Ted and his crew had the hardest work because of
the fact that the netting had become entangled in the propeller blades.
Jack and his men finished first, having lifted the last steel mesh
clear of the prow of the _Monitor_, the Germans under him standing
about the deck at his command as though but taking a little air
on the deck of their own vessel After what seemed an eternity to
the submarine commander in the conning tower, Herr Schmidt announced
that the vessel was clear of the entanglements.
"Fine!" exclaimed McClure. "Now we are going away from here."
So saying, he rang the engine room ahead and the _Monitor_ began to
move off at moderate speed. At the same time there was a great
commotion on the German destroyer and a voice at the end of a megaphone
demanded in stentorian tones where the U-boat was going.
"Tell them we are going into Ostend," said McClure, as the German
officer relayed the message into the conning tower.
Now the American officers were intent upon a safe get-away.
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