nila informed them that the _Monadnock_ had been
destroyed in the roads of Manila through some inexplicable explosion.

Parrington sprang from his chair and cried to the colonel: "Won't you at
least pay those cursed Japs back by sending the message, 'We suspect
that the Japanese steamer anchored beside the _Monadnock_ has blown her
up by means of a torpedo?' Otherwise it is just possible that they will
be naive enough in Manila to let the scoundrel get out of the harbor.
No, no," he shouted, interrupting himself, "we can't wait for that; we
must get to work ourselves at once. Colonel, you go ashore, and I'll
steam toward Manila and cut off the rogue's escape. And you"--turning to
the German--"you can return to your ship and enter the bay; there are
no"--here his voice broke--"no mines here."

Then he rushed up on the bridge again. The hawsers were cast off in
feverish haste, and the _Mindoro_ once more steamed out into the bay at
the fastest speed of which the old craft was capable. Parrington had
regained his self-command in face of the new task that the events just
described, which followed so rapidly upon one another's heels, laid out
for him. An expression of fierce joy came over his features when,
looking through his glass an hour later, he discovered the _Kanga Maru_
holding a straight course for Corregidor.

As calmly as if it were only a question of everyday maneuvers,
Parrington gave his orders. The artillerymen stood on either side of the
small guns, and everything was made ready for action.

The distance between the two ships slowly diminished.

"Yes, it is the Japanese steamer," said Parrington to himself. "And now
to avenge Harryman! There'll be no sentimentality; we'll shoot them
down like pirates! No signal, no warning--nothing, nothing!" he
murmured.

"Stand by with the forward gun," he called down from the bridge to the
men standing at the little 12 pounder on the foredeck of the _Mindoro_.
The _Mindoro_ turned a little to starboard, so as to get at the
broadside of the Japanese, and thus be able to fire on him with both the
forward and after guns.

"Five hundred yards! Aim at the engine room! Number one gun, fire!" The
shot boomed across the sunny, blue expanse of water, driving a white
puff of smoke before it. The shell disappeared in the waves about one
hundred yards ahead of the Japanese steamer. The next shot struck the
ship, leaving in her side a black hole with jagged edges just above the