Rushing forward at seventeen knots, the Gloucester began to fire her weapons, and soon shells were singing about the decks of the Pluton and the Furor, the two Spanish gunboats. Then a lucky missile crashed into the engine-room of the latter, and in a moment she was a wreck, and rapidly sinking.
"Now for the other," shouted the commander. "Give it her all you know, boys!"
The men responded with a will, and with such success that the Pluton was soon in a sinking condition, and to save her crew was run upon the rocks.
"Now we will see what else can be done," the commander of the Gloucester cried. "Keep her straight along the coast, quartermaster. Perhaps we shall be able to pick up some prisoners. Hillo! Our boys are givin' it to the Dons."
Admiral Schley's fleet was, indeed, handling the Spanish ships severely. Steaming straight in for Santiago, the Americans had put their helms to port as soon as they were well within range. Then their guns began to roar, and soon they were obscured in big clouds of smoke. Running west along the coast-line of Cuba, the Infanta Maria Teresa and her consorts returned the fire as vigorously as their poor armaments would allow, and all the time rushed ahead at their fastest pace, hoping to escape.
"They'll do it," shouted Gerald, excitedly. "They've the lead, and will get dead away."
"Not a bit of it," Hal answered quietly. "We have some fast ships out there, and the New York is patrolling the coast higher up. Admiral Cervera's fleet is doomed."
"It aer that," one of the sailors standing near by burst in. "Them 'ere ships won't run much more'n an hour. Look at 'em now, and the way the shells aer strikin'."
With eyes glued to glasses, or with hands held above the brows to keep away the glare of the sun, every officer and man on the deck of the Gloucester followed the course of the naval battle with breathless interest.
The leading Spanish vessel, the Maria Teresa, was by now nearly six miles from Santiago, but she stood not a ghost of a chance. Every available gun was turned upon her, and she was struck by no fewer than twenty-nine shells. The number of hits was actually small in comparison with the guns employed; but they were crushing blows. Two enormous twelve-inch shells crashed into her stern, shattering everything in their course towards the bows. Eight-inch, five-inch, and six-pounders exploded in every part, killing numbers of the unfortunate sailors. But even now she was steaming as steadily as ever, and was pluckily replying; for her armor casing had protected her water-line and her most vulnerable part, the engines. However, she was not to escape, for the woodwork caught fire, and as there was a great deal of it, and as the water main had been cut by the shells, she was soon a blazing mass, drifting hopelessly and helplessly towards the land.