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For a few minutes the two ships flung their wave lengths at each other and then the Monitor's operator closed the key to say to his chief: "That chap over there is the Bergerhof, mother ship of the German U-boat fleet with supplies of fuel and food for our enemy's submarines. She is keeping a tryst here with her children and expects them at this rendezvous within the next two hours.
"Little Mack" seized upon the suggestion and acted promptly. In code the mother submarine answered that she was coming to aid. "Let her come; we'll give her a hot reception," said McClure grimly. As the Bergerhof neared them McClure submerged a little and jockeyed his vessel into position for a sure shot.
With a mighty roar and a flash that illumined the night the speeding projectile crashed through the hull of the Bergerhof and rent the vessel like so much paper. "Seems like a pity to put them out of business, don't it?" said McClure with a tone of wistful regret as he surveyed the picture.
"We'll stick to the coast for the next six hours," said the Monitor's captain to his executive officer, "and may be able to lay out another U-boat hurrying to the tryst with Mother Bergerhof." Cruising on the surface the Monitor settled down for the night's run with Jack in command while his superior officer went below for a few hours' rest.
Gain the Monitor spoke the Bergerhof and received in turn a summons to come alongside and take on fresh stores of fuel. "If we do we will disclose our identity and it will be all off," said "Little Mack" in a quandary. Then Jack had an inspiration. "Tell them we are having some trouble with our diving rudders and will be along shortly," he offered.
So the conning tower of the Monitor was opened and the officers climbed on deck to watch the death struggle of the Bergerhof. The Monitor's torpedo had done its work well, for it was quite evident, as the American craft drew near the scene of the explosion, that the German vessel had been blown out of the water. "Probably a half dozen men were out on deck when we hit them," said McClure.
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