"Come on, Blake," urged Joe. "They're going to have gun drill. Let's watch."
The vessel carried four quick-firing guns for use against submarines, one each in the bow and stern, and one on either beam. The gunners were from Uncle Sam's navy and were expert marksmen, as had been evidenced in practice.
"Are we in the danger zone yet?" asked one of the two young women whose acquaintance Blake and Joe had made through the courtesy of Captain Merceau.
"Oh, yes," Blake answered. "We have been for some time."
"But I thought when we got there we would be protected by warships or torpedo-boat destroyers," said Miss Hanson.
"We're supposed to be," replied Joe. "I've been looking for a sight of one. They may be along any minute. Look, there comes a messenger from the wireless room. He's going to the bridge where the captain is. Maybe that's word from a destroyer now."
Interestedly they watched the messenger make his way to the bridge with a slip of paper in his hand. And then, before he could reach it, there came a hail from the lookout in the crow's nest high above the deck.
He called in French, but Joe and Blake knew what he said. It was:
"Periscope ahoy! Two points off on the port bow! Periscope ahoy!"