DARRIN SUSPECTS THE GERMAN PLAN
THE three shoals selected by Darrin extended over a length of about
thirty miles along the coast. It was the center one of these shoals on
which he had had previous experience.
Further, it was arranged that Dalzell should, in general, cruise along
the lower fifteen miles of this stretch, while the "Grigsby" should cover
the upper half. From time to time the two destroyers would meet.
After sending three mine-sweepers and the three patrol boats to the
shoals, two craft to each shoal, Darrin saw to it that the other six were
assigned to duty in the deeper waters off shore.
Then, with a hearty signal to the "Reed," the "Grigsby" started
northward. She steamed by the southernmost shoal, and was passing the
second when Darrin was called to the bridge by Ensign Ormsby.
"That patrol boat in there signals that she has made a find, sir, so I
have changed the course and am heading in."
Dave's eyes gleamed as he made out the next signal from the patrol, which
was:
"Soundings show her to be a big craft. Shall we rig the small bombs on
the sweep wires?"
"Wait until we arrive," was the answering signal from the "Grigsby."
In a few minutes the destroyer was within hailing distance of the patrol
boat, which was lying to in the neighborhood of the find.
"The enemy submarine appears to be at least 275 feet long, sir," reported
the patrol boat commander.
"Then a depth bomb should do the business better," Dave shouted back
through the megaphone. "Sail over the craft with your sweep, and I'll
follow. Signal when you judge us to be squarely over her."
Under bare headway the "Grigsby" fell in behind the now slow-moving
patrol boat. Almost at once the wire sweeps discovered the hull of the
hiding monster.
Ahead steamed the patrol boat, the destroyer following. Aft two men stood
by the depth bomb apparatus. Down came the white flag of the British
signalman on the smaller craft.
Dave's hand rested on the telegraph lever to the engine-room. He
signalled for full speed ahead, then at the proper moment he shouted:
"Let her go!"
An instant later the bomb splashed into the water.
Immediately following the splash there came a sullen, rending roar under
water. A great column of water leaped up from the sea, a heavy volume of
it landing on the after deck of the destroyer, all but washing overboard
one of the lookouts. The pressure of water fairly lifted the stern of the
"Grigsby" until her bow dipped far in.
Ensign Ormsby was thrown flat, almost rolling from the bridge. Dave,
fortunately, had taken a grip that saved him from falling.
It seemed as though the destroyer herself had been blown up, but she
quickly settled and scooted ahead at a furious rate.
"Half speed ahead," Darrin signalled, as soon as he could let go his
grip, and the "Grigsby" slowed down. At the same time she swung around.
Even at that distance the huge spread of oil on the surface could be
seen. A wild Yankee cheer rose, which was promptly echoed by the British
tars of the patrol boat.
"No depth bomb ever made that upheaval," Dave gasped, as soon as he could
speak, and Mr. Ormsby, much shaken, had picked himself up. "The bombs are
ugly affairs, but that felt like the explosion of about ten of them."
"Did you notice, sir, that the explosion lasted more than twice as long
as we've ever known one to last before?" the watch officer asked.
"Yes."
"Then what happened, sir?"
"Either our explosion touched off a torpedo, which does not seem likely,
or else--"
For an instant what he was about to say sounded so absurd that Darrin
hesitated.
"Well, sir--?" queried Ormsby.
"Or else that was a mine-layer, with a full cargo of mines aboard, all
ready for business, and--But you'll think I've gone daffy."
"No, I won't, sir; not after the way this ship rose out of the water,"
the watch officer declared. "You mean, sir, that our bomb went off right
over that craft's cargo of mines, and that the shock must have set off
the mines."
"That's certainly the way it looks to me," Darrin nodded.
"I believe it, sir."
Just a few moments later the patrol boat came within hail. Through his
megaphone Darrin stated what he believed had taken place.
"It's the only thing to account, sir, for such a tremendous explosion,"
replied the commander of the patrol. "I've been on hand to see a lot of
depth bombs go off, and I never saw an upheaval like the one you
produced, sir."
"Have soundings taken, Mr. Ormsby," Darrin directed. The depth of the
water was quickly reported. Dave glanced at the sky.
"The light will be strong enough for another hour," he decided. "Have
our two divers prepare to go down at once."
A launch, cleared away with the divers on board, was anchored in the
middle of the oil spot. Two divers went over the side. Presently they
signalled for extra cables. When these were let down they attached pieces
of metal and gave the signal to haul away.
By the time that the hour was up Darrin had abundant evidence to prove
that he had destroyed a mine-layer, and that his bomb had blown up
several mines stored on the craft. This evidence took the form of
fragments of mines.
"Some of these pieces must even have been driven up against our hull,"
Darrin declared. "It is a wonder that we were not sunk."
