CHAPTER XX.
TORPEDOES.
The crew, appalled by the steel hail which now began to pour from the sides of the Calvo, became so demoralized at the crisis that heroic measures were necessary. Stanley and Herc drew their revolvers and forced the deserters back to their guns.
“I’ll throw the first man who leaves his post to the sharks!” yelled Herc, and, although they couldn’t understand what he said, the crew appeared to comprehend the import of his words. At any rate, they rallied, and began serving the guns once more.
Suddenly a loud cheer went up from the bridge of the Barrill. A black, gaping hole appeared in the foreworks of the Calvo, and two of her guns were silenced. This cheered them hugely. It meant that their fire was taking effect at last.
“Close in!” shouted Captain Gomez to the men at the wheel in the conning tower below.
The space between the two vessels began to close. Ned at once understood the meaning of these tactics. They were to demolish the Calvo before the other vessel, which was hastening to the rescue, arrived. Thus they would have only one foe to tackle at a time. For a space the two vessels jockeyed, but, deprived of officers as she was, the Calvo was no match for the tricky destroyer at this game. As he found his broadside fairly raking the other’s quarter, the Spanish-American captain gave the word. The range was about two thousand yards, and that tornado of steel was in position to do the most deadly work of which it was capable.
Before the few officers remaining on the Calvo could swing her bow on to avoid the full effect of the Barrill’s fire, Stanley and Herc received the signal from the bridge. As the tempest of shell took effect, the Calvo careened, till her underbody showed, and then staggered drunkenly back on an even keel. But she seemed water-logged, and began drifting down on the destroyer.