“Survivors from der German gunboat Strassburg,” came the reply in broken English.

McClure ordered them to come alongside and cautioned his men to be on guard against any surprise attack.

Out of the gloom came the lifeboat like a weird specter, propelled by the sweeping oars of half a dozen frantically working seamen.  It was crowded with a motley crew of bedraggled sailors.  They presented a pitiable spectacle as their craft slowly made its way toward the Dewey and into the bright rays from the searchlights.

“We have two of your men in here,” shouted the leader of the party, who was evidently an officer of the sunken warship.  At the same time two boys well to the stern waved their arms frantically toward the group on the conning tower of the Dewey.

“Here I am, Jack, and Bill Witt is right with me,” came the familiar voice of Ted Wainwright.

“Hurrah!” the cry arose from the deck of the American submersible.  Overcome with joy, Jack could scarce restrain his emotions as he clutched the periscope pole and shielded his eyes with his other hand to make sure that his ears had not deceived him.  Yes, it was Ted—–­and there was Bill just behind him!

Making its way clumsily forward, the boat finally drew up alongside.  Willing hands helped Ted and Bill up the steep side of the Dewey and they were tendered such a reception as they had never known before.  Then ensued a parley between the petty officer of the sunken gunboat Strassburg and the commander of the Dewey.

“We are very happy to be your prisoners, under the circumstances,” began the German officer in his best English.

“I thank you for rescuing my men,” said McClure.  “Sorry I can’t take you aboard, but I’ll tow you to the Dutch coast or transfer you to the first inbound trader.  Satisfactory?”

“Thank you, sir,” said the German.

Before making fast the towline from the lifeboat to the stern of the Dewey for the journey toward the coast McClure had Jean Cartier and his commissary assistant bring up pots of steaming hot coffee and dole it out to the forlorn Teutons.

Jack went below with Ted and Bill Witt to hear the story of their escape.  It appeared that they had floated around together in the dark; had witnessed the sinking of the gunboat Strassburg and, when it went down, had been caught in the swell of the water and carried far from the lights of the Dewey.  They had seen the submarine when it turned on its powerful searchlights.

“Bill and I thought we were done for,” said Ted between gulps of coffee.  “We had just about given up for good.  We tried to swim, but our clothes and the life-belts weighed us down, and our legs and arms were so cramped we couldn’t make any headway.  Then while we were trying to keep our eyes on the faint lights of the Dewey, what should we see but a boat steering right at us!  Without any words, the Germans stooped right down and dragged us into their boat.  None of us could see each other very well, but we soon made out they were Germans.  They discovered our nationality about the same time and they wouldn’t believe us when we told them we were from the U.S. submarine that had sunk them.”