Page:Cruise of the Dry Dock.djvu/294

 The two crews fell into silence, and Malone ordered his men below. Some of the dock's crew hurried off with the others to cut down coal in the bunkers. Another gang fell to work; pulling in the sea anchor. But over all their various activities hovered the vast consternation of war.

Caradoc had climbed to the bridge of the Vulcan and stood staring silently at the bulk of the mother ship that was barely discernible through the night. The searchlight had been switched off. Neither ship showed a signal. From below came the muffled sounds of men working at the furnace, and in five or ten minutes a film of smoke trickled out of the Vulcan's great funnel.

Madden climbed up on the bridge beside Caradoc.

“How long before the submarine will be out?” he asked in a low tone.

“Small boats will come first,” replied Smith. “That's why they shunted off the searchlight—to surprise us.”

“Will they try to board us?”

“Certainly. We'll have to defend ourselves