‘Somebody grabbed me by the collar (I was told afterwards it was the T.B.’s boat I was hauled into), and I just managed to tell them how it was with the poor devils below. Then I fainted and came to in hospital, and that’s all about it.’ He drew a long breath. ‘The others?’ I hinted. ‘Oh, the tramp stood by, and her name and so on was taken, but she wasn’t held to blame, as nothing could be proved. Belton was the only man who could have spoken, but, as you know, they didn’t get the boat up for days.’ ‘But why was it some of the others couldn’t follow you up?’ ‘Something must have gone wrong below. Either they couldn’t drain the conning-tower or else the gas got through to them. When they raised her they were all gassed, poor beggars, and I think the doors must have leaked quicker than we’d thought, and I just got up in time.’ ‘You said something about a stoker being saved, didn’t you?’ ‘That was Howell, who was shut up in the engine-room. It’s an interesting story how he got out. He’s in Haslar Hospital now, if you’d like to go and see him.’ I said I should like to very much. ‘Then I’ll give you this,’ and Allison wrote something on the back of a card, ‘otherwise he may suspect you and tell you nothing.’ ‘I’ll go,’ I said, taking the card. ‘His story ought to be rather illuminating.’ ‘It will be, I expect. You mustn’t mind his language, though. He’s rather a hard nut.’ ‘Don’t think I shall. I’m used to that sort of thing after ten years close acquaintanceship with the Navy.’ Allison laughed. ‘And are you,’ I suggested, ‘really going to stop in submarines after an experience like that?’ ‘Why not?’ he laughed again. ‘Because I’m unlucky once it doesn’t follow that I will be again.’ ‘And the stoker?’ ‘He’s coming back with me as a leading hand. That is if he behaves himself,’ and he glanced at the card in my hand. ‘But when it was all over and you were in the hospital, how did you feel?’ ‘I felt a bit bad at first, and then I thought of the rest of them down there, and I felt as if I wanted a drink. The sister wouldn’t let me have one, though, and we had a proper blarney,’ and he broke off into some long story of the hospital. I saw that it was no more use and that the golden hour was passed. It was no good pressing it, and I was thankful to have gleaned so much. By-and-by he began to talk about his new boat again. ‘In another month she ought to be ready for trials,’ he said enthusiastically. ‘Hope you’ll come and see how she behaves.’ ‘I’d like to, but how about you? How will you feel the first time you go down again?’ My host grinned. ‘Can’t say, I’m sure, but if you come, and mind you’ve got to, I’ll let you know at the time, that is if you remind me, and I’m not too busy with contractors’ people and dockyard officials and so on, which I expect I shall be. Some of those dockyard people are blighters, you can’t get half you want out of them.’