Then the order was given, and her own guns began to speak. It was at long range, but the marksmanship of American gun crews had become really wonderful. The high, shrieking shells sought out the German ship, and within the first dozen sent over, the radio man on the Ferret reported a “strike.” One of the Sea Pigeon’s smokestacks was carried away!
The fight was on. The Americans hoped to get near enough to the German boat to bring her to terms within a very short time.
CHAPTER XXIV—THE BLIND CHASE
The excitement of the dash for the embattling ships left the Colodia’s company no thought for anything else. Even dinner had been half-neglected, although that came early in the race.
As for weather indications or the like, nobody thought of such things. And here suddenly appeared a phenomenon that bade fair to help the Germans and place the destroyer in a less confident position.
The American ship had arrived just in time to save the Ferret; her upperworks were badly wrecked although providentially the wireless outfit of the British ship was not crippled.
One of her guns was put out of commission and a shell under the stern had knocked out the propeller just as the Colodia entered the fight. She swung now to the slow current, and as the destroyer rushed past her the British crew could only cheer her on. Their work was done—and done well!
But here came a cloud rolling along the surface of the sea from the south that offered shelter for the raider, the prow of which was already turned in that direction. The German had no intention of remaining to fight the battle out with the guns of the destroyer.
The raider was not, of course, any match for the American naval vessel. It was the part of wisdom for her to run. Besides, she was already crippled, and it would have been but a matter of a few minutes before she would either have to capitulate or be sunk had she continued in the fight. The Colodia might even have kept out of range of the raider’s guns, circled about the German, and destroyed her at pleasure. Or she could have sent a torpedo against the pirate ship and blown her to bits.
Here, however, fortune helped the enemy. The cloud of fog laid along the surface of the sea offered the Sea Pigeon refuge. She proved again that she was a “wary bird!”