n crew began to
appear. But the Q caught him; knocking his head off with the very
first shot, and riddling the whole sub in no time.

The same Q captain, Gordon Campbell, V.C., went out again in another Q
ship which was also disguised as a tramp. When a submarine attacked
her she zig-zagged away in wild alarm, firing only her one
merchantman's gun, and slowing down so as to get overhauled. Knowing
the sub would catch his message Campbell wirelessed "Help! Come quick!
Submarine chasing and shelling." Presently the Q stopped, done up, and
the "panic-party" left her to her fate. This fate really did seem, and
might have been, certain; for she was on fire from the shelling and her
after magazine blew up with terrible force, killing the stern gun's
crew and blowing the gun overboard. Moreover, the jar of this
explosion set off the alarm; so down came all disguises and out came
the guns. But Campbell, still determined to kill off that sub,
wirelessed in the secret code to keep all vessels off the horizon, lest
the sub should get scared and run away. Meanwhile she was diving, not
liking the explosions; and she presently sent a torpedo straight home.
Then the second "panic-party" left; and the Q ship lay wallowing in the
trough of the sea, with two holes in her side, a big fire blazing, and
ammunition boxes blowing up every few minutes. For nearly an hour the
sub hovered round, a good distance off, and ended by rising astern to
shell this obstinate Q ship to death. But even then the dauntless Q
men still aboard never gave a sign of life. The wounded lay in their
agonizing pain without making a sound, and stiff as soldiers at
_Attention!_ The rest stood by their guns and torpedoes, ready for
anything. In the meantime another dangerous fire was blazing, more
ammunition was blowing up, and the engulfing sea was creeping ever near
and nearer yet. At last the submarine, quite satisfied, ceased firing.
Then she closed, and Campbell fired two torpedoes, but missed with
both. After this he wirelessed for help. But when British and
American destroyers came tearing up they found him, cool as ever,
arranging for a third "panic-party" to jump overboard and leave him
alone with three men to try one more shot with the only gun left free
by the fire. He failed this time. But two of his men earnt the V.C.
as well as any men have ever earnt it; and his gallant Q herself went
down with colours flying.

The news soon passed r