There was the thought of vengeance, too. If they could but overtake the German pirates and punish them as they deserved! “It is all very well,” said Belding, “to put forth the excuse that these Heinies only do what they are ordered to do. But how many of us Yankees, for instance, would obey our officers if they ordered us to commit such fiendish crimes as these submarine crews do, right along?” The chance that the German submarine would remain in the vicinity of the freighter till she sank, was not overlooked by the commander of the _Colodia_. All on board were urged to keep their eyes open for the first sign of the enemy. But it was the refugees from the _Western Star_ that the destroyer first raised--a flotilla of small boats being pulled steadily to the eastward where lay the islands surrounding Teneriffe. The _Colodia_ kept away from the survivors, fearing that she might draw the fire of the submarine and that thereby the safety of the small boats would be endangered. The _Western Star_ was a roaring furnace, from stem to stern. The smoke and flame billowed out from her sides, offering a picture of devastation that was fairly awe-inspiring. But the sea immediately about the burning ship, as far as the _Colodia’s_ crew could see, was quite empty. There was no sign of the enemy submarine. A signalman called to the bridge, flagged the survivors, and a man arose in the leading boat to answer. The Americans made out that the German submarine had been in the vicinity until within a very few minutes. She had but recently disappeared beyond the burning steamship, but had not at that time submerged. Commander Lang gave orders for a dash around the stern of the _Western Star_. It was hoped that the approach of the destroyer might have escaped the notice of the submarine’s commander. Suddenly there was heard an explosion of a shell in the hull of the burning ship. A great balloon of smoke belched forth and the craft shook from bow to stern. It was evident that the Germans were getting impatient and wished the big freighter to sink. The gunners of the destroyer were at their stations. There was a chance that they would get a shot at the submarine before she could submerge. The _Colodia_ roared on, rounding the stern of the doomed ship. Another shell burst within her fire-racked hull; a second explosion followed, and the hull fairly fell apart amidships! Then the American destroyer dashed into view of the enemy. The big submarine lay only two cable lengths from the sinking ship, all her upper works visible to the excited Americans. Even her conning tower was open. She really did look like a small freighter, even at that distance. She had collapsible masts and smokestacks, and there were more than a dozen men on her deck. It would take some time to submerge such a craft. Plainly the Germans had not apprehended the approach of the American destroyer. “Hurrah, boys!” yelled one of the petty officers, “we’re going to take tea with Heinie!”