"No, sir, it isn't that," replied Jack. "I—"
He was interrupted by the boom of a single big gun followed by a heavy outbreak of cannonading. Lord Hastings jumped to his feet and dashed to the bridge, Jack and Frank close at his heels.
They glanced quickly at the supposed Japanese cruiser. But the Japanese ensign had been hauled down, and now there floated from the cruiser the flag of Germany! And the cruiser's fourth smoke stack had come down.
"The Emden!" cried Lord Hastings.
Bugles were sounding on all the allied ships, of war in the harbor, calling the men to quarters. Caught thus unprepared, the allied vessels were at an immense disadvantage.
Suddenly there was a loud explosion aboard one of the Russian cruisers, and a moment later it burst into flames. Now the other ships poured broadsides into the Emden, but she stuck to her post. One of the two French destroyers suddenly dived, head-first, into the sea, one of the Emden's submerged torpedoes having dealt her a deathblow.
A shell sped over the stern of the Sylph, but did no damage. Then, calmly, almost ignoring the remaining ships of the allied fleet, the Emden put about, and made off. Her raid had been successful, and it was another victory for the Kaiser.
The Emden continued to rain shells at her foes until she was out of range. Not minded to take any unnecessary risk, Lord Hastings let the Emden get well out of range, before he gave the command for the Sylph to follow.
Then, stripped for action, the Sylph set out upon the trail of the German cruiser.
"We are on the trail at last," said Lord Hastings, "and on the trail we'll remain until the Emden has been sent to the bottom." He turned to Jack. "Hereafter," he said, "I'll place faith in your premonitions."