CHAPTER XXII
THE BATTLE
"Now for it!" cried Jack, as the first shell from the Britishcruiser splashed up the water only a few yards in front of theEmden.
A second concussion was heard and an English shell struck theheavy armored side of the German cruiser.
The sailors and officers raised a loud cheer. It was first bloodfor the Sydney, and the sailors aboard that vessel also let out ayell of delight.
So far the Emden had not answered the Sydney's fire. However,she was dashing rapidly ahead, seeking to get within range. Twomore shells from the Sydney struck the Emden before she finallymanaged to get within range, and opened fire with the 4-inch gunsin her forward turrets.
The results of the first salvos from the German guns were nil.The range finders on the Emden had evidently not calculatedproperly. The water leaped into white sprays ahead of theSydney, indicating that the Emden's first fire had been wasted.
But the next attempt o the Emden met with better success. Asolid shot struck the Sydney, squarely on the bow. The Sydney'sarmor was, too strong for the German guns at this distance,however, and while the vessel staggered slightly, she was notdamaged to any extent.
It became apparent early in the battle that the marksmanship ofthe Sydney's gunners was much superior to that of the foe. Therange-finders were attending to their work with coolness andprecision. The fire was deliberate and accurate. It was slowerthan that of the Emden, but far more deadly.
A shell struck upon the Emden's deck near the forward smokestackand burst. Iron and steel flew high in the air and came down ina deadly hail, killing and maiming many members of the crew.The smokestack toppled to the deck, pinioning many more beneathit.
Quickly a squad of men sprang forward and soon cleared away thewreckage. But the carrying away of the smokestack now hamperedthe draught of the Emden and made progress much more difficult.Nevertheless, she still continued to pour her shells against thearmored sides of the Sydney.
Now the first shot landed among the gun crew of the Sydney,putting one of the guns out of commission, killing three of thecrew and wounding several others. Those three men were the onlyones killed on the Sydney in the whole course of the battle.
Suddenly those aboard the Sylph became aware that the fire of theenemy was not as rapid as before. The reason for this they soonmade out. One of the forward guns of the Emden had been,silenced by the well-directed fire of the Sydney.
A moment later another of the enemy's guns became silent--andthen another. Up to this moment the Emden had been rushing asrapidly as possible toward the Sydney, but now she paused in heradvance, almost stopped, swung about in a wide circle, and madeoff in the other direction.
It was plain that she had had enough. A cheer went up from theBritish sailors, both on the Sydney and aboard the Sylph. ButCaptain Glossop, of the Sydney, had no mind to let his preyescape. The Sydney dashed in pursuit of the enemy at full speed,and a fierce running battle ensued.
The Emden's stern guns continued to play upon the Sydney as shemade a wild dash for the distant shore. She was headed for thenearest point of land, and the question that now rose in theminds of the spectators aboard the Sylph was whether the Sydneycould come up with her before she could find a certain amount ofrefuge in what appeared to be a small cove.
The excitement aboard the Sylph was intense. Men shouted andyelled, calling words of encouragement and advice to the fellowsailors aboard the British battle cruiser, forgetting theirvoices could not be heard.
As the Emden turned and made off, Jack cried out:
"She's running! She's liable to get away!"
"Don't you believe it!" called Frank excitedly. "The Sydney'llcatch 'em!"
"What's the Emden heading that way for?" asked Jack of LordHastings, who stood beside the lads.
"My idea is," replied the commander of the Sylph, "that vonMueller intends to beach the ship."
"In that event will he and his men try to escape inland?"
"I suppose so."
The Sydney continued her chase, seeming to gather additionalspeed at every furlong. Her heavy shells played a merry tattooupon the stem and deck of the fleeing German cruiser.
But the Emden was now gradually drawing toward land. Suddenly,she swerved and headed straight for a huge reef that could beseen protruding above the surface of the water. A cry of dismaywent up from those aboard the Sylph.
But the cry was uncalled for. For even as the Emden swerved inher course, a British shell burst squarely upon the bridge of theGerman cruiser.
