a great glow of flame, and he heaved a sigh of
relief which was almost a sob, for he knew that her people had taken
alarm from the firing and were prepared. In a few seconds the beacon-
fire spread a lurid glare wide over the waters of the bay, and the
Peruvian torpedo-boat was plainly disclosed to view, together with a
phosphorescent glimmer which indicated the position of the deadly
torpedo.

"Now, men!" cried the young Englishman, "now is your chance, while the
light lasts. Train the gun on the torpedo, and fire at it until you hit
it. Riflemen, do the same, and remember that the _Blanco's_ safety
depends upon your shooting."

"Ay, ay, sir!" responded the Chilians, and a second later the Gatling in
the bows began to chatter out its deadly message, while the seamen
rapidly loaded and fired their rifles, in the hope of destroying the
infernal machine before it could reach the _Blanco Encalada_. But, try
as they might, it seemed impossible to hit that fish-like object which
dashed through the water ahead of them. Twice the Chilians had hit the
torpedo-boat's helmsman, and twice he had been replaced, while the
shrieks that came from the boat itself testified to the execution
inflicted upon her crew. Still she was creeping nearer and nearer to
the flagship, the crew of which were vainly trying to depress the
muzzles of their great guns sufficiently to reach the Peruvian, and but
a few more short seconds were needed for the latter to complete her fell
work.

Then, all in a moment, the end came. Jim did not know how it happened,
whether it was due to his own men, or to those on board the flagship;
but a bullet struck the torpedo fair and square. The next instant there
was a stunning concussion, and the water between pursuer and pursued
seemed to be blown into a great hollow sphere, the sides of which then
rushed together again, while a tall column of water heaped itself up
fully thirty feet into the air, to collapse into spray which drenched to
the skin every man both in the torpedo-boat and in the launch.

A wild cheer broke out on board the Chilian launch and the _Blanco
Encalada_, and their men now turned all their attention to destroy the
wasp which had just been deprived of its sting. The moment that her
towed torpedo had exploded she was practically powerless for injury, and
she turned her nose seaward at once, hoping, by a desperate rush, to get
clear away. And so she doubtless would, had it not been f