midships. There was a terrific explosion, the stern of the undersea
craft was lifted upward, clear of the water, she stuck her nose into
the briny deep, and without another second's delay, dove to the bottom,
a wreck.

As the tremendous pressure of the water crushed in her air tanks, great
bubbles rose to the surface and broke, causing rippling waves to roll
outward in increasingly large circles. Then a flood of oil came to the
surface of the sea, and the final evidence of the tragedy was
obliterated.

CHAPTER X

FRANCE AT LAST

From that moment the watch on each vessel in the fleet was redoubled,
and there was constant speculation, especially among the soldiers, as to
whether another submarine would be sighted, and, if so, under what
circumstances.

They had now abandoned the zig-zagging course and were taking a direct
route around the north of Ireland and toward the North Channel.

On the following morning two additional destroyers bore down upon them
from opposite points off the bow almost simultaneously, and as they came
both code-telegraphed their identity. With these extra convoys it seemed
indeed unlikely that a submarine would get near them, or, if it did,
would attempt to do other than make its own safe escape.

Fair Head, at the northeast corner of Ireland, gave them their first
sight of land since they had left the shores of America; and for many of
them this first glimpse of Erin's Isle brought with it the sentimental
thrill of seeing the country where their parents had been born and spent
their youth--for there was many a lad of Irish ancestry aboard the
_Everett_.

Rounding Fair Head without mishap or contact with a submarine, the
danger from that source was practically over. The convoy was reduced to
a cruiser and destroyer, and thus they laid a southeasterly course to
what your old-time sailor would have described as "a piping breeze."

They flanked the Isle of Man off its westward coast, and thence sped
directly across the Irish Sea and into the harbor of Liverpool.

Their arrival was unannounced. It was only one of many, and a thing to
which the people of that and other cities of England and France had
become quite accustomed. Nevertheless they welcomed the hosts of Uncle
Sam in the warmest manner, and in every possible way showed the deep
sense of appreciation and feeling of increased safety with which they
viewed the arrival of more and more thousands of American troops in
their