He paused for a moment to let the import of his words sink home.

“But, Herr Schmidt, we do not propose to stay down here and wait for death to claim us,” he continued calmly.  “Life is sweet to us just as it is sweet to you.  We are all here together, prisoners and captors, and if we live you live; if we die you die.

“Now here is what I propose to do.  This, as you see, is a former U-boat of your navy that fell into our hands.  You are a brave German captain and I am sorry to have had to sink your ship.  But there is a way that you can save yourself and the men who survived with you.

“We are going to ascend in a few minutes.  You are to open this conning tower and call out to the commander of this destroyer overhead that your U-boat has accidentally stumbled into this net.  I am going to stand right here beside you in the conning tower with this revolver pressed squarely between your shoulders.  We understand your language and can hear every word you say.  If you decline to obey orders or make one false move you die instantly.  You are going to direct your men here in the hold to work themselves out on the deck of the Monitor fore and aft.  Mr. Hammond will go with the party forward, Mr. Wainwright aft.  They will be armed, with instructions to shoot the first man who seeks to give an alarm.  Your men will cut the cables and release this vessel.

“And now, what do you say?  Either comply with our plan or stay here and die with us.”

Herr Schmidt blinked for a full minute at the electric bulb over the compass.  Then he looked from McClure to Jack and then at Ted, the trio of American officers gazing intently at their prisoner, grim determination written on their faces.  He must have read in their eyes their willingness to die rather than submit tamely to surrender, for he turned in a moment to McClure and said: 

“I vill do as you command.”

McClure at once directed Jack and Ted to get down into the hold and change into the uniform of petty German officers, several such costumes having been found in the Monitor at the time of her capture.  At the same time McClure ordered the German prisoners brought into the control chamber where he had Bonte, the wireless man, explain the situation to them in detail.  Jack and Ted returned shortly and all was in readiness for the daring ruse.

“Remember, now, the first man who betrays us dies instantly,” said McClure as he gave orders to throw out ballast.

As the water was expelled from the tanks the Monitor began slowly to float upward.  Moving over to the periscope McClure watched intently for the moment when the sub would emerge from the sea and he clasped in each hand a heavy revolver.  In another moment the periscope had thrust its eyes out of the water and McClure was able to make out the outlines of a German destroyer standing on guard not more than sixty yards away.  Pointing to the conning tower hatch, the American commander turned to the German leader.