Part 5 (1/2)

At a sign fros, ished to see so tower to take the wheel while Jack Benson slipped below to direct the loading of the torpedo into the tube Then Biffens, the sailor, took his post by the firing lever, while Ewald stood back to pass the word fro tower

This loaded torpedo, like the dummies, had been set to run four hundred yards Captain Jack, therefore, detere of three hundred yards

The ”Hastings” had drifted so wheel and the other at the signals, ran the submarine over so that he could head the craft around to deliver a broadside fire at the scow, at right angles When he had the ”Hastings” in this position he shouted down:

”Be ready, Ewald!”

”Aye, aye, sir!”

A breathless instant followed, during which the young sub tower

”Fire!”

”Fire it is, sir”

Jack and Hal could just barely see, froht commotion that the torpedo made in the water at the bohen released

Hal, watch in hand was counting: ”One, two, three, four--” and so on

Suddenly there came a low rumble, followed by--

Boo-oom!

The explosion was a dull and sullen one, but loud enough to le A column of spray shot up, followed by detached whiffs of smoke, for the torpedo had exploded beneath the surface

In the sa timbers reached their ears Then the scohere was it? Only the waters rolled where the scow had been Captain Jack and Hal rubbed their eyes

”The sa would have happened to a battleshi+p,” smiled Lieutenant Danvers, who had co like an idea of what an engine of war you are handling, because this craft would beto an enemy, because she would approach under water, and those on the battleshi+p would have little or notheir peril Incidentally, Mr Benson, I ratulate you upon the neatness of the shot”

”To accept congratulations for that would be like robbing a poor-box in a church,” laughed Jack ”It called for nothing but aiht”

”And, even under water,” replied Danvers, ”it calls for but few h the crew of a submarine, you can now understand what show the battleshi+p of cole hostile torpedo boat Why, the captain of a torpedo boat, if he has but one torpedo on board, could sail in under a fleet, pick out his battleshi+p, sink it and then scuttle away, under water, from the rest of the enemy's fleet”

”It sees, soberly

”Not exactly,” replied Lieutenant Danvers, griame of war is to destroy the enemy with as little loss as possible to yourself Moreover, the co a naval cah tofor war,” muttered Jack Benson ”Still, if one has to come, I hope I'll be in command of a torpedo craft that sees service”

”And I think you'd have your wish, my lad,” nodded Lieutenant Danvers

”Of course, none but regularly commissioned naval officers may command the craft of the Navy Still, in our Civil War, and in the War with Spain, we had to coood , I don't believe the Navy Department would feel that it could possibly pass by boys trained as well as you three have been”

”Are you going to use the other loaded torpedo to-day, sir?” asked Jack