It was Herc Taylor.
"Stop that man!" shouted Captain Dunham, as he arrived, just in time to see Herc vanish in the smoke.
An ensign plunged forward. Half a dozen bluejackets followed him.
"No, stop! Come back!" shouted the captain. "Enough lives have been sacrificed."
Reluctantly the men came back. Tears rolled down the ensign's face as he begged to be allowed to enter the turret. But the commander was firm. No more lives would he have thrown away. For that Herc was doomed to the same death as it seemed sure had overtaken the officer, Mr. Varian and Ned Strong, seemed a definite certainty.
Captain Dunham himself caught Ned Strong as he fell.
"Signal the flagship of the accident, Mr. Scott," ordered the captain, whose face was set and white, but whose voice was steady as if he were issuing a routine order.
"Aye, aye, sir."
The executive officer issued the necessary orders.