The distance of the destroyer from the steamer believed to be the German raider, was too great as yet for a shot to be tried. They were near enough to the sailing ship to see two boats launched before it was considered well to use the guns.
Then the Colodia sent her first shells close to the boats that were being rowed toward the steam craft.
“There are only men in those lifeboats,” declared Ensign MacMasters, who had been examining the distant specks through powerful glasses. “It looks as though the mutineers had abandoned ship and passengers and were attempting to join their fellow countrymen aboard the Sea Pigeon.”
Immediately the commander ordered shells to be dropped between the small boats and the steamer, and the long distance guns began to crack at the raider over the heads of the escaping mutineers.
With her smoke trailing behind her and the guns barking in rapid succession, the Colodia raced toward the scene. She kept well away from the sailing craft, but she drove on in a way to cut off the two rowboats from the raider.
That it was the Sea Pigeon, nobody aboard the destroyer now doubted.
“We’re going to kill two birds with one stone, boys!” declared Ensign MacMasters cheerfully to the Navy Boys. “I’ll bet that sailing ship is the one your friends are aboard.”
His cheerfulness did not wholly overcome George Belding’s depression. George was now worrying as to what had been done to the passengers of the Redbird before the mutineers left the sailing ship!
That she was his father’s vessel he was confident. Her rig was familiar to him.
As the destroyer drew nearer, too, her crew saw certain figures on the deck of the sailing vessel that seemed to be wildly signaling the naval craft. Just then the Colodia could not stop to investigate. Her work was to settle first with the Germans.