five minutes to 2 a.m.
He opposes the Arnauld de la Perrière school of thought , which pins faith on the gun , and Weissman has done nearly all his work with the good old torpedo . Altogether , undoubtedly a man to serve with . The U. 39 was in that buzzing and semi-active condition which to a trained eye is a sure indication that the ship is about to sail . Punctually at five minutes to 2 a.m. Weissman went to the bridge , and at 2 a.m. the wires were slipped and we started on a ten days ' trip . As the dim lights on the mole disappeared and the ceaseless fountain of star-shells , mingling with the flashing of guns , rose inland on our port beam my mind travelled overland to the flat at Bruges , and I wondered whether Zoe was lying awake listening to the ceaseless rumble of the Flanders cannon . We went on at full speed , as it was our intention to pass the Dover Straits before dawn . Though our intelligence bureau issues the most alarming reports as to the frightfulness of the defences here I was agreeably surprised at the ease with which we passed .