CHAPTER XXVII
TRAPPING THE ENEMY
"Land ahead!" came the cry of the lookout.
It was now early morning, and Lord Hastings, Jack and Frank stoodon the bridge taking a breath of the fresh, invigorating air.
Glasses were quickly leveled, and soon the distant shore was madeout.
"What port are we making for, sir?" asked Jack.
"Port Stanley," was Lord Hastings' reply.
Rapidly the Sylph steamed on, and finally, rounding into thelittle harbor, they made out a welcome and unexpected sight.Frank and Jack cried out in surprise, and even Lord Hastings wasmoved to an expression of wonder.
In the little harbor, screened from the sea, riding gently on theswell of the tide, were eight British ships of war!
"Oh, my!" exclaimed Frank joyfully, doing a little clog dance onthe bridge, "won't we give it to the Germans now!"
Jack was equally as enthusiastic, though he was not given to suchoutbursts of emotion, being naturally more quiet.
"It looks like the end of the German squadron to me," he saidsimply.
As the Sylph steamed into the little harbor, one of the Britishwar vessels turned slightly, and a shell screamed over theSylph's bow.
"Want to know who we are," explained Lord Hastings.
The British ensign was quickly run up, and there followed a loud,cheer from the sailors of the fleet.
On the ship closest to shore flew the flag of Vice AdmiralSturdee.
"I guess I had better pay my respects to the admiral at once,"said, Lord Hastings. "Would you boys care to come with me?"
"Nothing would please us more," replied Frank, speaking for both.
The Sylph steamed close to the British fleet, and then the threeput off for the flagship in a small boat. Aboard, they wereshown immediately to the admiral's cabin, where the nearness ofthe German squadron was rapidly related.
"Fortunate!" cried Admiral Sturdee. "I feared I would have tochase them all over the sea. I didn't expect them to come to me.Have you a plan to suggest, Lord Hastings?"
"I fear, Sir Frederick," replied Lord Hastings, "that if you putto sea to give battle, the Germans will turn and flee uponrecognizing the power of the British fleet."
"True," mused the admiral.
"May I offer a suggestion, Sir Frederick?" asked Jack.
The admiral glanced at the lad sharply, but Jack bore up bravelyunder the close scrutiny.
"Speak, sir," ordered the admiral.
"Then I would suggest, sir," said Jack, "that one of yourcruisers be sent out so the enemy may be able to get a bareglimpse of her. Believing that she is alone, they undoubtedlywill approach to attack. Let the cruiser, retiring slowly, givebattle. When she has drawn the enemy close enough, the remainderof the fleet can make a dash and nab the Germans before they havetime to flee."
"An excellent plan!" cried the admiral, springing to his feet."It shall be put into execution."
With a wave of his hand he signified that the interview was over,and Frank, Jack and Lord Hastings made their way back to theSylph.
That Admiral Sturdee was a man of action became apparent in a fewmoments. Unaware just how far off the German squadron was, SirFrederick took the necessary steps immediately.
Less than an hour after Lord Hastings and the two lads hadreturned aboard the Sylph, the British battleship Canopus gotunder way, and steaming away from her sister ships, made for theentrance to the little harbor, going slowly.
Here she took up her position, steaming slowly back and forth.As yet, however, there was no sign of the enemy. Meantime, othervessels in the fleet continued to coal swiftly. Steam was gottenup and every ship prepared for action.
Against the German fleet of five ships--the armored cruisersScharnhorst and Gneisenau and the protected cruisers Leipzig,Dresden and Nurnberg, accompanied by two colliers--the Britishadmiral, besides the Sylph, would go into battle with eight shipsof war--the battle cruisers Invincible and Inflexible, theformer Admiral Sturdee's flagship, the cruisers Kent, Cornwall,Carnarvon, Bristol and Glasgow, and the battleship Canopus.
At Sir Frederick's command, every sailor in the English fleet wasgiven a light meal, and then each man took a cold bath.Following this, those who were not on watch, turned in for abrief rest. And to show the hardihood and bravery of the Britishtar, there was not a man who showed signs of nervousness or fear.
There was a signal from the Canopus--a signal by flags, for theBritish did not wish to betray their presence by the use of thewireless, which could be as easily picked up by the enemy.
"Enemy approaching," read the signal.
Admiral Sturdee signaled back.
"Engage him when he has approached so close that he believes youare unable to get away."
The commander of the Canopus signified his understanding of thiscommand, and continued steaming to and fro, ostensibly guardingthe harbor.
At last the first gray form of a German cruiser came within sightof those on the Sylph. It was steaming slowly forward,apparently in no hurry and secure in its belief that there was noenemy near to be feared.
The Sylph had been stripped for action with the rest of theBritish fleet, for Lord Hastings had no mind to keep out of thebattle.
"We've come a long ways to see an engagement," he told the lads,"and I think we are entitled to a hand in the affair."