At the same instant a second found 'its way through the variouscompartments to the engine-room.
There was the sound of terrific explosion, and a red sheet offlame sprang above the cruiser. Even above the cries of battlecame the cries of German sailors, maimed and suffering horribly.
Another salvo from the Sydney put the steering apparatus of theEmden out of commission, and now instead of steering straight forthe rocky reef, she turned her broadside toward it.
Swiftly she floated toward this dangerous projection. Almosthelpless as she was, Captain von Mueller evidently had no thoughtof surrender. The three guns still in commission aboard thevessel continued to hurl their messages of defiance at theSydney.
Suddenly rapid movements of those aboard the Emden told that oneof the submerged torpedoes, still undamaged, was about to belaunched. Quickly the Sydney maneuvered a trifle to the left,and the huge explosive sped on to the sea beyond, doing nodamage. Now the second torpedo was launched, but it had nobetter success.
Now the Sydney made use of her own torpedo tube, and a momentlater this engine of destruction sped through the water towardthe Emden. There was no need for a second. A terrible explosiontold that the torpedo had found its mark.
High above the burning cruiser a second sheet of flame flared up,and at almost the same instant the Emden beached. There was aloud crunching sound as the cruiser grounded on the rocky reefand was battered by the heavy waves against the uneven projections.
To launch the small boats in this place and make for the shorewas impossible. The boats were launched, and the crew tumbledin. One made off toward the shore, but it could not live in thefierce breakers, and in a moment disappeared.
The other boats, warned by the fate of the first, put off towardthe open sea.
"Do you suppose Captain von Mueller will remain and perish withhis ship?" asked Frank of Lord Hastings.
"I do not believe so," was the reply. "There is no need for it.If the ship were sinking, it would be another matter, but as yousee, it is not. It appears to be caught hard and fast on aledge, and is burning up."
It was true. Stuck suddenly fast on a rocky ledge, the Emden wasalmost stationary. Flames continued to leap on all sides of her,and it was plainly apparent that it would not be long before theywould reach her magazine; and when they did reach it, that wouldbe the end.
As the German small boats headed seaward, the Sydney ceasedfiring at the now helpless vessel, and bore down on them. It wasplain that Captain Glossop was bent upon capturing the survivors.
Small boats and the Australian cruiser were now probably a milefrom the burning vessel, and the Sylph had started forward alsoto pick up some of the German sailors.
At this moment the flames reached the magazine of the Emden.There was a blinding flash, a terrific detonation. The Emdensprang from the sea like a thing alive, seemed to hang in the airfor a brief moment, then turned and dived head-first into thesea. The waters closed over her with an angry hiss, and theGerman cruiser Emden, for months a terrible menace to British,French and Russian shipping, "The Terror of the Sea," was nomore.
"A fitting end for so noble a vessel," was Lord Hastings' onlycomment as the cruiser disappeared from the world's ken.
The Sylph was nearing the little flotilla of small boats, andseveral were put off from the vessel to join the small craft ofthe Sydney and take the surviving Germans prisoners.
Frank and Jack
were in the first boat. As they, drew closer,Jack made out a uniformed figure in one of the German boats thathe felt sure was the commander of the Emden.
He steered his boat closer. It was plain that there would be nofurther resistance from the Germans, and Jack finally managed tosteer his boat alongside that of Captain von Mueller.
The latter made no protest when Jack ordered him to step aboardthe Sylph's small boat, and did so without a word. Immediately,the little craft turned about and put back to the Sylph, leavingthe other small craft to attend to the rest of the Germansurvivors.
Of the Emden's crew Of 361 officers and men, there were less than75 left alive. Dead and wounded alike had gone to a deep-seagrave when the German cruiser took her death plunge.
Lord Hastings stood at the rail of the Sylph as the little boatdrew alongside.
Jack and Frank clambered over the side of the ship ahead of theGerman commander and, with Lord Hastings, stood waiting toreceive him.
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