But when Jack came back from the bridge, whither he had sped at once with the message, it was to report the captain as obdurate as ever. His only comment had been to call for more speed.
"I guess he thinks we can show that cruiser a clean pair of heels," said Raynor.
"That looks to be the size of it," agreed Jack, "but he is taking desperate chances. Let's go outside and see the fun."
The cruiser was coming toward them on an oblique line now. From her stern flowed the red cross of St. George on a white field, the naval flag of England. They watched her narrowly for some minutes and then Jack exclaimed:
"Jove! I believe that with luck we can outrun her. The _Kronprinzessin_ is the fastest ship of this line, and if her boilers don't blow up we may be able to beat that cruiser out."
"I hope so," declared Raynor, fervently. "I'm not exactly a coward but I must say the idea of being made a target without having the chance to hit back is not exactly pleasant."
"As I shall be in zee thick fighting not before very long, I might as well receive my baptism of fire now as any other time," said the Frenchman. "I expect to be placed in charge of zee aviation corps, and I am told zee Germans have some very good aeroplane guns."
"Look," cried Bill, suddenly, "they are going to----"
A white mushroom of smoke broke from the forward turret of the cruiser, followed by a screeching above their heads. Then came an ear-splitting report.
"Great guns! Where is this going to end?" gasped Bill, involuntarily crouching.
"_Ach Himmel!_" groaned Hans Poffer. "Suppose dey hit us vee----"
He got no further. There was another burst of smoke, a quick, lightning-like flash and the same screech of a projectile. But this time, accompanying the sound of the report, was a sound of tearing metal and the ship shook as if she had struck on the rocks.
"The after funnel," cried Jack, pointing to a jagged hole in the smoke stack.
"The next one may come closer," choked out Bill rather shakily.
On the lower decks there was the wildest confusion. Women were fainting and the stewards and petty officers had all they could do to handle the frightened throngs. The striking of the funnel was the occasion for an angry and badly scared deputation to wait upon the captain and demand that he stop the ship at once.