The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-09-13

IdQCleO tnaL destroyer WIS Spccu
ing toward them. for there was
faint and almost imperceptible whir
ring, as Of high-speed machinery
Mixed with the throb of the screw
there came the sound Of their suction
At times the seas, breaking over tn
periscope. obscured his vision. Some
times, too, the cruiser shifted OUTSIDE
her arc; then the periscope motor
started anew, and slowly she woul(
swing back. growing more discernible
Below, the men, who understood
that an enemy ship was near. waitet
in suppressed excitement.
"We'll have to try her at q mile
CloutS" said Donald to the lookout.
He carried only three torpedoes. BE
would have liked to close in and make
sure of his prey, but shot at almost
the extreme range seemed preferable
to hazarding the vessel and the lives
Of his crew.
aye, sir" answered Sam Ciouts.
Couts was a man of about forty
years, hook-nosed, with bland, humor-
Gus blue eyes, and square jaw under
4 square. bristling beard. When oil
duty he was perpetually playing a
mouth-organ, and Donald could not
help smiling to see his hand stealing
covetously toward his pocket even
now.
The German could hardly have been
more than a mile away when she sud
denly changed her course to westward.
Donald had been approaching her head
on, with the object Of maneuvering,
when within striking distance, to send
u torpedo amidships. The new course
Of the vessel was a bitter disappoint-
menr to him.
Donald realized that she was near
ing the Shetlands and endeavorlng to
make the passage between mainland
and Fair island. That was the most
hazardous part of her joruney. Once
beyond the straits, she would be free
in the open Atlantic.
He gave the order to rise. The
tanks We're blown, the rudders and
diving planes adjusted; the F55 be-
gan to mount upward. A green trans
lucency appeared. The electric lights
went out. The matches We're opened.
A gust of fresh air drove the stale
atmosphere away. The petrol motors
took up the task Of the electric ones.
Donald ordered full speed. The ves-
sci drove high through the waves,
achieving IL knots.
A shadow edged the misty horizon.
It was Sumburgh head. the extreme
point Of the Shetlands. Here
The cruiser was due to turn.
Smoke to port, sir" said Clouts.
The German had evidently seen It
1t the same time, for her speed began
20 diminish. This meant that she was
steering cautiously to gain the shelter
IF Sumburgh, behind which she might
lie unobserved for observation.
If it was an English battle cruiser
hat was approaching, the ship would
De hard put to it to escape. 1t
vas not likely that the Oncoming ship
rad sighted her smoke through the in.
.reasing haze.
Donald drove hard for the main
channel. He knew that he could catch
he German now. and he was ready to
AXE chances of discovery. Meanwhile.
nch by inch. the stranger came M out |
II the sea.
At first Donald believed she was 4 /
British battle cruistf. This hone vas
Don dispelled, however. when her fun.
lsls showed three black stacks. hinged !
nth white, the color Of the Claude
Inc. ana the heavy hull. built fne
reisht, not speed.
HE heart beam b th~lnp Aoaylly.
a. the Dootia was oao &c tAe Oan6e
|nSs shipa and the appeoeehina ~.
q looked very much IKE IL evoeduo
Deo<ia.
- 1u ~ oe - seo ~
. 1917. '.1: ~.s..
ID.
.....,.s -. .S.-S ......