Part 10 (2/2)

At length all the occupants of the fire-control platform were lowered in safety. Barely had the lieutenant gained the deck when Sefton's companion gave vent to an exclamation of annoyance.

”Dash it all!” he exclaimed. ”I clean forgot all about that camera.

Here goes.”

Slipping into the bos'n's chair he made the men haul away for all they were worth, and, spinning round at the end of the rope, the _Warrior's_ sub again ascended to the dizzy, insecure perch.

Sefton watched him disappear into the recesses of the enclosed s.p.a.ce, presently to reappear with the precious camera dangling round his neck.

”Wouldn't have lost it for anything,” remarked the young officer as he regained the fore-bridge. ”I've knocked about with it ever since I was at Osborne, you know.”

”Take anything during the action?” enquired Sefton.

”By Jove, no, I didn't! Clean forgot all about it.”

”And I fancy, old bird, you won't again,” interposed an a.s.sistant paymaster, vainly attempting to ”open out” the folding camera. ”It's done for.”

Which was only too true. A fragment of sh.e.l.l had penetrated the case, reducing the delicate mechanism to a complete wreck.

”Look out! Stand clear!” shouted a dozen voices.

With a rending crash the crippled mast buckled up and disappeared over the side.

Sefton glanced at his chum. The imperturbable sub shrugged his shoulders.

”Better to be born lucky than rich, old man,” he remarked. ”But, by heavens, what a jamboree!”

He could find no other words to describe the scene of destruction. Now that the s.h.i.+p was out of action, and the excitement of the t.i.tanic struggle was over, the grim realization of what a naval engagement means was beginning to reveal itself to the survivors of the gallant crew.

All the fires had been extinguished, with the exception of the big outbreak aft. Gangs of men toiled desperately at the hand-pumps with a double purpose. The _Warrior_ was making water freely. Already her stokeholds and engine-rooms were flooded. Deprived of the aid of her powerful steam bilge-pumps it seemed doubtful if the hand appliances would be able to cope with the steady inrush. Moreover, a considerable volume of water had to be directed upon the fire.

Officers with blackened faces and scorched uniforms encouraged the men by word and deed. At whatever cost the _Warrior_ had to be saved from foundering if human efforts were capable of such a herculean task.

Undaunted, the crew toiled manfully, fighting fire and water at one and the same time.

Already the dead had been identified and given a hasty, yet impressive, burial, while--an ominous sign--the wounded had been brought up from below and laid in rows upon the upper deck. It was a necessary precaution, and clearly indicated the grave possibility of the old _Warrior_ being unable to battle much longer against the ever-increasing leaks.

There was now plenty of work for Sefton to do. Placed in charge of one of the fire-parties he was soon strenuously engaged in fighting the conflagration. With the flooding of the after magazine all danger of an explosion was now at an end, but, unless the flames were speedily quelled, the possibility of foundering would be materially increased, since several sh.e.l.l-holes betwixt wind and water had occurred in that part of the s.h.i.+p still dominated by the outbreak.

Although no doubt existed in the minds of the _Warrior's_ crew as to the outcome of the general engagement, they were in suspense owing to a total lack of news. Without wireless they were debarred from communication with the rest of the squadron. As helpless as a log, the battered vessel was floating in the vast expanse of the North Sea without a single vessel in sight. The roar of the battle had rolled on far to the nor'ard, and although the incessant rumble of the terrific cannonade was distinctly audible, the _Warrior_ was as ignorant of the course of events as if she had been a hundred miles away.

The almost flat calm had given place to sullen undulations rippled by a steady breeze that threatened before long to develop into a hard blow.

There was every indication of an angry sea before nightfall.

An hour had elapsed since the _Warrior_ had ceased firing--sixty minutes of strenuous exertion on the part of all hands--when a vessel was sighted apparently steaming in the crippled cruiser's direction.

For some moments suspense ran high, for whether the strange craft were friend or foe no one on board could give a definite decision.

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