Emmons County record., 1918-05-23

flected, the water rushed into the div
ing tanks, and the F55 began to dip.
The surface running light slnnted sea-
ward rs the bow went under. and
slowly regained poiEe as the stern fol-
lowed, bringing the F55 back to an
even keel. The hum Of the petrol mo-
tors ceased, the hull was filled with
the roar of the inrrlshing wafer; then
the electric motors took up their
steady throbbng.
give meters," announced the man
Mt the depth Indicator. "Six meters!
1 Seven-half" "
4 AT first the hum of the electric mo-
tors dominated all other sounds, but
gradually 1t became blended with n
medley of noises. Placing his ear n
moment against the plating of the
hull. Donald could hear steady
though faint pounding, which came, not
from within, but from the bearings of
the distant wnrship, transmitted un-
/ der water. Somewhere, too, Donald
fancled that a destroyer was speed
Ing toward them, for there was q
faint and almost impercepible whir-
rln-. us 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
periscope, obscured his vision. Some
/ times, too, the cruiser shifted outside
her arc; then the perlseope motor
started anew, and slowly she would
Epu ~
4 Below, the men. who understood
that an enemy ship was near, waited
in suppressed excitement.
'We'll have to try her Mt mile,
Clouts." said Donald to the lookout.
He carried only three torpedoes. He
would have liked TO close in ana make
sure of his prey, but u shot at almost
/ the extreme range seemed preferable
TO hazar,ling the vessel and the lives
of his crew.
aye, sir!" answered Sam Clouts.
Clouts was man of about forty
years. hool;-nosed, with bland. humor-
Gus blue eyes, and u square jaw under
n square, bristling beard. When off
duty he was perpetually playing II
mouth-organ. and Donald could not
help smiling TO see his hand stealing
covctously toward his pocket even
now.
The German could hardly have been
more than mile away when she sud
denly changed her course to westward.
Donald had been approaching her head
. m oh nf nj rU
when within striking distance, to send
Il torpedo amidships. The new course
Of the vessel was d bitter disappoint-
ment to him.
Donald realized that she was near
ing the Shetlands and endeavoring 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 were opened
a gust of fresh air drove the stale
atmosphere away. The petrol motors
took up the 5nsk Of the electric ones
Donald ordered full speed. The yes.
sci drove high through the waves
achieving II knots.
A shadow edged the misty horizon.
1t was Sumburgh head, the extreme
southerly point Of the Shetlands. Here
the cruiser was due to turn.
"Smoke to port, sir!'' said Clouts.
The German had evidently seen II
at the same time, for her speed began
to diminish. This meant that she was
steering cautiously to gain the shelter
Of Sumburgh, behind which she might
lie unobserved for observation.
If 1t was an English battle cruiser
that was approaching, the ship would
be hard put to 1t to escape. II
was not likely that the oncoming ship
had sighted her smoke through the In
creasing haze.
Donald drove hard for the main
channel. He knew that he could catch
the German now, ard he was ready tC
take chances Of discovery. Meanwhile
inch by inch, the stranger came up out
Of the sea.
At first Donald believed she was q
British battle cruiser. This hope was
soon dispelled. however, when her fun.
nels showed three black stacks. ringed
with white, the color of the Claude
line, and the heavy hull, built fol
freight, not speed.
His heart began to thump heavily
For the Beotia was one Of the Claude
lines ships, and the approaching yes
sci looked very much like the overdue
Beotia.
And Ida was aboard her, and nj
ready well within range of the enc
Inys guns! The two ships had sighted
each other. Donald saw the Beotii
diminish to thread line as she turned
and ran. prov on, toward the Orkneys
A squirt of flame broke from the Ger
mans bow. A coil of cloud followed
it. A few seconds later the boom OF
the discharge echoed across the water
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