The forward 9.2 gun of the St. George emitted a thin straight streak of flame, and there was a strange whining noise in the air.
"Bang! Bang!"
The Doris came into action at the same time as the St. George fired her second gun. Both shots fell short, and the spray of the ricochets leapt up into the air.
The fugitive steamer was now moving at full speed; there was a great fan-shaped patch of white water at her stern.
"Bang!"
All this time the two British warships were going ahead, firing as they went. Then, from the stern of the strange steamer, floated a whiff of white smoke, and, in a second, the eerie whine of a shell came to the passengers who crowded the deck of the Taglan Castle. The shell missed the firing warships; indeed, it did not seem to be aimed in their direction, but it fell uncomfortably close to the mail boat. Another shell fell wide of the steamer, but in a line with her. The manoeuvre of the flying vessel was now apparent. She carried heavier metal than the second-class cruisers of the British fleet, but her object was to disable the mail boat.
The captain of the Taglan did not wait for orders; he rung his engines full speed ahead, and swung his helm hard aport. He was going to steam back out of range.
But no further shot came from the Maria Braganza.
Smaller and smaller she grew until only a pall of smoke on the horizon showed where she lay.
Obeying a signal from the distant warship, the Taglan came round again, and in half-an-hour had come abreast of the two warships, the faithful Philomel in attendance.