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until long after it was too late to succor me. The top of the conning-tower was
now awash. I clung to the wireless mast, while the great waves surged sometimes
completely over me.
I knew the end was near and, almost involuntarily, I did that which I had not
done since childhood--I prayed. After that I felt better.
I clung and waited, but the water rose no higher.
Instead it receded. Now the top of the conning-tower received only the crests of
the higher waves; now the little triangular deck below became visible! What had
occurred within? Did Benson believe me already gone, and was he emerging
because of that belief, or had he and his forces been vanquished? The suspense
was more wearing than that which I had endured while waiting for dissolution.
Presently the main deck came into view, and then the conning-tower opened
behind me, and I turned to look into the anxious face of Bradley. An expression
of relief overspread his features.
"Thank God, man!" was all he said as he reached forth and dragged me into the
tower. I was cold and numb and rather all in. Another few minutes would have
done for me, I am sure, but the warmth of the interior helped to revive me, aided
and abetted by some brandy which Bradley poured down my throat, from which
it nearly removed the membrane. That brandy would have revived a corpse.
When I got down into the centrale, I saw the Germans lined up on one side with a
couple of my men with pistols standing over them. Von Schoenvorts was among
them. On the floor lay Benson, moaning, and beyond him stood the girl, a
revolver in one hand. I looked about, bewildered.
"
What has happened down here?" I asked. "Tell me!"
Bradley replied. "You see the result, sir," he said. "It might have been a very
different result but for Miss La Rue. We were all asleep. Benson had relieved the
guard early in the evening; there was no one to watch him--no one but Miss La
Rue. She felt the submergence of the boat and came out of her room to
investigate. She was just in time to see Benson at the diving rudders. When he
saw her, he raised his pistol and fired point-blank at her, but he missed and she
fired--and didn't miss. The two shots awakened everyone, and as our men were
armed, the result was inevitable as you see it; but it would have been very
different had it not been for Miss La Rue. It was she who closed the diving-tank
sea-cocks and roused Olson and me, and had the pumps started to empty them."
And there I had been thinking that through her machinations I had been lured to
the deck and to my death! I could have gone on my knees to her and begged her
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