Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-31
CHAPTER xxI-toOntlnued). i.

CHAPTEh AAI-NCOntlnued)s
A MEN % prayed l.
"a A little cheer went UP from the
crew SO small was our deck space that vir-
tually every man aboard was within ear
range Of Sevrance, Garvin and myself, and
could hear all that was said. Their spirit
was only the more thoroughly evidenced
by the ring of that cheer-they were with
us To- n man.
I think that the vistula's officers must
have been watching us closely through their
glasses and have understood our intentions
toward them. AS Garvln knelt, adjusting
the torpedo director, they opened upon us
with their rapd-fire guns-happly with
execrable aim. At first their shots flew
wlde-and our men yelped cheerful derision,
forgetful of their slain shipmates and the
wrecked lifeboat.
Garvin himself remained unmoved. I'm
perturbaby he adjusted the director now
and again bending to sight along It,
Presently saw him straighten up and raise
one hand.
There was a slight, mufled explosion
much like heavy, bronchial cough with
scarcely any perceptible jar, Simurane-
ously the torpedo slipped smoothly from
the tube. seemed to pause hesitant in the
air for n second, then vanished gracefully.
taking n long, curving dive over the rail,
entering the water with scarcely n splash
and disappearing completely.
fancied that. a moment later, caught
a glimpse of its slim, steel body lifting up
ward toward the surface, far in our rear
and directly in n line with the Vistula. It
then became indisputably patent that we
were being watched by the officers of that
vessel. Abruptly their fire slackened and
died, leaving an aching void of silence
where. minute gone, the world had been
eClOinR drumming nj
fire guns Sevrance, with our glasses de-
clared that they had observed the firing of
the torpedo, that agitation was plainly vis-
ible among the crew of the destroyer. 1
could not see. for he chung to the binoculars
desperately, and vouchsafed me but a few
almost unintelliglble monosyllables.
You may guess that we waited with
strained expectancy. Minutes may have
passed-its hard to say. You would not
have caught sound aboard the Clymene,
barring the painting of the engines; not
man spoke.
1t was only a question of time, we
thought, ere would come the total demoli-
tion of the Vistula. That vessel had been
estimated we'll within range the White
head had less than two-thirds of mile to
go-and that at a speed of 81 knots an
hour! Only n matter of fleeting sec
onds . .
Nothing happened Those seconds Sped
and still the Vistula held on in undeterred
pursuit. Reluctantly we were compelled to
relnquish hope, to admit that error had
been made, perhaps; that the Whitehead
had proved defective that any one of
thouaa nd and-one circumstances had
worked against the true flight of the death
fish"-as Sevrance nicknamed 1t.
To prove the truth of this conclusion, the
Vistula reopened fire. And now her aim
was somewhat improved; missiles shrieked
across our decks 1 saw man doubled up
bod u,,I1 1ap1, utrtt i'm,
a violent blow in the pit of the stomach
He was standing near the starboard rail;
the force of the blow tore him in twain
and swept him overheard. He died unwept
we had stern business to our hands.
Grimly. with determination mastering
their wrath. the men labored with the after
tube, reloading II with torpedo making
all things ready for Garvins word. He
invaluable and undaunted man: God rest
his soul !-frowned over the directing ma
chine taking full need Of time to insure
an accurate aim.
In n FASH a thought struck Sevrance
He wheeled about and shouted to one of
the crew to hoist the Union Jack above the
Russian ensign.
"we'n fight under our own fiag-and die
under it, If need be !" he declared Wen
give these Dutchmen the hell they seek,
If we can-but we'll unmask to 40 it,"
There was no responsive were too in 4
tent upon the progress of the duel. For as
a duel it has always figured to me in retro
spect.
Steadily we forged on. under forced
draught, the labors of our nightly engines
shaking the frail Clymene until one fan
cled that she would disintegrate in another
instant.
Yet, though we fled at the top of our
speed 1t was evident that the Vistula was
losing no ground. She held on unwavering-
ly, a white plume OF water under her bows.
II anything, she was gaining.
Again 1 saw Garvn raise his hand in
mute command, and again there followed
the throaty cough as the Whitehead was
launched. A second time we hung upon the
flying instants that sped between its inn
mersion aud the explosion that should come
but did not.
And the Vstula was gaining Strain as
the Clymene might, her engines, high |