rking with powerful strokes,
carrying it forward at a rapid pace. When it reached the craft's side,
the jaws closed upon one of the stanchions of the deck rail and tore it
from its socket as though it had been a toothpick stuck in putty. At
this exhibition of titanic strength I think we all simultaneously
stepped backward, and Bradley drew his revolver and fired. The bullet
struck the thing in the neck, just above its body; but instead of
disabling it, merely increased its rage. Its hissing rose to a shrill
scream as it raised half its body out of water onto the sloping sides
of the hull of the U-33 and endeavored to scramble upon the deck to
devour us. A dozen shots rang out as we who were armed drew our
pistols and fired at the thing; but though struck several times, it
showed no signs of succumbing and only floundered farther aboard the
submarine.

I had noticed that the girl had come on deck and was standing not far
behind me, and when I saw the danger to which we were all exposed, I
turned and forced her toward the hatch. We had not spoken for some
days, and we did not speak now; but she gave me a disdainful look,
which was quite as eloquent as words, and broke loose from my grasp. I
saw I could do nothing with her unless I exerted force, and so I turned
with my back toward her that I might be in a position to shield her
from the strange reptile should it really succeed in reaching the deck;
and as I did so I saw the thing raise one flipper over the rail, dart
its head forward and with the quickness of lightning seize upon one of
the boches. I ran forward, discharging my pistol into the creature's
body in an effort to force it to relinquish its prey; but I might as
profitably have shot at the sun.

Shrieking and screaming, the German was dragged from the deck, and the
moment the reptile was clear of the boat, it dived beneath the surface
of the water with its terrified prey. I think we were all more or less
shaken by the frightfulness of the tragedy--until Olson remarked that
the balance of power now rested where it belonged. Following the death
of Benson we had been nine and nine--nine Germans and nine "Allies," as
we called ourselves, now there were but eight Germans. We never
counted the girl on either side, I suppose because she was a girl,
though we knew well enough now that she was ours.

And so Olson's remark helped to clear the atmosphere for the Allies at
least, and then our attention was once