The Minna von Barnhelm at once answered from small guns mounted on her upper deck, her shells falling short. Each of the destroyers fired a shot in turn, and every shot got home.
Within a few moments the mine-layer showed the terrible effects of the British guns. Her after-funnel fell over; one of her ventilators followed; her bridge was torn to shreds, and her top works were wrecked.
For a while it seemed to Mark that she was going to be left with this punishment, for the destroyers were continuing on their course, passing her on their port-beam. But presently he saw the immense four-inch guns of the Atreus herself being trained upon her from the forward barbette. Mark held his breath and waited, watching the long steel tubes moving as easily as if they were mere muskets taking aim.
Suddenly from one of them there was a great gush of fire and smoke, a staggering, deafening roar, which shook the whole ship, and a monster lyddite shell struck the Minna von Barnhelm on her quarter, exploding there with terrific violence.
Mark saw the gaping hole which it tore in the steamer's hull, and he knew that no further shots would be needed. She was sinking by the stern, the men at the same time leaping into the sea.
The British ships, with one accord, converged towards her, and from each of them boats were being launched to pick up the survivors. The Atreus was the nearest, and just as her first boat pushed off the Minna von Barnhelm heeled over, shuddered, and sank in a riot of foam.
Mark and Rodney Redisham stood together at the gangway of the cruiser as the first boatload of survivors were brought on board.
As the last of them came up the ladder, it was seen that he was hardly more than a boy, wearing a fisherman's guernsey and heavy sea boots. He held up his head unashamed, almost insolently.
"Why, it's Max!" Rodney Redisham exclaimed.
Max Hilliger stared at the two brothers, a spasm of hatred on his face. He clenched his fist to strike at one of them, when a couple of seamen, with a loaded stretcher, marched in between.