"See it swing back and forth," said Alfred. "It seems to act queerly."
"Not at all," replied the captain. "Evidently we are chasing a ship which is zig-zagging, as we did, for the direction dial is constantly moving."
While thus conversing they were startled by the signal of four bells. One of the men, reaching forward, touched a button, and the signal could be heard in the conning tower. That was, evidently, to inform the commander there that all was in readiness. Everything was expectancy now. The ship still manoeuvered.
Then, without a warning of any kind, there was a singular dull sound, which seemed to shake the submarine from stem to stern.
"If I am not mistaken it is the last one they have," suggested the captain.
"I notice that all the cylinders with the open ends are without torpedoes, and you will notice that the one they are now putting in is the last one with the closed end," responded the captain.
"I am glad they haven't any more of them," said Ralph.
Three bells again sounded; the officer at the gun responded, and during the next two minutes of suspense, the boys were quiet, waiting for the next shot. It soon came; the ship shook as before, the breach block opened, the shell behind the torpedo was extracted, the door closed and the men stood at attention.
When the officer, who had handled the torpedoes, walked down the steps from the conning tower, the boys noticed him shake his head sadly.
"Did you notice that?" asked the captain.
"Do you mean the way he shook his head?" said Alfred.
"Yes; I am curious to get your views about that action of the officer," remarked the captain.
"That is, why he shook his head?" interjected Ralph.
"Yes," answered the captain. "Do you think he looked discouraged because the shot failed in its mission, or because it went home successfully? That is the problem."
The boys were quiet for a few moments. Ralph was the first to speak: "Well, I'll bet the torpedo didn't hit the ship, and he feels cut up over it, as it was the last one they had."
"I don't agree with you," rejoined Alfred. "It struck the ship and sunk it, and the fellow feels so badly about it that he shook his head the way he did when he thought of the suffering it caused. Don't you agree with me?" said Alfred, addressing the captain.