Middletown transcript., 1917-12-08
CHAPTER lv-continued.

-
At first the hum Of the electric mo-
tors dominated all other sounds, Dut
gradually it became blended with
medley Of noises. Placing his ear
moment against the plating OF the
hill. Donald could hear STEADY
though faint pounding, which came, not
from within, but from the bearings OF
the distant warship, TRANSMITTED I'M
der water. Somewhere, too, Donald
fancied that a destroyer was speed
ing toward them, for there was
faint and almost imperceptible whir-
ring. as Of high-speed machinery.
Mixed with the throb Of the screws
there came the sound Of their suction.
At times the SEAS breaking over the
neriscope. obs0ured his vision. Some
times, too, the cruiser shifted outside
her arc; then the periscope motor
started anew, and slowly she would
swing back, growing more discerniole:
Below, the men, who understood
that On enemy ship was near, waited
in suppressed excitement.
"We1l have to try her at mlle'
Clouts," said Donald to the lookout.
He carried only three torpedoes. He
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.
save. sir =" answered Sam Clouts.
Clouts was a man of about forty
years, hook -nosed, with bland, humor-
GUS blue eyes, and square jaw under
q square, bristling beard. When on
duty he was perpetually playing
mouth-organ, and Donald could not
HELM smiling to see his hand stealing
GENEROUSLY 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 maneuverlng,
when within striking distance, to SEM
a torpedo amidships. The new course
of the vessel was bitter disappolnt-
ment to him.
Donald realized that she was near
ing the Shetland5 and endeavorinG TO
make the passage between mainland
and Fair island. That was the mos'
hazardous part of her joruney. Once
beyond the straits, she would be free
in the open Atlantic.
He gave the order to rise. Inc
tanks were blown. the rudders ano
diving planes adjusted; the FOO De-
gan to mount upward. A green trans
lucency appeared. The electric lights
went out. The matches were 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 YES
sci drove high through the waves
achieving IL knots.
A shadow edged the misty horizon
It was Sumburgh head, the extreme
southerly point Of the Shetlands. Her
the cruiser was due to turn.
Smoke to port, sir!" said Clouts.
The German had evidently seen 1
at the same time, for her speed begal
to diminish. This meant that she wa
steering cautiously to gain the shelte
Of Sumburgh, behind which she nigh
lie unobserved for observation.
If it was an English battle cruise
that was approaching, the ship woul
be hard put to 1t to escape.
was not likely that the oncoming shil
had sighted her smoke through the in
creasing haze.
Donald drove hard for the mai
channel. He knew that he could cate
the German now, and he was ready {
take chances If discovery. Meanwhile
inch by inch ugsS. came up on