the bow of the German warship showed on the range glass of the
periscope, and then released a torpedo.

Instantly a great volume of compressed air swirled into the upper port
chamber; the bowcap was opened and the missile sped on its way.

"Gee, I hope that 'moldy' lands her!" shouted Jack at the sound of the
discharged torpedo.

Although but a short time in the North Sea and just getting well
acquainted with their English cousins, the American lads were fast
learning the lingo of the deep. To every man aboard the _Dewey_ a
torpedo was a "moldy," so named by the English seamen.

As the torpedo crew sprang to reload the emptied chamber the _Dewey's_
diving rudders were turned, ballast was shipped and she started to
dive. The plunge came none too soon. A lookout on the German
cruiser, eagle-eyed about his daring venture, had noted the approaching
torpedo and sounded an alarm. At the same moment the ship's rudder
was thrown over and she swung to starboard, paralleling the position
of the _Dewey_. And just as she came around one of her big searchlights
aft flashed into life and shot its bright rays over the water. For a
moment or two a finger of ghostly white shifted aimlessly to and fro
over the surf ace of the sea and then centered full upon the
disappearing periscope of the _Dewey_! Instantly came the boom of
the ship's guns as they belched a salvo at the tormenting submarine.

"Missed him by inches," growled McClure after waiting long enough to
be convinced that the torpedo had sped wide of the mark.