Once again a slight jar shook the ship, followed by eleven others in less than twice that number of seconds. The next instant the hopper door fell open and twelve empty and still smoking cylinders fell upon the floor; a seaman dashed a bucket of water into the compartment, and the work of reloading was repeated.
Then a bugle sounded the "Cease fire," and the officers returned on deck to observe the effects of the terrible ordnance of the Olive Branch.
"How's that for going into action?" asked Captain Brookes. "With the exception of three men and myself all hands were safe beneath the armoured deck. Automatic loading and firing, unerring aim, and the victory's won, eh?"
"I certainly should not like to be on board a craft that received one round from those guns, sir," replied Gerald. "But suppose, in the heat of an engagement, one pair of guns was trained so that some portion of this ship intercepted the line of fire?"
"That has been arranged for," said the captain. "Directly the arc of fire on one pair of guns is exceeded, that turret remains locked till the other guns are trained backward sufficiently for that pair to be automatically linked up, so that damage to our own ship from that cause is impossible. Of course, if necessary, each turret can be worked independently, and in that case the captains of the guns would have the control of the firing arrangements."
Further conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a signalman.
"Wireless message just received, sir," he reported, handing a sealed envelope to the captain with a salute.
Captain Brookes broke open the envelope, and read and reread its contents without moving a muscle; then he beckoned to those of the officers who happened to be on the quarter-deck.
"Gentlemen," he exclaimed, "a wireless of extreme importance has just been handed to me. The captain of the Afrika has reported an outrage by a ship flying the White Ensign, and representations have been made by the German Ambassador in London. The British Government has rightly repudiated the suggestion that the delinquent was a British man-of-war, and has asserted that, from the description given, it can only be the ex-Brazilian cruiser Almirante Constant. Consequently the British and German Governments have issued a joint note branding that vessel as a pirate, and have stated their intention of hounding her down at all costs, and invite the navies of all nations to join them in their task. So, gentlemen, the Olive Branch is a modern buccaneer. Every port and harbour is closed against her. However, I'll stick to my purpose, but, rest assured, I will never fire a shot against a British ship—I'll trust to the Olive Branch's speed to shake off pursuit. But"—here his face clouded ominously—"should a vessel of any other nationality attempt to interfere with us, I'll give her a fair warning. If she persist, by Jove, I'll blow her sky high!"