f.

At this moment Vice-Admiral Beatty and his flagship, the _Lion_,
entered the battle. The great guns of the flagship roared above the
others and the battleship _Frauenlob_, singled out by her fire, soon
sank.

In spite of the German losses, the British, so far, had had the worst
of the encounter and the German admiral, despite the loss of his
flagship, had no mind to give up the battle. He pushed to closer
quarters.

Now the fighting became more terrific. Shells struck upon all ships
engaged at intervals of a few seconds apart. Frequently loud explosions
were heard above the voices of the great guns; and in most cases these
signified the end of a ship of war.

Among the smaller vessels--the torpedo boats--which had singled each
other out, the execution had been terrible. Dead and wounded strewed
the decks and there was no time for the uninjured to give aid. They
were too busy attending to their guns and manoeuvering their vessels.

But the outcome of an engagement such as this could have but one
result, it seemed. Outnumbered as they were and fighting as bravely as
they knew how, the British were getting the worst of it. Rather than
sacrifice more lives and ships, Vice-Admiral Beatty, on the _Lion_,
gave the signal to retire. He was in hopes that the Germans would
follow and thus fall into the clutches of the main British fleet which
was advancing at full speed and with which Vice-Admiral Beatty had been
in communication by wireless.

The Germans accepted the bait as the British drew off slowly; and as
they advanced more ships steamed up from the east. It was a second
German squadron advancing to the aid of the first.

There was a cry of surprise from the British, for they had not known
that there was a second fleet in such close proximity. These new
vessels evidently were the reserves the German admiral had been
depending upon to turn the tide of battle should his first line ships
not be able to overcome the British.

Seeing apparent victory within his grasp, the German admiral signalled
his fleet to full speed; so the British retreated more rapidly.

Suddenly there was a terrible explosion to the right of the _Queen
Mary_. Frank and Jack, as well as all others on the _Queen Mary_, gazed
in that direction. The battle cruiser _Invincible_ suddenly sprang into
a sheet of flame and parted in half. A German shell had struck her
vitals.

A cry of despair broke from the British as the _Invincible_--the
great