ad
been thrilled by the news of the night's events, and from early hours
the decks were lined with amateur lookouts. The morning was fine, and a
light breeze rippled up wavelets that twinkled in the sunlight. Suddenly
about 10.30 o'clock there came a wild yell from one of the leading
transports. Though the jackies affect to dispute it, I was assured that
it was from a far-sighted youngster from Arizona, who first descried and
then announced the deadly line of bubbles. No periscope was visible this
time, and for the first moment those on the bridges of the destroyers
were incredulous. Then the unmistakable bubble lines clean across the
bows put the certainty of danger beyond question. Once again fortune
favored us. The submarine was in front instead of in the deadliest
position on the flank toward the rear. Perhaps the U-boat commander was
rattled by the magnitude of his opportunity. Perhaps one of his excited
pirates let go too soon. Anyway, it is agreed by experts that he would
have been far more dangerous had he waited unseen until part of the
flotilla at least had passed beyond him.

"Dearly did the Germans pay for their error. Like a striking
rattlesnake, one of our destroyers darted between a couple of
transports. Her nose was so deep in the sea as to be almost buried,
while a great wave at the stern threw a shower of spray on the soldiers
massed at the transport's bow. That destroyer ran right along the line
of bubbles like a hound following a trail, and when it came to the spot
where the commander estimated the submarine must be lurking, he released
a depth-bomb. A column of smoke and foam rose fifty feet in the air, and
the destroyer herself rose half out of the water under the shock of the
explosion. It is said that in the midst of the column of water were seen
fragments of steel and wood, and oil also was reported on the water.
This meant that at least one submarine had paid the supreme price for
the spread of kultur on the high seas."

As in all thrilling incidents of the sort, there was a note of comedy.
It was supplied by a negro roustabout on one of the large transports.
This darky throughout the trip had been very fearful of submarines, and
when the actual moment of danger came he acted upon a predetermined
course, and shinned up the mainmast as though Old Nick himself were at
his heels. When the excitement was over an officer called up to him:

"Hello, up there; come down. It's all over."

"Me come d