It was not permissible for him to leave his diving station, the “Centrale,” which is situated in the center of the boat, without special permission. “Yes, Herr Engineer, go ahead down and fire up hard!” I replied. The thumping of the heavy oil-motors became stronger, swelled higher and higher, and, at last, became a long drawn out roar, and entirely drowned the sound of the occasional jolts which always were distinctly discernible when going at slower speed. One truly felt how the boat exerted its strength to the utmost and did everything within its power. We had put ourselves on another course which put the anxiously signaling Britishers obliquely aport of our stern, and rushed with the highest speed for about ten minutes until their lights became smaller and weaker. We then turned point by point into our former course, and thus slipped by in a large half circle around the hostile ships. “Just as a cat around a bowl of hot oatmeal,” said Lieutenant Petersen. “No, my dear friend,” I said laughingly, “it does not entirely coincide. The cat always comes back, but the oatmeal is too hot for us in this case. Or do you think that I intend to circle around those two rascals for hours?” “Preferably not, Herr Captain-Lieutenant. It could end badly!” “Both engines in highest speed forward, let the crew leave the diving stations, place the guards!” I ordered. The danger had passed. Normal conditions at night could again be resumed. But before the morning set in, we again experienced all kinds of adventures. The night was as if bewitched. There was no sleep worth mentioning. I had hardly, towards ten o’clock, reached my comfortable little nest where the sailor Schultes, our own considerate “cup-bearer,” had spread on my miniature writing-desk the most tempting delicacies of preserves and fruit together with a bottle of claret, when a whistle sounded in the speaking-tube on the wall right close to my head: “Whee-e!” it shrieked, high, penetrating and alarming. I jumped up, pulled out the stopper and put in the mouth-piece. “Hello!” “Two points from starboard a white light!” I grabbed my cap and gloves and rushed sternward through the deck officer’s room, petty officer’s room, and crew-room, each one narrower than the other. “Look out, the commander!” they shouted to one another, and pulled in their legs so that I could get by. “Ouch!” I bumped my head hard against the stand of an electric lamp. I rubbed the sore spot as I hurried ahead, while I took an oath to myself that the lamp should be moved at the first possible opportunity. I hurried through the “Centrale,” up the narrow stairway. Then I reached my place. “Where?” “There!” Lieutenant Gröning, who was on guard, pointed out. “About three points starboard!” “It is a steamer. One can already see the red side lantern. It is crossing our course.”