ightful was the wonderful ocean air.

Now the ventilator burst open and refreshed those inside with fresh air
throughout the ship.

"Now, Mate," I ordered, "let me take a look at the map once more. That's
right. Put it right up here on the tower--no harm done if it gets wet.
Now let's have a compass and a lead pencil--thanks. Watch carefully and
follow my calculations to see I make no mistake. From here to the first
mine field it is twenty-two miles; from there to the second mine field
about fourteen miles--which makes thirty-six miles altogether. We must
reach the first field just before the ebb tide, as the mines are only
visible just before or right after the ebb tide. We get the ebb about
ten o'clock, and it is now half past six. We can, therefore, go along
easily at half speed and will have enough time to recharge the
batteries. Is that right?"

"Yes, that's right," replied the mate, and quickly folded up the map,
which he had shown anxiety in guarding, time and time again, against the
waves washing over the ship, "if we only don't have to dive again."

"I don't believe we will," I said with confidence. "Here near the mine
fields I think there are few ships sailing. So far as that goes, we are
really safer here. The scouting will be on the other side of the
fields."

Exactly one hour before the ebb tide we reached those sections where
the enemy, according to the reports from other U-boats, believed that
they had effectively blocked the passage with a mine field that
stretched for several miles. I say "believed," because the mines, as
before stated, were showing above the surface during the ebb tide and
one could easily steer through the lanes between them. The blocking of
this important passage was therefore for the enemy an assuring but
somewhat expensive illusion. It was not quite so easy as I had expected
from the stories and reports of my fellow submarine commanders to slip
between the mines.

"Well, sirs, here it goes!" I said to both officers, who, like me, had
crawled into their thick oil-skins and had exchanged their caps,
embroidered with gold oak leaves, for the practical southwester. "Now,
we'll see who spots the first mine."

In a drizzle of foam and spray we were standing side by side and gazed
at the sea several hundred meters ahead of us. The ocean had within the
last few hours become still heavier and stormier, and the wind came from
the southwest and consequently straight toward us so that