a fortnight before the loss of the _Jones_, when two destroyers, the
_Nicholson_ and _Fanning_, steamed into their base with flags flying and
German prisoners on their decks.

It was a clear November afternoon, and the destroyer _Fanning_ was
following her appointed route through the waters of the North Sea. Off
to starboard the destroyer _Nicholson_ was plunging on her way, throwing
clouds of black smoke across the horizon. Near by was a merchant vessel,
and the destroyers were engaged in taking her through the dangerous
waters to safety. The air was so clear that minutest objects on the
horizon were easily picked up by the questing binoculars of the men on
watch. Suddenly came a cry from one of the forward lookouts:

"Periscope, two points off the starboard bow!"

The call sounded from stem to stern, and instantly the alarm to general
quarters was sounded while the helm was thrown hard over. The signalman
bent over his flag-locker and, in compliance with the order of the
commander, bent flags onto the halyards, giving the location of the
submarine to the _Nicholson_, while heliograph flashes from the bridge
summoned her to joint attack. The waters were smooth, with a long swell,
and the lookout had seen a scant eighteen inches of periscope, which had
vanished immediately it fell under his vision. Undoubtedly the observer
at the other end of the submarine's periscope had seen the _Fanning_ at
about the same time the presence of the undersea craft was detected. It
had appeared about 400 yards from the destroyer's course.

In less time than it takes to tell, the _Fanning_, with throttles
suddenly opened, plunged into the waters where the periscope had last
been seen. And at the proper moment the commander, standing tensely on
the bridge, released a depth-bomb from its fixed place. The explosive,
300 pounds in weight, sank with a gentle splash into the rolling wake of
the destroyer and, at the depth as regulated before the bomb was
released, it exploded with a terrific report.

Up from the ocean rose a towering column of water. It hung in the air
for a moment like a geyser, and then gradually fell back to the level of
the sea. A score of voices proclaimed the appearance of oil floating
upon the water. Oil is sometimes released by a submarine to throw an
attacking destroyer off the scent; but this time there were bubbles,
too. That was quite significant. Then while the _Fanning_ circled the
spot wherein the explosion