ischarge his piece a swift, red flash
shot from the bow of the number 2 launch commanded by Danny Grin.
Runkle fired a second later, but the periscope still stood as if
mocking the eager gunners.

"I'm glad somebody else missed," growled Runkle, who was becoming
exasperated. He was doing himself injustice, though, for each time he
had fired, his mark, considering the distance, had been small, and the
searchlight was no peer of daylight in aiding a gunner.

Ensign Darrin admitted to himself that he was stumped. He ordered the
course changed, with speed ahead, his purpose being to scan the water
for the bubbled trail left by the underseas craft. But by the time
that he judged himself to be going over the recently observed position
of the submersible the searchlight revealed no bubbles.

The third launch now coming in close, Dave, by signal, ordered Ensign
Sutton of the British forces to go slowly inshore. He too was to watch
for bubbles, as well as to be alert for a re-appearance of the enemy
craft.

The longer the suspense lasted, the more uneasy Darrin became.

"There she is, sir!" called a low but penetrating voice from the
stern watch. "Three points off the stern to port, sir."

So quickly did the helmsman bring the launch about that she heeled and
shipped a volume of water. Darrin, as he leaped upon the forward deck,
ordered the sailor manning the searchlight to shut off.

"Don't turn it on again without orders. I believe I can follow the
pest with my glass if she will only keep her conning tower above
water. Signalman, send my order to the other launches not to use their
searchlights without first asking permission."

By this time Darrin, standing on the forward deck, had the submarine's
turret, or as much of it as showed, in the field of his night-glass.

Not more than a foot of it showed above water, and, even through the
glass, at a distance of nearly half a mile, it would hardly have been
discernible without the aid of the searchlight, had it not been for
the white wake left by the turret in its course through the water.

"May I try a shot now, sir?" begged Runkle, "I'm certain I can hit the
turret this time."

"If you could do it surely, you'd be the best shot in the Navy,"
smiled Darrin. "I'm not going to use the searchlight unless I have to,
and it would be almost impossible to make a hit in the dark without
it. The pest is headed shoreward, and I want to creep up close from
the rear, if possible