accomplish their purpose in this network of tubes, valves, and
pumps. The officers' mess, which is just back of the torpedo
compartment, is quite roomy and comfortable. It was now changed in a
moment to an uninhabitable place. Ready hands pulled down the
oil-stained curtains in front of the bunks and folded up the narrow
table and the four chairs without backs. These were all placed in a
corner hurriedly, and the luxuries were all gone, making room to handle
the torpedoes.

Schweckerle, in command of the torpedo tubes, was like a father in the
way he watched over his torpedoes. He loved them as if they were
children and continually oiled and greased them and examined them
carefully. They said of him that he mourned when he had to separate
himself from one of them. And I, myself, saw that when a torpedo, for
some reason or other slightly turned, did not strike its target, he went
around broken-hearted for many days and could not eat.

This faithful fellow was now busily occupied taking care of his children
and had selected "Flink" and "Reissteufel" (these were his names for the
two torpedoes now ready for the tubes) when the command was given:

"First torpedo tube ready!"

This meant "Reissteufel" was to go.

Schweckerle was in his element and, when he gave his commands, the
sailors ran as if the devil was at their heels.

"You here! You there! You take that! You take the other! Forward! Hurry!
Take hold! Get the oil can! That's good! That's enough! Now put it
in--push it forward! Now hold back! Slowly--slowly--stop!"

One last word of encouragement to the torpedo disappearing into the
tube! At last the parting glance, and Schweckerle slammed the tube
shut, and "Reissteufel" was ready to go on his way.

At once this was reported to me in the conning tower, but only a few of
the allotted ten minutes had passed and we had plenty of time. We took a
closer look at the sailing ship before we sent her to the bottom for
good. She was a large modern ship, constructed entirely of steel, and
had the latest equipment over all, even in the rigging. She could carry
a cargo of from three to four thousand tons and, without doubt, had come
from a long distance, because sailing ships of this size do not travel
along the coast. What kind of a cargo did she carry?

The French crew stepped into her boats and left their ship. The last
boat was capsized, when it was launched, and all in it fell into the
sea. Another one of the boats