"And lose the chance of doing in at least one enemy submarine!"
"Or we could tie up to the buoy and plug any U boat that came up to the surface."
"Why, you fathead!" exclaimed Lawless, "if we tied up to the buoy the bally submarine might come up immediately under our keel. And if she didn't, how are we to spot her on a pitch-black night like this? You might turn on the bull's eye, but they'd spot the light through their periscope and either torpedo us or do a bunk. No, you must stick to my plan."
"H'm, perhaps you're right."
"And there'd be no sport your way."
"As to sport——" began Trent, but the Lieutenant cut him short.
"You'll carry out my instructions," he said, curtly. "Now bear down on that buoy again."
The destroyer approached the bell-buoy once more, and Lawless, having provided himself with a loaded revolver, prepared to resume his former uncomfortable post on the tiny, wave-washed platform.
"Remember," he said, when about to spring on to the buoy, "you've got to start operations before the sound of my shot dies away, otherwise we draw a blank."
He swung himself over the deck-rail, reached the buoy safely, and next moment the searchlight was switched off and the Knat disappeared in the darkness. The first thing Lawless did was to remove his muffler from the bell-clapper so that the sound should serve as a guide to any enemy submarines that might be searching for the secret supply tank. This done, he settled down to wait, with what patience he could muster, for the arrival of his hoped-for victims.