The torpedo craft of the French, gathered behind the French battle line dashed forward suddenly, headlong for the Austrian fleet. For two miles they sped on, apparently unnoticed by the enemy, then the great turret guns of the Austrians opened on them. The French torpedo craft began to suffer. Two together swung broadside to the Austrians, riddled with holes; the boiler of a third burst, the ship broke in two and sank almost instantly. But the others raced on.
Toward the big Austrian battleships they dashed. Austrian torpedo boats rushed out to meet them.
A shell from a French warship struck one of these, and she went to the bottom immediately. Others suffered by the French fire.
Four thousand yards from the Austrian fleet the French torpedo boats launched their torpedoes; then they fled back to the protection of the battleships, still engaged with the Austrian pursuers with small guns.
But they had done their work. A hundred torpedoes, driven by their motors of compressed air just below the surface, were steering automatically for the Austrian battleships.
Suddenly the fourth ship of the Austrian line staggered; a white spray of water leaped high in the air, and the Austrian vessel split into many pieces. The first torpedo had gone home. The fifth and sixth Austrian battleships also now leaped from the water, and then sank from sight. Farther back another Austrian ship dropped from the line of battle.
Now a school of Austrian torpedo craft dashed forward again. They were met by a fierce hail of fire from the French, but in spite of this they succeeded in launching their torpedoes, and the French battleship, far back, suddenly disappeared from the surface of the Adriatic.
Now the battle grew so terrific that individual ship movements could not be kept track of. The Austrian torpedo craft retreated and the French gave chase. Jack and Frank saw all this, soaring above the sea, a part of it, and yet not a part of it, for so far they had had little to do.
Pierre, seated in front of Jack, suddenly uttered a shout. Following the direction of the pilot's eyes, Jack perceived a great, gray, pencil-shaped object approaching through the air. He recognized it instantly—a German war dirigible, sent to help the Austrians. Under it flew smaller forms, aeroplanes accompanying it as guard. And now a second Zeppelin appeared—and then a third.
Swiftly they swept over the sea. A moment and they had passed over the broken line of Austrian battleships, and sped on toward the French fleet. The French perceived the menace, and their special quick-firers, elevated for aeroplane defense, came into action.