"Germans!" came the cry from the lookout.
"I thought so," said Jack. "Frank, go to the radio room and find out how close our nearest support is."
Frank was back in a few minutes.
"Lion says to engage," he reported. "Says she'll be with us in less than an hour. Tiger says she will arrive not more than fifteen minutes later. Falcon and Hawk report they are less than an hour and a half away."
"Right," said Jack. "Trouble is those fellows are likely to out-range us, in which event we'll have to retire slowly, trying to draw them after us. In that way reinforcements may arrive sooner. Hello! There she goes!"
The roar of a great gun came across the water.
CHAPTER XXIV
THE ENGAGEMENT
"If we retire," said Jack, "we will leave the way open to the coast. At this minute we are in their way."