"We may have to swim for it yet, old boy," exclaimed Farrar, stooping to pat Bruno's head, for the St. Bernard seemed to realise instinctively that all was not well on board and had stuck resolutely at his master's heels.
Weird noises from 'tween decks announced that the list was growing so excessive as to cause all slightly secured gear to break adrift. The men still drawn up on the quarter deck and fo'c'sle were with difficulty retaining their foothold, for the steepness of the planks resembled the roof of a house.
All eyes were fixed upon the solitary figure of the captain as he grasped the guard-rails of the bridge. Still the order, "Each man for himself!" was not forthcoming, for the destroyers were closing upon the sinking ship.
With hardly the loss of a square inch of paint the "Antipas" ranged alongside the cruiser's starboard quarter, Tressidar's chief anxiety being to guard against the danger of his command being pinned down by the outswung davits, for the upper blocks of the falls were within a foot or eighteen inches of the destroyer's rail, while the lower blocks were clattering against her side.
"Jump for it, lads!" shouted the captain.
Then, and only then, did the rigidly straight and silent ranks break. In fifteen seconds four hundred officers and men, together with the varied assortment of ship's mascots, were safely on board the "Antipas," while a like number gained safety on the destroyer that had run alongside the cruiser and ahead of her consort.
In strict accordance with the ancient and honourable custom of the Senior Service the captain was the last to leave the ship. Descending from the bridge he made his way aft, saluting his command for the last time as he gained the quarter deck. Then, with the water up to his knees as he reached the lee side of the listing deck, he, too, found temporary refuge on the destroyer "Antipas."
With their numerous super-complements the two destroyers backed clear of the sinking ship, coming to a standstill at a distance of three cables from the veteran cruiser.
The end was not now long in coming. More and more grew the heel, until the after-funnel, bursting its wire guys, crashed over the side. Two more followed in quick succession; then, with a terrific rending of metal and woodwork, the for'ard 9.2-inch gun and its armoured hood lurched overboard, throwing up a column of spray that o'ertopped the slanting fore-truck.
Relieved of the ponderous weight the "Tantalus" recovered slightly, but the righting movement was but temporary. The inrush of water was as loud as the concentrated roar of a dozen mill-streams, while ever and again came the explosion of compressed air as the bulkheads gave way under the irresistible pressure.