"Them _Sylvia's_ don't think of nothing but sleepin' an' eatin'," growled the signalman, and commenced slowly semaphoring "Captain Hunter to flag-ship.--Am dropping shells into harbour, and ships are rapidly getting up steam. All quiet up here."
I saw that "No. 3" had taken in the message, and she hauled down the answering pendant and began to steam towards "No. 2" till it was possible to pass it on to her.
Presently "No. 2" had also received it, and hoisted flags to call the _Laird's_ attention. Her signalmen must have been very much on the alert, for almost immediately her answering flag went crawling up--a tiny little patch in her rigging--to her mast-head, and I could see "No. 2's" signalman perched on the unsteady bridge, half smothered with spray and semaphoring with his flags.
Down came the flag aboard the _Laird_, and I could imagine the signal midshipman already tearing down the bridge ladder to take the message to Captain Helston.
"That'll cheer 'em up, sir, out there in the wet," said the signalman, as I climbed up again to report to Captain Hunter that I had managed to pass it through to the flag-ship.
I was sent down to wait for any reply, and found the signalman watching the _Laird_ through his telescope. "She's just going to make a signal from her mast-head semaphore, sir," he said. So I stood by to write it down as he spelt out the letters.
[The mast-head semaphore consists of two large black-and-white arms, which can be worked from the bridge below.]
"I.F--E.N.E.M.Y--L.E.A.V.E--H.A.R.B.O.U.R," I wrote down as he sung out the letters, and the message continued, "Endeavour to support me with your gun. 'No. 3' and 'No. 2' are to rejoin the squadron, and _Sylvia_ to act independently."
I was just rushing up hill with this when the signalman sung out, "They've started again, sir," and spelt out, "Officers and men, _Laird_ and _Strong Arm_, congratulate you all on success. Repeat signal to 'No. 3' and _Sylvia_."
I left him obeying the last order, and took the signal to Captain Hunter.
"Those torpedo-boats and destroyers will never dare to go out in this weather," I heard the Commander say. "The _Hong Lu_ might possibly run away, though she certainly couldn't fight in this weather, and those other two old tubs could not even run away." He was right, too, for though they all did weigh anchor directly afterwards, they never attempted to leave the harbour; but, whilst the big ships began slowly steaming round it, merely keeping steerage-way on, the destroyers and torpedo-boats moved in so close to the land that it was impossible for the big Krupp to touch them.