"I'll end that consultation," he muttered, and ordered that a torpedo be shot out directly between them.
Wizz! went the huge instrument of death, and as it struck the side of one of the German warships it went off with a terrific noise, tearing great holes in both vessels.
The ships were not sunk, but consternation now reigned supreme, for both were in danger of sinking.
"Hurrah!" yelled the jackies on board the Virginia. "Hurrah! The new Holland is at hand. The fight is ours!" And then the Virginia went into the contest with new vigor, which speedily placed the two foreign ships completely at her mercy. The Holland did not wait to see the end of the struggle, but ran back to where the sea battle was still at its hottest.
To the northward four American warships had been cornered by eight foreign ships and shot and shell were raining down as never before. Coming to the surface to get a good view of the situation, the young commander of the new Holland ordered that two of the new highite bombs be thrown at the largest of the enemy's vessels.
The bombs were aimed with great accuracy and did fearful execution, one almost clearing a deck of all the men standing upon it, while smoke-stacks and riggings went flying in all directions.
Then the Holland XI. sank below, but not before one of the Allies' warships had sent a thirteen-inch solid shot over her bow.
"Phew! But that was close!" muttered Andy Greggs. "A foot nearer and we would have had a pretty good-sized hole into us."
"We must expect to get hit sooner or later," answered Oscar. "Every one of the enemy is laying for us. They would rather sink us than capture our largest armored cruiser."
"To be sure, for the Holland XI. is more deadly to them than a score of cruisers."