Part 26 (1/2)
”It means!” cried Young Glory, ”that the fight is over. The Spanish cruiser has struck her colors. Our men have surrendered. The Cristobal Colon is ours!”
The Nashville had won this great fight against odds, and it was all owing to Young Glory's daring suggestion that the Spaniard should be boarded.
Instantly the prisoners were disarmed.
”Place them below!” ordered Captain Long, ”with a guard over them!”
Mr. Tyler walked up.
”Shall you navigate this s.h.i.+p, sir, entirely with our men?”
”Have we enough?”
”I think so until we get outside. Then we shall fall in with the Brooklyn.”
”Very well.”
Young Glory dashed along the deck.
”Sir! Sir!”
”Well!”
”Danger threatens us.”
”Where?”
”Some boats are putting off from San Juan.”
Instantly it was seen that quite a flotilla was approaching. No doubt the reason they had not done so before was because they thought that the Spanish cruiser stood in no need of aid.
”The Stars and Stripes flying from this s.h.i.+p have brought them out,”
said Captain Long.
”Give them a broadside, sir. We'll fight them with their own guns, sir.”
”Yes, one of the big guns of this s.h.i.+p is in order. See what you can do with it, Young Glory.”
The sailors of the Nashville took a keen delight in handling the Spanish gun and turning it against the on-coming flotilla. Young Glory aimed very carefully.
Boom!
The first shot told. The great sh.e.l.l from the ten-inch rifle struck the leading gun-boat of the flotilla.
”She's done for!”
”Wait!”
”Yes, she is. Look, she's filling.”