“Say the ship’s ashore, but I hope to get her off, and beg Anaconda to stand in and support me,” said Adair.
The signals were hoisted. It was possible that the wreaths of smoke which circled round the ship might have prevented them from being seen clearly. The enemy continued firing away at her as if hoping to secure her destruction before support could reach her, while her crew worked her guns with the same ardour as before. Adair calculated that, in another hour, she would be afloat, perhaps in less time. The Anaconda stood in nearer, and began again to make signals. Adair looked over the signal-book.
“It can’t be that!” he exclaimed, as he read, “Abandon ship, and come on board me with your crew.”
“There must be some mistake,” he added in an undertone. “I wish that I was blind of one eye and not able to see it. Answer it,” he said at length, “‘Before we quit the ship, we’ll try what we can do.’”
With reluctant heart he gave the order to heave the pivot-gun overboard, taking care to secure a buoy to it, hoping that he might yet get it up. The engine was set going, once more the capstan was manned, but still the Flash did not move.
“If that Commander Allport would stand in like a true man and lend us a hand, we might get off even now,” exclaimed Desmond. “Arrah, my poor uncle, ’twill be after breaking his heart to leave the barkey here.”
The Anaconda now fired a gun and made fresh signals, ordering Adair immediately to quit the ship. The boats, all of which had escaped injury, were hoisted out, and the crew were ordered to leave the ship they had fought so bravely. Adair was the last man to quit her.
“Well, I am the most unfortunate fellow alive!” he exclaimed.
He was thinking of Lucy and his promotion stopped, and all the other unpleasant consequences of the loss of his ship. The only thing which kept up his spirits was the hope that he might persuade Commander Allport to stand in and make fresh efforts to get her afloat. It was a wonder none of the boats were struck as they left the ship. They, however, at length succeeded in getting on board the Anaconda. Commander Allport, who was standing on deck, received Adair with a supercilious air. He had been many years a lieutenant, and his temper had been considerably soured before he had got his promotion; indeed, some of those whom he had known as midshipmen were now admirals, and he seemed to take especial pleasure in acting in a dictatorial manner towards all those under him.
“Well, Commander Adair,” he observed, as Terence stepped on deck, “you have made a pretty business of this somehow or other; young officers are, however, not always the best navigators, and the Flash has been lost to Her Majesty’s Service. It won’t bring much credit on those concerned.”