ation the German
seamen had of enemy presence.
From aloft the signal broke out:
"Don't try to fire a shot, or to turn, or we'll sink you!"
An officer's head popped up through the manhole of the conning tower,
then almost as quickly was withdrawn.
As the "Grigsby," obeying her engines, leaped forward, the men behind
both forward guns stood ready to fire at the word.
For the submarine crew to bring either gun into place would be the signal
for the destroyer to open fire at a range constantly decreasing. Nor
could the enemy craft employ her torpedo tubes without turning, which
would have been instant signal for Darrin to order his gunners to fire on
the submarine.
Through the manhole of the enemy craft leaped a signalman, flags in hand.
Using the international code he wigwagged rapidly this message:
"We will make a grace of necessity and surrender."
"That doesn't necessarily mean that they do surrender," Dave 'phoned to
the officer in charge of the forward gun division. "If the enemy makes a
move to bring a gun into view, or to swing so that a torpedo tube could
be used, fire without order and fire to sink!"
The German commander evidently understood that this would be the course
of the Yankees, for as the "Grigsby" bore down upon the submarine not a
threatening move was visible.
Instead, the Hun crew, unarmed so far as the watchers on the destroyer
could see, emerged from the conning tower and moved well up forward.
"Prepare to lower two boats," Dave called, and added instructions for a
large crew for each launch. As the "Grigsby" came about and lay to, the
launches were lowered. In the bow of each small craft was mounted a
machine gun ready for instant action. The double prize crew was permitted
to board the submarine without sign of opposition. At the command, German
seamen began to file past two petty officers, submitting to search for
hidden weapons, then passing on into the launches alongside.
Last of all four officers came through the manhole, preparatory to
enduring the same search. When all the prisoners had been taken aboard,
the launches started back to the "Grigsby."
Dave Darrin caught sight of the officers, as the launches approached the
destroyer, and felt like rubbing his eyes.
"The ober-lieutenant and von Schelling!" he exclaimed with a start. "They
haven't recognized me yet. When they do that ober-lieutenant is going to
wish that he had voted for going to the bottom of the sea!
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