"That's the way they blow holes in their schweitzer cheese," ventured
Mike Mowrey with a chuckle.

It was decided to submerge a little deeper and then leisurely inspect
the interior hull aft. An observation with the microphones disclosed
the fact that the destroyer was moving out into the North Sea.

"Guess they think they got us that time," suggested Lieutenant McClure
to his executive officer.

"Was rather a close call, come to think of it," smiled Cleary.

The latter went aft with Chief Engineer Blaine for the hull inspection
and returned in a few moments to say that, so far as could be observed
from the interior, she had not been dealt a severe blow. The executive
officer ventured the opinion that the keel of the destroyer had brushed
along the aft deck, thus accounting for the fact that the submarine
had suddenly been tilted downward at the stern.

"We'll not dare submerge too deep," said Lieutenant McClure. "Pressure
against our hull increases, you know, at the rate of four and a quarter
pounds to the square inch for every ten feet we submerge. It may be
our plates were weakened by that collision. We'll go down to one
hundred feet and lie there until these ships get out of the way."

The depth dial showed eighty feet. More water, accordingly, was
shipped and the _Dewey_ slipped away to the desired depth, when the
intake of ballast ceased and the tiny vessel floated alone in the
sea. Determined to take no more chances with the Kaiser's navy
until he had ascertained the true condition of his own vessel, Lieutenant