It was the _Paramount_ who took and gave the first knocks; her searchlight was shot away, and in reply she succeeded in putting one of the enemy’s guns out of action. In the meantime, and none too soon, the _Present Help_ had sent up the red rocket. It was seen by two other armed drifters, the _Acceptable_ and the _Feasible_, who were less than 2 miles off, and by H.M.S. _Gipsy_, who was 4 miles away. Skipper Lee, of the _Acceptable_, immediately sang out "Action," and both boats blazed away at 3,000 yards range, getting in at least one hit on the enemy’s conning-tower. At the same moment came the sound of the _Gipsy’s_ 12-pounder, as she rushed in at full speed. The U-boat had started with an enormous and apparently overwhelming advantage of gun-power. She ought to have been a match, twice over, for all six of our little ships, but she was on dangerous ground, and the astounding resolution of the attack drove her off her course. In ten minutes the drifters had actually pushed her ashore on the Goodwin Sands—the _Paramount_ had closed to 30 yards. Drake himself was hardly nearer to the Spanish galleons. Then came the _Gipsy_, equally determined. Her first two shots fell short, the third was doubtful, but after that she got on to the target, and the enemy’s bigger remaining gun was no match for her 12-pounder. After two hits with common pointed shell, she put on eight out of nine lyddite shells, smashed the German’s last gun and set him on fire forward. Thereupon the U-boat’s crew surrendered and jumped overboard. It was now 7.20 and broad daylight. Lieutenant-Commander Frederick Robinson, of the _Gipsy_, gave the signal to cease fire, and the five drifters set to work to save their drowning enemies. The _Paramount_, who was nearest, got thirteen, the _Feasible_ one, and the _Acceptable_ two. The _Gipsy’s_ whaler was got away, and her crew, under Lieutenant Gilbertson, R.N.R., tried for an hour to make headway against the sea, but could not go further than half a mile, the tide and weather being heavily against them. They brought back one dead man, and one prisoner in a very exhausted condition; afterwards they went off again and collected the prisoners from the other ships. Later came the procession back to port—a quiet and unobtrusive return, but as glorious as any that the Goodwins have ever seen. Full rewards followed, and the due decorations for Skippers Thomas Lane, Edward Kemp, and Richard William Barker. But their greatest honour was already their own—they had commanded in victorious action his Majesty’s armed drifters the _Present Help_, the _Paramount_, and the _Majesty_. *CHAPTER XXIX.* *ZEEBRUGGE.*