Trentham held his breath as he watched its flight. Before he was prepared for it there was a thunderous crash; the boulder had struck the side of the vessel a few feet below the rail, within twenty feet of the bows, passing clean through the plates, and leaving a huge rent. Almost immediately afterwards another boulder crashed through the deck slightly abaft the funnel. There was an instant rush of steam; apparently it had smashed through one of the boilers.
WITH A THUNDEROUS CRASH IT STRUCK THE SIDE OF THE VESSEL A FEW FEET BELOW THE RAIL.
Among the crew surprise had become consternation, and now developed into panic. Men rushed from below and sprang overboard. Others were running wildly about the deck. The captain had gone forward with one of his officers to see the extent of the damage there. Water was pouring through the side. Trentham, judging that the vessel was at any rate disabled, and that it was time to be gone, turned to climb up the slope, and wriggled hastily aside to avoid a boulder which had swerved in its course and was hurtling in his direction. He stopped to throw a last glimpse below; the boulder which he had so narrowly escaped carried away the donkey-engine, and ricochetted from the deck into the sea.
'Well done!' he cried, and ran to assist Grinson to topple over one of the large rocks which had supported the rope on the night of Meek's release.
'That's riddled 'em!' shouted Grinson, as the noise of shattered metal rose from below.
'She can't get away!' panted Trentham. 'They 're coming up the cliff; we must run for it.'
Collecting the men, he dashed up the few remaining yards of the slope and headed them into the forest just as a German seaman came in sight near the end of the ledge.
'"Shust in time!" Trousers, my son,' chuckled Grinson. 'We give her a good battering, sir?'
'Cut open her side, broke a boiler, and drowned the donkey-engine. What more I don't know; but she 's crippled.'