Circling round the injured ship were a couple of light cruisers which had been sent by the vice-admiral to render what assistance they could. Flashing-signals were passing between them and the _Belligerent_, and they were evidently asking if they should lower their boats.
'Tell 'em to wait,' Pincher heard Captain Spencer say to a signalman, without a tremor in his voice. 'Tell 'em to wait. I think we shall be able to keep afloat.'
The sky was nearly overcast, and the night had become very dark, and all the remainder of the squadron had vanished. They were only acting in accordance with their orders, however, for since the loss of the _Aboukir_, the _Cressy_, and the _Hogue_ in the North Sea the previous September, it had been definitely laid down that heavy, deep-draught ships were not to go to the assistance of vessels which had been torpedoed or mined, lest they should share the same fate. It went sadly against the grain for British officers to be forced to leave comrades in distress; but every one realised the necessity for the order, and the two small cruisers were the only ships available for the work of rescue.
'Here, boy, come here!' he went on, catching sight of Pincher on the starboard side of the bridge.
Martin went forward, and felt himself grabbed by the sleeve.
'Go down and tell the commander that I'm waiting to know what damage there is,' Captain Spencer said hurriedly. 'Away you go!'
Pincher scrambled down the sloping ladder with difficulty, but had barely reached the boat-deck to go aft when he cannoned into Commander Travers coming in the opposite direction. 'The capten would like ter know wot th' damage is, sir,' he explained.
'All right, I'm on my way to tell him,' the officer returned curtly. 'Get out of the way, boy!'
Martin stood aside, and followed him up the ladder again, without really meaning to overhear his conversation with the captain.
'How goes it, Travers?' was Captain Spencer's first anxious question.
'Pretty bad, sir,' the commander replied with the least trace of anxiety in his voice. 'Some of the boiler-rooms are flooded, and the water seems to be making its way forward and aft. One or two bulkheads have gone already!'
'Good God!' the captain exclaimed; 'is it as bad as that? Is the mat doing any good?'