Then I smiled the smile of the evil-doer, and followed him in silence to the penny tram. Under his protecting wing I was borne into the yard, and presently came on ‘90,’ where she was being whacked and riveted and hammered into shape. It was like all other visits to dockyards, and secretly I was rather glad when it was over, but I had gained my host’s confidence in me and felt well pleased with my afternoon’s work. We had tea at Southsea, and talked over old times and many other things, and then returned once more to the hotel and dinner. I refused all invitations to the Hippodrome afterwards, having my purpose in view, and when we reached the coffee and liqueur stage I felt that the psychological moment had arrived. I didn’t rush things, however; I led up to it gently, and let him have it in small doses till he swallowed the bait. Hard and uphill work, but it came off in the end. He had been explaining some of the advantages his new command had over the older boats he had served in, and I felt the time was ripe. ‘How does she compare,’ I hinted, and ended with a lowered voice, ‘with poor old “02”?’ He coloured a bit and hesitated, and I thought that all was lost, then,-- ‘Taking her all round,’ he answered slowly, ‘“02” wasn’t in the same street. She was a good old packet, though.’ He sighed. I passed the port again and waited. ‘It might have happened to any type of boat, you know, really,’ he continued. ‘It was a sheer bit of bad luck.’ It was coming, and I nodded in silence. ‘I’ve never been able to quite make out how it happened,’ he went on. ‘Whether poor old Belton made a mistake, or the Dutchman got scared and put his helm over.’ ‘The Dutchman?’ I queried. ‘Norwegian tramp bound out for the Atlantic. Off Portland we were. We’d been told off with a T.B. for practice attacks, and were in shallow water at the time, about ten fathoms. About ten o’clock in the morning it was, and lovely weather too. The T.B. was away on ahead of us, and just before we dived we noticed a steamer about six miles off coming towards us down Channel. I remember pointing her out to Belton. Then we went under, and I was busy for’ard with the “fish.” Belton had taken careful bearings of the tramp, and I’m not sure whether he got so interested in his attack that he didn’t pay enough attention to her, or whether the tramp suddenly saw the T.B.’s flag and banged the helm over. I think it was a bit of both. ‘We’d been diving about half an hour when the skipper ordered me to “flood the tubes,” and about five minutes later I got the order “stand by.” You know how those old boats were, the way the sluice door worked and so on?’ I nodded and sipped my drink. ‘The T.I. and I brought her to the ready and reported, and then came the stillness that immediately precedes a shot; you know, everybody waiting for the order. ‘“Stand by” Belton called again, and then to the coxswains, “when I fire, forty feet.”