The flotilla of coal-burning destroyers had arrived from the Azores to reinforce the yachts of the Breton Patrol, and four of them were assigned to this escort, the _Lamson_, _Flusser_, _Preston_, and _Smith_. The yachts _Alcedo_ and _Wakiva_ were also detailed to join the group, and no previous convoy outward bound had been so heavily protected as this. The loss of the _Antilles_ had aroused excitement in the United States because of the false report that the attack had been made by a whole flock of submarines. This was one of those hair-raising newspaper yarns of war-time which would have been important if true. Steaming out to sea, the _Corsair_ led the imposing column, with a destroyer on each bow of the _Finland_, the _Alcedo_ to starboard of the _Buford_, the _Wakiva_ to port, and a destroyer hovering on each quarter of the _City of Savannah_. There had been no intimation of danger other than the fanciful rumor of the prediction made by the suddenly deceased steward of the _Antilles_ and the routine warning included in the Force orders, “Enemy submarines operating in war zone as usual.” At 9.25 A.M., one day out from port, the _Finland_ was struck by a torpedo on the starboard side. Again there was no sign of a submarine. This time, however, the _Corsair_ heard the explosion and saw a huge column of water spout up against the ship. But the _Finland_ had no intention of sinking and merely slowed down, then halted, blowing off steam as though waiting for the other transports to catch up with her. As seen from the _Corsair_, she rode on an even keel and it was impossible to realize that a torpedo had torn a hole thirty-five feet wide in her side, into which the sea was gushing like a cataract. On board the _Finland_ were many of the survivors of the _Antilles_ and they were in no mood for an encore. They set the pace for the crew of the _Finland_ in the race to abandon ship and the big transport seemed fairly to spill boats and men from every deck. They were dropping overboard before she had wholly slackened way. It was an amazing spectacle. At a distance the _Finland_ made one think of shaking apples from a tree. [Illustration: THE CORSAIR DROPS A MINE AND SHAKES UP FRITZ] Several of us were standing by the engine-room hatch [wrote Quartermaster Augustus Smith of the _Corsair_], watching the _Finland_ as she steamed along in that very slow convoy. We were discussing her chances of getting through, and the story that the U-boats were laying for her, when suddenly a white burst of water rose under her bridge and climbed to the top of the foremast. It seemed to be followed by a pillar of dark smoke. At the same time the _Corsair_ was fairly lifted out of the sea by the force of the explosion. All hands made a run for battle stations without waiting for the call.