CHAPTER XXXI
Peter Goes Ashore
At dawn the British fleet began to ascend the river to carry hostilities into Rioguayan territory. The van of the fleet consisted of a number of West Indian motor fishing-boats, provided with paravanes and other countermining devices. These boats, belonging to patriotic owners in Jamaica, Trinidad, St. Vincent, Barbadoes, and Barbuda, had been offered to the British admiral, who, realizing their value, had gratefully accepted them.
They were manned entirely by volunteers from the fleet—men who knew the danger but did not hesitate to risk their lives for their comrades.
Following the sweepers came the battleships, cleared for action. Hard on their heels were three flotillas of destroyers, ready should occasion arise to dart past the lowering hulls of the battleships, and deal effectively with any hostile craft that might pluck up sufficient courage to attack. The light cruisers came next, escorting a huge airplane carrier, although no attempt had been made to use any of her brood for reconnaissance or bombing work, She was like a "back-number" veteran amongst a crowd of athletes.
Astern of the light cruisers were the fleet store-ship and oil-tankers, while in the rearguard were more destroyers and half a dozen "coastal motor-boats" that had come south from Halifax on the decks of two fleet auxiliaries.
The passage between the Island of Sambrombon and San Benito was accomplished without any sign of resistance. It had been expected that the enemy would train their anti-aircraft rays upon the motor-craft, since their magnetoes would be affected in a similar manner, but unaccountably the Rioguayans made no attempt to do so.
At length the fleet came in sight of San Antonio, and consequently well within range of their 15-inch guns. From the yard-arm of the Royal Oak a hoist of bunting fluttered.
"Flag making our number, sir," reported the chief yeoman to the officer of the watch of the Rebound. The "answering pennant" was hardly up before the Royal Oak semaphored: