“We can attend to her case later, if she comes monkeying around when we’re anchored off that banana republic,” observed Hank, and the others agreed with him.
Gradually the escaping craft drew away, until only her smoke could be seen on the horizon. It was the general opinion, afterward, that the vessel had been scouting around, perhaps to get sight of the approach of the United States’ war craft, and having seen her, had made haste to run and bring the word to the land forces. Just what the outcome would be no one knew.
It was two days later when the _Georgetown_ came to anchor off the city of Pectelo, which was the seacoast capital of Uridio. As the big chains rattled through the hawse pipes, a boat was lowered away, and Captain Decker and some of his officers went ashore to learn what the situation was.
What took place ashore was not made public to the ship’s crew when the cutter returned. But a grave look was observed on the faces of the captain and his officers.
Everyone on the _Georgetown_ waited eagerly for the next move. It was not long in coming.
“Man the forward turret!” came the command. “To your stations, men. We’re going to give them a demonstration!”
“It’s our gun that’s going to be fired!” exulted Frank.
Like clockwork the men in the turret prepared for the work ahead of them. Frank took his place at the firing trigger, and waited for the range.
“Sight her at ten thousand yards,” came the command. “Aim at that hill back of the town. We’re going to blow it apart!”
The great ship trembled with the vibration of the immense gun, and when the smoke had cleared away and the gases been blown from the cannon by the compressed air, Ned looked out of the turret, which had not been completely closed on account of the heat, and cried:
What he saw was a cloud of dust flung into the air, and slowly drifting about in the wind.
“Well, I couldn’t very well help hitting that,” said Frank. “It was a big enough target, and it was stationary and so were we.”
As yet none but the officer who had given the direction for the training of the big gun, and his superiors, knew why the hill had been shattered by the shot.
“Another shell, sir?” asked the blue-jacket who, with Ned and some others, had charge of the ammunition hoist.