"The counter pressure of the water would lessen the force of these
fragments, especially after they had been blown out through the shell of
the submarine," Lieutenant Fernald argued. "But I agree with you, sir,
that it's a wonder the 'Grigsby' suffered nothing worse than a shaking."
Other evidence, too, the divers sent up. The destroyed craft had surely
been a mine-laying submarine. The divers measured the length of the
wrecked hull, finding it to be close to three hundred feet. They
reported, too, that scores of German dead lay in the wreckage.
For hours nothing more happened. Just before ten o'clock that night the
mine-sweeper's blinkers signalled a call to the "Grigsby," then about
four miles distant.
"They've found something," Darrin chuckled, when he reached the bridge on
a call from Lieutenant Fernald.
As the "Grigsby" was heading in toward the shoal, and had some minutes
still to go, Darrin asked:
"Mr. Fernald, you had a second and even more thorough inspection of the
hull made, as I directed?"
"Yes, sir; and found the hull so secure that I did not wake you to tell
you, sir. There has been no strain of the plates sufficient to start any
of them."
"I'm thankful to hear that," Darrin acknowledged. "Even with the big,
elastic cushion of water between us and that awful explosion, it seems
almost incredible that we did not wreck ourselves as well as the enemy."
"You've found another submarine?" Dave shouted through the megaphone, as
he rang for slow speed and ran parallel with the waiting snub-nosed
craft.
"We've found two somethings, sir," came back the reply. "They lie about
four hundred feet apart and heading in the same direction. I can find
them again, sir, but I didn't go back over them for fear they'd take the
alarm and run for it."
"Perhaps they have," Darrin suggested.
"I've dropped small buoys, sir, and can lead you over them."
"Then do so, and travel at full speed. Be prepared to get out of our way
if we come fast after dropping."
Even the two cool-headed sailors who stood by the depth bomb apparatus
stiffened themselves as they found the "Grigsby" following in the wake of
the mine-sweeper. The after lookouts lashed themselves fast against
injury by any such surprise as that of the afternoon.
As the signal flashed from the mine-sweeper ahead Dave passed the order
for the bomb instantly after ordering full speed.
There was an explosion, but an ordinary one, such as this crew of the
destroyer was accustomed to.
At full speed, too, Dave tried for the second hidden enemy boat. There
was barely time to have the second bomb in place when signal and order
came.
Another terrific explosion, like that of the afternoon! It seemed as
though the waters must divide! Yet the "Grigsby," moving fast all the
time, felt the shock severely, but not like the one of the afternoon.
About the destroyer came, playing her searchlight on the waters. The
tell-tale oil patches were there, showing only too plainly that two
submarine craft had been destroyed.
"Apparently one craft carried no mines, while the other was loaded with
them," said Dave to his executive officer. "Fernald, I think I'm
beginning to get an idea of the way the enemy are working their
mine-laying game. If I'm right we'll make a record along this patch of
shoals while the hunting lasts."
Patiently Fernald listened and waited, but did not speak. He hoped to
hear what his chief's idea was, but it was not the executive officer's
place to ask for it.
"I may even be able to figure out when the best time would be for hunting
these lazy rascals resting on the bottom," Darrin continued.
Mr. Fernald began to show signs of a more active curiosity.
"But I won't say much about it," Darrin smiled, "until I've more data to
work on and have proved some part of my theory."
Lieutenant Fernald looked so much like a man who wished to speak that
Dave laughed.
"Out with it, Fernald," he urged good-humoredly. "You've an idea, too.
You may tell me if you wish."
"Why, sir," replied the executive officer, "I've about concluded that the
enemy mine-laying submarines do not go back to base port for more mines.
They have some method for delivering them near here, and thus the
mine-layers are able to keep more steadily at work."
"That fits in excellently with my idea," Darrin nodded.
"And that would account for the great numbers of mines that the enemy is
able to lay hereabouts, and yet not have many of the craft caught by us,"
Lieutenant Fernald continued.
"Exactly," Dave agreed. "Moreover, the mine-layers take on their new
supplies at night, and do their resting here at night, and get away from
these shoals just before daylight."
"Of course," Fernald agreed. "If they rested here much in the daytime the
aircraft would discover and destroy them."
"We'll both keep at work on our ideas, Fernald," Dave proposed. "Besides,
we can take time to find facts to support our theories. Then we can get
together and start in the biggest smashing of mine-laying craft on
record."
Both paused in their talk to listen to the sudden boom of guns. Judged by
the sound and the wind, the firing was some six miles away.
"Lookout there!" Darrin sang out. "Do you see anything?"
"Yes, sir," came the reply from aloft. "It must be the 'Reed,' sir. She
must have gotten into something stiff, for she's moving shoreward at
slow speed and firing as fast as she can serve her guns. She's firing in
shoreward, sir."