"Hurrah!" shouted Frank.
"Good!" said Jack, quietly. "I was afraid we would have to standoff and look on."
"That's what I was afraid of, too," declared Frank.
"Well, we won't," said Lord Hastings. "Not this time, at anyrate. I guess you will see all the fighting you wish presently."
Still the German squadron came on, apparently unconscious of thepresence of the British battleship Canopus, the only Englishvessel that could be seen from the open sea. All seven ships--fivevessels of war and the two colliers--could be plainly discerned now.
"What's the matter with 'em?" demanded Frank. "Surely they cansee the Canopus."
"I guess they are figuring she hasn't spotted them yet," saidJack. "Believing he has only one enemy to contend with, Admiralvon Spee evidently is trying to get as close as possible withoutbeing seen."
Indeed, this seemed a plausible explanation. At any rate, inlieu of a more reasonable one, it answered. Men on the Canopusnow rushed hurriedly to and fro, officers darted hither andthither. The Canopus was ready for instant battle.
All the other ships of the British fleet also had come to life.Men who had been sleeping hurried to their posts. The gun crewsstood at their places, the range finders were at their posts, andthe officers stood ready to repeat the signal for advance as soonas Admiral Sturdee should give it.
Stripped to the waists, in spite of the chilly atmosphereoutside, the crew of the Sylph also was ready. There was grimdetermination written plainly on the face of every man. In spiteof the apparent superiority of the British fleet, each manrealized that the battle would be to the death.
They knew that, although surprised, the Germans would not give upwithout a struggle--that they would battle desperately forsupremacy although outnumbered. Confident of their own prowessand marksmanship, they nevertheless did not discount the abilityof the foe.
"It will be a furious battle," said Lord Hastings to the lads,who stood beside him.
"I have an idea," said Frank, "that when the enemy finds he isoutnumbered, he will not engage all his ships, but will try toprotect the flight of most of them with one or two."
"By love!" said Lord Hastings. "I hadn't considered such acontingency. I wouldn't be surprised if you have hit it."
"I believe he has," said Jack.
"Well," said Lord Hastings grimly, "we will make that ourbusiness. Admiral Sturdee can take care of the fighting part ofthe fleet, and we will try to intercept any vessel that tries toescape."
"But do you suppose we can?" asked Frank.
"We can try," replied the commander of the Sylph, with slightlycompressed lips.
"As soon as the Germans engage the Canopus, wewill try to get out ahead of the rest of the fleet and, keepingout of the thick of battle, steam to sea. Then if any of theenemy try to get away, with our superior speed we can at leasthead them off and engage them until help arrives."
"A first-class plan," Jack agreed. "However, I shouldn't besurprised if Admiral Sturdee had anticipated such a maneuver bythe enemy."
"Even if he has," said Lord Hastings, "we probably wouldn't beselected to accomplish the work, and that's what we want to do.Therefore, we will act without being ordered."
"Good," said Jack.
In the meantime the German fleet had been approaching steadily.It was apparent that the presence of the British battleshipCanopus, in the entrance to the harbor, had at last beendiscovered. A wireless message flashed through the air.
"Surrender or I shall sink you!" it read.
"An Englishman never surrenders!" was the reply flashed back bythe commander of the Canopus.
The German admiral tried again.
"I would avoid all unnecessary loss of life," he signaled.
"Thanks," was the laconic response of the Canopus. "We are ableto take care of ourselves."
To this there was no reply, and still the German squadron came onwithout firing a shot.
"Wonder why they don't shoot?" asked Jack.
"Guess they want to get as close as possible first," repliedFrank. "Remember, they believe they have only one to deal with."
"True," said Jack. "But why doesn't the Canopus fire?"
"I suppose," replied Frank, "it's because the commander wishes todraw the enemy so close that escape will be impossible."
And the lad had hit upon the exact reason. Mindful of hisinstructions to draw the enemy in as close as possible beforeengaging him, the commander of the Canopus had no mind to openthe battle.
And ever the German squadron was steaming closer and closer todestruction. But there is an end to everything, and so therefinally came an end to this inaction.
"Boom!"
A single German gun had opened the battle.
There was no reply from the Canopus.
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Two of the enemy's ships cut loose at the Canopus.
Still the British battleship did not reply.
But the Germans had not yet found the range, and the Canopus wasuntouched, although several shells struck near her.
Then: "Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The Canopus had at last opened fire on her foes. And, even asthe first British shell sped across the water, the Canopus turnedand began to retreat.
Fearful of losing their prey, the German vessels increased theirspeed and steamed rapidly after her, their big guns continuing tohurl shells across the water.
The Canopus was replying gun for gun, now, and with each momentthe roar of battle increased.
And then, suddenly, in perfect battle formation, imposing andmajestic in their advance, out of the little harbor steamedproudly the battle fleet of Great Britain, moving swiftly forwardto engage the enemy!