Page:Ruth of the U.S.A. (IA ruthofusa00balm).pdf/121

 or submerged. While she pursued, her radio was reporting to the Ribot; and the Ribot's rasped in return.

Oil in convincing quantities had come to the surface where the Starke had dropped its charge. Of course, the Germans often pumped oil out of their U-boats, when no damage had been done, for the purpose of deceiving the hunters and making them think they had destroyed a U-boat when they had not. But the officers of the Starke had been satisfied with their findings; they would follow up the other U-boat and then return. They understood that only two U-boats had appeared to the Ribot; if another came or if either of the two reappeared, the Starke would return instantly.

No third enemy came; and neither of the others reappeared. In fact, the Starke failed to find any further trace of the U-boat which, for a time, had fought upon the surface and then run away. Either the gunfire of the Ribot or of the Starke had so damaged it that it suddenly sank, leaving no survivors; or—as the men aboard the Ribot seemed to think was more likely—the crew succeeded in repairing the damage done so that it was able to submerge and escape. In this case, it might venture another attack, by torpedo, upon the drifting Ribot; so the Starke, after abandoning the search, put herself beside the Ribot. An American officer came aboard, bringing with him a surgeon to aid in care of the Ribot's wounded; he brought also mechanics to assist the engine crew of the Ribot in repairs and he supplied, from his own crew, men to take the places of the Ribot's crew who had been killed.

Ruth watched the young lieutenant—he was few years