."

Dissatisfied, Runkle none the less saluted and turned back to his gun.

"Keep a close sight on the sneak," Dave called after him. "When you
hear me call 'Ready!' you will complete your aim and fire without
further orders."

An order transmitted to the man standing by the engine sent the launch
plunging ahead at increased speed.

Of a sudden the pursuit assumed a new aspect. The submarine suddenly
veered around to port, and then headed straight toward the launch.

"Now's our chance!" glowed a seaman, excitedly.

"Yes," retorted another strained voice. "Our chance for death!"

The same thought came into the minds of many on the launch. The
submarine, it seemed, was about to discharge a torpedo at the pursuer.

"Starboard!" commanded Darrin. "Keep her bow to port of us!"

Seaman Jack Runkle strained his ears for the solitary word from Ensign
Darrin that would be so welcome.

"Will he ever give that order?" fumed the impatient sailor at the
breech of the one-pounder.

CHAPTER XXIV

CONCLUSION

"Stand by, gunner!" warned Darrin.

"Aye, aye, sir!" came from the man at the one-pounder.

The crew had ceased to be on tension, for it had dawned upon them
that, as the two craft were approaching each other almost head on,
there was hardly a chance that a torpedo could be made to register.

"Ready!" Darrin ordered.

There was a sharp bark from the throat of the one-pounder. Smash! A
cheer went up from the watching seamen. The shot hit the mark. But the
two men with Runkle were cleaning and loading for still another shot
at the conning tower.

"Any more, sir?" inquired Runkle, with a grin, after firing and
landing a second shot in the submarine's superstructure.

"Not unless ordered," Darrin answered, crisply. "If that fellow dives
now he'll go below and stay there for good."

Instead of diving, however, the top of the submarine's conning tower
was seen to rise higher and higher above the water.

"She's rising, but she's lost her steerage way, sir," announced the
corporal of marines.

"The helmsman was undoubtedly killed by the first or second shot,"
suggested Dave. "It looks as if the survivors mean to surrender, but
we'll watch out for tricks."

He gave the order for slow speed ahead, soon reducing it to mere
headway.

"Marines prepare to board," ordered the ensign, as the launch came up
close to the now unmanageable submarine, whose deck showed a bit more
than awash.

It called for fin