The Boy Allies at Jutland Part 24

At almost the same moment the leading German ships opened fire.

The first few salvos from each side did no damage, for the range had not been gauged accurately.

It became apparent now that the German admiral had no intention of risking all his first line ships in this encounter. Apparently he had decided that his smaller vessels were fully capable of coping with the small number of the enemy that was contesting his advance.

From the shelter of the larger ships advanced the battle cruisers. Not a battleship nor a dreadnaught came forward. But the smaller ships dashed on swiftly and presently their guns found the range.

A sh.e.l.l burst aboard the _Glasgow's_ bridge, carrying away nearly the entire superstructure. The captain and his first officer were killed, and many men were injured as huge splinters flew in all directions.

Under the command of the second officer, the _Glasgow_ fought back.

A sh.e.l.l from her forward turret burst aboard the closest German vessel and there was a terrific explosion, followed by a series of blasts not so loud. Came fearful cries from aboard the enemy.

And then the whole sky was lighted up for miles around as the German ship sprang into a brilliant sheet of flame. For perhaps two minutes it lighted up the heavens; then there was another violent explosion and the German cruiser disappeared beneath the water with a hiss like that of a thousand serpents.

A cheer rose on the air--a loud British cheer.

"One gone," said Frank, quietly.

"Yes, but only one gone," replied Jack.

"Yes, but it's two o'clock now," said Frank, hopefully.

"About time to begin our retreat then," said Jack.

And the order for retreat came a few moments later.

The five British ships--for all were still able to navigate in spite of the damage that had been inflicted--came about in a broad circle and headed westward.

Then it was the Germans' time to cheer and they did so with a will. It was not often that a British battleship had fled before a German ship or ships and the Germans, since the war opened, had little chance to cheer such a procedure. But now that they had such a chance, they cheered their best Apparently, they had lost sight of the fact that the British were retiring before superior numbers, and that, even in spite of that and the fact that they now were retreating, they still had the best of the encounter so far.

For one German cruiser lay at the bottom of the sea.

The British retreat was slow; and, for some unaccountable reason, the Germans did not press forward as swiftly as they might have done.

Whether they feared a trap, or whether the German admiral had determined to await the coming of day before disposing of the enemy, was not apparent. But that he had some plan in mind, every Briton realized.

"The longer he holds off the better," said Frank.

"Right," agreed Jack. "Of course, we probably could run away from them if they pressed us too hard, but we wouldn't; and for that reason he should be able to dispose of us if he came ahead swiftly."

"Wonder why some of these Zeppelins and airships haven't come into action?" said Frank.

"I don't know. Perhaps the Germans are afraid of losing one of them.

They probably have other uses for them, for, should they break through here, it is likely they have their plans laid. What time have you?"

"Three thirty," said Frank, after a glance at his watch. "An hour, almost, till daylight. Do you suppose the others will arrive on time?"

"I hope so. It would be better, of course, if they arrived while it is yet dark, for then they might come up unseen. But with their arrival we still will be outnumbered; and, realizing that, the Germans, when the day breaks, will press the attack harder."

"I guess we will manage to hold them till the main fleet arrives in the morning," said Frank, hopefully.

"We will have to hold them," declared Jack.

At this moment the lads' attention was directed to the cruiser _Glasgow_. Already badly damaged, a second German sh.e.l.l had now burst amidships with a loud explosion.

"And that settles the _Glasgow_," said Jack, sadly.

He was right. Gamely the _Glasgow_ fought back, but it was apparent to all, in spite of the darkness, that she was settling lower and lower in the water.

"And we can't rescue the men," said Frank. "Remember the admiralty orders. No ship in action is to go to the aid of another. It would be suicide."

"So it would," said Jack. "Poor fellows."

Slowly the _Glasgow_ settled; and for a moment the fire of all the other vessels--Germans as well as British--lulled a bit. All eyes were bent on the sinking ship.

A wireless message was flashed from the _Glasgow_ to Captain Raleigh of the _Queen Mary_.

"Goodbye," it said. "Hold them!"

After that there was no further word from the doomed cruiser.

The searchlights of both fleets played full upon the _Glasgow_ as she settled lower in the water. She staggered, seemed to make an effort to hold herself afloat, and then sank suddenly.

The duel of big guns broke out afresh.

CHAPTER XVI

THE BATTLE

Dawn.

With the breaking of the intense darkness what a surprise was in store for the Germans!

Back of the four remaining British ships that had at first engaged the Germans, interrupting their dash and holding them in check until the arrival of a force strong enough to engage the foe more closely, came now the relief promised by Vice-Admiral Beatty.

Gathered from various parts of the North Sea, they had steamed toward Jutland, and, arriving there at almost the same time, they had a.s.sumed battle formation in the darkness.

That the British were approaching must have been known by the German admiral, for their wireless apparatus had been working unceasingly, telling of their approach, and these signals must have been caught by the German warships, though, because sent in code, they were undecipherable. Nor could the enemy tell, by the sound, just how close the British were.

Captain Raleigh, too, as well as the other British commanders, had known the other English ships were forming some distance back. Toward these they now retreated; and just as dawn broke, and the British sailors obtained their first view of the promised a.s.sistance--and greeted the new arrivals with cheers--the British advanced to the attack.

The German admiral, taking in the situation, knew that he still outnumbered the British--that the advantage was still with him. He determined to give battle. He knew, too, that it was only a question of time until the main British fleet would approach and he determined to win the battle before the arrival of new foes. He signalled an advance.

The British fleet was great and powerful--but not so great and powerful as the German by far. As the _Queen Mary, Indefatigable_ and the two torpedo boats fell back, still the center of German fire and still hurling sh.e.l.l, seeking their proper places in the battle line, the other British vessels came on. And presently the _Queen Mary_ and others had gained their places in the formation.

Ahead of the larger ships now--the _Queen Mary_, the _Indefatigable_ and the _Invincible,_ advanced the speediest of light cruisers--the _Defense_, the _Biack Prince_ and the _Warrior_. Behind these, spread out fan-wise, came the destroyers _Tipperary, Turbulent, Nestore, Alcaster, Fortune, Sparrow Hawk, Ardent_ and the _Shark_. The _Albert_ and _Victoria_ also had fallen in line, though badly battered by the effects of the German sh.e.l.ls during the night.