led below to have their wounds dressed, and to be provided with dry clothing.
"You had better slip down to the petty officers' mess now, Mark, and get some grub," Rodney advised. "I will see you later on. We're going into Haddisport, I believe, so you'll be put ashore. The destroyers are to be sent off on another job, up north."
It was two or three hours before they again met. Mark had had dinner, and was sitting chatting with a company of petty officers, when Rodney came to him.
"You're wanted in the chart-room," he announced. "Come along!" And as they were passing aft through one of the alley-ways, he added: "Captain Damant has had that pigeon message translated, and it seems to be important. He's going to ask you something about it."
Mark followed him up a flight of stairs to the deck.
At that moment there came a low, rumbling sound from under the bows of the Atreus. Then the frightful, ear-splitting crash of an exploding mine. A sheet of flame instantly enveloped the bridge. The vessel's back seemed to be broken. She listed over to the port side with such a jerk that all who were on deck were flung off their feet. Mark Redisham was pitched bodily over a machine-gun and flung far out into the sea.
He sank down, down into the depths. It seemed an age before he felt himself rising. At length, when he came to the surface, gasping, it was to find the air filled with falling splinters and a dense yellow smoke which almost choked him as he tried to breathe. He saw the doomed cruiser some distance away settling down by the bows.
He looked around him. Most of the debris from the explosion had been of metal and had sunk. But he caught sight of a floating spar. He swam towards it. It was not large enough to support him, but it would help to keep him afloat until the poisonous fumes should clear.
He reached it and stretched forth a hand to grasp it, when another swimmer, coming behind him, shoved him violently aside and seized it.
Mark went under for a moment, rose again with his throat full of sea water, and grabbed the nearer end of the spar. As he did so he saw the other's face. It was the face of Max Hilliger.