Jack looked in Frank's direction long enough to wave his hand; then turned back to his work.
Came a loud British cheer. "What's happened?" demanded Jack of the man next him, shouting at the top of his voice to make himself heard above the din of battle.
The man shook his head.
"Don't know," he shouted back, "unless the main fleet has been sighted."
"We might have sunk one of the enemy," said another.
As a matter of fact, both men were right.
Two German torpedo boats had gone to the bottom almost simultaneously under well directed British shots; and, far back across the sea, a flotilla of battleships had been sighted.
Apparently the Germans had not yet sighted the British reinforcements, for they continued to press their foes hard.
Four British torpedo boats had been sent to the bottom of the sea. They were the Tipperary, the Turbulent, the Nestore and the Shark. The others gave slowly before the enemy; and a moment later two of those sank—the Sparrow Hawk and the Ardent.
There now remained facing the entire German fleet the Lion, the Queen Mary, the Indefatigable, the Marlborough and two torpedo boats, the Fortune and the Alcaster.