Then an
officer gifted with sound common-sense, cried out in English, so that
the majority could understand:
"It is a destroyer! It is a destroyer belonging to the Stars and Stripes
coming to our rescue. Three cheers!"
Nobody gave the three cheers, but it heartened every one to hear them
called for, and the real meaning of the smoke was borne to all.
"Of course it can't be a submarine!" exclaimed Blake. "They don't send
out any smoke, and there aren't any other German boats at sea. It's a
destroyer!"
"One of ours, do you think?" asked Charlie.
"Perhaps. Uncle Sam has a lot of 'em over here to act as convoys.
Probably this is our escort coming up a little late to the ball," said
Joe.
"But we did very well by ourselves," observed Blake. "It was a narrow
squeak, though."
And indeed it was a narrow escape. The _Jeanne_ had, unaided, driven off
the undersea boat, and perhaps had damaged her by the rain of shot and
shell poured at her steel sides. They could not feel sure of this,
though, for the approach of the destroyer was probably known to the
submarine, for they have underwater telephones which tell them, by means
of the throbbing of the screws and propellers in the water, just about
how far away another ship is, and what speed she is making, as well as
the direction from which she is coming.
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